Mercure Royal Limousin Limoges

Set upon the River Vezere and quite pretty due to its 15th and 16th century Maisons a Tourelles, which looks like miniture castles due to their turrets. The rain had stopped for our little walk around the village but started again when we got back to the car - great timing!

Stayed last night in a pretty little medieval village of Solignac, right on the town square next to the villages 11th century church, which is on the pilgirmage route - Santiago de Compostela. It had rained last night and was still raining so our wander around was brief! Our plan today was to stop at several little villages in the area, of which they got progressively prettier.

... had and to have known the people that I have known. Conrad said to me at one point, “Not the most ideal places to visit on a honeymoon.” He was half jesting. He felt the same way that I did about it. It definitely makes you appreciate what you have and to remember to live in the present day, for you never know what lies ahead.

... with its stone old church and pretty shuttered houses. But most of the time was spent under the cherry tree- and what a great spot that is. I could have done with a little more of the same, but, with a busy week ahead of catching up with friends, I had to board a flight back to London, which, after my French escape, seemed all the more crowded, dirty, and smelly! .

... out that this nerd palace holds days where nerd meet up and play 'real life' games (they all had pretend shotguns and machine guns). Whats worse is that they walked around with such confidence it would seem that they actually thought they were mercenaries........ it made me sympathetic towards bullies.

After leaving nerd palace we sat outside for lunch and observed a young 'gangster' type character leave a ...

... conciousness. Then she started freaking out because I was speaking English. I left her to the crowd of people. She seemed fine.

At the bike shop it was obvious that I would need a new wheel, which requires a new gearing cassette, tyre, and innertube. 80 euros has seriously hurt the budget. Only 200 pounds left to get to Africa. Whats worse is the chain doesn't fit properly.

MST

... way through, these teenagers came through. They were yelling, laughing, running around, hanging all over each other PDA style... overall being DISGUSTINGLY disrespectful. Sure, it was personally annoying, but more than that, it was horrifying that these European youth could have such disrespect for their own history... so sad and that is what really angered me about the whole thing. There were these quotes in one room, projected from ...

... least we had this trusty little Lonely Planet guide, which recommended a few places around Dournazac and Chateau Montbrun.... Hmmm, they all seemed to be closed... Finally, 'La Taverne'- a place to eat (even though its ~10pm) and sleep (what! no rooms available!). Well, of course it did have a happy ending, but I start with the photos first....

... baby girl, my other cousin announced that he is going to be a daddy at the end of the year, my Nantes friend is getting married, my Paris friend has bought a flat, my other Paris friend has taken his motorcycle test, bought a bike and he is moving in with his girlfriend, there is a new shower in our family house and my parents have changed their sofa ! Crazy isn't it ? And I only left for 4 months, what is it going to be about when I come back after those ...

We went to pick up the van and all went fine on the drive into downtown London where we were staying. A few wrong turns was the least of our concerns. Jess thought the roundabouts within roundabouts were really cute. Jason, who was driving on the wrong side of the road, on the wrong side of the car, shifting with his left hand, in something twice the size of his Honda, in the middle of a city with 7 million drivers, didnt use the word "cute". So, when we got back to ...