HOLIDAYS IN EASTBOURNE DAY 1

Today I started my holidays in Eastbourne in the South East of England. I arrived yesterday evening around 9 after this nice excursion to Stonehenge, but I will write about that later on my travel blog.

Unfortunately my mobile didn't work in the UK, I really didn't know why, checked all the settings and finally gave up. In the train I asked a lady if she could borrow me her mobile, just for one phone call to my friend to tell her at what time I was arriving ! There I really realized that a mobile is a necessity !

Fortunately her husband could fix it, it was the SIM card which had probably moved and there was no contact anymore.

After this long day I fell in my bed and woke up with the screams of the seagulls ! that gave me a real holiday feeling ! If I could purr I would have done it.

Late morning we drove to Hailsham to a little flea market, walked around and had a cup of tea there.Then we drove further through the beautiful English countryside to Beckshill



First time in my life I saw blue shell eggs !



Both are very cute little towns with these romantic little doll houses !



On the top of a building in Beckshill was the bus which was used in the movie "The Italian Job" with Michael Caine, and it moves forward then when it hangs over it moves back !



and then we walked a little along the sea people were laying there enjoying the sun or even were swimming in the to me rather cold water ! Compared to our with so many people packed beaches, these once looked so spacy and you certainly were not sitting on each other laps !

When we got home we had tea and in the evening we watched the opening of the Olympic games which were absolutely unique and plenty of humor. It was the first time I watched an Olympic game opening almost til the end, I stopped at letter G, when I saw my in pink and blue dressed German compatriots ! I especially loved the arrival of the Queen with Mr. James Bond and Mr. Bean being part of the orchestra ! The health part with doctors and nurses was also great all in all an excellent performance !

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

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1. The whole country is in heaven after 3 weeks of rain and cold weather the sun shines and we have summer temperatures. So on Monday together with my friend Nicole we decided to play "Holidays".



First we went to the Waterloo swimming pool which had its roof removed, the water was warm and as there is also a little park to rest, people were sitting on the grass. It's very well organized, there is even a line for grandmas like us who don't like water in their faces and swim with a stretched out neck like swans (an insult for the swans, sorry)



After that we were hungry and ate this delicious plate, was just appropriate for the warm weather. We could sit outside they have a nice garden with a pond.

2. Between booking my trip to first Stonehenge and then Eastbourne, printing and looking up train schedules, I also had some personal paper work to do, as Mr. G. uses me as secretary, since he has no one anymore ! Rather stressed I decided to go back to the swimming pool and after one hour of swimming I felt much better.

3. It was the same on Wednesday so before I started to pull out all clothes I need for my trip to the English coast, I returned swimming to feel relaxed and not to forget anything. The trouble is I have to take warm things along besides summer clothes ! You never know how the weather will be in the next days !


4/5.

I arrived early morning in London, it only takes 2 h from Brussels to get there
From now on I will do a diary of my holidays !



What a welcome ! Music and banners to greet and pick up the athletes which  had been in the same train as me, I hadn't seen them as I almost missed the Eurostar, I had forgotten that I should have been at the check in half an hour before ! You and your luggage are scanned just like in an airport, because we go under the sea through the tunnel.

I ran behind a man who pulled my suitcase and just could jump in the last wagon !
What a start !

But I arrived, could take my coach to Stonehenge and will start my holiday diary tomorrow !

JULY - HOLIDAYS

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July is a school holiday month where most of the shops and offices are closed for summer holidays. The Belgians with children depending on school holidays usually choose July for going south where it's warmer and it rains less. It's the month where Belgium seems to sleep, less traffic, less people but lots of tourists especially in Brussels, but also here in Waterloo. When I go to the Lion's hill where Napoleon lost his battle it's packed with tourists arriving in buses from everywhere. Lately we even had Chinese !

July is also the month which is the most expensive for going away. That's why I usually never travel during July/August the 2 months of official school holidays.

But each year end of July I visit my friends at the English coast in Eastbourne. Not only I love to stay with them, the town and the surroundings are just so beautiful.



It's not so far from London, I take the Eurostar train from Brussels and in London I take another train to Eastbourne.



and here I stay. While you are reading this post I am on my way. This evening I will arrive, and tomorrow morning I will be walking around there.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

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OUR WORLD

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WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?

This meme helps you to remember what you did on the weekend of 21 July.

As Saturday was the National Day in Belgium, there were lots of festivities going on everywhere ! Of course also in Waterloo. I went with Ilona to her mother who lives just in front of the place where the festivities took place. After a good chat and laughing, (her mother is 88 but in full shape !) we went to have a look what was going on.



This was supposed to be a country music show, but the dancers were as stiff as brooms and their faces were as if they had swallowed a glass of vinegar ! Poor Ilona who is a very good dancer and has the rhythm in her Hungarian blood, couldn't stand it so I just took these pictures and we continued our walk.



People had a lot of fun by sitting together and mostly drink the good Belgian beer. The mayor walked through the crowd and said hello to everybody he met.



There also were a lot of activities for children.

We didn't stay long and I returned home. The weather was nice and I could have mowed the lawn but on official holidays and Sundays, mowing is not allowed.



The grass is growing and growing and I wonder how I can mow all this !



Only Rosie and the other cats are happy to have such a huge salad field !



and of course after 3 weeks of non stop rain, the flowers rot away ...

On Sunday the sun finally came out and I took Nicole to the big Brussels Midi Market. She only had been once there and enjoyed it very much. This market is the second biggest one in Europe after Ventimiglia in Italy. It has up to 450 stalls of food, clothes, leather goods, household appliences etc.


Nicole searching in a mountain of T-shirts and pullovers

We walked through the stalls and were looking for bargains and enjoying the special atmosphere, not only it's very international, but also because of the locals. This is the place where you still can find the real Brussels' people speaking their special "French" which is a mixture between Flemish and French. On the picture above left, you see a typical Brussels' gentleman explaining something. This language is so rich and funny that only listening is a pleasure. These people too have a lot of humor. We sat there in the sun and drank a beer and then continued our walk. Nicole was spending some time at a stall with blouses and T-shirts for 1 € (1.21 $) ! She bought two ! The prices there are just unbelievable.

After two hours walking we were tired and took our bus back home.

Late afternoon a friend of Mr. G. came for a short visit, and the day ended with a crime story on TV

TUNISIA - A blue and white little town

During our round trip through Tunisia we also visited Sidi Bou Said, a cute little town



and the inside of a typical Tunisian upper class home

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