Newcastle trip

A quick weekend to Newcastle with Yvonne to visit my friends Mary and Terry. We visited Hexham and its cathedral on Thursday. On Friday, Terry drove us up to Craster, then on to Cragside. A few photos below.














If you look at the wall of the castle above Yvonne's head, you will notice that it is built on to the rock. This is to ensure it can hold the massive marble fireplace inside. Well worth the visit to Cragside.

Paris in Spring

My sister Sue wanted to celebrate her 50th by a first visit to Paris. My mum, aunt and I joined her. It all started well, even with the 3.30 am wake up to catch Flybe's 6.30 am flight from Exeter. However, Charles De Gaulle airport defeated us. We were not met by the booked transfer. The number given for the transfer was wrong and airport information was not very forthcoming as to where the bus would be. While trying to find him I lost my mum and sister. An hour later, leaving my aunt to stand by where we thought the bus would be, I eventually found them still on the first floor wandering. We gave up on the transfer and decided to find another bus. Luckily I asked another airport official about our transfer, who said, 'Air city, that's him over there' and pointed to a non-descript van with a man sitting in it. We arrived at the Mecure hotel situated near the Eiffel Tower to find that our rooms had been cancelled! We were found new rooms and our holiday began.




I snapped this woman with her cat outside the Galleries Layfatte. No time to sort out the exposure at the time.





Part of the Monet mural in The Orangerie.




I was trying to do something arty photographing these skateboarders when this one fell off.

On Sunday the gardens by the Eiffel Tower seemed full of brides and their guests with photos being taken, so I joined in.






We were stuck on the open air bus on the second day as we think there was a state visit - hence the flag flying from the Arc de Triumph.