Memory Lane

21st March

Normandy is clean, smart and in the sunshine looks like a great place to live. The houses are all different and very attractive.




























I am on a bit of a wild goose chase today again going down memory lane. When I was young our father organised a two centre holiday. Trouville and Houlgate, staying in hotels. I remember the hotels, the first had an enormous single story restaurant attached to the hotel, and the food was disgusting. Apparently, although I don't remember, and probably wouldn't have noticed at 12.

So my Dad complained about his pork chop and said it wasn't cooked. They took it back. When they brought it back, it still wasn't. My Dad was a great bloke and a good father, known for his war stuff and all that, but he was quite moody and could get quite angry. When this happened you didn't really want to be around. In fact, you would know pretty quickly when this mood was likely to happen, and I think all the family started looking around for some space under the table. Within a few seconds, my father was standing on his chair, holding the pork by its chop end, and shouting. Can't remember exactly but questioning whether this food was edible in this restaurant and what a disgrace. We then left the restaurant and I assume ate elsewhere during our stay there.

From Ouisterham we pass through these places on our way to Honfleur. Houlgate is a delight. I remember the look of the hotel we stayed in, a typical Normany hotel, and there are now many of them lining the street, so it was difficult to identify exactly which one.







































































On to Trouville. A large town centred on the river Touques. We drove across the bridge and right into the town alongside the river until we reached the sea and then turned right. The riverside road is delightful with restaurants, shops and fish stalls.

Well worth a visit. As we got to the sea, the road climbed and I can't figure out where our pork chop episode might have happened as there were no buildings near the water. Further on towards Honfleur there is another village called Villerville, which looked to have hotels near to the sea, but the roads were too narrow for the great Wishstream. Or at least we decided they were, now that we are in wimp mode over narrow lanes. So, I failed in my quest, but just being there and writing this has brought it back.

Honfleur is gorgeous and the Aire is located on the edge of the town by the river, minutes walking to the hub of the place. With shops and restaurants galore, and great dog walking we will stay for 2 nights, and I have found a vet to do the dog cross channel stuff for Friday morning.

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