Birthday fest

Tom has enquired on the lack of a birthday fest posting … so here the update of what I got up to at the end of last week (and very enjoyable it was too).

We pootled over to Kent Wednesday evening (attempting to take photos of the roadside signs ready for Brownie Bingo on the loooong coach trip to Eurodisney in October), ready for the following day’s celebrations.

So birthday came, and after pressie and card opening, we sorted stuff out and headed over to Ashford early for a look around (as its been ages since I was last in the town centre) before boarding a lunchtime Eurostar to Lille.

We arrived, dumped bags at the hotel (about 10mins from station and it seemed Kebab central, 4 could be seen from the room window) and headed out to explore. We had a wander around the pedestrianised section, old Lille before a bit of dinner location searching (part of pressie from mum). Settled for Les 3 Brassiers (3 Brewers), which is a micro brewery brassiere and I had the local food set menu, and Tom just had a spicy gammon steak, but helped me finish the pudding. The food in Lille is very homely, more akin to Belgian food (as it used to be the capital of Flanders) with beer the big thing rather than wine. This was all accompanied by a very nice large glass of white beer (with slice of lemon as drunk in these parts … very yummy!). Thing to try at home: flammekeuche; a thick pancake that is then topped and grilled, pudding was an apple one which was rings of apple and melted sugar … but you can get pizza/ toastie type topping for the savoury version.

Friday was lots of walking … Hotel de Ville, Citadel & park before the final shop up in Euralille (the big shopping centre between the two Lille stations). With Canada coming up, I’m saving my money & shopping until then … but resisted any crafty bits in the lovely Creation & Loisirs (which on return to C/bury we found that stuff in France on the craft front it a bit cheaper than the UK). So mainly it was a big Carrefour (and it is a big two storey store with people on rollerskates (this it seems is the sign of a large store …)) for foodie goodness and beer. Dinner was ate in the park near the station & centre … before a –2min train journey (the ticket shows local times, and the journey takes 58 mins …..) back to a waiting parent taxi at Ashford (thank goodness, with all the yummy food and stuff!).

The weekend was spent in Kent, mum & dad introduced us to really good pub for food that I’ve spent years walking past (but only in recent times has it been good with the food). It’s decent food (supplied by a yummy deli in the city centre) that reasonably priced. We ate out in their garden (continuing the good weather we’d had), with thai platters, chinese curry (yummy, I had that on the specials board) and a brie and apple doorstep sarnie (it must have been about 3” thick!!!); a place to try again I think. Also caught up with the c/bury shops (and finally got some magazine files in WHS… which Pompey doesn’t do, we seem to have a rubbish WHS in the city centre), also buying some gorgeous paper to use on cards in the lovely Chromos (handmade paper, art & craft supplies galore).

Then on Sunday it was off to my sister’s with some photos on the way, for lunch. Delivery of french goodies for her (Asterix in french, fondue cheese, and an Apple tart for pudding), pressie receiving for me and a roast dinner for all (although one of their cats, Scamp wanted to help himself to the chicken …)

So a really enjoyable few days, to get away from hassles here and refresh the batteries …. And just a few weeks to go until Canada!