Experiences to savour

What did we see?

• London: museums
• South-westish France: castles, caves, cuisine, churches and medieval villages
• Loire Valley: chateaus
• Normandy: English/French history, from Joan of Arc to William the Conqueror to D-Day landings
• Paris: museums and monuments
• Singapore: family, who are also friends, in a completely different environment

Theme highlights in France?

• Medieval villages
• Food
• Old churches
• D-Day landing beaches

Most enjoyable experience not already reported?

Most churches in France are left open for the public to wander in.  In one little village (whose name I no longer know), I attempted to go inside an old, interesting-looking church, but the door was locked. An old lady walking past asked me if I wanted to go inside.  After I replied "yes", she asked me to wait outside the front door, and she would get the key and unlock it for me.  She then disappeared for several minutes, and I was beginning to wonder if I had misunderstood her (bear in mind that our conversation had been carried out entirely in French).  Then the door suddenly opened from inside, and I enjoyed a personal tour of a lovely old church!  Enjoyment factor = (lovely church) * (kind old lady) * (successful conversation in French).

Overall highlights?

• Better appreciation of the 'real' France
• Sense of French history
• Sharing fantastic new experiences with my best friend (yeah, yeah, bring out the violins)