The Harrogate Trip

Gosh, what a whirlwind visit, we have now returned home and I can't believe it's all over.  We had a wonderful time in Harrogate and I managed to fit in nearly everything I wanted to do.

It was great to spend some quality time with my Mother, see my family and catch up with friends.  I shopped until I dropped, (I am saving the shopping details for another post!). We dined out for lunch every day, I went for a lot of coffees and early doors drinks accompanied by my mother and her ever increasing coteri of eccentric friends, and most importantly, we went to the pub.

It's interesting to return to your home town after a long period of absense, seeing what was once so familiar, with new eyes and also to see the changes. 

 Harrogate, has been hit by the recession there are a lot of empty shops and business's in prime positions (mainly estate agents) I guess the strain of the exorbitant Harrogate rates was just too much.  The shops and restaurants were very quiet during the week and nearly all of them were trying to lure customers in with exciting offers and discounts, which I took full advantage of, added to that, the euro is strong against the pound at present, so I got some great bargains.

Here are some photos of Harrogate and it's shops:

The cherry tree walk, on 'The Stray'. Most visitors to Harrogate refer to 'The Stray', as a park. Driving or walking through Harrogate is a joy, and it is like passing through a park. 'The Stray' is 200 acres of protected parkland, used by the locals for leisure activities, including picnics, dog walking, horse riding, kite flying and anything else outdoorsy you can think of.

And this is what it looks like in late spring.

Crocus on 'The Stray'. Spring has arrived in Harrogate.

An old vintage photograph of 'The Stray'.

It's good to see one of these, still in use!

I had never noticed before, the large number of these wonderful Victorian seated shelters in Harrogate, on the edge of The Stray, a real throwback to the time when Harrogate was a major spa resort and the promenading Victorians and Edwardian's used them, to rest, before they continued on their way.

Typical Harrogate property, overlooking The Stray, I love the conservatory.

 

And another, recently purchased, modernised and sandblasted.

Heading into the town centre.

Ahh, Betty's.

What's in their window? Mmm, hand made, decorated chocolate Easter eggs, badgers and bunnies.

Ogdens, The Jewellers, my mother would be overjoyed if MG took me in here to purchase a diamond engagement ring.

Woods of Harrogate for all your linen and interior design needs.

Another one of Woods triple fronted windows.

Brindley's of Harrogate, specialising in fabric and more interior design.

The Royal Pump Room, which put Harrogate on the map.

This plaque, tell's you all about it.

The Old Swan Hotel, Agatha Christie famously went into hiding here, A film was made about it called 'Agatha' with Vanessa Redgrave and Dustin Hoffman, all filmed in Harrogate.

Now, this is the Park in Harrogate, the entrance to the 'Valley Gardens' created for recreation and promenading in the Victorian era.

A Fleeting Return To Dear Blighty

We are going to England tomorrow for a fleeting visit, MG has business to attend to and I am going along for the ride, to spend some much needed time with family and close friends.

Sadly, it will be very fleeting, flying Tuesday to Stansted, hiring a car and driving up to Yorkshire to stay at my Mothers, only to drive back to Stansted on Friday night for an early Saturday morning flight,  I thought it would be for a whole week, or maybe even two weeks, I am longing to visit some much neglected friends in London.  But MG booked it, and, Hmm, Ryan Air (loathe Ryan Air) did not have the availability for a longer visit.

We will be staying in my home town, Harrogate, in North Yorkshire and whilst MG will be attending to business bit's and bobs, I am looking forward to having a girly time with my mother and sister, spending time with my father and hopefully catching up with my very busy brother. I am also hoping to fit in some close friends, but with only three whole days, to spare I don't know how I am going to fit it all in.

Here are some of the thing's I am looking forward to doing, with family and friends:

Err, Harrogate is famous for it's beautiful shop's, so shopping is high on my agenda.
Being a lady that lunches
Shopping
Walking through the town, and taking lot's of photo's
Shopping
Dining out, sampling some of  Harrogate's best Curry, Chinese, Thai and Fish and Chips
Shopping
Going to the pub
Shopping
Hope I can fit in a long walk in the Yorkshire Dale's, sadly Crusoe won't be with me. (He is going for his own adventure, staying with friends, who have two sheepdogs).
Shopping
Cream tea at Betty's
Shopping
A visit to the garden centre
Shopping
I won't have the time but if I did I would:
Get my hair done by my Mother's fabulous hairdresser

Go to Leeds, to visit the beautiful Victoria Quarter to do more shopping, Oh, I have to show you a photo....

 Visit awe inspiring  Salt's Mill in Shipley, to see David Hockney's latest exhibition
Shopping.

Well we will see, how much I achieve, once again posting and commenting could be sketchy, but I am taking my camera and laptop, so you are coming with me.

Just When I thought Spring Was Coming

These were taken in my garden first thing, this morning. There were a few snow flurries yesterday, but I did not think it would settle. So the snow this morning caught me by surprise.  Seems like we will have to wait a little longer for Spring.

Belle Mère's Move, Part 4, Au revoir

This was the last photo of Belle Merès house taken just before we set off for home, early yesterday morning.  31 years of life, love, laughter and tears have been witnessed by this house. There will be new occupants moving in soon and the house will once again bear witness to another family playing out their lives between it's walls. Although we were all a bit sad, we must look to the future, Belle Mère is looking forward to her new life in her new home and is already making exciting new plans for the new house.

We trundled off, leaving Belle Mère to finish cleaning the property, ready for the new owners, we thought we would make good time as we set off early and then 7 hours later and just 17 KMs from home, this happened.

Yes, here we are on the hard shoulder of the A64, auto route, broken down, at a very dangerous spot. Not what you need after a seven hour drive when you are exhausted, with a van full of furniture and friends coming to help you unload at a certain time, at the other end. We called the hire company, who told us they were not allowed to recover us on the autoroute but would reimburse the costs of the offical motorway dépannage (Break down truck) they told us to ring 17, the police.

Half an hour later we were still waiting, on the verge behind the armco barrier, in the freezing cold, then a yellow man in a yellow van turned up, by chance he had seen us and stopped to see if he could be of assistance.  He rang through and told us nothing had been reported and so he sorted out the dépannage, so we waited some more, he waited with us and was very nice and helpful even letting MG open the van to get a fleece out, did I mention it was freezing.

And we waited......Crusoe was shivering and really pissed off, he was not the only one, here he is looking at me, thinking, what the dickens is going on!

Eventually, The Dépannage man arrived with his shiny, new Mercedes truck, of which he was extremely proud, he was a bit worried about Crusoe's hairs getting on the interior of the cab. Within minutes, the van was winched on and the rescue was complete. Turned out the petrol gauge was faulty, we had run out of diesel, you will be pleased to know the rescue costs were covered by the hire company.

We were given some diesel and got home much later than expected, our friends turned up at 8am this morning to help unload the van.  All is well. tomorrow I am having a much needed lie in, then I will have to turn round the washing and do some jobs as we are off to England on Tuesday for another adventure........

A footnote

A big thank you for all your wonderful comments, whilst at Belle Mères, sorry I could not respond, but laptop access, was severely restricted!

Belle Mère's Move, Part 3, Market Day

For some bizarre reason, I thought Tuesday would be the easiest day of the move.  I was wrong.  Yesterday, the professionals were coming in to pack and today they were supposed to be moving the furniture, however the weather forecast for today was terrible so they put more men on the job to get as much done as possible.

At 7.45 yesterday morning, the doorbell went and an army of burly men spread through the house like a plague of hungry locusts, packing, wrapping and moving, even Belle Mère was in shock, "they are going too fast, I can't keep up". We had not even emptied the kitchen cupboards of food and jars, we started working frantically  so they could get into the kitchen. 

Things were whisked away so fast, mistakes were made, things that were supposed to be kept out have now gone into storage, it did not help, that we were all exhausted and still half asleep.

Antique amoires were taken to bits, blankets and bubble wrap were taped round valuable furniture and paintings, I have to say they were very gentle with the china and fragile objects. As they were French, we did not have to make them mugs of tea every half hour, they just stopped for a two hour lunch break and then returned to continue working at breakneck speed.

It is amazing how much one can accumulate, especially over 31 years, and after all the main stuff had gone Belle Mère, was trying to sort out 'the bits', you know, the bits, that have found their way into that draw or cupboard you always meant to sort out but just never got round to.

Anyway job done.  Well almost, MG and I are returning to the Pyrenees early tomorrow morning with a van full of furniture, kindly donated by Belle Mère. Which we will have to unload at the other end, and Belle Mère has to clean the house, I have already started cleaning and she will have help, before she hands over the house on Friday.  No doubt we will return hopefully in May, to help her move into her new home.

We did go to the market this morning, it was a bit of a damp squib, cold, wet and windy, with only half the usual stalls, but I still managed to take some photo's.

Poor Crusoe, he was shunted from one room to another yesterday, totally bewildered by the proceedings, so I took him for a pre-market walk, to let off some steam, barking at the waves.

Les Poissonnier's

Charcuterie

Du Fromage

Belissimo!

A quick coffee, and a chance to watch the passers-by. Ooh, he looks interesting!

He is worthy of the Sartorialist, methinks!

And another, wow, great turban.

My only purchase, Anenomes for Belle Mère

Belle Mère's Move, Part 2. Curb Appeal

Well, I have to admit, I am now absolutely shattered, I have done an awful lot of packing and lifting.  But things are going to plan. The professionals are coming tomorrow to pack all the fragile items and paintings and on Wednesday they will be moving the furniture out and putting it into the container for storage.

I have somehow managed to take some more pictures, mainly when I have been taking Crusoe for his constitutionals and amazingly enough I have managed to bag the laptop to do this post, as MG is also shattered and I think is turning in, as we speak!

Photo subject today is curb appeal, I am fascinated almost to the point of obsession about houses and gardens. I love walking past interesting looking properties and peaking in.  There is plenty of material in this neck of the woods so I hope you enjoy, peaking with me!

Love this gate and the colour is typically Provençal.

I wonder what that person up there is doing?

Of course, waxing his surfboard.

This is such a pretty villa, but not much of a view at the back.

The view from the front makes up for it.

Pretty pink house with pale green shutters.

Look closely at this one, it is in fact the back of the building, everything is painted, it's a trompe l'oeil.

I would love to peak inside this characterful  house, on the cliff top, Picasso lived here for a while.

And this is the side entrance.

Love these gates and driveway, this house and garden, see photo below, remind me of the holiday house in the film of Bonjour Tristesse, with David Niven, Deborah Kerr and Jean Seberg.

The garden, which has a path straight to a little cove.

Town house, now apartments probably at one time belonged to a wealthy merchant.

Lovely little square complete with water fountain

This property is a classic turn of the (20th) century villa, it intrigues me, when it was built there certainly would not have been a main road, it was probably a little track, and it would have had fantastic views of the sea, now the other side of the road is all built up, so it no longer has great views. I would love to know it's story, who built it? Is it still in the same family?  I will have to find out more about it.  There is just something mysterious and romantic about this villa. I love it.

Close up

The front entrance, barley visible through the trees.

And finally, Mimosa tree, I cannot tell you how divine the smell is when you walk past.