Blissful Burgundy

We left Amsterdam and drove down through France, staying on the way in - well - the middle of nowhere, in the French countryside, at a bed and breakfast in an old house where we drank coffee from bowls in the morning, like real French people.

And now we're here, at my old friend Graham and his wife Christine's place in Montreal, Burgundy. It's wonderful, and most of it was built in or around the thirteenth century. They have two gites (holiday houses) and a bed and breakfast and are really rather full so have kindly given up their room for us. If you've never been to Burgundy in France, do have a look at their website and you may understand why they - and we - like it so much.

I swam in the pool this morning, early, and loved it of course. Swallows skimmed the water near me, catching insects. There is a wonderful view from the pool over rolling countryside with fields and forests.

Stephen and I were last here at Easter 2007 and since then I think we've been through the mill a bit, to put it mildly - the Communist's long illness from Summer 2007 until his death in December 2008, for a start, and a good number of other things too.

So it's bliss to be back here with Silverback who is also enjoying it - which is great, because when you introduce someone whose opinion you respect to a place you love it's always with a deep breath in case they say "So what's so special about it? I can't see it at all!"

Many thanks to all of you who left comments on my last post - they are much appreciated.

We have one more night here after tonight - - and then we're off to find some more lovely parts of France.