England 2010: Part 2

Monday, May 17, 2010


Villequier to Jumieges:

Not much of a ride today as we are busy seeing the country side and just enjoying ourselves. We know there is no making Rouen today and there is no campground listed between here and there. So we decide to spend the night here, get up early and make the run to Rouen. We talk about the two ways to get to Rouen the first uphill, a long, long hill or second follow the Seine which will take an extra day. We sleep on it but first a ride down hill to the campground. There is an old abbey in town which we elect to walk around.

Now it is time to eat and we find this little café/grocery store which looks promising. The shop keep tells us there is no hot food available. But wait she rummages around and comes up with the most wonder meal. She is dressed in a beige skirt with a needle point vest to match she reminds me of Aunt Bea on the Andy Griffiths show.

I’m not very talkative and wonder why it seems there is nothing to talk about. I also find myself being very moody, must have my period, or is it the medication to reduce hormones? We stop and look a cemetery for about an hour talking about the graves and church. At the campground it time to settle in for the night. Mark has rented an adapter we can use to charge our computer. After a snack and a little typing on the computer it’s off to bed.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Jumieges to Rouen:

Up early, cook breakfast, pack up and hit the road to Rouen. We reach Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville were we need to decide which route to talk. Mark opts for up and over to get to Rouen and we begin the climb up. I did this hill the last time and ended up walking the whole thing. This time I make it to the top riding but, find no exaltation in the event. Mark has to walk like I did and pats me on the back he seems to be more excited them I am. As we coast down to Rouen I wonder why could it really the medication? We travel through Rouen in order to get to the other side. I’m irritated with myself because I see the way in my head but can’t find it.

I get my bearing and we arrive at the campground in Saint-Ledger-Du-Bourg-Denis a small village on the out skirts of Rouen. After setting up camp we walk down into the small town with Mark is delighted with. It has a bakery, butcher, café, florist, and small grocery store. We visit the butcher, baker, but not the candle stick maker instead we opt for the grocery store. We have picked up dinner and breakfast and will just hang out at the campground tonight.

Wednesday May 19, 2010

Rouen:

We site see around Rouen for sometime then Mark wants to find a WiFi café. About ten minutes later we are in this café that serves only hamburgers and chili oh yeah! A gentleman from the U. S. greet us and proceeds to talk our ear off: his name is Steve. I’m irritated that I’m in France and have to eat make-believe American food. We are told that if we order a meal the internet will be free. I should have seen this coming. Mark orders chicken fingers that look like pencils with bread on them. I order a chicken burger, or was it a veggie burger, while Mark goes for the good old fashion beef kind.

Steve finally, thankfully, has to leave for an appointment. We ask for the code to the internet and neither of us can get a signal. I’m pissed, Mark get a free sign on upstairs on the café computers. I’m noticing all the, what I consider, unhealthy food he eats, I eat healthy and get to deal with cancer, can’t lose weight and he just stays the same. I find myself being very angry with him. We ride to the train station which I can’t find and am getting angrier by the minute.

Finally he asks someone where it is and we find out it is right around the corner from where we are standing. We get prices for our trip to Calais and begin to leave the station. Now we decide to stay and extra day and go to Paris before we leave. We head back to the campground, take a little side trip to the butcher where Mark picks up a stake for the morning. I talk little as I eat salad, chicken, and green beans. I’m wondering why I am this angry as the day was not that bad.

It can’t be the cancer working on my subconscious? I have to make this decision which does not guarantee life, it only guarantees being free from Prostate cancer. I get to possibly lose the capability to have sex again, but I’ll be cancer free. I can continue to eat “healthy” yet with no idea whether or not it will keep cancer at bay; so far it has not. I’m trying to keep a positive outlook, but it is hard to do as I want desperately not to have to make this decision at all. I want my body to stop betraying me, but it may again.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Paris:

Today we decided to spend an extra day in Rouen and take the train to Paris. It is a 1 ½ hour ride through very scenic French country side. After arriving in Paris we head across town to the International station where I hope to pick up a train to Graz. Mark has the map and will guide us to our destination. We arrive at the wrong station, but no problem the correct one is only a few blocks away.

Found out that there is a train from Paris to Graz which I really wanted to get on, however I’d have to stay here until Tuesday because it is a bank holiday this weekend. It would cost 117 Euros one way than another 117 back which is about what I paid for air fare last year. Next year I may just take the sleeper car and see what it is like, however I’d miss seeing a lot of French country side until Munich. That is where I’d change trains to head to Graz. My bike would be with me not sure where, but I was informed all that was needed was to remove the front wheel The train was an overnight and I’d have gotten to sleep in a bunk which would have been an new experience.

Second time I’ve been to Paris and again unable to see any of the famed sights. Oh wait there is the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Well somewhat more than the last time. We rode through Paris as if we were locals, even managed to get into a few staring matches with cab drivers who, like in NY, thing they own the road. We were supposed to have a nice dinner in Paris, which didn’t happen, and visit some sights, which also didn’t happen. But, all in all it was a decent and informative trip.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Rouen to Calais:

Never ever believe what the internet tells you about traveling in a foreign country. First it told me there was no way to travel from Paris to Graz without it costing over $400. Not true! Then it told us there was no way to get from Rouen to Calais via train without going to Paris. Not true! Sadly you really have to get to a station and ask, or break the trip down into segments. Then you can get to where you are going inexpensively. I not once found it necessary to buy a Euro pass or any pass as they are very limiting and expensive. My experience is to buy tickets as you need them, which is much less restrictive and if you can travel on a discount pass of some kind you are better off.

We left Rouen at 12:30 pm on a local train that accommodates bikes. It was a leisurely ride 160 km ride through some magnificent French scenery takes a little over three hours. No problem getting the bike on to the train whose floor is the same height as the platform which is not always the case. We were lucky when we had to switch trains as our next train was at the same platform. There are some very old French train cars looking like something from the 50’s to the newer ones hot off the assembly line. The first one we took was fairly new and had sockets to plug in your computer, phone, what not.”

The second seemed to be something from the sixties lacking air conditioning. I used the toilet and looking down saw the track beneath the train. This certainly does not say much for the environment around the station. We zip through banked cures as if we are at Indy. Fly in to a station stop dead, motors off, the conductors chat a bit then we are off. I can see the guy driving the train from where I sit. The windows are open at fresh air blows through my hair. The skies are filling with clouds that are bluish-gray with white edges. I begin to wonder if we’ll have a rough crossing from Calais to Dover.

We watch the ship we will be traveling pulling in to its berth. It is an amazing site seeing this huge ship dock. No tugs to push it into its berth, it has jets on the side shooting water out to push the thing sideways. It slowly closes in on the dock so the ramps line up perfectly while the jets hold it against the dock. Truck after truck disembarks from the bottom deck with cars and motorcycles come off the top. Now it is our turn to load and we are motioned to ride up this very steep ramp. I’m getting on my bike when I see Mark wiz by like he had a rocket attached. I’ve never seen him move so fast. He is at the top of the ramp before I even start up.

It is difficult for me to get up the ramp because I’m laughing rather hard at this sight. After parking the bikes we head up to the top deck where we secure a table with a view. Then we decide to have dinner in the dining room instead of the buffet. It is as if we are dining in a first class restaurant with all the amenities. China and crystal glassware along with spotless white table linens next to the window we eat in style. The food is nicely presented and has wonderful flavor. We finish our meal the run down to the buffet for desert. Back at the salon table we which the White Cliffs of Dover come into view. The channel is as calm as bathwater and we have enjoyed two wonderfully smooth crossings.

Once in Dover it’s off to the train station in order to get to Martin Mill our campground for the evening. After looking at the terrain Mark agrees with me that the train is the way to go. It is even make clear as the train climes a very steep hill to take us on our six minute ride. The campground is quite nice with heated bathrooms and hot, hot water to shower in. We decide that tomorrow we’ll take the train to Canterbury.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

We arrived in Canterbury this morning around 10:30 via train from Dover. After a brief walk about the town we decided to find a campground and spend the day here. After we settle into a campground not far from town I had most to the day to myself as we went our separate ways. There is a place call the Canterbury Tales which is a set of scenarios based on Chaucer’s writings. It was quite entertaining and took about ½ an hour to wander through. The after visiting an abbey, Franciscan monastery, and the Museum of Canterbury I settled in for a cup of tea. After a sip I decided that it would be nice to have something to nibble on so back to the counter to check out what was to be had.

The young lady behind the counter assure me that they did indeed have some sweet pastries and said I should go sit and she would bring them to me. In a few she arrived at the table carrying two nice looking pastries and handed them to me. Upon asking how much they were she responded “Oh they are free. They are the last two of the day and I usually give them away.” What a pleasant surprise, yet another was to come. The particular establishment had free Wi-Fi so I signed on to check email as I figured my daughter was about to strangle me for being out of touch for so long.

There was an email from the Salisbury Festival informing me that a story I had entered in their contest was to be read in the town square on May 30th. How fun was that to learn that someone was going to read my story in the middle of Salisbury. We get back together and at the campground have some nice home cooked pork burgers for dinner. It turned a bit cool more to the dampness in the air then actual being cold if that makes any sense. I get into my sleeping bag and type a bit before heading off to sleep.