We had been told that Cherbourg was a small grubby port town, but we found it anything but!
We ventured off the ferry (always remembering to drive on the right hand side) and went straight for the town centre.
What a wonderful surprise. The shopping was fabulous, very quaint, very orderly, styley, tidy and all in all very pleasant (compared to Britain) - the food, the flowers, the magazine shops, the children's shops, the cafes, the clothes shops, mmmmmm - magnifique!!! (shame we don't have any money) I did purchase some french house magazines. We bought a baquette, some raspberry tarts and headed back to the car to drive south (toward Paris)!

CHERBOURG!

Driving out of the ferry and into France

Leaving Poole

FRANCE

And so to France!

We are not working anymore - our days are free, so we chose Tuesday 9th Sept to head over to France from Poole on the Condor Ferry. This is Rob at 7.00am having his breakfast - we were extremely excited here - this is our first ever experience with France - it was amazing!! (Of course it was raining)

Went to Salisbury again last weekend - couldn't resist adding some photos!
This is a sculpture called "Madonna Walking"1998, with Cathedral backdrop - absolutely awesome place!

Looking through the railing at 90metres above the ground - exhilarating!
There is green grass growing on the roof of that building.


Halfway down a smog-smugged window gives a view of the top of the columns holding up the dome

Here I am at St Paul's Cathedral.
I couldn't resist having a look from the Stone Gallery - 376 steps up from the cathedral floor!
And what view - it was sunny and little wind, so most pleasant!!

The top photo has the London Eye wheel in the background upstream.












This photo is actually from the Golden Gallery (another153 steps up!!).
Looking down on the roof of the cathedral dome and the front clock tower.

And here is the Millenium Bridge with the Tate Modern Gallery on the Thames Southbank.
And now Robbo's name has been added to the many scribed around the Golden Gallery above the dome - can you see me waving? It was 4:45, Thursday, 28 August, 2008.

I like these 2 buildings - modern interpretations of the classical stone buildings that are all around you in the financial sector of London.
The squared panel building is the HSBC HQ with sleet columns and cantilevered support arms mimicing the classical column capitals and the squared panels are sculptured sunscreens with another sunscreening forming the pediment at the top of the building. London (and England generally!) need to have more thoughtful constructions like this - their standard copies of older forms is OK, but their are too many Modern buildings without character or understanding of their heritage. (Enough architecting! - let's get on!)

Don't you just love the english traditions - Lloyd's entrance, with all its stainless steel and concrete still has to have a conceirge in a red tunic coat.

Don't know what to make of this Insurance company. Fancy choosing this location !

Sorry, I missed the photo of me! - so here I am reflected in the triangular leg of the Gherkin.

After my interview at the Recruitment company, I was wandering down Bishopsgate when I came upon this huge Gherkin!
This is a real finger in the air for the rest of London, and is quite spectacular. It is an office building and the girl on the front desk said there were no tours! One shot shows my reflection, just to prove I was there.
The other tall shiny metal building is the famous Lloyd's Insurance tower, with all its innards on the outside!!