AB tour diary Day 6; in France.10 November 2014

Monday 10 November 2014

Our two rugby tour supporter's groups, travelling in Europe for Williment Sport Travel, have taken a detour from the rugby to visit France and spend a few days here. Today the Dave Loveridge and Keith Quinn groups (ably joined by their wives Janine and Anne) woke up in Lille, northern France.

It was a holiday Monday here today as the country marks its commemoration of WWI horrors with no shops or banks open virtually from Friday through to Wednesday. Tomorrow will be the big day for us and the French nation as they recall the terrible start, in 1914 of what they called 'The Great War.'

So today was a relaxing day for the Kiwi tourists  Myself I switched to a French breakfast of cheese and ham; 'fromage et jambon' with lovely jams on french bread. Washed down with strong coffee etc. (I love this country and feel very at home here)

The afternoon was taken up with a tourism coach ride around the top sights of Lille. Charles de Gaulle was born here so his home is marked and there are various statues and tributes to his powerful memory.

For dinner tonight Messrs Loveridge and Quinn - with a couple of other hardy kiwis, decided to eat the local delicacy, of steamed mussels. They arrived in front of me looking nothing like what we might expect back home. In the bowl on the table were over 100 of the succulent little blighters!

Anyway; after I had eaten them I leaned back and said to the world, 'I must remember to walk every day when i get back to New Zealand!' Dave enjoyed his as well. Merci beaucoup Lille!

It was a nice relaxing day!

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