Tusker5's last post ...

We're now back in Orkney and it is time to close the blog.  Exceptional weather made this winter in Barga memorable.  We didn't travel quite so much as in some previous years, but perhaps that was because relaxing in the sun on the terrace was all we wanted to do!

We're still getting used to the change of temperature, but it is compensated for by the fantastic shows of daffodils brightening up our gardena and many others.

Jedburgh's iconic 12th century abbey - ruined in the border wars of the 16th century 

Scottish late winter scene - the sheep at the neeps ...

Idyllic spring scene No. 1 ...

Idyllic spring scene No. 2 ...

At the "Shoogly Brig" - which shoogles no more ...

Female goosander sports a punk hairstyle on the River Jed

We were lucky to catch Lillias and Denyse in Newtonmore - pictured in front of the new car port

Some of the daffs awaiting us in the garden

And now it's time to get back to the boat-watching!

Heading for Jedburgh

We had a pretty good crossing despite a brisk wind from the NE.  In Hull, the sun was shining, and we headed down to Gainsburgh to have lunch with Carol and Ian.  Then a bit of a slog up the A1 - very busy road - to the borders and Betty in Jedburgh.

Spring in Lincolnshire

Still waters in Northumberland - nearly in Scotland

The border at the Carter Bar - The distant Cheviots still with a covering of recent snow

The Eildon Hills seen from the Carter Bar.  According to Sir Walter Scott, created by the border wizard Michael Scott who "cleft the Eildon Hills in three..."

Leaving Luxembourg ...

After a quick walk round Schrassig - and seeing more evidence of Luxembourg's bourgeoning prosperity - we bid farewell to Pietro and Marijke, and travelled without incident to Zeebrugge, where we boarded the Pride of York for our trip to Hull.

In front of the house in Schrassig

What the new houses up the road look like ...

Time to go ...

... and go ...

The cranes of Zeebrugge

Old fishing boat lost among the big boys of Zeebrugge harbour

Marijke and Pietro in Luxembourg

On Tuesday, we did a bit more sightseeing in Nancy before heading north to Luxembourg and Pietro and Marijke.  What a lot more we now know about this tiny country!  Luxembourg city is entirely bound up with the institutions of the EU, while much of the small countryside is given over to vineyards.

Luxembourg city is built on a system of crags and gorges.  We went for a walk down below, then zoomed up the cliffs in a new glass lift to the upper town

In the Grund - the bottom of the canyon around which the city is built

Still down in the canyon ...

Looking up to the upper town - Pietro worked in the modern building when he first came to Luxembourg

Looking down on the lower town from the spectacular glass lift

In the upper town - new building works are going on all over Luxembourg city

Vibrant coloured jars adorn the new Luxembourg Judiciary building

Microsoft, Amazon - they're all here due to favourable tax conditions ...

Not Abbey Road!  The scene in the fast expanding new town where many of the offices of the EU are situated

Pietro and Anna-Lisa.   Pietro is very proud of his "Mont Blanc" pudding - rightly so - it was wonderful!

Through France to Nancy

We travelled over relatively quiet autoroutes past many miles of spectacular hawthorn trees in full blossom, past woodlands carpeted with millions of wood anemones.  However such is the nature of this type of travel, I have no photos of these marvels.

At Nancy, the weather was now very overcast, but we travelled from our hotel by tram into the city centre where we saw many of the Art Nouveau buildings for which Nancy has been made a World Heritage site.

An unknown little flower at a motorway service station - the only shot I got!

The new normal - we muck in with the French army at another coffee stop

Flights of fancy in Nancy (and it doesn't rhyme!)

House in Nancy

House in Nancy

Door in Nancy

House in Nancy

Time for a coffee after pounding the pavements! 

Youngsters add a splash of colour as they celebrate 100 days to their baccalaureat

Off to the real Alps ...

We set off at about 9 am yesterday, and arrived at our destination at 5 pm - fairly quiet roads and an easy drive. The little French Alpine village of Cordon is high above the valley floor, and about 20 miles from Chamonix.  We have stayed there before - it has splendid views of mont Blanc.

Perhaps it is best that Barga to leave on a dull morning! - good driving conditions...

Mont Blanc with the last of the sun, seen from Cordon

View across the valley from the hotel next morning before we leave

Time to go ...

With the Forsythia and the fruit trees in full glorious bloom, and the new leaves unfurling, we realise the time has come to set off back to the North.  We leave Barga on Sunday, after our fifth winter here - it seems to have fled past this time.

Fruit blossom - apple?

Forsythia, Japonica and green bay leaves