The summer isn’t over yet.

I left home in the rain on Saturday morning and arrived in Eastbourne to autumnal sunshine, my B&B host Steve recommended the Marine pub for dinner and it was just right, enough gammon and chips for two and a well served pint or two of San Miguel meant no trouble sleeping even with the raucous seagulls. Steve also gave me a pack up for breakfast as I caught the early ferry from Newhaven that lasted both breakfast and lunch. I arrived here in Rouen by 5pm and considered just relaxing but that meant dinner would have been chain fast food so I walked into the city for a recce and I am so glad I did. The old town has an air of medieval magic about it and after finding all the sites that I will visit tomorrow I stumbled on a Belgian bar heavily patronised by young people at least forty years younger than me who all seemed to be drinking pints, after sampling a couple of their 10 draught beers I floated across the square for another pint and a home made diavolo pizza, wonderful, and to be sitting in the sun watching the world pass by. On my return to the hotel I noticed that the tattoo parlours were all open and a lot of good looking girls were waiting on the pavement for friends, I suppose that is to be expected when you book cheap hotels. I did check out the hotel menu and the offer of Plate of raw vegetables or Lukewarm herring and potatoes made the trip into town even more worthwhile.