France ~ Adventures With Technicolour Hair

Calais (Summer 2012)

Wednesday 8th August
Got up early and packed- I always leave it till last minute!! I always hopelessly over-pack as well. I'm quite spontaneous in dressing, and cannot plan ahead!!
Spent a looooong time in the car, longer when you need to entertain a younger sister. Read a lot of a very interesting book called The Favourites (can't remember author, sorry!) set in Japan, mostly 1970s.
Crossed the channel by ferry from Dover. Enjoyed being surrounded by people of varied nationalities, as well as taking pics of approaching France (mass upload of pics coming!!).
Got to Calais, and drove to campsite. Got a little lost and had to drive through building work, but got there in the end!
Thankfully, our tent is a pre-setup Keycamp tent, so we just unloaded the car and settled in.
Weather here lovely, we ate outside for dinner :) Très bien!!

Thursday 9th August
Slow start this morning- I didn't sleep so well due to being in an unusual place. However, fine once up. Had breakfast in the lovely sunshine- can't remember the last time I ate outside!
My sister and I went with our dad to the swimming pool. Was quite cold. I got out early, not because of cold (I'm used to 50m pools, and they're freezing!!) but because of an age-old problem: I'm a trained competitive swimmer. When you train every week, you forget what a fun swim is. Sad but true :(
Walked into Guinês (hope I've spelt that right!!). It was extremely pretty. However, walked a looong way to Carrefour Market (supermarket) and missed lunch.
Caught bus back. Almost missed it because we forgot about the time difference (+1 hour).
Sandwiches for tea. Sister delighted that she can go off to park by herself!! It's very good for her independence; however, the sand at the site is muddy, so she returned filthy.
Have invented a new game. Outside, we sit by one of the main paths in the campsite, so every time a car comes past I look at the back to see the nationality. So far, mainly GB and Netherlands with a few French and Belgium. One each of Italian, Ireland and Scotland!! (I know Scotland is in GB, but one car had it specified with a flag).

Friday 10th August
Breakfast outside again. Weather's been beautiful!!
Spent a lovely day in Calais. Looked around mainly, planned to go up belfry (so pretty!! See pics!!) but got there too late. Just means we have to go back again :)
Also went to a museum about Calais in WWII. Was difficult to understand much as was all in French :( What I could understand was interesting, though of course a little sad. I was also spooked by mannequins, which were all identical and female, though most dressed as males. Bald but had eyelashes. One wore a gas mask, which reminded me far too much of that Dr Who episode.
Used my French (very limited) to buy waffles/ice cream. J'aime le gaufre avec chocolat!!
Home via bus. Weather still lovely, was outside till around 22:30 (continental time , ooh la la). I've been able to write more on my current 'project', which I'm really happy about. Also been reading a lot. Feeling so much more relaxed than I have been in just under a year (my life has been a whirlwind lately, but CROSSED FINGERS things will get better, and touch wood so as not to tempt fate).
Anyway. Night!! x

Saturday 11th August
Good day today, though it's provided me with a lot to think about.
Went to Bagatelle, a (sort-of) local theme park.
Aimed to get up at 8 and leave at 9, but didn't leave till 10. Then encountered awful awful traffic, so we got to Bagatelle at 12 (we thought the drive would only take an hour).
At the entrance my sister and I had our pictures taken with birds on our shoulders, one each and one together. On the one together it tried to eat my earstuds!
Spent most of the day queuing! My favourite ride was the main thrill ride, Triops. It was very fast, but just felt like flying (see pics!!). Went on twice :D
Another worth mentioning was the rapids ride- at first, a typical version of the circular boat water rides with an aim for getting splashed. However, this one had a twist (quite literally!!) in that it had a whirlpool with a nice fast bit. Even better, sheer luck caused me to stay dry!
The part of the day that gave me much to think about was coming face-to-face with a harsh European truth.
In Great Britain, it's against the law for most types of animals to perform in circuses etc. Some (cats, dogs, rodents, horses and the like) are still allowed, but most aren't- basic animal rights. However, this isn't the case in France, and I believe most of Europe.
Therefore, at Bagatelle we were able to watch a performing lion show. I've never seen one before, and I've decided that I don't want to again. It's awful seeing these majestic animals turned into performing cats, flinching at a crack of a whip. Seeing the show gave me my big idea; see the 'Big Idea' post.
We didn't leave till after 9, when the rides closed. On the way out we brought prints and key rings of the pictures my sister and I had taken with the birds at the start of the day: key rings of all three and prints of my sister and together. The one of me wasn't worth getting the print as the light reflected off my glasses :( The key ring of us together however is mine, and is going on my keys!! :)
Got very sun burnt today; my shoulders are rather red. I'm lucky in that any burn fades very quickly into tan- it's the Nigerian genes!!

Sunday 12th August
Had a quiet day today- I sunbathed a lot of the time, whilst reading.
In the early evening, we went to the circus. Rather apprehensive of what performing animals we'd see (see yesterday's post) but in the end they were 'acceptable' animals.
The show was very interesting. It seemed like a family business, with less than ten performers and a few stagehands/interval sellers. Easily less than 15 people in total!
To be honest, it was mainly one very talented performer, three fairly good acts and some others. However, I liked it because it proved what a small group of people could achieve!

Monday 13th August
Did two museums today!
The first was about the Second World War in France, and was very interesting- lots of different uniforms on show! Useless fact of the day? Only one regiment wore a kilt as part of their army uniform. Surprise surprise it was Scottish ;)
The second museum was in Guînes (I've now got the correct spelling; it's pronounced Geen, like keen with a hard g). This was very good because it was 100% interactive.
Activities we did there included smelling spices, trying on costumes, playing old games, making chain mail, going on a Viking boat and- my favourite!- trying on a real chain mail, complete with helmet etc. Pretty amazing, but it was all soooo heavy!! Will post pic as soon as I'm able.
Parents went shopping in Carrefour whilst sister and I stayed in car. She can now spell 'apple'.
Nice evening, I'm enjoying watching all the people coming and going- most only stay for a night or two before going to their 'real' holiday.

Tuesday 14th August
Mostly relaxed today! Sister's made quite a few friends, but they keep leaving so she has to make others!
Read a lot, and written a bit. Finished reading Peter Kay's autobiography, as well as Jojo Moyes called The Horse Dancer.
Also read The Island (can't remember author!)- about a leper colony. Very interesting :)
Walked round campsite a little, but other than that done very little. Still enjoying watching the coming and goings, and seeing where people are from!

Wednesday 15th August
Went into Calais for the market today. Unfortunately it was Assumption Day, a French bank holiday, so the market was smaller than usual.
We went back to the belfry, hoping to go up, but it was just closing for lunch. An exhibition we were also going to go to (based on fantasy) was postponed as well because of lunch. I'm still not used to the French (European?) habit of closing over midday, though it makes sense.
Walked around Calais a little, and had lunch at Subway- taking advantage of cuisine unique to France ;)
Then, we went to the fantasy exhibition, which was very magical. After, my dad- who went to an aircraft museum- picked us up, and we went back to the belfry.
Third time lucky and we went up!! 175 steps- I walked both up and down- but the amazing views were definitely worth it!!
After, we had gaufre (waffles). Yummy!

Thursday 16th August
Beach day!
Spent late morning/afternoon at Wissant beach. The sea was cold at first- my dad and sister refused to go very deep- but I loved it. Throwing yourself at choppy waves in a cold sea is very exhilarating!
I spent around half an hour in the sea, then had lunch. After lunch my sister and I played in the sand- sandcastle time!- before I returned to the sea.
I went as deep as I could, though depth depended on the swell, and basically did a form of body surfing. I love the sea; maybe it's because it's unusual that I find something more unpredictable than myself ;)
Hair stiff with salt and sand, we went back to the campsite and had showers. We forgot sun block, and though it didn't feel so sunny (the beach was fairly windy) we were all sun burnt. I've now got a 'Y' on my back from my swimming costume!
Played 'Silly Golf' as my sister calls it. She was very annoyed as my dad beat both of us.
Tea at the bar, then crêpes for tea. French desserts are so nice- but so unhealthy!!
I finished a book that I borrowed from the campsite, The Way I Found Her by Rose Tremain. I'd recommend it, as it was good, though a little odd at times. The ending also made me well up a little.
Most of the book was based around a 13 year old boy who falls in love with a 40 year old author (I'll reveal no more details!)- broaching the age old age debate, forgive the pun. Something I've been given cause to have opinions on, so I'll try and post about it at some point.
Home tomorrow, and I'm dreading it- I've really loved our time in France!!

Friday 17th August
Home today :(
Got up and packed, then went to Guînes for the market. It was very nice; I like markets because they tend to be a little quirky, which suits me perfectly!
Missed breakfast- thought we'd get something in Guînes but we were unable to.
Onto Cité Europe- a huge shopping centre in Calais! Good times!! ;) Unusually for me, I brought very little- a notebook and three manuscript books (music staves, 35 cents each and you can never find them in England!).
All too soon, it was time to say au revoir and get on the ferry. Ferry crossing was fine, got stuck in traffic on other side and 3 hour journey took 5!!
Sister and I spent a while telling silly, usually toilet-related jokes, whilst laughing hysterically. At this point parents decided to stop at services!
Bought my younger cousin (Mollop, starting secondary school this September) an Edward Monkton key ring- I love his stuff, and she's like me in a lot of ways. I got six magnetic bookmarks for myself, with VW camper vans on them. Can't wait till I'm old enough to get a camper van!!
Finally got home around 9. Back to normality :(