OK, am fed up with Flickr and their new upload software that doesn't work! So will post pics here instead, a few at a time Well, I am supposed to be working and catching up on email!!

THURSDAY - DAY ONE
A tight squeeze on the ferry . . . but there was nothing else like her on there!



FRIDAY - DAY TWO
At Omaha Beach, and we finally got the top down! That's my sis in the passenger seat by the way



Driving along the North coast of France from Caen to Honfleur



More to follow . . .

Lunch in the square in Deauville



And lots more 'little boats' . . . I always thought she'd look good with a mast!



Before finally arriving in Honfleur for the night - a gorgeous place if you ever get the chance to go there!

SATURDAY - DAY THREE
There's a reason for this pic! Imagine you're driving the other way, towards where I'm standing. It's late, you've been driving round in circles looking for a the hotel because there is a big event on on Bruges. This barrier blocks your way through the main square to the hotel because a music concert is about to start, and even with trusty sat-nav you have NO idea how to get there by any other route as all the road systems are blocked off for a major cycle race the following day. There were two cars between me and the barrier, and the pavement was the only option! It was a real 'Italian Job' moment . . . I got where I wanted to go, but a few concert visitors in the front row had to hop out of the way as I flew past the stage! And as for the other two cars full of Chinese tourists which I overtook in the process (who were having a big debate about turning round), well I'm not quite sure what they made of it!!



SUNDAY - DAY FOUR
And just to prove we survived - though it was a lucky escape as I happened to park on this side street, not realising that all the cars that were parked on the main route of the cycle race would be towed away at 8am the next morning!



And then from Bruges to Brussels - and the swanky Sheraton (which we got for a bargain!), I just had to take this pic at the front though, even if the concierge was glaring at me at the time for blocking the other cars! Had he no taste??



MONDAY - DAY FIVE
This is amazing. It's called the Atomium and was built for the 1958 Expo.

Nice pics
seeing those ones of Northern France make me wish i was back there, i love that area.
hope you had a good time

Mark

A couple of arty shots while she was still shiny enough to get away with it!



TUESDAY - DAY SIX
And a new travelling companion! My sis went home on the Eurostar and Martin (ISTTR) came out to join me instead! And we got the top down again



A gorgeous drive through the Eifel National Park en route to the Nurburgring!

The 'Top Gear' posey bit just had to be done!



And a couple more shots in the Eifel National Park. We drove onto the footpath to get the one by the river and got some very funny looks from the locals!!



This was taken in the car park of the hotel near the Nurburgring. As you can see, there was a bit of snow still on the ground. We were really lucky as for the two days before it would have been too dangerous to drive the Ring. The hotel owner told us that a guy took his new Porsche out the day beore, against advice, and trashed it!

Martin's lap . . . just over 13 minutes - with a lot of tyre squealing!



And the smiles to prove it - though think I was still in shock! No pics of my lap as it was being videoed. I'll get a clip up when we've pulled the interesting bit out of the other 15 minutes! Basically I came out of a corner (we think it was Aremberg) and I forgot to move back over to the right. Was accelerating along a fairly short straight when I suddenly realised there was a red Corvette in my rear-view mirror, just about to jump into my boot. So I reacted, but didn't take my speed into account. The result was a scary few moment and a definite 'snakey' effect! It felt alot worse that it looks on the vid I can tell you



And another tarty shot with the flags before we left. Sadly no cheesy merchandise as the shop was shut - but I must find a sticker from somewhere!

great Photos Gill, enjoyed the the descriptions also. Looks like you were having a good time

Gill, great photos

Is the "GB" sticker permanent? Worst thing about taking a car to the continent is when they make you stick one of those stickers on the back of the car - for years I had crap on the back of an older car because the sticker didn't peel off properly!

jiggy said:

Gill, great photos

Is the "GB" sticker permanent? Worst thing about taking a car to the continent is when they make you stick one of those stickers on the back of the car - for years I had crap on the back of an older car because the sticker didn't peel off properly!

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Thanks! And happily no - it's a peel-off and has gone already!!

Bentley said:

great Photos Gill, enjoyed the the descriptions also. Looks like you were having a good time

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Thank you - yes, it was great. Have a few more pics to bore you with yet!!

WEDNESDAY - DAY SEVEN
A wet and rainy one -but not a single leak, what a star! Here she is parked outside one of the dinkiest hotels I know - the Deux Clefs in Turckheim, in the Alsace (near Colmar). It dates back to the 16th Century and is a great place to stay



THURSDAY - DAY EIGHT
More rain on the way - but happily the sun came out when we got to Lausanne and we got these great shots of the B with Lake Geneva and some snow-capped mountains in the background! It involved more driving on pavements but what the hell! :devil:



FRIDAY - DAY NINE
Annecy, just south of Geneva. Another gorgeous place and highly recommended. Rain again, but we just had a few minutes sun to get these rather 'grey and moody' pics by Lake Annecy!

Last batch!

DAY TEN - SATURDAY
A lovely hotel in Bourges on the Loire - and a great parking space out front! Sadly it was only for the photos, but we could still see her parked up the road from our bedroom window!



DAY ELEVEN - SUNDAY
Just to prove I really did some of the driving - and that the wind stop really is only of limited use when you're doing 103! And that's MPH not KPH . . .



Last bit of 'top down and sun out' as we headed for the ferry.



And another tight squeeze!

Lovely little diary Gill with some gorgeous pics

Great pictures and story! I was at the Sheraton this weekend.

The Atomium has just finished being refurbished, so you came at the right time.

Mad Matt said:

The Atomium has just finished being refurbished, so you came at the right time.

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:yeahthat:

My mates when there recently only to find it shut.

Good to see it shine like new.

Excellent set of piccies and a good inspiration for me to get rid of the kids for a week and whizz off around Europe for a road trip (although I will have to wait for my back to stop playing up as I can't walk, let alone drive at the moment!).

I was in Brussels a couple of years ago just as they started to take the Atomium apart! Should have given the job to the Doc, he would have done it in no time!!

Nice piccies!..

nice going Gill, looks like you had a great time brilliant pictures the b looks fab every where she goes. when do we get to see the video then?

wish mine was orange said:

nice going Gill, looks like you had a great time brilliant pictures the b looks fab every where she goes. when do we get to see the video then?

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Thanks!

I need to get the video cut down a bit as Martin did the whole thing - about 4Gb worth! The best bit was the wobble - need to separate that from the rest though