Book review of The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel, the third novel in the Earth’s Children series set in prehistoric Europe.
Save Me to Pinterest !!!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.
Synopsis
Ayla and Jondalar meet the Lion Camp of the Mamutoi. They are invited to stay for the winter, and Ayla is adopted as one of them.
The Lion Camp includes Rydag, a half-clan boy that reminds Ayla of her son Durc, and Ranec, a carver with dark skin who falls immediately in love with Ayla.
When Jondalar acts sharp and mopey, Ayla believes that he doesn’t love her anymore and spends more time with Ranec. This makes Jondalar feel worse. Despite Ayla’s hopes that Jondalar will come back to her, she ends up promised to Ranec and prepares to officially join with him at the summer meeting.
Review
I wrote in my review of The Valley of Horses about how Jondalar is too perfect and how this brings him problems. These problems are much more evident in The Mammoth Hunters as he struggles with jealousy and more-or-less reverts to childhood.
I know that the misunderstanding between Ayla and Jondalar drives the main conflict and most of the plot, but it is so stupid. Why do they not communicate?!?!? I wanted to bang their heads together. The Mamutoi are supposedly open and blunt, but not one of them says anything to help resolve the obvious problems going on.
The ending felt sudden. Throughout the book, Jondalar and Ayla have all these massive problems that are constantly worsening and compounding. Then right at the end, both of them have something like an epiphany and decide none of their problems matter. The whole resolution is just too quick to feel realistic.
The number of innovations that Ayla comes up with increases: she invents the sewing needle and adopts a baby wolf. While the circumstances surrounding each innovation remain realistic, she has already discovered how to make fire with stones, domesticated horses, and helped Jondalar develop the spear-thrower. This was one of the issues I had with The Valley of Horses, and it doesn’t get any better in The Mammoth Hunters.
I loved all the details, particularly around how the people live and hunt. However, The Mammoth Hunters doesn’t add much to the series. It is quite the detour from the overall plot and could easily have been much shorter.
Conclusion
Have you read The Mammoth Hunters? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.
If you haven’t, you can buy it at the following stores:
Book review for The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse, an historical fiction novel set in the French Pyrenees.
Save Me to Pinterest !!!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.
Synopsis
Ten years after the end of the Great War, Freddie Watson is still cannot get over his elder brother’s death. On his doctor’s recommendation, he’s driving around France, going where his nose leads him. Now, he’s in the French Pyrenees.
After crashing his car during a snowstorm, Freddie makes his way to a small, isolated village called Nulle. That evening, he attends la fete de Saint-Etienne at the town hall. There, he meets Fabrissa, a beautiful young woman who vanishes at dawn.
Looking for Fabrissa occupies Freddie’s every thought as he recovers from a fever and organises car repairs. Following his instincts, he uncovers a cave in the hill above Nulle and, with it, the village’s secret history.
Review
The Winter Ghosts was not what I was expecting. From the blurb on the back of the book, I thought Freddie would meet Fabrissa early on and spend most of the book solving the 700-year-old mystery. However, Freddie doesn’t meet Fabrissa until half-way through the book, and uncovers the mystery fairly quickly afterwards.
The descriptions of the countryside that Freddie travels through were so richly detailed, I felt like I was there. The French Pyrenees sounded so mysterious and intriguing. It contributed greatly to the overall atmosphere and made the landscape its own character.
The writing was poetic but clear and evocative. It really helped to build the atmosphere. The whole book had a cold and eerie feeling about it, with a quiet build-up of suspense and a touch of creepiness. I enjoyed the painfully honest, introspective tone it had.
I loved how brilliantly The Winter Ghosts depicts Freddie’s grief and suffering, and his mental struggles. It was so poignant. Something about the writing conveyed the essence of Freddie’s motivation and inability to move on. I could feel the weight of his grief and how broken he was.
The room was on the first floor, overlooking the street, with a pleasant enough outlook. A large window with freshly painted shutters, a single bed with heavy counterpane, a washstand and an armchair. Plain, clean, anonymous. The sheets were cold to the touch. We suited one another, the room and I.
Freddie was a deeply engaging, likeable character that I could sympathise with. His sadness was just so consuming, I really pitied him. However, I think this would have become a bit annoying if the book had been any longer. As it was, he was realistic and likeable, and I could really root for him and his success.
While the beginning of The Winter Ghosts was rather tedious, the ending was satisfying. Much of it had a dreamlike quality, and I found the story somewhat haunting.
Conclusion
Have you read The Winter Ghosts? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.
If you haven’t, you can buy it at the following stores:
So, you’ve read Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series and loved it. You’ve maybe watched the TV show. Now, you have nothing “Outlander” to read or watch. It’s droughtlander. You could reread or rewatch Outlander, but eventually you should find something else to read. Check out my recommendations of books to read if you love Outlander.
Save Me to Pinterest !!!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.
Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati
Into the Wilderness features Elizabeth Middleton, an English spinster schoolteacher, as she joins her father in the New York wilderness. Her father has plans for her to marry the local doctor – plans that she has no intention of going along with.
Instead, she runs away with Nathaniel Bonner, a man whose Native American family could be destroyed by the local village. After several months in the bush while their friends take care of legal matters, they return home where they have to rebuild the good opinions of their neighbours.
Elizabeth is a strong woman who knows what she wants and does what she has to do to get it. She may not have travelled back in time, but she has progressive ideals and a modern way of dealing with things. Like Outlander, Into the Wilderness is the first in an epic series packed with romance, adventure, and the vicissitudes of life.
Clan of the Cave Bear is the first of Jean M. Auel’s Earth Children’s series. It tells the story of a young girl who is adopted by a community of Neanderthals. Though the Clan, as they call themselves, are initially wary, they come to love Ayla.
However, the Clan’s leader has a son who instantly dislikes Ayla and does everything he can to make her life difficult. This eventually leads to her leaving the Clan, and later books in the series follow her life apart from the Clan, her romance with a hunky caveman, and her struggles fitting in.
White Rose Rebel is the story of Anne Farquharson, Lady MacIntosh. A staunch Jacobite, she raises the men of her husband’s clan to fight for Bonnie Prince Charlie in the 1745 rising. Her husband (Aeneas), however, has indebted himself to the English and joins the government forces.
Like Outlander, White Rose Rebel has a strong female protagonist who gets involved in the Jacobite rising. Anne’s romantic life features throughout the book, and like Claire’s, is somewhat complicated. It’s a standalone book, but the story is told so well, there’s no need for a sequel.
Dougless Montgomery has been abandoned by her boyfriend while on holiday in England. While she’s crying over her misfortune, a strange man appears in front of her wearing 16th century armour.
Nicholas, Earl of Thornwyck, was awaiting execution when he is magically transported to a strange future where he meets a crying woman. Convinced that the woman can send him home, he tries to keep her with him. Together, they dive into the historical record to try to uncover the truth behind the final days of Nicholas’s life.
There’s romance, a handsome and chivalrous hero, and well-developed historical settings. Nicholas isn’t as immediately loveable as Jamie, but by the end of the book, his relationship with Dougless was just as swoon worthy as the romance between Jamie and Claire.
After travelling to court in an attempt to have King Alexander cancel her betrothal, Margaret MacDonald finds her home has been raided by Norsemen. As the group searches the rubble, a group of Irishmen arrive, including the half-Norse Gannon MacMagnus. The following months are trying for everyone, as they rebuild the castle and seek vengeance on the raiders.
On a Highland Shore has romance, adventure, and a gorgeous Scottish setting. Unfortunately, Kathleen Givens died before she could finish the series (something I sincerely hope doesn’t happen to Diana Gabaldon). Otherwise, it’s an epic story.
When scattering her grandfather’s ashes on an Irish lake, Anne Gallagher gets lost in a sudden fog. She finds herself in 1921 with a bullet wound in her side. Dr Thomas Smith, the man who raised her grandfather, rescues her, initially mistaking her for his ward’s mother.
Once she’s healed, Anne throws herself into 1920s life: being mother to Eoin, joining the Irish revolution, and falling in love with Thomas. She loves her life in the 20s, but the revolution and questions about the other Anne’s disappearance create difficulties.
What the Wind Knows has time travel, romance, and a woman trying to fit in a time other than her own. I loved the glimpse of what life was like in 1920s Ireland. The characters were life-like, the love was timeless and unconditional, and the writing was superb.
When her uncle the King dies, Rhiann must secure her people’s future by marrying and producing an heir. Eremon is an exiled Irish prince who is in Alba (Scotland) to make alliances and create a name for himself.
Their forced marriage starts a bit rocky, but soon they become friends. United by a desire to protect Alba from the Romans, they travel across Scotland, visiting powerful kings. Along the way they fall in love, but their various secrets keep them from admitting it to each other.
Set in 1st century AD Scotland, The White Mare gives brilliant descriptions to the same place Outlander is set in, just at a different time. The hero, Eremon, has a lot in common with Jamie Fraser; they are both handsome, courageous, and intelligent men. If you love Outlander, you will thoroughly enjoy the story of Rhiann and Eremon.
Taking the form of a series of letters, Letters from Skye tells the story of a Scottish poet and her impetuous, American admirer. Elspeth and Davey share their thoughts and dreams, eventually realising that they’ve fallen in love with each other.
When Europe goes to war in 1914, Davey volunteers to drive ambulances in France. This prompts Elspeth to overcome her fear of boats to meet him in person. During World War Two, their daughter finds her mother’s letters and determines to find out what happened.
Letters from Skye left me with a massive book hangover. As much as I wanted to find out the end of the story, I didn’t want it to end. The letters were gripping, the romance emotionally involving, and the setting beautiful.
In 17th century Scotland, Morna has been unable to learn how to use her magical powers since her father banished her teacher. Then she finds an injured man who needs help returning to his own time. Fortunately, her brother has found journals written by her old mentor and set up a secret magic room for her to study in.
As Morna works towards sending Jerry home, the two of them become good friends and romance develops. Then word reaches them of a druid who might be able to teach Morna. While Jerry searches for the druid, Morna becomes convinced that he will never return and agrees to marry her brother’s friend, Henry.
Love Beyond Reach is the eighth book in the Morna’s Legacy series (it’s a prequel to the other books). There’re twelve novels in the main series so far, and this is the first one I’ve read. Having read it, I definitely want to read the rest.
In Tapestry, Jane Maxwell falls off Uluru (Ayers Rock) and wakes in the body of a Scottish noblewoman. Winifred’s husband, the Earl of Nithsdale, is in the Tower of London, awaiting execution for his part in the 1715 Jacobite Rising.
As Winifred, Jane must travel to London and save the Earl. If she succeeds, Jane is certain that her 21st century fiancée (Will) will wake-up from his coma. Along the way, she makes friends and falls in love. By the time she returns home, Jane is no longer sure that she wants to marry Will.
The Earl of Nithsdale’s escape from the Tower of London is truly an incredible true-story. I liked the unique angle the whole time-travel element added to it. Jane is such a strong, ingenious woman (a bit like Claire). Between the adventure, Jacobites, and romance, Tapestry is a book you will enjoy if you love Outlander.
Book review of The Clan of the Cave Bear, the first book in Jean M. Auel’s epic Earth’s Children series set in prehistoric Europe.
Save Me on Pinterest !!!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.
Synopsis
Set in prehistoric Europe, this is the first book in the Earth’s Children series. Ayla is a young cro-magnon human taken in by a group of Neanderthals after her people are killed in an earthquake.
‘The Clan,’ as they call themselves, come to love Ayla, despite her strange actions and ugly (they think) appearance. The medicine woman, Iza, adopts her as her daughter as teaches her about herbs and healing. However, the son of the leader’s mate, Broud, hates her and does everything he can to make Ayla’s life miserable.
Review
I loved The Clan of the Cave Bear. It was a gripping story about people and their relationships, many of which appear unchanged for thousands of years. I could really sympathise with Ayla’s struggles to fit in; so much of the book felt familiar and relatable to modern experiences.
My favourite thing about this book is looking at the differences and similarities between humans and Neanderthals. I don’t know how much of it was true (especially the cultural stuff), but it was realistic.
Creb was thunderstruck. How had the girl been able to grasp the idea so quickly? She hadn’t even asked what slash marks had to do with fingers, or what either had to do with years. It had taken many repetitions before Goov had understood. Creb made three more slash marks, and put three fingers over them. With only one hand, it had been especially difficult for him when he was learning. Ayla looked at her other hand, and immediately held up three fingers, folding down her thumb and forefinger.
“When I am this many?” she asked, holding out her eight fingers again. Creb nodded affirmatively. Her next action caught him completely by surprise, it was a concept he had spent years mastering himself. She put down the first hand and held up only three fingers.
“I will be old enough to have a baby in this many years,” she gestured with assurance, positive of her deduction. The old magician was rocked to his core. It was unthinkable that a child, a girl child at that, could reason her way to that conclusion so easily.
I thought that Broud was an unconvincing villain. His evildoing felt cartoonish and grotesque. He was like a spoiled child. I think the problem was his motivation; he didn’t like Ayla because she was different and because people paid attention to her but not him.
The Clan of the Cave Bear intelligently explored some serious issues that are still present in society today. The Clan have strict gender roles and are incredibly resistant to change. It made me wonder how modern society would treat Neanderthals if they were still alive today.
Conclusion
Have you read The Clan of the Cave Bear? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.
If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).
Before Covid sent the world into disarray, I spent a long weekend in Seville celebrating my sister’s 50th birthday. Discounting travel days, we had two full days to experience the best that Seville had to offer.
My real highlight of the trip was spending so much time with my sisters and their spouses. However, the things below are regularly mentioned on “must do” lists for the city. We did them all and I would recommend them to anyone going to Seville.
Things to See
Real Alcazar
The Alcazar is a royal palace (the Spanish royal family still use the upstairs apartments when they’re in Seville) with more than 1000 years of history. Building began in the 10th century under the Moors and continued under different rulers in several different styles.
The buildings are gorgeous (if a bit empty), but the gardens are particularly lovely. Even in winter the trees are covered in bright green leaves. There are fountains and tiled benches tucked around every corner. It’s so pretty.
Cathedral de Sevilla
Next door to the Alcazar is this massive cathedral. It claims to be the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world (but if it’s not, it’s pretty close to it). When construction started, it was going to be a mosque, but after the Reconquista it was turned into a cathedral.
Multiple construction phases have resulted in a gorgeous building showing both Gothic and Baroque architectural styles. The cavernous insides house a wealth of religious art. It is also home to Christopher Columbus’ tomb, if you’re into that kind of thing. Honestly, seeing the building itself and its various chapels and altars are worth the entrance fee.
Plaza de Espana
This beautiful public square in the middle of the Parque de Maria Luisa was created for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. The Plaza de Espana consists of a grand semi-circular building surrounding a beautiful paved area and canal. It is absolutely gorgeous in the sunset.
You can rent a small boat and paddle along the canal, or maybe wander the galleries of the renaissance-style building. Alternatively, the plaza is the perfect place for some people watching; just settle yourself in one of the tiled alcoves (each alcove represents a different Spanish province).
Las Setas
Las Setas means “the mushrooms,” an apt name given the structure’s physical appearance. It is a canopy of interlocking birch wood panels that provide shade to the public square beneath. At the top, there is a lovely walkway with the best views of Seville available.
On the entry level there is a small museum displaying the (mostly roman) ruins that were uncovered prior to construction. It’s good, and I highly enjoyed it, but unless you are totally obsessed with Ancient Rome, it can be easily skipped for time.
Things to Do
Eat Tapa
Originally the appetizers before the main meal, tapas are small portions of food eaten together as a full meal. Just keep ordering (and eating) until you’re full.
Sometimes tapas are served at the bar; sometimes they’re eaten seated at a table. Some people will share a variety of dishes amongst themselves. It’s also acceptable to move from bar to bar during the meal, and tapas bars can often be found alongside other tapas bars. It really depends on exactly where you are.
Have Churros for breakfast
Apparently, it is normal for people in Seville to eat churros for breakfast on the weekend. They eat them dipped in a thick, rich hot chocolate drink. I did this on a Saturday morning, and it was one of the highlights of the trip. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to find anyplace that sold churros open the next day so we could repeat the experience.
Once you have had fresh Spanish churros, you will never be able to enjoy the inferior churros served anywhere else ever again. They’re that good!
Watch Flamenco
Seville is the capital of the Spanish region of Andalucia, the heartland of flamenco dancing. Perhaps starting in the 18th century, or maybe with gypsies in the 15th century, Flamenco is a high-paced, foot-stomping dance full of spirit.
If you wander around the larger streets and plazas you may be able to watch someone practice/perform flamenco for free (great for those on a budget). However, there are dedicated flamenco bars where you can see quality flamenco for a price. I can’t recommend any flamenco bars myself, but I suggest you check out this post from Miss Travel Clogs.
These are just the highlights of what to do in Seville. There is much more to see and do there. If you only have two days or a weekend in this gorgeous city, you’ll want to prioritise these highlights. Let me know how it goes in the comments (you know, once it’s safe to travel again).
I live in New Zealand, and have done so all my life. It’s not a bad place, and most of my family’s here, but I find it a bit confining. Ideally, I’d pick New Zealand up and move it to the Bay of Biscay or the North Sea or something, but I can’t do that.
The next best thing I can do is move to Europe. The following is a close look at the reasons I want to move to Europe. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Closer to things to do
At Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park, one of the many things to do in London
New Zealand is gorgeous, and I know there are people who want to move here for the beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. However, it is also very isolated. This has its advantages but makes international travel difficult.
Our closest international neighbour is Australia, and frankly their culture and language is almost exactly the same as ours. I love the idea of being able to jump on a train and be in another country with a less-familiar language and culture in a couple of hours. That cannot be done in New Zealand.
So much history
Humans have lived in New Zealand for 1000 years tops. The country’s oldest building wasn’t built until 1822. There is no recorded history prior to the arrival of Europeans 300 years ago; even then, almost nothing notable happened before the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi.
This sucks for people like me who love history – particularly older history. I love wandering around an old cathedral or some medieval church ruins, and there is nothing like that in New Zealand. However, Europe is full of old churches and castles.
Language Skills
At Triana Market, Seville – my sister looked at the board, thought the Mojama de Atun was a cocktail, and said it sounded nice. A quick google search revealed it’s a salt-cured tuna dish.
Another disadvantage of living in New Zealand is that most Kiwis are monolingual. Everyone speaks English. There are quite a few immigrants (mostly from the Pacific Islands or India) who speak their native languages with their families, and there is a push to have more people learn Maori. Generally, though, Kiwis grow-up speaking English, and that’s it.
A disadvantage of being so isolated is that if you do want to learn another language and gain all the benefits associated with multilingualism, visiting a foreign country and immersing yourself in the language is very difficult. I want to be somewhere that I can easily immerse myself in a different culture and practice a language other than English.
That being said, I don’t want to live somewhere the culture is so foreign that daily life becomes a major problem. Western Europe provides that nice balance of being different but not too different, while also being close to other more different places.
Closer to my sisters
I have two older half-sisters. They, along with their significant others, have lived in the UK for over ten years now. This meant that for most of my growing years I didn’t spend much time with them. Sure, we did really well with social media and the like, but I wasn’t able to get to know them very well.
Last December/January, I spent time with them while I was in Europe, and it turns out, they are awesome! We had lunches together in London, went to Panto, and celebrated a birthday in Spain. They’re fantastic, they understand my desire for travel, and I would love to spend more time with them.
Great Public Transport
A lovely English train station
Public transport in New Zealand sucks. Intercity transport is limited to planes and buses, both of which take significant pre-planning to use. Our largest city, Auckland, has a grand total of five train lines with trains that run every half hour at their most frequent. There are buses, but they are slow and not particularly reliable. The capital city, Wellington, has a slightly more comprehensive train network, but it is prone to frequent breakdowns. I could go on forever.
When in London, I fell in love with the Tube network. Literally everywhere in the city is within walking distance of a station. You don’t have to check what time a train leaves because they stop at every station every couple of minutes. And the Oyster Cards take care of payment, so you don’t have to worry about buying tickets or working out what ticket is cheapest.
And intercity trains! Trains run between large cities in Europe more frequently than buses pass my family’s home in Tauranga. It makes daytrips to nearby cities so easy. Just jump on the next train.
Send lollies to my mother
This isn’t a huge motivator behind me wanting to move to Europe, but it would definitely be a perk. My mother likes Percy Pig lollies and that English jelly that comes in squishy, concentrated cubes, neither of which can be bought in New Zealand. It would be nice to be able to send her some from time to time.
So why don’t I?
Short answer: doubts about my mental health.
Long answer: like many teenagers, I left home when I was 18 years old. That year, my mental health struggle started, eventually leading to a diagnosis of depression and the appropriate treatments. My councillor told me that many people aren’t emotionally ready to leave home and separate from their parents that young.
While I am now quite a bit older, that first disastrous attempt at leaving home has left (mental) scars. Yes, I managed three months in the UK and Europe, and could have managed longer. However, that trip had a planned end; I knew that when I got back home, my home would be waiting, exactly as I had left it. If I moved, I would have to pack-up all my stuff for storage, and without me at home, my parents would probably move to a smaller house.
I’m not entirely confident about my ability to cope living overseas. Once the world has this covid situation under control and I have a bit more money in my bank account, hopefully I’ll have enough confidence to make a go at it.
Have you moved to another country far from your home? Or do you dream of moving abroad? What was/is your reason? Let me know in the comments below.
After
leaving my disastrous stay at Palmer’s Lodge, I met my sister and her husband
at Borough Market for lunch – I had a Chicken Masamann from the Thai food cart.
We sat at a table at the top of a set of wooden bleacher-like things with a
great view of everyone else eating their lunch.
The view from our table at Borough Market
On
Christmas Eve we met my other sister and her wife in central London for panto.
We saw Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the London Palladium. It was awesome,
funny, and magnificent (I later read a newspaper review that gave the show only
three out of five stars because there was so little plot – it didn’t need
plot). This was followed by a meal together at a Mexican restaurant.
Christmas
day was lovely and quiet. We watched a lot of T.V., drank a lot of tea, and ate
a lot of chocolate. There was a particularly bizarre T.V. show called Martins
Close; it was about a young man accused of murdering a woman whose ghost had
since been seen several times. We also put together a kitset of a wooden marble
run – so much fun!
On
the Saturday I went to Cambridge by myself. First, I popped by the visitor
information centre and picked up some brochures and a map. I spent the rest of
the day at the Fitzwilliam Museum. It seems to be artier than I had thought it
would be, but I enjoyed the ancient history bits.
The Fitzwilliam’s building is spectacular in its own right
Monday
was a London day. We (my sister, her husband, and myself) had tickets to
Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall. We started with an hour in
the treasures room at the British Library (I liked the illuminated
manuscripts).
Getting
off the tube at London Bridge, we bought hot chocolates at Rabot in Borough
Market and drank them as we walked along the Thames to the winter market
outside the Southbank Centre, where we had lunch. I had a Korean pork rice bowl
that was quite a bit spicier than I had anticipated.
My delicious Korean rice bowl
On
New Years Eve, I accompanied my sister and her husband to Cambridge. They were
going to see the New Year in at one of the clocks there and had booked a fancy
hotel room for the night. We had lunch at The Old Bicycle Shop (good food,
great atmosphere). I was planning on seeing more of Cambridge afterwards
(perhaps Great St Marys), but I didn’t feel like it.
I
saw the New Year in hanging out the attic window. There were at least six
fireworks displays going on that I could see, and several more that I couldn’t
(judging from the sounds and wafts of smoke coming from the other direction). I
had tried to watch the fireworks at Big Ben on the T.V. but the cameras weren’t
great at seeing through the smoke created by the fireworks.
This
last little while has been a bit of a bust – I’ve just spent three days in bed
with a dreadful cold (today makes day four).
Me at Tate Modern
Anyway, before I fell ill, I visited Tate Modern, the British Museum, and Hyde Park. Tate Modern was boring – might be alright if you’re into art, but there was absolutely nothing there that interested me at all. Look at the photo; you can see how bored I am, can’t you?
I spent two days at the British Museum (heaven!!!!!). Definitely need to spend more time there. After the first day, I spent the evening with my sister and her husband at a nearby pop-up theatre. It was set in an igloo with beanbags. We watched the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” (so many feels!!!).
Lining up my camera for a photo in front of the British Museum
This stunning piece is both a clock AND a salt cellar
I thought this Saxon bracelet in the Enlightenment Gallery was gorgeous
The highlight of my visit to Hyde Park was when a squirrel climbed my leg. Hyde Park also has the Winter Wonderland Christmas market (I had a hot chocolate and churros for lunch). I also enjoyed looking at the orphan elephants sculptures.
As
of today, I have been in Lille, France, for a week. Lille is so much better
than Paris; for one thing, the buildings don’t all look the same. So what have I
been doing?
My
first day here, I was quite nervous about leaving my room (I got a four-bed
dorm all to myself – sweet!). I went out a couple of times to explore the
communal areas and then to a supermarket and bakery (un croissant pour le
dejeuner).
On
Wednesday I went down to the centre of Vieux Lille and the tourist information
centre. I found heaven: Furet du Nord. Furet du Nord is a massive bookshop –
seven floors of books! All well organised and neatly presented for browsing. It
was like a book supermarket (it has checkouts). Needless to say, I bought three
books and two magazines, spending just over 30€.
On Thursday I visited the Christmas Market (Noel a Lille – check it out). I looked around for ages trying to find a hot chocolate, but there were no non-alcoholic hot drinks! Vin Chaud, yes. Mulled Cider, yes. Christmas Beer, yes. Hot Chocolate, no. Anyway, I bought a delicious thick waffle for lunch (so good).
Did
you know, Eglise St Andre is not on the Rue St Andre? Silly, right? Anyway, I
walked past Eglise St Andre, Ste-Marie-Madeleine, and the Porte de Gand on
Friday morning before heading to the Musee l’Hospice Comtesse. It was really
interesting, though I’m glad I spent the extra 2€ on an audio guide (otherwise I
would have had no idea what I was looking at).
Porte de Gand
Near
the Musee is the Cathedrale Notre Dame de la Treille. Despite being less than
200 years old, most of it looks like it’s stepped straight out of the 13th
century. They’ve really done a great job of incorporating modern elements into
an old style of building. Anyway, quick travel story: it was so cold that at
one point I warmed my fingers on the prayer/offering candles (possibly a bit sacrilegious
– don’t tell anyone).
I
went a bit further on Saturday, visiting the Musee Canonniers (small, poorly
run, not worth 5€), the Jardin des Geants (not much to see as it’s winter, but I
had great fun trying to take photos with me in them), and the Porte de Roubaix
(looks just like the Porte de Gand). It took me a while to find Eglise St
Maurice, but it was well worth it.
Doesn’t the Porte de Roubaix look just like the Porte de Gand?
At the Jardin des Geants
Sunday
morning I attended the meeting at L’Armee du Salut Poste de Lille (The Salvation
Army Lille Corps). There were about 40 or 50 people at the meeting. They were
so welcoming; Major Ludovic brought me their songbooks himself, and had one of
the boys who spoke passable English sit next to me to translate.
We
sang Voici Noel (Silent Night) and Jour de Bonheur (Joy to the World). After
the service they all had lunch together then a “show” followed by afternoon
tea. It was 3pm before I got away.
Yesterday,
I went for a walk around the Citadelle de Lille. I had thought I might go to
the zoo, but it was closed (despite the official Lille Tourism website saying
they should be open). Instead, I wandered under the trees and looked at the
fortifications.
Very windy
I think I’m getting better at taking photos of myself
So far this trip hasn’t been much like what I pictured it would be like, but it’s still been amazing, and I think that I’ve enjoyed it more than I would have had it been as I imagined. There are several things that I would have liked to do but I ran out of time and energy. I still have a day here before heading on to London, but I won’t have time to do it all; I’ll just have to come back.
