Welcome to our Photo Blog.
These are favourite shots from "Travels with Ian and Sue" plus many others that didn't make it to www.motorhometrips.blogspot.com

The idea is that some people would prefer just to see our photos to get the flavour of a place we have visited, plus a little information on where and how the shots were taken - the emphasis is on the pictures rather than our day to day adventures. By the way, clicking on any photo will enlarge the view.

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Dusseldorf Trip 2012 - The Way Home

This year we finally made to the Dusseldorf Caravan Salon.  After 3 days at the show, and making our way home, we stopped off at Venlo, Holland, Xanten and Kleve in Germany, and Maldegem in Belgium before crossing the Channel from Dunkerque to Dover.

All the pictures were taken either with a Panasonic Lumix TZ7 compact or a Lumix GH1 with 14-140 zoom lens.



The extensive marina and motorhome aire at Venlo Jachthaven, TZ7 






Xanten is a lovely little town, with a pretty square but also the remains of a Roman Metropolis and a couple of man made lakes featuring a lido.




The Gothic coffee house in the square, GH1









St Viktors Cathedral, GH1




The late sun casts its glow, GH1





The market square, Xanten. TZ7





Delightful bronze in the street - note the glass "water" in the bucket! TZ7





The working windmill and bakery, TZ7





Through the old city gate into the square, TZ7



Down by the lake....



We weren't able to identify this goose - any ideas? TZ7





The next generation!





Cycle paths all round the lakes, TZ7





The perfect picnic spot.... TZ7





Water skiing the environmentally friendly way! TZ7





Keep those knees bent!




The Roman ramparts rise again. TZ7





Well..why not? TZ7



After Xanten we visited Anholt Castle, a Baroque family residence - now a museum and hotel, in Wasserburg.




The grand entrance, GH1





Restored ornamental gardens





The old kitchens





Still one wastrel in the dungeons!



Our next stopover was in Kleve, the birthplace of Anne of Cleves. Heavily bombed in WW2, it is still in the process of rebuilding and re-generation.




Kleve on 13th February 1945 (taken from a public photograph). GH1





An amusing and imaginative bronze. GH1




The Zur Post hotel and restaurant gave us a good meal. GH1



Now into Belgium for a wonderful stopover and a great meal in great surroundings at t' Brigandje, Maldegem.




t'Brigandje, just an unprepossessing farmhouse... GH1





Inside... colourful and atmospheric





Stone flags and wooden beams





Sunset through the window





The perfect end to a perfect meal



Across the Channel, we slept well on the sea front in Dover, then stayed at the Fox and Hounds, Charlton Adam, set in a quintessential English village.





The Fox and Hounds, Charlton Adam. TZ7





Green fields and weeping willow. TZ7





Sunday morning gossip...





The Parish Church. TZ7





That quintessential Somerset lane. TZ7



Monday 24 September 2012

Dusseldorf Trip 2012 - Outward Bound

This year we finally made it to Europe's largest motorhome show. There is not a lot of point of posting a lot of shots of motorhomes that you can get from the manufacturers websites, but here are the best from our stopovers on the journey out there.

All the pictures were taken either with a Panasonic Lumix TZ7 compact or a  Lumix GH1with 14-140 zoom lens

 First stop was Totnes, Devon and a boat trip down the River Dart to Dartmouth.




Totnes's distinctive church spire, TZ7




Classic Totnes shot, GH1




The River Dart, from the boat, GH1




The Dartmouth Castle river steamer, GH1




A camping spot to die for... GH1




...and a house to die for, GH1




Smoke from the Dart Valley Railway hangs in the air, GH1




The Kingswear chain ferry and Floating Bridge Public House, GH1




Bayards Cove, Old Dartmouth, GH1




The return trip at low tide, GH1




Totnes church appears in the distance, GH1



  
Safely back to Totnes, GH1




The infamous Totnes Orange Race, TZ7




TV personality Rory McGrath takes part, TZ7




Even the Police join in! TZ7



We took the ferry from Dover to Dunkerque and then drove through Belgium via Eeeklo and Holland via Venlo to Dusseldorf




The Jachthaven at Eeklo, Belgium. GH1




St Vincents Church, Eeklo. GH1



Around the Jacthaven are littered sculptures by local artists. These are some that caught my eye.




Meeting by Veerle De Smet




Escape by Stef Orti




Socrates by P. Nand. R