FRANCE - Lille

27/11/10
With an early start, we made good time driving to Dover and were able to catch the ten o’clock Norfolk Line (Now DFDS Seaways) ferry to Dunkerque. Kent bore signs of recent snowfall. The drive into Lille took a little over an hour and we found the Ibis hotel easily. Lille had been spared the snow. We were well prepared for this two night visit, having acquired a Lille tourist office guide book. It was bitterly cold, but the town had a warmth about it. Our timing was perfect – Lille has a Christmas market and is famous for the big wheel that comes to town with it. The guide book suggested a series of self-guided walks to show the different eras that the town has experienced. We followed one route that afternoon, through the St Sauveur district revealing a mixture of architecture, old and new side by side, particularly the 17th century Porte de Paris gate, now encircled by early 20th century buildings.

Later, we walked the short distance into the town centre – Palais Rihour. The Christmas market stalls were lively and the mulled wine certainly helped keep us warm. The town has a very Flemish feel and most of the beer available was Belgian – no bad thing. However, the prices were amongst the highest we have seen - £7 for a 50cl beer. We settled for a bottle of wine with our evening meal at Le Brasserie du Pelican.

28/11/10
The following day, we made a reasonably early start as we had three more walking tours that we wished to follow. Our first stretch took us through the 19th century quarter. Broad tree lined avenues of town houses dominated the area, culminating in the Place de la Republique – a large square between the Palais de Beau Arts and the Prefecture, two fine 19th century buildings. Separating them was a fountain and it was sold cold, much of the water surface was frozen over.
Returning to Place Rihour, we followed the suggested route through ‘old Lille’. Many of these buildings date from 15th century to 17th century, with narrow cobbled streets and alleys. The surprise of all this though was the cathedral in the middle of it all. With 13th century origins, the façade was a disappointing bland addition from 1999.

The final route took us north west to the Canal de la Mayenne Deule and the 17th century Citadelle. This area felt more remote, perhaps because the canal. The buildings mostly appeared to be commercial in origin; storehouses and the like. We did not loiter long, favouring the bustle of the town centre. We ventured to EuraLille – a very large and modern shopping centre, complete with hotel, business facilities etc. Our timing was poor though as it was closed for business. The diversion did yield one benefit though.
We found a micro-brewery opposite the Gare Lille Flandres rail station (only 100 metres from our hotel). Les Trois Brasseurs proved to be the best value / best tasting establishment in town. Its existence was not a surprise as we had been forewarned by friends; however it was by good fortune that we should actually find it. We enjoyed a rack of beer – samples of their different beers produced on-site. After dark, the Place Rihour beckoned. We ate our meal and soaked up some atmosphere. It was not a festive atmosphere, just that which the town itself seemed to possess. We returned to the micro-brewery later in the evening as we felt we had not quite experienced all it had to offer….

29/11/10
Having been surprised by just how much could be bought at a mini-supermarket not fifty metres from the hotel, we departed for home. France was still grey but back in Dover, much of the snow was still present on the cliff tops. Two nights in Lille was just about right.

FRANCE - Calvados Country

09/11/10
Having focused much of our time and travel on sailing, the winter months of 2010 / 2011 were going to be different. We kicked off with a day trip to France, to visit a few familiar Normandy sights, some harbours to include in the 2011 summer cruise and a couple of towns further inland. The area is known as Calvados Country. The night ferry delivered us to Ouistreham and we rolled off the ferry into the darkness.

Dawn was still some time away. We headed slowly westwards hugging the coast roads, with the glow of daybreak gathering behind us. Courseulles was an attractive harbour worthy of revisiting. By Arromanches, dawn had broken but it was to be an overcast day with little hope of it brightening up. Stopping at the Batterie de Longues and the then American cemetery at Colleville sur Mer, brought us reminders of the human sacrifices made in this area 66 years ago.


Having visited the harbours of Port en Bessin, Isigny and Carentan, we turned east to Bayeux. Having been here before, we wanted to see more of the town itself. We found it to be quite a typical French town, with the main street through the centre of town bustling with life. We strolled and lunched, soaking up the atmosphere.

The afternoon passed with a driving tour of the area to Thury-Harcourt and Clecy. The inevitable supermarket visit was squeezed in before a rapid drive back to Ouistreham to catch the ferry home.

FRANCE – North Brittany Cruise -2010

FRANCE – North Brittany Cruise -2010
The club Summer Cruise was to be a mixture of Normandy, Brittany and The Channel Islands, with a number of boats going in the same general direction with different plans in mind.

Friday 30th July
With an afternoon start, a number of Tudor boats descend on the harbour in a move to the down harbour moorings for an early get away. Kadeena, Good Year and Kindred Spirit share a buoy, with Dream On, Saltair, Muffin III and Kristina on another. I gather there were night-caps on both rafts, but all crews retire early to rest as the departure time is very, very early.

Saturday 31st July
All boats are underway by 0315 hours. The '0' stands for 'Oh my God it's early' and we motor-sail into a F4 across to Bembridge Ledge in the darkness. Dawn breaks as the swell sets in down the back of the Isle of Wight and it is apparent that the very lumpy conditions are causing a degree of discomfort on a number of boats. In turn, Good Year, Saltair, Dream On and Kindred Spirit turn back. The crew of Kadeena consider it, but decide that turning back will probably be worse, especially as the tide would ease in an hour or so. As predicted, the conditions ease substantially and the remaining boats enjoy six hours of excellent progress. Some fog is apparent and we try to stay in sight of one another, but Kristina is slightly behind and not answering her radio. Thick banks of bright green seaweed add to the fun and the tide turns again with France in sight. We all arrive in Cherbourg in quick succession after a 14 hour passage. Kristina's radio silence is revealed. A skipper overcome with nausea answered his radio at exactly the wrong moment and rendered it unusable, until it could be thoroughly cleaned and sterilised! A short while after the arrival in Cherbourg, Kebo and Celtic Lady arrived. Those that could get ashore discussed the next day's passage plan.

Sunday 1st August
All five boats depart around midday for St Peter Port. The departure was timed to coincide with the most benign conditions at Cap de la Hague and the Alderney Race. We managed a brief sail before it was apparent we needed to make better progress. Terry and George were proved right and the passage proved to be plain sailing. The Alderney Race was almost flat calm, with just a gentle swell setting in from the west. The usual radio traffic is joined by Atropos, also en route to St Peter Port. After seven hours, we join the raft at St Peter Port and venture ashore in a dinghy for a meal and a stroll. We agree that we will wait another day here as the remainder of the fleet had set off for Cherbourg on Saturday.

Monday 2nd August
The crews of Kadeena, Muffin III and Kristina embark aboard the Travel Trident 5 for a day exploring the paradise island of Herm. With picnics and cameras and the promise of a fine day, we followed the coast path circumnavigating the island. Stopping for lunch in Shell Bay, we watched with amusement as a variety of boats entered the bay only to be put off by the underwater dangers slowly revealing themselves as the tide fell away. The island hostelry provided suitable refreshment in the form a 'Liberty Ale', a Channel Island brew perfect for a sunny day. Later, back in St Peter Port, Good Year, Saltair and Dream On arrive and we all ferry ashore for another meal at the Riva Bistro overlooking the harbour. Dream On report a fouled propeller midway across the channel.

Tuesday 3rd August
No rest for the wicked if we are to get to Brittany; at 0550 hours we all depart and head south west for Paimpol, passing the Roches Douvres light-house. Progress was slower than expected as we did not get as much tidal assistance as expected. Dream On caught themselves another prop nest. Once it was apparent that we could not make Paimpol, we eased off the wind toward St Quay Portrieux, a further 20 miles away. We were able to enjoy a sail though for a few hours in wonderful conditions, arriving in port ten hours after our departure. Three long legs in three days had left all crews a little weary so we were glad that the next few days would be short hops around the Bay de St Brieuc. Resting for two nights, we enjoyed a meal ashore at the marina restaurant and crews settled down for the evening. Kebo arrived too. Kadeena hosted a bit of a games night for Good Year, Saltair and Dream On. Others went to listen to a live band playing nearby with hospitality aboard Kebo after. George does enjoy a tot of Whisky!

Thursday 5th August
With a late morning start, six boats depart with trepidation to Le Legue. Tidal constraints limit our options and all pilot books agree that Le Legue will be a disappointment. In two hours, we enter the river and proceed into a large commercial lock. An hour later, clear of the fishing port, we are alongside an old stone wall nestled amongst yachts in the upper reaches of the navigable river. An enormous bridge spans the gorge high over our heads but we are all very pleasantly surprised to find the pilot books are out of date. We find a friendly, quiet and attractive port with a choice of restaurants and an amendable harbour master. George negotiates a 50% rally rate; the harbour master goes on to book our berths at the next port for us. Another fun meal ashore followed by a night-cap aboard Saltair.

Friday 6th August
In the afternoon, we all depart for Dahouet, just a few miles northwards around the bay. After only two hours, we negotiate the rocky channel and are shown to our berths; a Tudor-only raft in the marina basin and a comfortable spot for two nights. On the second day, the crews of Kristina and Kadeena follow the coast path northward to the main town area, dodging light rain showers. After several pavement cafes, we catch the free bus service back to the marina. Boats are hosting meals for each other. Kebo has found us again!

Sunday 8th August
We all depart together for St Cast, a new marina a few hours eastwards and around Cap Frehal. Only one pilot book even shows the marina as being there. The coast line is somewhat rocky, with a fairy tale castle to boot. St Cast though is a typical modern marina, almost devoid of ambiance. There is a charity event on the quayside for Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer, the French lifeboat service. We walk ashore in to town for some exercise and refreshment, later all meeting up for a meal in one of the quayside restaurants. The main benefit of St Cast is its position and all states of tide access. Kebo has plans to visit St Malo, but generously surrenders a bottle of red for the long awaited wine tasting evening.

Monday 9th August
With some rain forecast for the next day, we depart in beautiful conditions for St Helier, passing west of the Minquiers Plateau. With conditions favourable for a sail, we make a good speed northwards but as the conditions ease and the speed slows, we break out the mackerel feathers, hauling in five fish over the course of an hour. The east-going tide stream now threatens us with the looming rocks of the Minquiers so out comes the spinnaker to gain some speed. After nine hours or so, Good Year, Dream On, Muffin III, Kristina, Saltair and Kadeena are alongside in St Helier for two nights and of course, the rain arrives. The mackerel are devoured aboard Good Year. On Tuesday, Kristina and Kadeena go shopping, with entirely different aims, of course. Liz and Jayne find department stores; George and Neil find Liberty Ale. Later we regroup and find everyone else too. Our evening meal at Hector's Fish and Chip Restaurant is made more interesting by our chatty host.

Wednesday 11th August
A fairly early departure sees all six boats squeezing through a gap between two rafts, only inches wider than the largest boats. Our effort is rewarded by further delays caused by the arrival of two ships in the outer harbour. Eventually, we are underway for Carteret, taking the Violet Channel and passing near the Ecrehou islets. The five hour passage passes without incident and we are guided to our berths in the marina. Most of the crews trudge around the coast path up to the light-house and back, assembling again for refreshment at a beach bar. We take the advice of the St Helier chip shop owner and are not disappointed by the meal we have at La Kalakiki restaurant on the fishing boat quay.

Thursday 12th August
After a two hour hop, we are all alongside in Dielette. Atropos and Celtic Lady are present, but we have just missed Lesser Stint and friends. Kebo is still in St Malo. At last, with as many boats present as we can manage and on the last day of the cruise, all crews are invited aboard Kadeena for the wine tasting event. It was amazing how far we could stretch 7 bottles of wine! Everybody enjoyed themselves. It needed a tie breaker quiz to find the winner as Sandra and Chris Collins had both managed to pick the right wines. Chris was the eventual winner. George proved himself to be a card carrying member of the Campaign for Real Ale, by coming joint last. We all dine ashore at the Moules Tent, now 'upmarket' and in a porta cabin. Great food, great value and great company though.

Friday 13th August
Perhaps not the best date to depart for home, through the Alderney Race, but a necessary one. Spring tides against a northerly wind make for an interesting passage. Radio silence follows as all crews find something solid to hang on to but, 45 minutes later, we are cast out at the other end and normal radio chatter resumes. Carol remarked, "That was the longest 15 minutes I have ever had" but it can't have been too bad as conversation quickly turned to frying up breakfasts! We took advantage of the big lift of tide but the weather became quite squally as the afternoon wore on. We entered the Solent in darkness and picked our way through an outgoing stream of yachts, all flying spinnakers. Within thirty minutes of each other, we were all on moorings in the lower reaches of Langstone Harbour, for a late dinner and well-earned rest.

Saturday 14th August
Most boats return to their moorings, but Good Year and Kadeena fancy a curry in Ryde. Who said the cruise was over? We had logged 381 miles and seen a lot of new places. We now needed a holiday to recover....

FRANCE - St Malo - Brittany & Normandy

26/01/08

Travelling with Jayne's mum and dad, we travelled overnight with Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to St Malo. Over the winter months, the weekend ferry does not return until late allowing a full day ashore - and we crammed in as much as we could.

Concale
Arriving in France early in the morning always presents a problem: nothing is open. We drove slowly across the tiny St Malo peninsular to Concale, a notable oyster farming area. After a bracing stroll in the cold morning air (around freezing point) the first cafe to open won our trade. Coffee flowed warming us up a bit, before hap-hazardly picking our way to Mont St Michel, just into Normandy.

Mont St Michel


The early morning mist over the mount had not cleared as we drew closer, proving an unusual view of the islet. Once on to the mount, we parted with Jayne's parents and strolled to the top, taking plenty of photographs and video footage. We met up again for coffee before making tracks.

Avranche
Our next stop would be Avranche, for supermarket shopping and some food in a local restaurant.



Dinard
With time to spare, we drove back westwards to St Malo, but carrying onto Dinard for
another stroll and a well earned drink in a bar. Our hunger grew so with time pressing on, our return to St Malo was inevitable.

St Malo
We had never visited the old walled town, which is strange given the number of times we have passed through. A fantastic little place, worthy of a day in its own right. Parking was a problem, but with patience and a stroke of luck, we parked on a side road and meandered through the streets in search of moules frites; just what was needed. Out of time, we then retired to the ferry for a drink and a rest on the overnight passage home.

FRANCE - St Omer

26/11/07

Our new sailing boat has interupted our travel dramatically. The cost of owning a boat means you have to use it to justify that expense...


The early morning always looks great across the bonnet of a Mercedes....

However, sooner or later the wine cellar (our garage) would be empty so for a pleasant day trip with Jayne's mum and dad, we crossed with P&O from Dover to Calais and spent the day in and around St Omer, about 45 minutes in land.

The main purpose of the trip was to stock up the wine rack, but of course, any day in France would be incomplete without a meal in a typical local French restaurant.
This we did, though it was a challenge to find anywhere open so early. We made it back to the ferry port early and boarded a waiting ferry. The result was that we were home an hour early.

Having taken the camera, I don't know why I did not use it - only two shots enroute to Dover...I can tell the photograper in me is emerging again.


Before drinking....honest.

FRANCE - The Western Cherbourg Peninsular

08/05/06
Another day trip to France, this time on the P&O fast-cat from Portsmouth to Cherbourg. Having seen a lot of the Bay of Seine, we decided that we would spend a good portion of the day exploring the west coast of the Cherbourg Peninsular. Our first stop, not far outside of Cherbourg – Octeville, was the 10th century church St Germain. The church is set in a clearing on the side of a hill and provided a good panorama of Cherbourg and the port. Continuing west, we followed the rugged coast line, not dissimilar to Jurassic Coast in Dorset. We stopped several times to admire small bays and fishing ports. One of these was Port Racine, the smallest fishing harbour in France. It was so small that it could hold no more than a dozen open fishing boats.

We continued to the north western corner of the peninsular, Cap de la Hague, where the turbulent waters race around the corner towards Alderney, visible only a few miles away. The light house, on a rock outcrop a few hundred yards off-shore seemed very isolated amongst the turbulence. The life boat station situated here is certainly to have seen much service, given the rocky shores and fierceness of the tides.

Driving south, we followed the steep cliffs, with sandy bays below. We stopped for coffee, looking out across the sea toward Alderney and watched fishing boats at the foot of the cliff, tending to lobster pots. Further south, we stopped at a long sandy beach, protecting a large area of sand dunes from the sea. The beach, similar to the D-Day beaches in the Bay of Seine, was only blighted by a nuclear waste treatment plant, situated on a hill overlooking the stretch of sand.

The trip was completed with an obligatory supermarket stop before returning to Portsmouth on the early evening ferry.

FRANCE - Bay of Seine

The Bay of Seine, opposite the south coast of England, has provided us with numerous day trips. The area is full of history, attractive beaches and fishing ports. Being so close to home, we keep getting drawn back to the area as there is still so much to see.

04/07/03
One of our first trips to France together, we took the overnight P&O ferry to Le Havre (the route is now operated by LD Lines). Waking in France, we disembarked and started the coastal drive westward. Passing through Honfleur and Deauville to Ouistreham. From there, we visited the D-Day museum at Arromanches - Gold Beach. This museum has some very good models of the harbour constructed to assist the reclaiming of France. Film and exhibits complete the tour. Further long the coast at Colleville St Laurant, we visited the American war cemetery, a very harrowing experience. The head stones, all white marble are arranged in perfect lines and stretch into the distance almost as far as the eye can see. The grounds are meticulously maintained and being 4th July, every grave had a red rose on it.
From there, we drove south to Bayeux to see the famous tapestry. Our visit was short lived as we were pushed for time, but it is still amazing to see it up close. Its length is amazing considering the amount of work and attention to detail.
Later we stopped at St Vaast for refreshments and then our usual supermarket shopping before returning to Portsmouth via the Cherbourg ferry.

Late 2003
Another overnight ferry to Le Havre, but this time exploring the eastern side of the Bay of Seine, from Le Havre to Fecamp. The coast at this end of the bay consists of high cliffs, slowly eroded by the predominant south westerly winds. We followed the coast road down in to Fecamp and explored the port and commenced our search for a supermarket. We caught the late afternoon ferry home.

Spring 2004
With the morning ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre, we went to France on a day trip, with Jayne's parents. It was mainly a shopping trip, but we drove the coast road to Deauville where we stopped for coffee and a stroll around the town. After the supermarket excursion, we enjoyed a pleasant evening meal in Honfleur before returning to the ferry port to catch the night ferry home.

June 2004
We decided to repeat our trip from the summer before, but this time taking Rosie and Charlie with us. Our intention was to increase their awareness of the sacrifices made during the second world war. Sailing to Le Havre again, we followed the coast road again, to Benouville, to show them Pegasus Bridge. The bridge has been re sited and replaced by a modern bridge in order to preserve it.
Further along the coast, we took them to the D-Day museum at Arromanches and again to the American cemetery at Colleville St Laurant. Our next stop was a German defensive gun emplacement - Batterie de Longues. The rusty remains of several large guns and concrete emplacements, surrounded by shell marks where Allied guns had fired upon the Germans. The trip was finished with another stop at St Vaast and the supermarkets, again returning to England from Cherbourg.

FRANCE - Rouen, like ducks to water

31/03/06
The Newhaven to Dieppe Transmanche Ferry seems to be quite an under used route to France. The yellow ferries, about the size of the Dover route ferries offer basic facilities but sufficient for the three and a half hour crossing. Our boat was a brand new ferry, with a twin level bar at the stern, very comfortable and modern in style.

On arrival in Dieppe, we immediately joined the main road to Rouen. Forty minutes later, we arrived in the town centre. It took another twenty or so minutes to locate our hotel, partly due to road works and partly due to ad-hoc road closures put in place by the police / Gendarmes on account of labour protest marches and riots. Aside from large crowds of marching protesters, fortunately we witnessed no disturbance. The hotel was a bit of a disappointment, described as ‘all rooms having a view of the cathedral or the River Seine’. Ours had neither. It did face the river, but the only glimpse was one of a road bridge crossing the river and then only if you strained to see it.

Abandoning our luggage, we set off on foot around the town centre, following a suggested route from our Michelin Green Guide to Normandy. Taking in the cathedral, some other old churches, the shopping areas, streets lined with ancient timber framed houses (typical of the town) with streams flowing through the road. The town centre is quite compact and ideal for a walking break. We visited a bar or two for refreshments and later in the evening, where Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake on Rouen's Old Market Square (Place du Vieux-Marché), we settled in a restaurant that served the local specialty – Rouenaise Duck. First, the duck is roasted and brought out for the diner to inspect. It is taken away again and when returned, it is served in a rich dark brown sauce, with vegetables and potatoes. Having filled yourself with this course, they waiter presents the other half of the duck, this time served in a lemon flavoured light breadcrumb coating with a green salad. The two servings of duck compliment each other perfectly.

01/04/06
The next morning we checked out and again using our Michelin book, followed a driving tour through the Ile de France area, stopping once or twice to admire the countryside.
In the afternoon, arriving early in Dieppe, we enjoyed a good stroll around the old fishing port, finding a corner café that served Belgian beer. Once check-in had opened, we boarded the Transmanche ferry, this time to find that instead of a brand new ferry, we were sailing on a 1970s Sardinian ferry, complete with gold panelled ceilings, aqua blue carpets and warm beer served in small plastic beakers. The two ferries were chalk and cheese. It had been a pleasant and amusing one night trip to a pretty old town.

FRANCE - Mont St Michel & Suisse Normande

13/07/05

After taking an over night Brittany Ferry to St Malo, the early arrival did not mean that our first port of call would be quiet…
Following the coast road east from St Malo, Mont St Michel is dramatically set off-shore, but I had not expected it to be as dramatic as it was. The isle, walls and abbey arise from the surrounding sands in a magnificently towering scene, truly awe inspiring. The approach road less so – the car parks rather spoil the view, especially the numerous motor homes that flock to the area. Not that I blame them….

The stroll along the causeway bridge left me full of anticipation and I could not get the camera to reflect the moment. Entering the walled town, the cobbled street climbs steeply, past numerous gift shops and cafes. We stop at one to take in the views across the sands to other small islands.
We finish the climb to the abbey to absorb the surroundings and photograph everything.
Drifting back down through the street, we buy a postcard – a print of a oil painting depicting the spectacle – to frame and hang in our bath room. We see that the tide is coming in as fast as a person running. We tip-toe out on to the sands to take photographs with no cars in the shot.

Back in the car and into shorts now as it was so warm, we start the journey across the base of the Cherbourg Peninsular as our return ferry departs Caen at tea-time. Our route takes us through a beautifully hilly area known as Suisse Normande – named after Switzerland as the hills rise out of the surrounding plains in a very defined way. We stop at the top of Roche d’Oetre, a rocky outcrop with views across forests and the valley below. The drive continues to Falaise where we turn northwards to Caen and Ouistreham port, with a supermarket stop for supplies for home.

SWITZERLAND - Geneva & the lake

16/01/07
Flying from Bournemouth airport makes for a pleasant trip as the drive to the airport is so short for us. Flying with Easyjet to Geneva for peanuts is great to.
We arrive mid-morning on a rather overcast day and after the short train trip, quickly find our hotel near to the rail station, Hotel International Terminus. Check in, dump the ruck sack and we're off. A short stroll down the road to the lake sees the tremendous fountain - Jet D'Eau rising 450 feet at 125 mph, visible from all over the town. The lake is unbelievably clear - the bottom can be seen 9 feet below us. Using the floating bridge to avoid the traffic, we stroll up in to the town centre, climbing the hill into the old quarter. We stop for a beer before ascending the cathedral bell tower. Even at the top of the tower, on top of the hill, the fountain still reaches above us. Surrounded by mountains, the view would be even more amazing.
Descend into town and walk the side of the lake for a mile or so. Catch one of the yellow water taxis across the lake and find a bar to relax in. At night fall, return to the lake side to see the neon signs atop the high rise buildings. We enjoyed an Italian meal before turning in.

17/01/07
After breakfast, we catch the train (superbly clean and on-time) to Lausanne, the home of the Olympics. Glimpses of the lake as we travel. Once off the train, stop for coffee before walking down the the port. Spy the mountains on all sides. Visit the Olympic museum - many exhibits, but most impressive is all the olympic torches, summer and winter olympics through the last century. After, catch one of the CGN cruise boats and head off across the lake to France and Evian, famous for bottled water, Mont Blanc in the clouds behind. Only a 30 minute crossing and stroll the town and lakeside. Forgot to bring euros (Swiss francs not accepted) so no beer! After two hours, return to Lausanne. Bus to the top of the hill and town centre. Stroll the pedestrian precinct and enjoy a beer in one of the bars. Catch the train back to Geneva and out for dinner at a chinese restaurant next door.

18/01/07
Early start: train back to airport and fly home. First time we are above the fountain. Remarkable that in the space of 24 hours, we travelled by foot, bus, train, boat, plane and car.

It also showed us that Switzerland was great for walking and train travel...