Blue and white stripes.

Medieval Dinan

Street scene Dinan

Medieval houses.

Guess who

Beach life in St Malo

Gorgeous afternoon in St Malo

On the way to St Malo we stopped in Dinan. A wonderful medieval town. It is very well preserved and a delight to walk through – though somewhat crowded.

We wandered the streets taking photos and enjoying the buskers. There was a medieval attired lady playing an ancient medieval looking instrument,  a guitarist, a singer and several children dancing along.

We sat in the gardens in front of the church and ate our lunch: a baguette for Steve and salad for me,  watching the tourists walking by and checking out their foot ware. It’s beyond me how some people walk around all day in heels or wedges or flats that look worn out.

We pulled ourselves up trying not to complain about sore knees( that would be me – Steve has had his knee replaced and has no pain!) back to the car and off to St Malo.

I really wanted to visit here having just read a great book set here during the 2nd World War. “All the light I can not see” by Anthony Doerr. It was about a young blind girl and her father who fled Paris and stayed in St Malo with an uncle. A corresponding story about a young German boy brought them together in St Malo. Such a great book. I wish I had passages photocopied to see if I can find the places described. I know I’ll be looking.

So look we did. We found the beach area and all the sunbathing English and French. It’s a great tidal part of the channel and there were some funny signs around about safe bathing ( swimming to us) We walking along the ramparts and looked out to sea and saw lots of  sailing boats dotted around. Also across to another beach nearby with its sand sailing. Children in rockpools, kids playing shuttlecock, soccer, nine pins. Not a cricket or touch game to be seen. No boggie boards either. But I did notice a lot of striped shirts. Sailor type but plain and lovely and known as the Breton sea shirt. Very popular here and in all the shops. I love a stripe. In fact I had my striped t shirt on but felt very inferior as it wasn’t the real thing. –   a Breton Blue.

Life boat volunteers sing up a storm

We decided on one of the many little seafood restaurants For dinner and Steve decided to have the famous Moules and frites ( muscles and chips) I had a really nice piece of white grilled fish and rice. Very simple and very nice. We didn’t have gelato a we walked back to the hotel. I must be changing with the gluten free eating. Don’t seem to feel like it. But people around us certainly were indulging. They were eating some of the biggest ice creams I have even seen.

Our walk back to the hotel allowed us to check out more buskers and the one that won our prize was the group of life boat service gentlemen ( called corsairs). They were a group of about 12 older gentlemen dressed in navy shirts singing great selection of rousing songs. The audience loved them. They even had their own cd. Steve has decided perhaps the masters men of Met Caloundra surf club could form a choir to do similar performances along the beach. I wonder if people would throw money in their caps!

Must get an early night tonight. Tomorrow we have a taxi booked to take us to the port for the ferry to Jersey one of the Channel Islands.