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Flights – Wizz Air (Cologne to Luxembourg)

[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image links]

Needing to get from Gdansk to Luxembourg in just over a day didn’t give me many affordable options. I tried to get a Ryanair flight, but there were no direct flights anywhere near, but there was the option of getting a Wizzair flight from Gdansk to Cologne and then a Flixbus from Cologne to Luxembourg. So it was a first experience of both Wizzair and Flixbus for me….

The booking process was easy to manage and surprisingly efficient, which is always reassuring. So reassuring was the process that I decided to join the Wizz Air Discount Club, which for an annual fee gives extra reductions off the price of every flight.

Quite understandably, there are strict rules about not taking photos of cabin crew on most airlines, and I noticed Wizz Air point that out in their literature. Hence why this photo is side-on of the nearby seats, rather than of the entire cabin. The seat design doesn’t feel very modern, but the cabin was clean and tidy, with the seats being sufficiently comfortable.

The boarding arrangement is very much like Ryanair, so it’s efficient, via steps and involves standing on the steps down to the tarmac for ages. But, the efficiency pleased me, everyone knew where they should be and when.

The food and drink was all reasonably priced, and approximately 25% of customers ordered at least something. The price of noodles is the same as coffee, and I thought that this would be more filling. It’s what I like getting on Amtrak in the US, and they were perfectly acceptable at €3 (around £2.60).

The selling frenzy from the cabin crew wasn’t quite as bad as Ryanair, with fewer passes down the cabin and that made it feel slightly more relaxing. However, there were still numerous different items for sale, so it wasn’t entirely peaceful.

Overall, I felt that the entire operation seemed efficient and the staff were all polite and helpful. The flight was pretty much punctual and although the surroundings weren’t exactly luxurious, they did represent excellent value for money on this occasion. I’m sure that I’ll fly with Wizz Air again soon based on this experience.

July 30, 2025
Limoges – Leaving (and the kindness of bus drivers)

[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image link]

After the end of a very lovely week, it’s now time to go back to the UK (albeit rather briefly). Limoges (the above photo is of the city hall) is a beautiful place and everyone seemed friendly and helpful. My trip to Oradour sur Glane will also live with me for some time, a haunting memory of the horrors that took place there.

And on that helpful theme…. The bus service doesn’t run to the airport in the mornings, so I thought that I’d risk getting to the airport only two hours early (I consider that cutting it fine). To do that I needed to get a bus to a point around twenty minutes walk away from the airport, which seemed much better than the two hour walk that I had to get to the centre of Limoges.

Anyway, I get on the bus and the driver is exceptionally helpful, even with my English mauling the pronunciation of the French locations. So we’re sailing into near where my stop was and I press the button to get off. The driver ignores the bell and smiles at me, and the next thing I realise he’s taken me to the airport itself. I could well do without that twenty minutes walk at the moment, so that’s a real help to me. His other passengers seemed confused and he had to spend time to explain the situation, but they didn’t seem too irritated at the English person messing up their schedule. So, more smiles, lots of thanks, shaking of hands and I’m at the airport nice and early.

A lovely end to my little Limoges trip.

River Walk

Pont Saint-Martial

Chapelle Saint-Aurélien

Limoges Library

Santiago de Compostela

Église Saint Pierre (St. Peter’s Church)

Gare de Limoges-Bénédictins (Railway Station)

O’Panda

French Resistance Museum

Oradour sur Glane (Bus Journey)

Oradour sur Glane

Rue de la Boucherie

Jean Burger

St. Michel des Lions

Musée National Adrien Dubouché

La Mie Câline

Limoges City Pass

Quiet Streets

Limoges Cathedral

Walk from Airport

July 30, 2025
Food from Every Stall on Norwich Market (2025 Edition) – Week 23 and All Electric Banger Stop

We’re nearing the dramatic finale of our noble mission of eating at every food stall at Norwich market now and this week was Banger Stop. James and I had forgotten about our visit in 2023, when I commented that the stall was “reassuringly reliable” which still seems appropriate after this visit.

The service was efficient, friendly and engaging with only a short wait. The prices have gone up around 70p per hot dog since we did this before, but the value for money remains high. The stall accepts card and cash with extra sauces being free of charge and cans of drink are £1.50. It’s always positive to see a five star food hygiene rating proudly on display as well.

I went for the chilli dog without cheese and huge credit that they pro-actively took 30p off the price even though I hadn’t expected them to do that. The roll was soft and fresh, the sausage was of a generous size, the fried onions added flavour, the lettuce added colour and the crispy onions added texture. The sausage itself tasted of a decent quality, perhaps it could have been slightly meatier, but I very much enjoyed it. The whole arrangement was filling and it was helpful that it came with a piece of kitchen roll as this was quite messy to eat.

James opted for the cheese-topped option, which involved a blowtorch and very nearly some unexpected singeing. He reassured me that told he survived unscathed, although I can’t help but feel it would have added some drama to the review if I could write “the hot dog was hot, but James was hotter”. James had expected more of a chilli con carne sauce, but was happy with what he got and he once again managed to avoid spilling any of it. As usual, we spent most of the time at the market with James acknowledging his many middle class friends in the city. I am wondering whether he’s joined the masons to know this many people, but I didn’t say anything.

This was really all rather lovely and the whole experience combined to be one of the best visits so far this year. The prices were relatively low, the service was personable, the food was of a decent quality and I left feeling satiated. And James wasn’t set on fire, which I suppose is for the best. One thing I thought would be interesting, as the menu is small, is for a hot dog of the month with some innovative toppings just to keep surprising and delighting the customers.

July 30, 2025
Limoges – River Walk

[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image links]

Earlier in the week I thought it’d be a nice idea to walk from Pont Saint Martial along the river. I didn’t walk very far as it was too hot, but I’m sure it would have made for a rather picturesque walk in slightly cooler weather.

There were lots of fish in the river, and fortunately I didn’t see any snakes.

Fortunately there were numerous benches to sit on and look at the view as I couldn’t walk too far at a time in the heat.

Very peaceful (and if I haven’t mentioned it, very hot).

July 29, 2025
Limoges – Pont Saint-Martial

[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]

One of the most beautiful pieces of medieval architecture still remaining in Limoges is the Pont Saint-Martial, which crossed the Vienne river. The stone bridge dates to 1215 and it replaces a much earlier Gallo-Roman bridge. Sadly this was torn down on the orders of King Henry II, showing just what a long history of trouble making there has been between France and England. All now resolved of course….

A view down the river of what I think is the Pont Neuf bridge.

A view from the bridge, which today carries only pedestrians and cyclists.

The bridge is one of the few crossing points for pedestrians over the river in this area, although it’s a rather lovely walk along the river bank.

There’s a photo on the river bank of what the bridge used to look like. Which is pretty much what it looks like now….

The bridge became a listed historic monument in 1908, and it’s sort of noticeable from the photo how different the lengths of span are along the structure.

July 29, 2025
Limoges – Chapelle Saint-Aurélien

[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image links]

I visited the Rue de la Boucherie earlier in the week, but this chapel wasn’t open at the time. It was originally constructed in the fifteenth century to replace an earlier church nearby, which has long been lost under other buildings. It was later closed down during the French Revolution, and purchased by the guild of butchers.

The church is small, evident by that I’m actually standing in the entrance to the building to take this photo. It’s brighter than the photo suggests, although it still feels an intimate place of worship.

The altar, which is where the historic relics owned by the church are kept for safety.

Above are two of the statues in the church.

A photo taken looking back towards the entrance, with the spiral staircase on the right and the balcony above.

July 29, 2025
Limoges – Église Saint Pierre (St. Peter’s Church)

[I originally posted this in July 2018, but reposted it in July 2025 to fix the broken image links]

This is one of the two churches in the central part of the city, and it’s a colourful and, to me, confusing building. The cathedral is wider than the nave is long, so the internal structure feels rather different to the usual layout. Looking at an overhead photo of the cathedral, the standard church design is visible, but the aisles have just been made particularly substantial.

The church was mostly constructed between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries in the Gothic style.

The organ at the end of the nave.

The nave cuts across the centre of this photo, with the pulpit visible on the right.

Jean Baptiste Hippolyte Delor, a local church official in the nineteenth century.

Some of the beautiful stained glass in the church. Unfortunately, since I didn’t bring my camera on this trip, the colours aren’t very vibrant in these photos.

A very beautiful church with numerous paintings, statues and decorative items which are on display. It feels much less of a touristy location than the other church and the cathedral in Limoges, making it harder for me to get an understanding of the building.

July 29, 2025
Limoges – Limoges Library

[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image links]

The rather beautiful Limoges library and despite the open plan nature of the building, it’s quiet and peaceful with a real feeling of space.

This is what irritates me slightly, seeing libraries overseas which are much better than those in the UK. Norwich library is one of the worst libraries I’ve experienced, it’s usually full of people shouting, there are usually examples of how users have evaded the filters on library computers and there are rarely chairs available. So, on that last point, Limoges library has no issues with having space for users.

There is a relatively large section of English books, as well a reference section for English books. In addition, there are many books in German and other languages, which is something that I haven’t seen from Norfolk Library Service.

Although of little interest to me, the music and DVD section was substantial, and was stretched across the top floor of the building. It was all neatly presented and everything seemed to be in a coherent alphabetical order.

But most of all, so many lovely books!

There was also a little exhibition that had been put together in the foyer area. It’s explaining how books are preserved.

Sometimes covers need replacing, or the book putting in a box, although mould in vellum covers is far more challenging. Having listened to the conservators at Norfolk Record Office, it is though something which can be achieved with some excellent results.

Books in need of repair.

This display was just showing the types of repair that were needed, from pasting a page back in to ensuring that the covers are secured.

July 29, 2025
Leipzig – Stadtgeschichtliches Museum (Paintings of Catharina Margarethe and Amy Dumont)

These two splendid individuals are Any Dumont and Catharina Margarethe, painted by Samuel Beck (1715-1778) in 1767. Amy Dumont, on the left, was a banker and iron wholesaler who evidently did well for himself financially. His ancestor Philippe Dumont was a founding member of Leipzig’s Reformed congregation in 1700, the family having settled in Leipzig as Huguenot refugees where they had been made welcome by the Germans who rather appreciated their skills. Catharina Margarethe, on the right, appears to be holding either a fan or an aggressively bound opera programme, either of which I could have done with in the city as it was far too hot. Her outfit is all muted finery and cautious lace, the clothing which must have been a nightmare to paint.

The paintings were donated to the museum in 2017 by members of the family who later became to be important figures in Leipzig in the nineteenth century, the couple’s daughters having married into the Melly and Thieriot families. The element that intrigued me the most here is just how welcome the Huguenot families were made, they were given special privileges because of their skills which were thought to bring an economic boost to the region. The same happened in Norwich, where large numbers came, with the city again offering a friendly welcome. I think it’s fair to say that migrants aren’t always treated with such reverence….

July 29, 2025
Leipzig – Stadtgeschichtliches Museum (Transporting Books in Barrels)

I’ve never really given much thought to this, but apparently this was once the way that books were transported about the place before thousands of Amazon Prime vans scuttled around the country. The printed sheets would be placed in barrels which would be filled with dry straw to prevent moisture getting in. Then, the lucky book buyer could get the book bound themselves in the style which they liked. The museum notes that the city was the main centre of German book trading in the eighteenth century, surpassing even Frankfurt. I can only imagine the competitive fury that must have ignited between the printers, each trying to out-barrel the other.

July 29, 2025