Engagement Party

Albert Bar at the Victoria Pub

Richard giving his speech--it was lovely, and he kept it short & sweet :)

Mingling between the 2 crowds--my ICS friends and his ITS friends

I really should've taken more pictures, but we were too busy playing hosts! About 25 people came, and it was hard to get to chat with everyone there--but I guess that's a preview of what it's going to be like at the wedding. Around 9pm, we carried on to dinner with the ITS crowd, and then on to the Bierkeller for one of my friend's birthday drinks. It was a great night!

Otley Carnival

Pipers

Steel drum band

Carnival queen

Subway man

Noah's Ark float from the C of E primary school

The carnival queen giving her speech--she looked about 10, and was very well-spoken :)

We saw the Otley Brass Band again at the park this Sunday

Stockport and Manchester

The weekend between the engagement and the Lorient trip got lost in the shuffle--here are the pics from the Stockport Beer, Cider & Perry Festival and our afternoon in Manchester :)

The festival was amazing. They had 150 varieties of beers, ciders & perries on tap (we each tried about 5 different 1/2 pints), so it was hard to tell where to start. Each barrel had the name, price (for full and 1/2 and 1/3 pint) & the ABV % on them (% alcohol by volume).

It was held at a football stadium, so this was the seating :)

After the festival, we went into Manchester for a little sightseeing & dinner on the way back to Leeds.

We went on the Wheel--neither of us had been on it before, and it was definitely worthwhile.

View of Manchester Cathedral from above

The Wheel from below

Manchester Cathedral from below

Old & new buildings clashing in the city centre

The last time I was in Manchester (Nov 2007), this was where the ice skating rink was :)

Richard & me in front of the fountain

More pics from Lorient

Angelique's put her vacation photos up on Facebook, so I've put a few of the ones with Richard & me on here :)

Richard and me and tons of seafood!

Richard & me at the lunch

Stef, Angelique, Richard & me at Grandmere's apartment

Stefan and Richard at the restaurant

Lorient Trip

Nantes

Richard & me at the Chateau

Nantes

Graffiti in Nantes--Is somebody still upset about World War One???

Lorient

Marina in Lorient

More shots of the Port de Plaissance (pleasure boat marina)

Richard & me

Having some cafe while waiting for the ferry

Sailboat near Port Louis

Entering the harbour at Ile-de-Groix

Port Tudy, Ile-de-Groix

Bienvenue a Ile-de-Groix! We had the most amazing ice creams (glaces) at this bike rental hut. Mine was Caramel au Fleur de Sel (Breton speciality, salted caramel) and Richard's was Tiramisu. Delicious!

Jardin on the walk to la Plage des Grandes Sables

Leaving Loctudy....

The most amazing beach I've ever been to in real life....Plage des Grandes Sables, Ile-de-Groix

Sea snail, barnacles and mussels

We found an adorable island cat and he followed us up the road :)

Back in the harbour at Lorient

Moules marinieres (mussels) for dinner! I can't believe I ate the whole thing...

The bistro where we had dinner

La famille!

Me, Cristian (Madou's son, a 2nd cousin of Richard), Aela (Jacque's daughter), and Martine

Aurelian (Martine's son), Charlotte's husband, Emilie's boyfriend, Charlotte, Emilie

Cristian and his wife, Aela and Martine

Martine, Nanny Gwen and Véronique

Stefan, Charlotte, Angelique, Jacques and Aurelian

Stefan, Angelique and Aurelian

Celebration for 3 birthdays, a new baby and an engagement :) Nanny Gwen is 80, Jacques is 60, Aurelian is 30, Charlotte's new baby Gabrielle was born 29 April, and of course, Richard & I are engaged!

Jacques, Nanny Gwen, Aurelian and baby Gabrielle

Birthday tarte aux fraises ("Joyeuse anniversaire Aurelian")

Laurent, Richard and Aurelian :)

Jacques's boat. He's been building this sailing ship (based on a historical English design) for about a year, all on his own. It's amazing!

Veronique and Laure

Jacques' business

Guillaud Vérandas

Véronique's apartment in Ploemeur

View from Véronique's apartment

Living room

Veronique's neighborhood

Carrefour supermarket

Church by Véronique's apartment

More shots of the neighborhood--it's a lovely area!

In front of the church

Nanny Gwen's apartment in Lorient

These were painted by Richard's great-grandfather (Nanny Gwen's father). Some of Nanny Gwen's paintings are in the background of the shot below:

Richard and Nanny Gwen (Grandmère). Madou is in the background (Grandpère's sister)

French windows in our room at Rex Hotel

Church in Lorient

Nantes

Nantes

St Clement church in Nantes

Detail of St Clement arch