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CEBhttp://s164.photobucket.com/album...ekend/?bulkComplete=1188687332785Cecilie Jansson, daughter Ida, and myself were there from Thursday 16th. Due to a traumatic journey and late arrival, then finding our rooms hadn't been kept for us, we went for a comforting pizza instead of the Welcome dinner dance (best meal we had all weekend bar the Gala one on Friday night, TBH) Friday's Tourist trip was a visit to an old Smithy village - quite interesting if you are into historical stuff or forges I guess. Me, I was there for the beer (oops sorry, I meant breed  ) The entertainment was a one man band - a hurdy gurdy French style(cardboard books that were fed through a plinkety plonk thingy to play the tune, and the Mannie sang with it  ), a 3 course lunch, which was OK(not the best Kir I'd tasted mind you), then in the afternoon we visited 2 of the main working kennels in France - Keranlouan and Kerveillant. A real eye-opener   I stopped counting Epagneuls Breton at Keranlouan just before I dropped off (almost like counting sheep )I got to about 250 - at various stages of development and age from 6 weeks upwards!  All in outside stone kennels, but I suppose they normally have the weather for it.  I think I saw 8 litters with their mums, but the outstanding sight for me was seeing two 3 month old Brits diving into a pond time after time in sheer delight at retrieving a soggy chicken(well I think it was a chicken - it was dirty white from what I could see, so it might have been a duck ) But the dogs were all in good condition and seemed very happy. And Monsieur Morin was a lovely, gentle man, and absolutely excellent with the puppies - very caring. He apparently trains for other people, and trains what he breeds to sell.
Then we went to the Callac town Hall for a champagne reception and speeches(during which John, Barbara and I sloped off to see the Horse - well you can't go to Callac and not see THE HORSE can you  )
Then we were whisked back for a quick change into posh clothes for the Gala Dinner. And that is where Guy and Julia step in - Saturday morning. I met up with them after a grand Tour de France with two lovely old French Gentlemen who offered me a lift to the TANs. They were obviously not familiar with Brittany or with maps as it took us an hour to do 8 km. I was just beginning to wonder if I was being abducted (chance would be a fine thing ) when all three of us yelled out - Voila!!! - we had come on the Lake purely by chance. Fortunately I spotted John and Barbara and decided my best chance of seeing anything at all that day was to attach myself to them. I am very grateful for them re-organising the back of the Disco and to Archie for allowing me to sit beside him. I thank them very much for their company for a good part of the weekend.
Annie |