My first real update in more than a month. Needless to say, August has been very, very busy. I am spending most of my time right now travelling between my client’s various sites around Europe, and August has meant trips to Ireland, England, Switzerland, France, and Spain. Deadlines are looming and people are becoming more and more stressed.

Early in August, I did at least get the chance to take a week off. Aude and I spent a week with Aude’s parents and brother in the south of France. It was my first real vacation since we went on our honeymoon nearly a year ago, and even the few days of sun were a welcomed break.

A nice swimming pool and view over the houses

Aude takes her first dip in the pool

Relaxing by the pool

More views over the swimming pool. I could get used to this view every morning.

Flowers

More flowers

Aude in front of the pool

Matt begins to relax by the pool

Aude’s parents are beginning to plan their trip to the US

Preparing dinner

Beginning to relax

Ah – it is because she has a cocktail in her hands!

In the kitchen

 

It’s been a couple of weeks since I have updated my blog, but that is mostly down to constant travel. I was in Switzerland for a few days, then Barcelona, then to Lisbon for a wedding, then back to Barcelona for a few days, and I am now finally back in Paris. It looks like I will actually get a full week in Paris this week (unless I have to go to London for the day on Friday – the outlook is 50/50 right now) followed by a week in the south of France. My first holiday in a year, and one that I am really looking forward to!

Darren and Lina’s wedding in Lisbon was fantastic – lots of entertainment, good food, and beautiful weather. We even got a more scenic tour of the Portuguese countryside than we anticipated, thanks to the bus driver’s detour when he couldn’t find the house.

Aude can’t resist a guy with a cleaver

What is it with Matthew and pigs?

Lina walks up the aisle

Darren and Lina exchange rings

The newly married couple walks down the aisle

Outside the chapel, getting ready to throw her confetti…

Lina’s mother shares a laugh

Darren and Lina, under a shower of flower petals, as they leave the chapel

Aude and Mascha

These two didn’t say much…

Simon, Jill and Aude

Darren catches his breath

Simon and Jill

Matthew and Aude

Here comes trouble!

Aude

Tables decorations

More table decorations

Wine bottles, lined up and ready to go!

Another table decoration

Best man

Lots of little ones around!

Dance lessons before dinner

Darren and Lina show us how it’s done

Nice glasses, mate.

Portuguese cheeses after dinner

Lina and Darren share a secret

Happy bride

My twin

Lina takes the lead dancing

Darren and Lina strut their stuff

This goes beyond Dirty dancing — this is downright Dangerous dancing

Roar!

You really shouldn’t mix alcohol and cigarettes.

A few more pictures from Easter Sunday in the South of France…

There are definitely worse places to spend a Sunday afternoon…

Aude’s mother, hard at work preparing Easter lunch

Minouche watches everything from the garden

Jerome and Liher relax with a book before lunch

Even if my parents couldn’t be here in person, they were with us in spirit!

Aude has always been rubbish at hide-and-seek

Aude and her mother in the March sunshine

Jerome and Liher beside the pool

Everyone in front of the pool

Matthew, Jerome and Liher

Aude puts the final touches on the starter…

Foie gras and cepes — a great way to start Easter lunch

It’s my first day of vacation since my honeymoon six months ago, and it couldn’t come soon enough. The last week has been filled with lots of late nights and early mornings as we prepared a series of four-day workshops for a client. The three-day weekend is just what I need to recharge my batteries.

As I write this, we are once again enjoying the magic of the French rail network. It takes about 4h30 to get down to the coast by train. We left a cool, grey morning in Paris and snow-covered fields just outside the city. I closed my eyes for what felt like just a few minutes (but was in fact three hours) and the next thing I knew, beautiful Mediterranean sunshine was outside my window. I don’t think I will ever grow tired of the TGV network – it really is one of the marvels of France.

We have three days in the sun with Aude’s parents, then she will return to Paris and I will fly to London for the week – it seems the office is really determined that I won’t spend any time actually living in Paris! As we move from winter to summer, the base for the project over the next months is likely split between Geneva and Barcelona rather than Zurich and Paris. At least I’m getting to see a lot of Europe – given that we have a significant part of our client base in North Africa, you have to be thankful for what you have sometime.

Let the long weekend begin…