143. Grey Saturday

14th May 2011. It was a dreich day out on the river this morning.. grey, cold and with a constant fine drizzle.. We went out in a coxless quad sculler but there was some kind of problem with the steering because we seemed to have a magnetic attraction to one of the banks! In the end, I suggested disconnecting the steering as I suspected it wasn't set up correctly and once we'd done that there was a marked improvement. Arriving back at the clubhouse, we were pretty much all wet through and cold and G (le responsable) suggested an impromptu apéro - he was going to get no argument from me! If the difference a little whisky makes to the world surprises you, then how much more surprised would you be at the difference a large one would make! Did 12km (Running total: 674km)

The pooch - unhappy at being told to sit still!

This afternoon should see Chibby, our cocker spaniel, in action for the first time. Some friends of ours have a black cocker spaniel bitch - Cerise - and yesterday they phoned us to say that she's come into heat.. Between us, we decided some time ago that the next time she came into heat, Chibby would be given the opportunity to do his best (lie back and think of England) to spread his genes. We'll be getting one of the pups if everything works out fine. Poor lad - he has no idea what's in store for him!

And just in case you were wondering:

I heard this 60s song on the radio earlier today and it brought back lots of memories.. it's full of that Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" excess - it has every instrument you can think of in it - including the kitchen sink - and a few you can't. I looked it up on Wiki and there it was in black and white - it was released in shhhh -  1963. This goes back to an earlier comment I made that we're scarred by the music that was popular when we were 17. It's still a classic though after all those years (especially after an hour or so wasted watching the latest Eurovision Song Contest this evening - don't ask!!) Crank up the volume, listen to it and then tell me that's not a great pop song.. 

I mentioned the Eurovision Song Contest - this is the entry from Moldova - complete with girl on unicycle - that drove me to despair:

15th May 2011. Went for a windy walk along the sea front at Biarritz this morning. Ended up in Dodin's café having one of their hot chocolates and watching the surfers. Chibby is still on alert in case the doorbell rings with his date..! He's not yet showing any signs of big match tension.. 

Today's special offer: there are various sites that play non-stop music for all tastes.. for example, there are links that play non-stop ABBA hits. Or non-stop 60s hits. But maybe you'd prefer to browse the blog with some classic French hits in the background.. Zut alors! In that case, look no further! Or if it's that time of day, here are the non-stop smoochy ones.. (what have I started!!?) Think you need Google Chrome set as your browser to access these links.. 

You'll find that links on the blog will open in a new window from now on - I found the code that allows that to happen - so you can click on the music channels above and carry on reading - that is, if there's no paint drying in the vicinity that needs watching!

16th May 2011. I must admit to being puzzled by the allegations levelled against Dominique Strauss-Kahn (or DSK as he's known here in France), the managing director of the IMF. He'd been positioning himself as a strong Socialist candidate for the 2012 Presidential campaign here in France - and, according to many political commentators here, he would have been very electable versus the unpopular incumbent. He had a lot to lose. I'm not alone in finding the situation that unravelled over the weekend in New York a little bizarre. Without going into details, the claim is that a man staying at a major New York hotel allegedly forced his attentions on a chambermaid - in his hotel room! He's hardly an anonymous figure and hence he stood no chance of the incident passing unnoticed or that he could escape identification.

I started wondering if it might have been a case of entrapment.. Perhaps the chambermaid thought, "This guy's loaded.. I could squeeze him for a few bucks or I'll tell the cops he assaulted me." It wouldn't be the first time. I'm never a great believer in conspiracy theories such as Elvis is alive and living in Essex, or Hitler's U-boat was found on the dark side of the moon, etc etc but DSK is/was probably the only credible candidate the Left could have fielded with a chance of beating Sarko.. (Martine Aubry? No chance. Ségolène Royale? Likewise..) By the time these allegations have been proved/disproved, months will have passed and even if DSK is found to be innocent, the smear will linger. And, in case you're wondering, I don't share DSK's political views.

The Telegraph has more on this unhappy saga. It appears that DSK has an Achilles d--k. (fill in the blanks yourself!) Maybe he was so jaded by everyday life that he needed the rush that an adventure like this could provide.  

In the context of DSK's trousers, I'm reminded of Spike Milligan's alternative version of the traditional nursery rhyme about the Grand Old Duke of York : 

Oh, the grand old Duke of York,

He had ten thousand men;

He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.
And when they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only half way up,
He was arrested.

Anyway, that's enough of that.. here's a web site to browse when you have a spare moment. It looks suitably dull, as befits a product of the EU (sponsors of the world's dullest looking currency below). I hadn't thought it possible to reduce half a millennia of European cultural heritage to something akin to base metal but with this site they've managed the impossible - and in spades (I'm not mentioning that mindless disco beat..). I'm not a euro-sceptic by the way. This clip may throw some light on what they're about:

On the other hand..

142. Remembering

9th May 2011. As I walked into town early yesterday morning to the bakers I noticed activity around the huge War Memorial that's set into one of the old ramparts that encircle Bayonne.

There was someone setting up loudspeakers and microphones - I asked him what was happening and he reminded me that it was 8th May - ".. la fin de la guerre." - I'm ashamed to say I'd forgotten. Waiting in the shade across the road, there were a few old soldiers in their kepis and berets in their be-medalled blazers proudly holding their old standards. Those old links and bonds with the tragic history of Europe are still evident - 66 years on. 

Long time (or long suffering) readers of this blog may recall I once wrote a post about the sound of the cimbalom.. Well, it started off as a post about the cimbalom but it ended up as a homage to Le Grand Mayeur, a fabled and unique institution in Brussels that's sadly now closed (more details at the above link). I was browsing on YouTube earlier and I came across this great interpretation of Vivaldi´s Concerto in C for cimbalom, 1st movement - I hadn't realised up until now that anyone had tried to play the cimbalom with more traditional instruments. I think it shows that the cimbalom can stand comparison with classical instruments as it's accompanied here by a harpsichord, double bass, cello and violins (all being played pizzicato):

Here's the 2nd movement - apparently, this concerto was originally written for mandolin, strings & continuo. I've read the link for continuo ( a new word to me) and I'm none the wiser..! The absence of a non-musical education shines through yet again!

10th May 2011. Just back from letting the dog take me for a walk around town. Looks as though the summer season has started. There was a group of Spanish pensioners receiving a guided tour of the old ramparts; couples with street maps, back packs and cameras; obvious tourists wandering slowly looking all around them and, of course, the street people. There was one this morning who caught my eye - she was standing on a street corner in the centre twirling a long scarf as if she was trying to shake a knot out of it. Then I saw the bowl on the ground with a few coins in. A bit of a minimalist act I thought.. 

The walk took us through the well-maintained gardens that have been laid out in the spaces between the ramparts.  

Here's a view of Grande Bayonne that shows how compressed all the building in the old town centre had to be due to the surrounding ramparts. The confluence of the Adour and the Nive can be seen at the top:

Much remains of the old fortifications - here's one of the entrances into the town, still in daily use:

Bayonne is justifiably proud of its "green" credentials and the town operates a free transport system known as the Navette (shuttle) - these electrically-powered buses circulate continuously at 10 minute intervals in and around town and are a great boon to elderly shoppers - and for tourists (stay aboard for the circular tour). 

Another free mode of transport provided by the town are these bikes - known as Vélibs (the French love abbreviating words!) and this comes from Vélo Libre (free bike):

There are a great many cycle lanes around town and it's possible to ride along the banks of the Adour and the Nive - which is something we like to do.

Another lovely warm sunny evening out on the river tonight. Had an outing in a beautiful Swiss-built coxed quad sculler and the slanting sunshine made the most of its honey-coloured varnished wood. I derive more pleasure of rowing in a boat like this compared to a carbon fibre boat - OK, a carbon boat is lighter, stiffer etc etc but next to a fine shell four like the one we were in tonight, a carbon boat looks like something for holidaymakers.. Did 11km (Running total: 662km).    

11th May 2011. Most mornings when I walk into town I pass the same café that has a few tables on the pavement. More often than not, there are 3 well-upholstered gents of retirement age sitting outside wearing leather jackets covered in badges, each with a small cup of coffee (in the French style - small, strong and guaranteed to inhibit the blinking reflex for up to 3 days).

Their motorsickles are parked on the pavement opposite - or perhaps moored would be the better word - as all three are monster-sized, lavishly chromed and highly polished Harley-Davidsons. No biting the heads off chickens or general purpose hell raising for the owners - nope, they just sit there talking quietly with their coffees until it's time to be respectable again and go home for lunch. It must be hard being a head-bangin', hard drinkin' rebel-without-your-teeth when you've just picked up your pension and your wife wants you to take her to the supermarket in the afternoon.

A column in today's Telegraph claims that three years is all it takes before expats start to tire of life abroad. Yawn..! (was that me?) We'll have been here 4 years in September and neither Madame nor I have yet to experience a "tiring of life here" moment. Ye gods..! I'll keep an eye open for one though and if one comes along you'll be the first to know. Expect they all come in threes.

14th May 2011. Noticed this morning that a few recent comments that were posted to the blog have disappeared - for example, 'Lesley' commented on the above paragraph. In case you're wondering, I've not been tidying up - there must have been a problem with the server somewhere. Feel free to keep 'em coming..!

141. The empire strikes back!

5th May 2011. I encountered the same lady in town again yesterday - she of the cryptic comment about "dogs being for sentimental people" - mentioned here in March. As our paths crossed anew, she came out with the same phrase again but this time I was ready for her with a pithy phrase of my own. It was a heart-warming moment to watch her jaw drop in amazement! Another minor victory!

The weather forecasters here keep warning of a long hot summer and certainly if the temps in April and May in these parts are anything to go by, they may well be right. Today, the forecast is for 24°C which will get no complaints from us. I must admit though that once temps rise much above 30° then it's starting to be outside my own comfort zone. In Spain a few weeks ago, we had a dry 36° in Seville and it was very pleasant indeed. For me, I start to struggle with high temps when they're coupled with high humidity. I have memories of being in Naples once when it was 43° with the humidity up at ~90%.. Ouf!

A beautiful evening out on the river - had an excellent outing in an VIII sculler (3 nenettes & 5 mecs). There was a warm breeze blowing and we rowed up the Nive non-stop to the turn-round point under blue skies and a hot evening sun. The boat was well balanced (not always the case) and felt solid as we cut through the pollen-dusted olive green water, and we made satisfyingly swift progress upstream with only the rhythmic whoosh-whoosh of the seats for company.

It's outings like this when it all goes well that makes rowing so rewarding. After a while, I found I'd 'zoned out' as I focussed totally on all the technical aspects of the stroke. If you think your last stroke was OK, the challenge is always to make the next one even better. And the one after that. You can't be talking, wondering what colour to paint the spare bedroom or any other trivia - and that's another reason why I enjoy it.. it's a great exercise in clearing the mind. Did 14km (Running total: 644km).

Now doesn't this beat a 10 mile tailback on the M25..?

6th May 2011. There's an article in today's Guardian that caught my eye.. the headline was "Coffee, vigorous exercise and nose-blowing may trigger a stroke. Doctors have identified eight everyday activities, including drinking coffee, that often precede a haemorrhagic stroke.."

These eight triggers include: "...drinking coffee within the past hour was most strongly linked with ruptured aneurysms, accounting for an estimated 10.6%, with vigorous exercise at 7.9% and nose blowing at 5.4%. These were followed by sex (4.3%), straining on the toilet (3.6%), drinking cola (3.5%), being startled (2.7%) and being angry (1.3%). Both cola and coffee contain caffeine, which can raise blood pressure."

It didn't mention combinations of the above factors but being startled while indulging in vigorous sex in the toilet/rest room in Starbucks must clearly be something to avoid..! As Basil Fawlty would say: "That's another avenue of pleasure closed off!"

A comment under the article made me laugh!

"Basically confirms a theory I have had for some time... that statistically speaking the most dangerous activity a human being can indulge in is 'living'. It should be stopped IMMEDIATELY. I'm off to bed now with my Hi-Vis pyjamas on. Just in case."

Don't say you don't learn anything here!

7th May 2011. Minor setback out on the river this morning.. Went out in an VIII sculler and things were shaping up nicely for a good sortie when there was an ominous dull thud that seem to ripple through the boat followed a second or two later by another. My first thought was U boat (!) - but then I saw what caused it as it surfaced behind us - a large straight log a good 12" in diameter was bobbing in our wake. After the excitement died down, we set off again only to find the boat wasn't answering to the rudder (aka the Bismarck syndrome!). So we did a quick about turn and returned to the clubhouse. On lifting the boat out of the water, we saw that the rudder had been completely torn off. Only 7km this morning (Running total: 651km).

I somehow forgot to mention that the other day we had some new asparagus for lunch.. Thick as my index finger, tender and white, Madame served them with a crispy fresh baguette to mop up the vinaigrette - they were so tender I ate all of mine. 

And yesterday, as a total surprise, she prepared some scallops in saffron with tagliatelles.. with a glass of cold rosé..   She followed this up with some pistache ice cream with a splash of Amaretto.. If you haven't tried Amaretto over your ice cream, try it.. That's all I'm saying! (I know - I'm spoiled!)

On the lunchtime national news, there was a clip about the coast just to the north of us and they played Sacha Distel's The Good Life over it. I couldn't find his version in English on YouTube so here he is with La Belle Vie en français.. (well he did write it!)

While I'm here, one of my favourite Edith Piaf songs - Milord:

  

How does that old expression go..? They don't write them like that anymore.. What a voice! I love the sound of that tinkling piano as well.

140. Maj Bloodnok

26th April 2011. Next month sees the arrival of Maj and Mrs Bloodnok to these parts. A larger than life character, he's been mentioned before here. I'm looking forward to showing them the Basque country. 

Two more months and the tourist season starts here.. can't believe it!

The plancha is still sitting in the garage waiting for the weather to change permanently into summer. The green square of grass (haven't mentioned that for a while) is finally starting to look like a lawn - but I'm not holding my breath. Birds have been pecking holes in it the size of coffee cups (the little darlings!).

If, as has been suggested, we're in for a major heat wave this summer, there's no need to worry about the well-being of your correspondent - I've got an idea:

I've been trying to avoid mentioning 'the' wedding but, as an example of the insanity that's gripping some sections of the British media at the moment, this article takes the biscuit. I won't be mentioning you-know-what again.

Here's a YouTube clip I made of our Andalusian trip.. (for some reason the YouTube image below has been made up from a composite of several of my photographs and the resultant mess has something of Gustav Klimt about it - no?) 

   

28th April 2011. Nice outing in an VIII sculler this evening - apart from an attack of cramp! Warm sunny evening, with a light breeze blowing up the river. Did 14km. (Running total 616km)

29th April 2011. In case you're wondering, I'll be mostly knitting myself a royal corgi today.. (aaaaaggghhh!)

30th April 2011. I don't usually comment on royal matters here but I have to admit - as someone who has previously held views unfavourable to the monarchy - that if William and Kate represent the future then - judging from afar - it will be no bad thing. Without naming names, a few previous generations could easily be described as dysfunctional stiffs - a good handful of whom I would personally cast out without so much as a second glance, whereas the newly weds seem refreshingly normal. Long may they remain so.

31st April 2011. Lovely and sunny out on the river this morning - I went out in a bateau de nenettes which is always fun. We changed positions a few times to make sure everyone got a row - did 14km (Running total: 630km).

Semi finals of the H Cup as they call it here (Heineken Cup to us Anglos). It's Toulouse - Leinster today and tomorrow sees Northampton locking horns with Perpignan.. Difficult to spot the winner but tipsters are making Leinster favourites to win today's encounter with Perpignan perhaps edging the game tomorrow in what will surely be a titanic clash.

Read this in today's paper:

Prince Harry was said to have insisted that bacon and sausage sandwiches were available later in the night. An ice cream van was also said to have been hired to provide an alternative dessert.

Sounds like this could mean an end to the all-pervading stuffiness that has surrounded the Royals for far too long.. (Edited to add in 2023: how wrong could I be!)

139. Plan for tomorrow

22nd April 2011. I can still feel last night's outing on the river..! Went out in a mixed VIII sculler with an unfamiliar face at stroke. A powerfully built oarswoman, she took us way up the river and it wasn't long before the usual chatter emanating from the fairer sex in the boat dried up (I'll get shot for that!) as the pace quickened. After a long sortie consisting of firm rowing interspersed with short sprints, we returned in one piece from the turn-around before completing the last 2km at racing pace. Afterwards I needed 2 hands to turn the ignition key in the car! 17km (Running total: 590km).

Unwinding on the terrace last night with a glass of cold rosé, I could hear the first unmistakeable sounds of a Basque band practising for the Fêtes de Bayonne later in the year. The drum section were rattling through what sounded like those classic slow drum rolls that were played (if you believe the movies!) when the tumbrils rolled towards the guillotine. Spooky sound.

The plan for attacking Urt tomorrow via the up-river route has been shelved due to the tidal conditions that will prevail. We'll still be heading up the Adour but only as far as Lahonce. The bottles are in the fridge already for my return.. (one each of rosé and oxygen!)

23rd April 2011. Plan A changed into Plan B and this morning, on the riverbank, it morphed effortlessly into Plan C..! We set off downstream for a change - through the centre of Bayonne (which is currently celebrating la Foire au Jambon) which was decorated with a ginormous inflatable jambon de Bayonne! We rowed out past the Port de Plaisance before returning.. 12km (Running total: 602km)
24th April 2011. I forgot to mention that as we returned upriver to the town centre, we encountered several all-girl traînières (I think from the Association Ibaïalde, Anglet - tell me if I've got it wrong). They all had a mightily impressive swing - from way forward to way back it looked to be around 120°.
Yesterday the town centre was choc-a-bloc with activities relating to the Foire au Jambon. There was a hot air balloon tethered and traditional marching and then the main programme began at 10am with the championnat de France de cuisine à la plancha. (you don't need me to translate that do you?)

Then, from 10.30am-midday, there was a démonstration de jeu de paume par le club jeu de paume de Navarre, at the Trinquet Saint-André.

Also at 10.30am there was a démonstration de traînières sur la Nive avec Ibaïalde (course exclusivement féminine) - this is what we saw from our boat. Then, slacken off your belts a notch, at 11am there was a concours d’omelettes au jambon avec les associations bayonnaises. (A ham omelette competition!)

At the same time, Basque choirs were singing at the Market Hall with the final being held in the Cathedral cloisters.. (Baiona Kantuz aux Halles avec un final au Cloître).

And at 2.30pm, Aviron Bayonnais were kicking off against the darlings of Paris - Stade Français. The town could have held a creative parking competition in association with this match as cars were parked all over town with a verve, imagination and complete disregard for the the rules matched only by the Neapolitans - who don't so much park their cars as abandon them. Bayonne scored an avalanche of tries to emerge with a thumping 54-20 victory.. Well done AB!

Here's the programme for today:

9am: Intronisation des nouveaux membres de la Confrérie du Jambon de Bayonne à la Maison des associations.

10am: Défilé des confréries de la Maison des associations vers la cathédrale.

11am: Messe traditionnelle de Pâques en la cathédrale en présence des confréries et animée par la chorale Errobi Kanta.

12am: Défilé des confréries de la cathédrale vers la Maison des associations.

5.30pm: Bal des confréries, à la Maison des associations.

8.30pm: Vulcanalia, spectacle équestre de l’artiste Gilles Fortier aux arènes.

138. Back in town

20th April 2011. Back from Andalusia on Sunday evening.. and we've been busy getting things back to normal here since then. Clearing the inbox & mowing the lawn - both of which had flourished in our absence, and well, all the rest of it. Really enjoyed Andalusia.. we were lucky with the weather - it was above 30° most days with it peaking at 36° while we were in Seville. Low humidity made it very pleasant though.

Hotel Don Miguel, Ronda

We started in Malaga and then over the following week we visited Ronda, Arcos, Seville, Cordoba, Granada before returning to Malaga. This clip below was early morning in Ronda - from the spectacular terrace of the Hotel Don Miguel (where we had one night) perched on the edge of the vertiginous gorge of the Río Guadalevín. Turn up the volume - no tourists, just the birds singing:

And this was a late night visit to a flamenco cellar in Granada.. (a bit touristy I know)

We (the Royal we) discovered El Corte Inglés - a Spanish department store chain - while in Spain. Probably not news to 99% of you but it was to us. Not having the car with us saved my credit card from a Fukushima-style meltdown though! 

Whilst in Paris - we had a day free there before leaving for Spain - we swung by an old favourite Franc Pinot (1, Quai de Bourbon on the Ile St Louis) but it looked as if it had been closed for a long time. And on our return, we thought we'd stop off at La Rhumerie for one of their legendary rum based cocktails - but it too was closed (for re-decoration - it re-opens 19th May). One new place we tried that was open was Le Zimmer (no jokes please!), a traditional brasserie near Châtelet.. worth remembering if you're in the area.

We stayed M & C, old (French) friends of Madame's from the 60s, and they had me laughing with a story of when they were once on holiday in England staying with friends. Apparently the lady of the house was about to toss the salad one evening when M got to his feet and announced to one and all that he would do it - as he was a great tosser..! Apparently his English hosts cried with laughter at this - much to his bemusement!

We were both surprised by the prices in cafés in central Paris - we stopped for a drink just across from BHV and it seemed as though the minimum currency unit was 5€. A small beer was 5.10€! A coffee 5€..! Ouch!

Meanwhile, back in the Pays Basque, we picked up the pooch yesterday morning and he slept all day - I don't think he must have had much sleep at the kennel. He was in a daze most of the day..

Rowing last night - beautiful warm cloudless evening out on the Nive - did 13km in a VIII sculler. (Running total: 573km) By the way, that's the club above on the left. There's a long outing planned for this coming Saturday morning - a number of boats are heading up the Adour as far as Urt (difficult to pronounce) - which is about 20km upriver (map here - it takes a few seconds to load). One set of crews will row up river and will change over at Urt with another set who will have driven up there. I'll be in an VIII going upriver. And it's an 8am start..! Luckily the forecast is for cooler weather on Saturday.

A link for our readers in France - click on your department and then your town or village..

By the way, it was 28° here yesterday afternoon.. Madame had bought a v drinkable AOC Gaillac dry rosé from Leclerc. It really hit the spot yesterday lunchtime.. (Obligatory warning notice: it's 13° so, as they say here: à consommer avec modération)

I spotted this story in SUR - the giveaway English language newspaper in southern Spain. You couldn't make it up.

137. Andalusia

4th April 2011. We've been struggling with our internet connection (no names - but there's a clue in the colour of the record label below..) We had to phone the Call Centre in Tunisia (of all places!) on our mobile to sort it out..  Following the instructions over the phone I ended up on the floor pulling out the dusty tangle of electric spaghetti from under my desk in order to disconnect my router, before resetting the LiveBox and then reconfiguring it according to the distant voice - before going for a walk for an hour while ones and noughts were fine-tuned from afar. Miracle of miracles, when I switched on again - it was all working as advertised. We have a single broadband connection that gives us the internet, TV and unlimited free* phone calls within Europe and N America so when it goes down, we feel a bit isolated!      

* unlimited for 7€ a month.

Now tell me you don't rate Harry Nilsson..

On Thursday, we're away on a trip first to Paris, then Andalusia in southern Spain for a week or so. We're taking the TGV up to Paris, staying with friends of Madame's for a couple of days before flying to Malaga.

This is a trip organised by a group of current and ex-'profs' from Madame's old school - we had a weekend away with them last May when we went up to Rouen - and they're a really nice crowd. The trip is a tour of Andalusia visiting Malaga, Ronda, Granada, Seville and all stations in between. During the week, we're staying in about 5 different hotels and there's a coach to take us everywhere. All meals and wine are included.. It's a region I've not visited before so I'm really looking forward to it. The temps are forecast to be up in the high 20s in the afternoons. 

To finish up with, here's a short video that combines three of my favourite things in life.. Django Reinhardt, rowing and the Impressionists - plus a touch of Jerome K Jerome! The artist is Ferdinand Gueldry who has up until now completely escaped my radar.

Well, as we're talking about favourite things in life, I'd better include this piece by Chet Baker. I'm in the "less is more" camp when it comes to jazz and if you're not sure what I mean by that, take a minute or two to listen to this:

5th April 2011. I must mention something that's been stuck in my mind ever since our trip up to Arès (across from Arcachon) last Friday - we drove past a discount supermarket that was called Le Mutant..! Wouldn't you think that, with all the health scares about GM foods, factory farming, growth hormones and all the rest of the brave new world that is modern agriculture, out of all the thousands of potential names there were to pick from, perhaps a better name could have been chosen?

Lunch outside again today..! Just picked up Madame from Biarritz - according to the car, it was 25½°C (or 78° in Ye Olde Fahrenheit) this afternoon.

Went out in an VIII sculler on a beautifully balmy cloudless blue evening with a warm slanting sun. Did 12km (Running total: 560km) Had a quick shower at home and ate out on the terrace.    

6th April 2011. The dog is spread-eagled on the tiled floor in the kitchen - it's 28°C in the shade in the garden.. or 82½°F if there's someone out there still using Ye Olde Royal & Ancient Fahrenheit. According to the TF1 Météo this evening (via the ever-charming Evelyne Dhéliat) it was 31° down in Saint-Jean-de-Luz this afternoon..  

Now I'm off to pack my suitcase - you'll have to talk amongst yourselves for a few days!

136. Summer's here (maybe)

31st March 2011. At last, we've reached the end of March and we can say finally goodbye to winter. No more endless days of dripping rain.. or squalls that blow in from the Bay of Biscay. Now the windows are open wide, the heating is off and the padded jackets are back in storage.. I've just given the table and chairs for the terrace their first wipe down with teak oil.. Next up? The plancha.. Its creaking journey from the dusty corner of the garage and up the steps to the terrace has all the mystery of the construction of Stonehenge. How did he manage to shift it without using a crane or block and tackle..? And without giving himself a hernia!

What is it about France that appeals to some of us Anglo-Saxons? If you're reading this, I'm presuming that you would count yourself as a Francophile. There remains, however, a sizeable wodge of people in England who are highly suspicious of all things Gallic; who are paranoid about any trace of Frenchness entering their lifestyle. Garlic studded into a roast leg of lamb? Sacrilege! A French car..? Fuhgeddaboutit.! Poncey French wine? No chance, mate - Jacob's Sheep Dip for me!

Being smitten with our neighbours across the Channel works both ways though. Last night I went to the Spanish cultural centre over the river to pick up Madame after her Spanish class and on my way in to the building I helped an elderly lady (OK, she was just a few years older than me) who had difficulty walking. She was taking a Spanish class as well but in the one after Madame's. It turned out that this lady was a former teacher of English and when she realised I was English she was soon waxing nostalgic about Penzance where she'd spent many happy holidays. She gave me her card and insisted that we come round one day for an apéro..

1st April 2011. We went up to Arès today (just to the north of Arcachon) today to see Madame's brother O and his wife F. See how many names of famous wines* you can spot on the map above.. (I'll give you a clue - don't waste any time looking for Jacob's Creek or Tesco's "Great with Chicken"!!) They're renting a place there for a few weeks while they house hunt around and about. They want to move away from the Paris region down to the warmer south west and it didn't disappoint today - it was 29°C! We had lunch outside and afterwards went for a walk down to the bay. It was still 27°C here when we returned home at 8.15pm.

* In a quick 10 second squint I counted 13 - there are probably a few more.

2nd April 2011. 14km on the river this morning - running total: 548km.

3rd April 2011. I discovered Mandion this morning.. Our neighbour mentioned the name to us the other day so this morning I thought I'd take a peek. The shop is set back off the RN10 in Anglet and it's fairly easy to miss. To call it a mere cake shop would be doing it an injustice. This establishment is nothing less than a temple dedicated to the art of the pâtissier and the cakes and chocolate on display are the ne plus ultra in the area.  The experience was reminiscent of going to look at puppies - it was impossible to leave without one. Up until now, Madame has bought her cakes at the excellent L Raux pâtisserie in the centre of Bayonne - but I suspect that might be about to change.