268. The longest day

30th June. Here's one of those disturbingly beautiful and profound pieces of music that has the uncanny ability to haunt us - to reach deep into our souls. It's Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei - played here by the late Jacqueline du Pré, one of the greatest of all cello virtuosos. I can never listen to this piece without the feeling that it seems to presage the horrors that were later to befall millions of European Jews some sixty years on. 

Trivia question: Bruch wrote "Kol Nidrei" in 1880 - but where did he write it? Answer: Here & here. 

27th June. We drove down to Ilbarritz yesterday evening to take some air.. There were still quite a few people in the water and on the beach at 10pm! By the way, if you click on the photo, you'll see a speck far out to sea just to the right of the setting sun.. it was a swimmer! And in case you're wondering, the object at the top of the photo is an airliner inbound to Biarritz airport.

26th June. Bayonne's masterclass roadworks demonstration is still far from complete. For months now, pavements have been dug up and realigned in accordance with a grand master plan - while the roads have endured serious surgery to squeeze in one, and sometimes two, additional lanes for the new electric tram'bus service. It's battery powered so that means no overhead wiring is required. However, it begs the question: why does it need a dedicated lane then..? Aah, that must be to guarantee that it will keep moving when all the conventional road traffic is congested. A cynic might say that it wouldn't have been as badly congested if valuable road space hadn't been sacrificed for the Tram'bus.

And while the space for conventionally powered transport has been reduced, the Town Halls on the Basque coast have been busy approving the construction of "residences" (aka apartment blocks) wherever they can be shoehorned in. It's anyone's guess where all the additional traffic brought by these new residences will go though. Perhaps the anticipated traffic jams will force people to abandon their vehicles and make more use of public transport - maybe that's the plan..

Here's a short video I made of the works, followed by an artist's impression of how it will all look once it's finished. Curiously, those dreamy images omit to show the lines of queueing cars! If only..

It's a brave project.. (ahem!) Despite my misgivings about the impact this scheme will have on traffic patterns, I must congratulate whoever planned and managed the construction schedule as they deserve our plaudits - as it's been implemented with the absolute minimum of disruption. Carrying out public works on this scale and in such confined spaces while the day-to-day traffic continues, had the potential for the project to turn into a nightmare. Well done!

While waiting during the rehearsals for our concert at the weekend, I was talking to the two French horn (cor anglais) players - and attempted to hum this beautiful piece (I couldn't remember its name to save my life) when one of them kindly put me out of my misery and gave me an impromptu burst of the Rondo Allegro:

25th June. Temperatures of 40+° in the next few days in France are being spoken of - but I don't believe we'll experience them here - the modifying influence of the sea should ensure that. 

Flat peaches

24th June. One of life's little pleasures down here is in eating fresh fruit and vegetables as they come into season. So far, we've had asparagus, strawberries and flat peaches (I have to add that a flat peach straight from the fridge takes some beating!). Today, it was the turn of the humble cherry! After spending the morning putting things back in place after our concert yesterday evening, I came home to find that Madame had made a pipérade - which we enjoyed outside on the terrace - served with several slices of jambon de Bayonne. Afterwards, she brought out a large bowl of plump cherries - and it was all we (OK, I!) could do to restrain ourselves from finishing off the bowl! One consequence of the fruit season is that the pavements in our neighbourhood are studded with ripe cherries fallen from overhanging trees (the low hanging fruit beloved of politicians!).

20th June. Summer's arrived here like a ton of bricks. Yes, I know this is hardly "Sumer is icumen in" (I remember singing this song at school), but it's the best I could do at 7.30am! The other evening, it was 38° on our terrace. Whatever happened to the slow merging of one season into another? The gentle transition from Spring's chill breezes into the more balmy temperatures of summer? Suddenly, there was a mad scramble here to find a pair of shorts.. And my night was made complete 2 nights ago by the sweet music of a lone mosquito at 2am with only one target in mind (guess who!). Where did we put the anti-mosquito plug..?? And putting the bedroom light on - where the heck has the blessèd thing gone? Thankfully, the plug worked and we could go back to sleep. We don't get many here but those that do are all programmed to find your correspondent. Happy days!

Looking at the date I've just been reminded that it's the Summer Solstice tomorrow.. I think. Wiki explains all. Stonehenge will be on red alert at dawn tomorrow ready to receive its annual visitation of wannabe Druids (on motorcycles), tree huggers, stoners, flautists, crop circle enthusiasts, circle dancers (spare me!), bongo players, a few of the last remaining Hare Krishna acolytes and other assorted ethnically-dressed 'heads'.. all expressing themselves in that slightly self-conscious diffident manner that is Britain's gift to the world!☺
17th June. If there's anyone out there who still smokes but who'd love to quit.. this story is just for you. I smoked on and off for most of my adult life - and about 3 years ago, I realised I was pushing my luck by continuing. I used to think - aah, it's always someone else isn't it? I'll never have to sit looking across a desk at a doctor with a serious face telling me I've got cancer will I? That would be the moment when all I could hear would be the sound of rushing waves and I'd see his lips moving - except I wouldn't hear a thing he said. I suddenly realised I was coming up to 70 and I'm subject to exactly the same rules and luck as everyone else. I used to smoke cigarillos.. and I'd inhale.. (yes, ouch!)

After that belated realisation, I decided to stop. I had the odd relapse but I quickly stopped having those too. Then I'd be out somewhere and I'd smell smoke.. or I'd be in a situation where I used to fire one up.. I told myself smoking was simply a habit and not an addiction.

Then one day I smelt smoke on someone and I thought, "Yeeuucchh!". Now, I don't think about it at all.. What brought this to mind was that I was in town earlier and I saw two girls in a café and one was smoking. I felt like saying something to her - but you can't. I walked on. So, if you find yourself wanting to stop - stop buying the darn things and just do it!

13th June. I was down at the beach this morning with the dawg.. here he is attempting to dig down to Australia! He undergoes a personality change on the beach as soon as he realises he's totally free - he gallops in big lazy circles, rolls over on his back, digs as many holes as he likes, chases gulls.. shows me his sticks!

I had the beach to myself.. apart from a number of diggers who were clearing the beach of a winter's worth of detritus.. mainly trees. Surfers were out in force too.

Later in the afternoon I had a follow-up appointment with the rhumatologue.. I'd been to see him a few weeks ago about my knees.. and on that occasion, I was expecting an injection of a silicon-based gloop into the joint as he'd done in previous years. However, a good rule in life is always to expect the unexpected!

Six weeks ago, he declared that he was going to try a new treatment on me. He asked me to point at the exact spot where the worst of the pain was (and like a fool, I did) and then he switched on a vibrating hammer-like device (about the size of a domestic hair dryer) that sounded like a mini pneumatic drill (or jack hammer for US readers) - and felt like one - and he applied it to the spot for about 3 minutes but it felt like 10. It was banging away like a demented stone mason about 3-4 times per second. Now, I don't usually subscribe to the "man pain" theory - but I had to restrain myself from jumping out of his window. Today was the second visit and, as a toe curling experience, it was right up there. One more to go after this. This had better be doing me some good.

It's not yet 6pm but I'm more than ready for a Scottish tincture. Then choir practice. First though, Dr Glenmorangie's company is requested!     

12th June. I was so impressed by the whole experience of travelling up to Paris about a month ago on the TGV. Clean, rock steady, f-a-s-t and very quiet. The guard turned out to be something of a comedian - as he made a few announcements over the PA in the style of former French president Giscard d'Estaing! Now, take a look at SNCF's record breaking technology as a fully instrumented train broke the world speed record in 2007 at an eye-watering 574km/h (357mph) - speed in km/h is shown in yellow at top left:

This speed (faster than some aircraft I used to fly.. Ouch!) is almost twice the speed that the TGV routinely achieves in day-to-day service. Meanwhile, from the country that invented the railway, I'm ashamed to admit that there is still no comparable high speed rail service (apart from the Channel Tunnel link) almost 40 years after the entry into service of the TGV in France (in 1981).

The UK could, and should in my opinion, have invested some of the North Sea oil revenues into a high speed rail network. Norway managed their unexpected windfall far better than the UK.. A comparison of both countries' handling of North Sea oil and gas is here. Read it and weep.    

10th June. I found this video of Amalfi, Positano and Capri (Italy) on YouTube - a nice reminder of our trip there a month ago:

Having said that, the beach scene shown above is a million miles from how I like to spend my summers. When July and August come around here, finding a parking space on the coast can be "challenging". That's one of the reasons why the inland regions are so attractive here - as even in high summer, we're able to escape the crowds who occupy the coastal belt - and who spend their time in shimmering queues of cars, all looking with varying degrees of patience for that vital car parking space.   

8th June. We changed our car today from a diesel to a petrol jobby. We've only been doing about 7000 miles a year - because honestly, if you live here in the Pays Basque, why would you ever want to leave? And each time we have left home, I can guarantee that before half an hour has elapsed, one or the other of us will have said, "Why are we leaving?". And having left, we can't wait to return home. Perhaps one day the appeal of the Pays Basque might wear off - but after nearly twelve years, there's no sign of it doing so.

We were invited out last night for an apéro-dinatoire by some neighbours in the road behind us. There must have been twenty of us and we all brought something - either sweet or savoury - and it was a really great evening. They set up a couple of tables in their driveway and a few chairs for the oldies (who said, "Like you!"?) and away we went!  

5th June. I've mentioned old Bentleys before in the blog - but I think the one featured here is very special indeed. It's the 1931 8 litre straight six model made by Bentley just before the company went into receivership. What an engine and what a car! (More here)

I was prompted to search for this model after reading Woolf Barnato's biography. He was one of the so-called "Bentley Boys" and a three-time winner of the Le Mans 24 hour race in a Bentley. Here's a special 3½ litre Bentley that's had a twin turbo 8 litre engine shoehorned into it..   

2nd June. Here's Julie Andrieu (a French TV presenter) having an in-depth look at local products from the Pays Basque - how they're produced, cooked and eaten in this blessèd corner of France. It should give your French language skills a good work out - but if it's all a bit too much, I'm sure the images will tell the story. She visits some of our favourite places that I've mentioned here before - the magnificent valley of Les Aldudes (including the omnipresent Pierre Oteiza), the Irouléguy vineyards (above right) that wrap themselves around the steep slopes near Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry (France's most south westerly vineyards) and much more - before she finishes up with an über-Basque meal (the singing must have been edited out!):
I can never watch enough of these videos that show different aspects of Bayonne. Fortunately for me (and you, I hope), they just keep on coming!
1st June. What can I say..? Not a great match but what a result..! The story of the match: an early penalty awarded to the Reds following a disputed hand ball - followed by 80-odd minutes of eminently forgettable football during which Spurs enjoyed most of the possession - then a rapier-like shot from Divock Origi right at the death that must have broken Spurs' hearts ensured that the Cup was Liverpool's for the sixth time. To see Liverpool at their surging best, watch the semi final match (2nd leg) against Barcelona. I don't think I could stand to watch the final for a second time - and I'm a long time Reds fan.

At last, summer's here.. Looking up at the blue sky this morning, large numbers of swallows were darting around the rooftops with their characteristic twittering. And there's a 'three' in the temperature forecast..! We're looking at 30° today. 

Tonight, it's the final of the European Champions League - however, to me, it will always be the European Cup - or old "Big Ears" as the media like to call it. I've stocked the fridge in the garage with some San Miguel - plus some Sangria.. What to have this evening? Decisions, decisions!

Istanbul 2005

Who will I be supporting? There's only one possible answer to that. En route to the final, the Reds beat French champions Paris (aka PSG), then German champions Bayern Munich, then Portuguese club FC Porto (2nd in the Portuguese League) before going on to beat FC Barcelona (1st in La Liga & European Cup favourites) in what has been described as one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history (since Liverpool's pulsating win in Istanbul in 2005) despite Liverpool being without Mohammed Salah and Roberto Firmino. In a memorable match, they overcame a three goal deficit from the first leg to win 4-0 (the odds were quoted as 66-1 against Liverpool winning 4-0) and this against a Barcelona team featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho.. Here's how French TV reported the match - their commentator sounding as if his trousers were on fire! - and I make no apologies for linking to this post-match video that captured the emotion of that unforgettable match. Like many, I had tears in my eyes when they sang "You'll never walk alone.."

Their opponents this evening are Tottenham Hotspur - who finished 26 points behind Liverpool in England's Premier League. All this counts for nothing this evening however as the match starts with 0-0 on the scoreboard. This is going to be a loong day.