224. Calm before the storm

18th October. Had lunch in the garden today.. and the way this year is shaping up so far it could well be for the last time - the temp was around 18°C. I also oiled and greased the plancha and put it away in the garage for winter.

I've not mentioned the Rugby World Cup (I think) lately.. With rugby, it's either feast or famine.. Once a year, in February-March, we get the Six Nations tournament - where the six participating countries are roughly of equal ability. To me, it's the highlight of the sporting year (from an armchair perspective) and I rate it higher than the Olympics.. However, come the Rugby World Cup and we get drowned in a deluge of matches - sometimes three in a day. Maybe it's me but I'm afraid I can't get too excited over England - Uruguay or New Zealand - Tonga or Canada - Romania..

Occasionally however, there's a titanic clash between 2 countries where I genuinely don't care either way who wins the match - yet it's totally enthralling. Such a game was played yesterday between South Africa and Wales. I've never been a fan of Welsh rugby (and not just because they booted us out of the RWC!☺) but yesterday I think they shaded the match and <through gritted teeth> were unlucky to lose. Perhaps the South Africans were slightly fitter as they seemed to take charge in the final minutes. But, well done Wales.. I don't begin to understand how the players can take - and dish out - those monster hits.. I can't leave the Welsh without mentioning Dan Biggar (above). He's a great player and seldom misses his penalties - but (you know what's coming don't you!) he's adopted the bizarrest and most laughable of pre-kick routines.. Give the image below a few seconds to load.. OK, it obviously works for him but I think they should put screens around him while he does it. It's verging on an OCD..

As for the New Zealand - France game last night, I switched off after about 30 minutes. We in the northern hemisphere thought we had caught up with the superior fitness levels and play of the southern hemisphere sides - but clearly New Zealand (and to a slightly lesser extent the other two big sides Australia and South Africa) has raised the bar. The way the All Blacks started off during the opening 30 minutes was unwatchable. They played with a ferocity, an intensity and their customary disregard for the opponent's well-being that's uncomfortable to watch. I'm sorry - I'm probably wrong - but that's how I see it.

Sad to see Ireland exit the stage.. beaten by an Argentinian side with a 43-20 scoreline that flattered the Pumas. There aren't too many sides in the world game that could afford to lose through injury the likes of Paul O'Connell, Jonathan Sexton and that great flanker Peter O'Mahony.

Who would have thought that at this stage (before the Australia-Scotland match has been played) that it's odds-on that there won't be a single northern hemisphere country in the semi-finals..? Out (in alphabetical order) are: England, France, Ireland, Italy and Wales. The semi-finalists are New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and (at the risk of annoying anyone north of Hadrian's Wall) most likely Australia. I'd put money on the final being between New Zealand and Australia. Now you're going to ask me who I'd like to see win it as opposed to who I think will win it? You'll have to email me for the answer to that question. I wouldn't want to upset either of my readers in New Zealand and Australia..


The question that will be exercising the governing bodies of Rugby Union across Europe tomorrow morning must surely be "Where do we go from here..?" It's time for those hard decisions to be taken.. In my view, both the England manager and the captain must be questioned. I think Stuart Lancaster is an honourable man and he's done a great job of rebuilding the side but unfortunately his selections have come up short - both in the 6N and the RWC. "More of the same" isn't an option.. As Martin Johnson once observed, "There are no points for style.." Chris Robshaw may be many things but a leader of men he isn't. Yes, he may do lots of unseen work but I'm afraid I can't remember a single memorable passage of play in which he was involved. No, if I was the CEO of the English RFU, I'd be tempted to call Sir Clive Woodward in for a chat and make him an offer he couldn't refuse. Not just cash either - but back the guy up with everything he needs. No back-stabbing - no quibbling over his methods - give him the job and support him 100%. He's a winner. Remember this Test match against New Zealand in Wellington in 2003? At one point England were playing with 13 men - and still they won. Winning in NZ is one thing - winning there when down to 13 men is another. He'd instilled belief in the players. It also helped that he knew his best XV...

I took the dog for a long walk along the beach at Anglet this morning.. and, unusually, the sea was flat calm. Miniscule waves, like those seen at a lakeside, lapped on the shore. (had to remind myself that this was the Atlantic) Looking out to sea somewhere between ½ mile and a mile, someone appeared to be walking on water  - just like this image, except his paddle and his board were invisible. A couple of thousand years ago, this would have been enough to trigger a new religion at the very least!

While I was down there, a café sign caught my eye.. it read "Le Coconuts".. Perhaps it's me being picky on a Sunday morning - but shouldn't this be "Le Coconut" or "Les Coconuts"? On this same theme, there's a shop in Saint-Jean-de-Luz called "Sweater's".. known as the Greengrocers' apostophe in England.

Don't get me started on greengrocers' spelling (right).. I've actually seen these spellings in markets in England.. (in case you're wondering, OBO-jeans are aubergines and Monge-Two are mangetout..) OK, I promise I'll get out more..!  

    

6th October. I've mentioned Ramiro Arrue before here.. his work encapsulated the Pays Basque to such an extent that it remains the graphic reference to this day. He painted in a deliberately naïf style that showed the simple dignity of the Basques in their daily activities. While I believe his work shows occasional signs of being influenced by Cézanne and Lautrec, he had a unique and enduring style.

     

If you'd like to explore the unspoilt Basque country on foot, I'd suggest you head for the Baztan valley in Spain (purists would argue this is still the Basque country - and they'd be right!). I mentioned it in Post 207 (scroll down the link about halfway). If you think you'd like to have a walking holiday (guided or unguided) there - then why not contact Georgina Howard who runs Pyrenean Experience..? Her holidays sound like a lot of fun. Here's a reminder of the area:

3rd October. I've always liked these old travel posters (& art works) of the Côte Basque - so much so that I finally put together a short video of some of them. Some are influenced by Toulouse-Lautrec, while others tip their hat to the Cubists or to Art Deco.. Ramiro Arrue's work is in there too. All are interesting in their own way. (PS I know the music isn't Basque but to me it's a summer sound.. and it just seems right. Look here and here)

26th September. We were invited to an afternoon repas with the Goraki Choir in Ciboure today.. the night before they'd given a concert at the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church, Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

This is a mixed Basque choir and we know a few people who sing with them. The venue for the meal

was the parish hall, hidden in a narrow winding street in Ciboure.. The massively beamed hall was up on the first floor with stunning views across the river into the harbour of Saint-Jean-de-Luz - views that would have had estate agents salivating. 

The organisation was impressive.. rows of tables had been set out - enough to cope with the 170+ guests who were expected. To go with a welcome glass of local cider, teams of helpers were circulating with all kinds of appetisers - delicious small sausages known as "loukankas", a variety of quiches, cold soups in small cups, a mix of potato salad and cod - again in a small cup - and other delights. After much to-ing and fro-ing and general shuffling about, we all eventually sat down - only to jump smartly to our feet as the room resounded with a Chant d'Honneur that was sung with an impressive vigour.. Each place setting came with its own Basque song sheet.

A number of planchas had been set up outside and a small team were hard at work cooking over well over 1,000 gambas (left). Clouds of blue smoke rose up from the planchas as the gambas sizzled. They were delicious.. and, as they had to be eaten with the fingers, each table had been well-stocked with finger wipes.. While all this was going on, a few musicians kept stoking the fires by singing some Basque favourites.. Corks were being popped like at an Irish wedding as we all settled to the task.

Meanwhile, the plancha team weren't slackening off - we could see them slaving outside over their planchas - loading them with enough ribs of beef (côtes de bœuf) to feed the assembled masses.. Teams of ladies came round with platters piled high with substantial slices of rare beef (right).. This was neither the time nor the place to be a vegetarian.. this was red beef - red in tooth and claw.. It had clearly been hung as it was as tender as you like. A long time since either of us had had meat as good as this. Nouvelle cuisine..? Fuhgeddaboutit..!

More outbursts of singing punctuated the chomping of beef.. as seconds were brought around. (in case you're wondering - yes, I did!)

The choir formed up and sang for us - Basque voices have a unique timbre to them that's very distinctive. Unfortunately for non-basque speakers, the language is completely impenetrable and gives no clue at all as to the meaning of the song. On the positive side, they have some great tunes that are instantly memorable.

Cheese and dessert followed and soon the coffee came out. We had to make an early exit as our poor pooch was at home alone. Luckily he likes his sleep these days.

A great day and one in which it was plain to see the pleasure and the pride that everyone present took in their culture.               

25th September. A new expression caught my ear the other day: bourré de pognon*.. When I first heard it, I thought it sounded rather like one of those flowery menu descriptions in a trendy restaurant.. like Ecrasée de pommes de terre - which is how mashed potatoes are currently described in über-trendy restaurants here (Ecrasée = crushed). 

"Yes, I'd like the bourré de pognon to start with, followed by .." etc etc.

* For anyone desperate to know the answer, it means "stuffed with money"..

We finished up at La Plancha, Bidart this afternoon. It's situated overlooking the beach at Ilbarritz (just to the south of Biarritz). Well worth a visit..

11th September. There was a piece on Télématin (France 2) this morning that featured the Musée de l'Annonciade at Saint-Tropez. Made a mental note to go there one day. Some wonderful paintings there.. Scroll down this link and see what you think..

I gave Madame one of those internet radios the other day.. Without wishing to sound as though I'm on commission, the performance is - no other word for it - simply staggering.. Not only does it have the capability to access over 10,000 internet radios - but it can also work as a FM radio, or DAB radio.. It can also receive podcasts.. and input from other devices.. Simplicity itself to use as well.  I found myself exploring Cuban radios - and stations around the Caribbean.. before returning to European stations. Needless to say, Madame is totally delighted with it. She says it's right up there with her Mac laptop. Praise indeed..!  

10th September. If you like jazz, try TSF Jazz..

It was a visit to a Thai restaurant in Biarritz the other day that made me think of this.. If you like Thai food - and you live in Seattle - then this is for you.. I was once fortunate that for a few years my work took me to Seattle on a regular basis. I was taken out one day for lunch at Saya Restaurant, a Japanese-Thai restaurant at 8455 S 212th St, Kent, WA 98031. Yes, it does look anonymous and you could be excused for driving on by, thinking it doesn't look special. Whatever you do, don't.

Gai Yang

Someone once said to me what I'm about to say to you - "Just trust me and order the Gai Yang.." (Thai BBQ chicken). It was by far the best BBQ'd chicken I've ever had - and it was astonishingly good value. It's chicken thighs that have been marinated in yellow curry powder and coconut milk (I think). What wouldn't I give for one now..! When I used to go there in the mid-1990s, it was $7.00. Twenty years on it's still only $8.50.. How many marks out of 10? 17..! 

I remember once going there after an interval of at least a year.. The waitress took one look at me and said, "Gai Yang, right?" (How did she remember me? I'm not that windswept and interesting!) Over a period of a few years, I went through the menu there - tried every dish - I didn't have one I didn't enjoy - but their Gai Yang was by far the best. The service is also right up there! You'll thank me for this.

If you somehow managed to miss the final of the Mens' VIII from the world rowing championships at the beautiful lake of Aiguebelette in the Savoie last weekend, you're in luck - you can watch it here.. The race ended up as a "toe to toe" slugfest between Germany and Britain. Keep an eye on the stylish Kiwi crew.. A pity they ran out of gas in the last 500m. Perhaps a future race-winning boat?

9th September. Spare a thought for your poor correspondent - he's frantically trying to finish translating a number of speeches (fortunately from French => English) that have arrived late from various people so that they'll be ready in time for the weekend.. Desperate measures have been called for!   

7th September. I'll probably get howled down for being a complete philistine (again!) but I think this next piece would have received J S Bach's imprimatur.. It's his Brandenburg Concerto No 3 in G major played on a synthesiser.. (cries of "Hanging's too good for them!")

Compare it with the more traditional version:

What do you think? I'm not saying one is better than the other - I think the modern version can stand comparison with the original. 

Anyway, moving on, loins are being girded in anticipation of the forthcoming weekend's exertions.. Yes, it's the annual Comète commemorative weekend - where around 100 or so people from all parts of the world gather together at St-Jean-de-Luz to pay homage to those of the Comète Line who gave so much during WWII. On the Saturday and Sunday, we'll be tracing one of the wartime escape routes taken by the Comète guides and the evading airmen from Ciboure over the Pyrenees and into Spain. 

At times like this, I wish I'd spent at least a few days up in the hills this year but for one reason or another that didn't happen. However, I know I won't be the only one! 

181. April showers in the Pays Basque

6th April 2012. Forecast for the morning is for rain, but as they often get it wrong for this corner of Aquitaine, I'll take a peek out of the windows in the morning to see if rowing is on the cards. As it's the first Saturday of the month, it's also the day for an apéro after the outing..

Haven't played any Chet Baker in a while so - to put that right - here he is with Almost blue:

And another - Around Midnight - the classic late night jazz track that Thelonious Monk made all his own - but played here by Chet:   

7th April 2012. A good row this morning - had an outing in a mixed VIII and we did 14km.. Stayed on a bit longer afterwards as it was that time of the month (1st Saturday) for an attitude adjuster! Still haven't got used to drinking whisky at midday though.. Had a quick word with Perle Bouge who was there having a vigorous work-out on a rowing machine. She said she'll be going to the Olympics in July. In case you haven't read previous posts about her, she was involved in a road accident I believe when she was 19 and is now confined to a wheelchair. Despite that, she took up rowing a couple of years ago and won a Silver medal at the recent World Championships in New Zealand. She has a fierce determination to succeed and I hope her efforts will be rewarded this summer.

I know I included this track by Amy Winehouse fairly recently but I make no apologies for putting it in again. She had one of the best female jazz/blues voices of my memory. Such a tragedy that her personal life spiralled out of control the way it did.

Jardin Public, Biarritz (in 2006)

10th April 2012. Situated opposite the magnificent old station (now the theatre) in Biarritz, the Jardin Public used to be a haven of 'coolth' and shade even on the hottest of wind-free summer days when the heat can sometimes wrap the Côte Basque in a clammy embrace like a warm damp blanket. The square was a leafy green enclave shaded by some mightily tall old trees and it was the perfect place to pause on a bench after lunch in the tranquil shade offered by the canopy high above. The dog enjoyed the respite from the hot pavements too and it wouldn't take him long before he'd be 'paws-up' on the grass having a snooze. There were some ancient cedars that spread their limbs out high and wide and others (chestnuts perhaps?) that I couldn't name to save my life. Here it is (left) as it was in 2006.

Unfortunately, a great storm screamed in out of the Bay of Biscay in January 2009 and it devastated the coast from the Pays Basque up as far as Bordeaux - flattening 60% of the endless pine forests of Les Landes. It wreaked havoc with these majestic old trees in the Jardin Public as can be seen here:

Here's a tree going down in that great storm.. 

Now, the Jardin Public has totally lost its former oasis-like quality, as the removal of the trees has exposed it completely to the relentless heat of the sun. While it's no longer possible to sit there in summer and unwind in the shade, it remains a favourite place at other times of the year. If we could afford a house (haha!) or, more realistically, an apartment in the centre of Biarritz, something around here would figure high on our wish list. 

12th April 2012. It's been a while since I've featured a Basque choir and one of the very best is Gogotik.. This particular one by them always sends a shiver through me:

I've been meaning to mention the Musée Basque in Bayonne for some time.. It is a remarkable collection - I believe the largest collection of Basque artefacts anywhere - and no visit to Bayonne should overlook it. It starts off with simple displays of the pastoral life of the Basques and as you penetrate through to the upper floors the scope gradually widens until the full glories of the museum's contents are revealed. (By the way, admission is free on the first Sunday of the month).

I've previously mentioned here the emblematic painter Spanish Basque Ramiro Arrue who captured the stylised essence of Basqueness in his work to such an extent that his vision of the Pays Basque is still shared by many and it endures here to this day. Here's a two-part video about him:    

This next clip features some of the distinctive headstones that may be found in the cemeteries here. They're not sad places, lying forgotten under a few dripping yew trees with weeds rampant - they're kept spotless (like the rest of the Pays Basque) and provide another insight into Basque culture.   

67. Anniversaries

29th June 2010. I think someone was trying to tell us something..! Today we planned to have lunch out to celebrate a major marital milestone.. This clip is more or less how we met!

We thought we'd try one of our favourites - Bar Jean in Biarritz (mentioned before here) - as the seafood there is always good - and fresh - and there's always a vibrant atmosphere..

However, when we arrived outside, despite 1st July being only days away (start of French holiday season) it was unaccountably closed.

Plan B clicked instantly into action.. This entailed a quick trip down to St Jean de Luz to the open air cafe that operates adjacent to the covered market there - but only when the market has finished for the morning. Again, seafood as fresh as can be - never had a bad meal there and it's great for people watching. Horrors! At 12.55 the market was still in full swing and no sign of his tables and chairs being set out..

No worries - Plan C was launched. This was to try Chez Pantxua in Socoa - just the other side of the bay.. the seafood is the best in the region (IMHO) and there is a fine selection of Basque art (inc. work by the noted Ramiro Arrue) on the walls inside:

Ten minutes later we were staring disbelievingly at the row of restaurants at Socoa - one of which was closed. No prizes for guessing which! 

We looked at all the menus from its neighbouring restaurants before finally settling on one establishment. (no names!). We were shown to a table outside in the welcome shade and there were 2 menus on the table. Within a few minutes we'd decided what we wanted - Madame's selection was gambas followed by lotte (monkfish) while I chose the salade Landaise and the paella - and then we waited and waited for someone to come and take our order. Finally, a waitress turned up. Oh, it turned out that the lotte was off - no more left - so Madame asked for the sole. Also off! So she chose the fish soup. We sat and waited again. And waited some more. The waitress didn't return to ask if we'd like an apero - which we would have liked - nor did she return to put some water or bread on the table. Everything was telling me that we should just get up and leave.. I don't make a habit of this - in fact, I don't think we've ever done it but this time I was getting more and more agitated.. Finally we managed to catch the eye of another waitress to ask for a wine list.. and to order some aperos while we were at it - a kir for Madame and a pastis for me. Ten minutes later, she returned with 2 kirs. Ye godfathers..

When the food arrived, it went from bad to worse.. my salade Landaise was awash in almost neat olive oil; Madame's gambas floated in an oily sauce that BP would have been proud of; her fish soup was watery and my paella was sponsored by BP as well.. Without boring you with all the details, suffice to say that, for the rest of the day, we both felt rotten. What was that about the best laid plans of mice and men..? This was the first time - in 3 years of living in France and in 20 years of visiting the region - that we've had this kind of experience. All we can think is that perhaps the restaurant in question had recruited unsuitable staff for the season.

30th June 2010. While Madame was in town, I decided (perhaps not 100% true!) that the windows needed cleaning; the stairs, the living room and the dining room carpets needed vacuuming; the front path needed sweeping and the dining table needed waxing (I threw the last one in as a freebie).. I worked myself into a lather in the morning heat accompanied by this playing in the background: 

 

More music for a summer's day:

  

1st July 2010. Up early this morning - swimming things on - and down to the beach at Anglet before the sun climbed up too high. We stayed there for 1½hrs and very pleasant it was too. I'd recently started re-reading Peter Mayle's "Hotel Pastis" again, his amusing and enjoyable tale about an adman opening a hotel in the Luberon, and I finished it there on the beach this morning. 

In re-reading the book, I was reminded of the sheer awfulness of the BBC TV series "A Year in Provence" with the late John Thaw in the lead role. I watched about 5 minutes of it once when it was first transmitted in 1993 before switching it off. I can only imagine how Peter Mayle must have cringed and squirmed with embarrassment when presented with such a steaming and odiferous adaptation of his work. This was banal television at its most banal. And while never a fan of the curmudgeonly John Thaw, his selection for the Peter Mayle role was a piece of mis-casting on a truly epic scale. Fine in other roles but definitely not this one. The series is available on YouTube.. I tried watching it again just now and it's still every bit as turgid as I remembered. It has every cliché in the book.. The first scene in France is accompanied by... guess? An accordion playing in the background and cicadas..? Well done. How the humour and deftness of touch of this genuinely funny and enjoyable book was transformed by the dead hand of the BBC into this 33 carat dross remains one of life's little mysteries. Watch it and weep.. (Edited to add: It looks like someone has had a rush of common sense to the head because the video seems to have been removed. Phew!)

    

A mega-yacht belonging to one of the world's mega rich was moored at the bottom of the road this morning. It's the very distinctive-looking "Skat" - it comes with its own colour co-ordinated helicopter (natch!) - and it belongs to an extremely wealthy former Microsoft software engineer (is there any other kind?). All that money from ones and noughts - I guess the tricky bit is putting them in the right order..! 

This was a few evenings ago down on the beach at Anglet looking west:

And finally, a performance of Johann Sebastian Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G-Major (I-Allegro) on a Moog synthesiser.. (pity this is ingrained into everyone's memory as the old "Antiques Roadshow" intro..) I prefer this version:

However, for the traditionalists, here's the same piece played on conventional stringed instruments:

So - which one does it for you?

52. Ramiro Arrue - his vision of the Pays Basque.

27th March 2010. Visitors to the Pays Basque with an eye for the graphic arts will soon become aware of the stylistic influence exerted on the self image of the region by the celebrated Basque artist Ramiro Arrue (right) of Spanish nationality.

More than anyone else that I'm aware of, his paintings define the region and capture the essence of the Basque identity. His work is deceptively simple and it portrays the rural Basque people at work and at play.

The Basques have an especially intense relationship with their houses, their farms and their land. This is perhaps best illustrated by a poem - My Father's House - by Gabriel Aresti, 1963 (translated from the original Basque):

I shall defend the house of my father.
Against wolves, against drought, against usury, against the Justice,
I shall defend the house of my father.
I shall lose cattle, orchards and pinewoods;
I shall lose interests, income and dividends,
But I shall defend the house of my father.
They will take away my weapons and with my hands

I shall defend the house of my father;
They will cut off my hands and with my arms

I shall defend the house of my father;
They will leave me without arms, without shoulders and without breasts,
And with my soul I shall defend the house of my father.
I shall die, my soul will be lost, my descendants will be lost,
But the house of my father will remain standing.

(Reading the above lines explains the passion the Basques feel for their houses and the fierce local resistance here to the southern extension of the special track for the TGV which is planned to pass through the Pays Basque - that will necessitate the demolition of ~140 Basque houses.)

Born May 20, 1892 in Bilbao, Ramiro Arrue studied in Paris and associated with Picasso, Modigliani and Cocteau. He settled in St Jean de Luz in 1917 where he remained for the rest of his adult life. Despite choosing to live in France, he retained his Spanish nationality and as a result was arrested together with other Spanish Basques in 1943 and imprisoned in the fortress at St Jean Pied de Port.

He resumed painting in 1945 and he found his main inspiration for landscapes, portraits, and everyday scenes. His style is figurative, featuring simple, even austere, lines with an almost monumental quality and muted colour harmonies. The academic Hélène Saule-Sorbé wrote: "The colours of Ramiro Arrue's brush are a trilogy: green, white, red. The permanence of heraldry, a sign of belonging, the palette of a country of green hills, of bright white houses whose roofs and woodwork is red".

He died alone in penury in Saint-Jean-de-Luz on 1 April 1971.

A prolific artist, we see his work regularly surfacing at a gallery in St Jean de Luz but they command high prices.

Here's the real thing: