265. Fun and games at San Sebastian..

31st March. We opened a bottle of Egiategia Dena Dela white wine - a present from a friend - at lunchtime.. What's so special about it, I hear you ask? Well, it's aged under the sea at Ciboure, across the bay from Saint-Jean-de-Luz. More here.

It was OK, though quite acidic (he said, damning it with faint praise) but I must admit that I'm struggling trying to imagine what the benefit of underwater ageing could be.
Nutty, our ever-hungry cocker spaniel, was delighted by the arrival of Summer time - as it meant that he didn't have to wait so long for his breakfast. As he only eats twice a day, this was a major, and very welcome, change to his daily routine.

30th March. We've just started rehearsing Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus for our upcoming concert in June. It's a sublime piece and some of the harmonies make me shiver. Enjoy the Choir of King's College, Cambridge.

 

Meanwhile, back in the world of politics, here's Dr Alice Weidel - the leader of Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) party) - making much sense in the Bundestag the other day:

I should add that while I agree with Dr Weidel's remarks in this context, that shouldn't be taken as my blanket approval of AfD's other policies. The media is labelling AfD as a far right/extreme right party and that's enough to ring alarm bells everywhere - but especially in Germany.

Railing against architect Peter Eisenman’s Holocaust memorial next to Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, the AfD delegate Björn Höcke last year said that “we Germans are the only people in the world that have planted a monument of shame in the heart of their capital”. My reply to that would be that Germany is one of the very few countries in the world that needed one.

Moving on.

If Brexit had gone to plan, this morning we would have woken up as citizens of a free and independent country - content to stroll on the "broad sunlit uplands" while our MPs scratched their heads, trying to remember how to govern it. After all, it's been 43 years since they last had the opportunity! It's impossible to make any sensible predictions about what the future holds until Parliament finds a way out of the convoluted mess that we are in.

I think the EU must share part of the blame though - its negotiating team had clearly been directed to make things as difficult as possible for the UK. I, for one, would like to see an itemised statement of our account that could possibly justify the swingeing £39bn divorce bill the EU is intent on imposing on the UK.

To give you an indication of the size of this sum, it's enough to buy 481 brand new Boeing 737-800 airliners (similar to these right) at US $106m or £81m each. Yes, that's right - four hundred and eighty one of them. Is the EU including a figure for "hurt feelings" in this bill? What on earth has the UK been agreeing to fund?

In March 2017, the House of Lords’ European Union committee reported that generous payments might be “impossible” to avoid, for example to ensure future access to the single market. But it went on to say: “We conclude that if agreement is not reached, all EU law — including provisions concerning ongoing financial contributions . . . will cease to apply and the UK would be subject to no enforceable obligation to make any financial contribution at all.”

It should be borne in mind that the UK entered this organisation freely and of its own will following a democratic referendum. Throughout our membership we have been a net contributor. We now wish to leave following another democratic referendum (only the third national referendum in the UK's history). So - my question is: why do our EU "Friends and Partners" feel the need for a punitive settlement? What exactly are we being punished for?

28th March. While I was fighting my way just now through the snarled-up traffic in Bayonne due to the road works (necessary for the introduction of the all-electric Tram'bus in September), I was contemplating (as you do) the current state of European politics. 

I'm no Little Englander - I enjoy very much living in this blessed corner of France and I love the diversity and cultural riches that Europe has to offer - but that's as far as it goes. While I'm at ease with feeling "European" (whatever that means), I abhor the European Union that the EEC morphed into while we weren't looking. 

Where to start? There's the democratic deficit and the vaulting ambition (the "ever-closer union" mantra) to become the United States of Europe - conveniently forgetting that one of the key founding principles of the USA was, and still is, defined by Abraham Lincoln as "Government of the people, by the people and for the people". I love Europe but not this particular expression of Europe (the EU) - where its leaders are appointed, instead of being elected by the electorate; where policy emerges fully-formed from Franco-German summits or from behind closed doors in the unelected Commission; a Europe where Germany is making hay (a 48bn€ surplus in the first six months of 2018) thanks to their membership of the eurozone - and where the European Parliament is simply a sad joke - a shop window designed to foster the impression that the EU is democratic. It could just as easily be replaced by a rubber stamp. 

Stuck in traffic, my mind drifted on to the Eurozone and it occurred to me that at one end of the economic spectrum sits Germany, getting richer by the second - a country whose currency should, in all truth, be revalued - while at the other end of the spectrum lie the PIGS - aka Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain - whose economies would benefit greatly from a currency devaluation. And therein lies the problem with the euro.. there won't be any revaluation or devaluation.. so that means Germany will get richer and richer - while the PIGS get poorer and poorer. This cannot continue. These are the pie-in-the-sky (one joint too many) economics of the eurozone - a single currency artificially applied - unasked for - to a group of countries with dissimilar economies for purely political reasons - driven by an insanely irrational desire to emulate and overtake the United States of America. Taken in isolation, this is a highly laudable goal - but given that there's no common language, plus the lack of shared values and history of political culture, the lack of oversight and accountability, the absence of the democratic principle that is fundamental to the United States of America, it is doomed to failure. The sooner the wheels fall off the EU wagon the better as far as I'm concerned. I feel better for that!

The problem is that as long as Germany is awash with euros, I don't see that the impetus for structural reform of the EU will come from them. Why would it? It certainly won't come from France - as the EU is France's love child and it appeals to their mindset - with its centralised control and run by technocrats (graduates of their Grandes Ecoles) - it is France writ large. Who else, apart from these two countries, has the clout to call a halt to this experiment in social engineering? I think "events" will cause the EU house of cards to come tumbling down one day - I don't see reform coming from within.   

Beautiful, cloudless morning down at the Plage des Cavaliers beach earlier.. sunny but still with that early season freshness. Very few people about. The beach has been cleared of all the detritus washed up during the winter. That's the lighthouse at Biarritz just left of centre - click to enlarge:

UK expats in France concerned about the continued provision of health care post-Brexit should take note of this written statement made in the House of Commons by Stephen Hammond (the Minister of Health), dated 19th March 2019. More here. I've just written to my MP.

As we edge closer to actually leaving the EU (maybe!), here's a site that's been set up by HM Govt specifically to address concerns that UK expats in France may have. You can choose to be notified by email as and when changes occur via this link. The French Govt has also kindly set up a Brexit web site aimed at British expats in France - that should go some way towards allaying concerns people may have. Of course, some key actions may only be put in place if both parties sign up to bilateral agreement on health care.

27th March. David Davis, the former Brexit Secretary, cuts through all the House of Commons flim-flam here with his assessment of the Brexit process and how the Commons is out of step with the very people they are elected to represent. 

22nd March. The slow motion train crash that is Brexit shuffled forward an inch yesterday - only to take a step 2.54 centimetres backwards.

Brexit: On Time, Delayed or Cancelled?

In June, it will be 3 years since the Referendum - we were reminded just the other day that a thousand days have passed since that vote. WWII only lasted 6 years. The country is riven down the middle by the question - with strong opinions held by supporters of both Leave and Remain camps. Furthermore, within a highly factionalised Parliament, as well as the usual tribal conflicts between the main parties, there's a complete spectrum of opinion within each of them. This even extends to Mrs May's Cabinet. It must also be borne in mind that Mrs May was herself a Remainer when she took on the challenge of one of the most toxic Prime Ministerial in-trays in living memory.

When all this is put in the context of a minority government, it's hardly surprising that the solution - if there is one - has been lost somewhere in the noise. I don't think it will be possible for her to achieve a consensus with this dog's breakfast of a "deal". The EU's negotiating stance has, rightly or wrongly, been uncompromising, showing little willingness to accommodate a country that voted democratically (that word again) to leave the Union. Unraveling the myriad number of political, economic, commercial and social developments that have taken place in the past 46 years, with all the associated legislation, and steering the good ship UK safely through the uncharted waters to ensure that the UK could separate cleanly from the EU was always going to be a challenge - and so it has proved. Unfortunately, our "Great Helmsman" was a Remainer and my view is that she went to Brussels as a supplicant - asking for favours. I think she and her team should have been more hard-nosed from the outset - but that's simply not her style.

"Cometh the hour" has been followed many times in our history by "Cometh the Man". Unfortunately this appears to be one of those times when statesmen riding to the rescue are in short supply - on both sides of the House. I think Mrs May has gone as far as she can go and the time is fast approaching when we should be casting around for a suitable replacement - but this is where I draw a blank.

I'm sure all those who are still interested in the outcome are rapidly losing the will to live. I'm fast approaching a terminal condition known as all "Brexited-out"! I want to hear news on the radio - not the endless speculation that we've had to endure for so long. Melanie Phillips' views are always worth listening to - and Matthew Eason has written a good piece here on how the UK's Brexit strategy imploded - if the UK's appalling mishandling of the negotiations from Day 1 could be described as 'strategy'. Sigh..

21st March. We were out at our neighbours late yesterday afternoon and as "l'heure bleue" approached, a bottle of 12 year old Glenkinchie was produced. I have to say it's a long time since I enjoyed a single malt as much as I did this one. I'll have to see if I can find a bottle of it across the border in the whisky quarries! How come it's taken me so long to discover Glenkinchie? If it's a rainy day where you are and you're stuck for something to do, google "Glenkinchie" and read the reviews.. The opinions of the internet's whisky gurus appears to be divided on the subject. I would say: try it for yourself. In reading some of the salty comments, I don't recognise their descriptions of Glenkinchie 12 year old as the same dram that I tried yesterday.

First day of Spring today.. (at last!). Does anyone remember this one?

17th March. It was the final day of the Guinness 6 Nations rugby tournament yesterday and true to form, there were shocks in store. 

First, we started at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, for a nervy contest between Italy and France to see who'd be propping up the table. I was rather hoping for a win for la squadra azzurra to give them some hope that they were closing the gap between them and the rest - but it wasn't to be. The Italians went very close in the final minutes when a try was disallowed. France won 25-14.  

Wales took the Grand Slam in front of their 80,000-odd adoring fans in Cardiff - with many more left outside - by beating Ireland, last year's champions, who were strangely ineffective. Ireland scored at the death ('saving the furniture' as the French have it) to make the final score 25-7. Over the tournament, Wales shared the unenviable tag of being, with Wooden Spoon winners Italy, the joint lowest try scorers with a modest 10 tries, conceding 7. 

Congratulations to the Welsh team on pulling off the Grand Slam - but at the risk of sounding less than magnanimous, it's worth examining the final points table. Yes, Wales were unbeaten but to me they played an unattractive brand of what I call 'alehouse' rugby - ferocious tackling, with bodies flying in and the minimum of tries to fire the imagination. They have a mean defence (coached by ex rugby league star Shaun Edwards) but it makes for a dour scrappy game. Personally, I find it unwatchable - an opinion that will see me accused of all manner of bad things. I've always applauded good rugby - regardless of who's playing it - but being absolutely honest, I don't see that the current Welsh squad are anywhere near being worthy successors to those great Welsh teams of the 60s and 70s. Workmanlike yes. Memorable? Not at all. I know at moments like this we're supposed to put our national affiliations to one side and praise the Welsh - but sadly, with their style of rugby, I don't feel able to.  

Then we come to Twickenham and the final match in this year's tournament between England and Scotland. I realise that I've left myself wide-open with my less-than-flattering comments about Wales - but England somehow contrived to draw a pulsating match with Scotland 38-38. England started off scoring at the rate of a point per minute and they went in at half time leading 31-7. Somehow, Scotland brought the score back to parity and then at one point in the closing minutes, they were leading 31-38 - until England levelled the scores in extra time. This was a match that Scotland fully deserved to win and I'm sure they'll be disappointed that they didn't. However, it's worth noting that England won the first half 31-7 - and Scotland won the second half by the exact same score.. Fantastic never-say-die spirit from Scotland ably led by Finn Russell. This result means that they deservedly retain the Calcutta Cup.. rugby's oldest sporting trophy.   

Here's something for all those people in Ireland and elsewhere who are feeling a bit 'down in the gob' after the rugby this weekend. Pour yourself a drop of the cratur and listen to this:               

Bob Frost

14th March. I've just heard that Bob Frost (96) died this morning. He was one of the very last surviving WWII evaders who made it home back to England with the help of the Comet Line. He'd been a 19 year old tail gunner in a Vickers Wellington Mk III of 150 Squadron when his aircraft was hit by flak during an operation to bomb the sprawling Krupps foundries at Essen in the Ruhr (known as Happy Valley) on 16/17th September 1942. Against all odds, he survived the immediate effects and was able to parachute out from his crippled bomber. Landing in fields near Kapellen in Flemish-speaking Brabant, he was fortunate to be picked up quickly by Comet Line helpers. He crossed the Pyrenees on 9th October before leaving Gibraltar on 24th October, arriving at Portreath in Cornwall, England the following morning.

Sadly, there are fewer and fewer of these wartime evaders left - and Bob was one of the very last. Some 55,573 aircrew of RAF's Bomber Command were killed during WWII and now Bob has left us to rejoin his old crew mates. RIP Bob. It was a real privilege to know you.

13th March. Melanie Phillips' blog can always be relied upon for a thoughtful view of the current B****t negotiations between the UK and the EU. Here's what she writes towards the end of her piece:

"Meanwhile, remember those dire forecasts of lorry paralysis across the Channel caused by the sudden imposition of no-deal border controls? Well guess what – French Customs has designed “an innovative technological solution – the ‘smart border’”. It says: 

“In the frame of the re-establishment of the border between the United Kingdom and the European Union, French Customs has developed an information system allowing businesses to automate the border crossing by HGV. This innovative solution will be applicable at all points of entry/exit to/from Calais region and more broadly of Channel-North Sea. It is based on 3 principles: 

• The early completion of customs procedures before arriving at the border by giving the bar code of the customs declaration to the driver. 
• The identification of the mean of transport and the bar code of customs declaration of transported goods. 
• The automatic sending of the crossing notifications to the customs declarant to avoid stopping the HGV”. 

Hang on: weren’t we all told the Irish border issue was insoluble because the idea of a smart technological border was impossible? If there can be a smart technological border at Calais, why can’t there be one at the Irish border? And if there can be a smart technological Irish border, then what in heaven’s name was the Irish backstop issue all about?"

12th March. As I was walking back from town this morning, it occurred to me  that the French language, as taught in the UK in the sixties, was not much use (I'm being generous) for everyday living. For example, I well remember the first time I went for a haircut here - and I hardly understood a word the coiffeuse said to me when I sat down in the chair. I got the drift though.. but then I realised I had no idea how to phrase my reply - "Can you thin out the top and leave the sides fairly long please?" I didn't know the French for a 'parting' either. (Maybe I should have paid more attention at school instead of staring out of the window!) If you're waiting to move to France, now's the time to improve your French. I left it until we arrived here and, given the love affair that France has with its own language, I was surprised to find that there weren't more French language courses aimed at foreigners.

11th March. I discovered Nostalgie Best of 60s radio (Anglo-French pop) on our internet radio the other day. It's easy listening and ideal for those who (like, er, me!) had their musical tastes formed in those far-off days.

We were out in the outback just to the north east of Peyrehorade (right) yesterday for lunch with friends D & L. They bought their relatively isolated farmhouse about 3-4 years ago and since then they've carried out a lot of work in bringing it all up to date. L used to have an interior design business in northern France and now that, for all intents and purposes, the house is finished, it's a testament to her discerning eye.

Tastefully furnished with an eclectic mix of French country furniture, a few Art Deco pieces and a couple of very comfortable couches, its beams painted a pale grey and a grey stone floor, the relaxed open plan living area would not have looked out of place in any of those French country living magazines. There was a display case in an alcove containing what appeared to be Fabergé eggs but I was assured that they were lookalikes! If genuine, just one would have been more than enough to guarantee a (very) comfortable retirement!

The log fire was crackling in their massive open hearth and we sat around it while the dogs did what dogs do (aka the eternal battle for dominance). To take our minds off the yapping, she served us a wonderful and novel apéro - known as "soupe au champagne" (champagne, a dash/splash of Cointreau, some lime juice and cane sugar syrup) that was very more-ish - it really hit the spot. (how to make it here) We enjoyed this while trying to hold back from eating all the tasty nibbles she'd made - before we moved to the table. Once there, it just got better and better.

Afterwards, we moved back in front of the fire and I taught them a card game (Clag) that I'd learnt in the military. Great fun! I think we'll be playing more of this highly addictive game with them. 

Tête de veau

Apparently, there's a really good traditional market every Wednesday at Peyrehorade, with produce from three departments, lying as it does at the intersection of Les Landes, the Béarn and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. We must get out there again one day - it's only 40 minutes away. There's also a restaurant there that gets good reviews - "Au Bon Coin Les Pieds de Cochon". It features authentic country cooking from the region and it appears to be the kind of restaurant that we like. You'll find it here. While it's true that the à la carte menu features a few dishes I'm not crazy about - such as pied de cochon (pig's trotter) and tripes - and one that gives me nightmares: tête de veau (calf's head) - there are also some of my favourites: omelette à la morue (salt cod omelette), the terrine of foie gras - or the hero-sized 1.2kg (42oz) côte de boeuf (bone in prime rib) for two. Here's a review from Sud-Ouest. I've added it to our "must visit" list.

Ireland duly dispatched France 26-14 in Dublin scoring 4 good tries against a porous French defence before les Bleus finally replied with two late tries at the death. (I haven't had time to watch it yet): 

10th March. No surprises thus far from this weekend's 6 Nations rugby - Wales were expected to win at Murrayfield and duly did so (11-18) - but watch for Finn Russell's astonishing sleight of hand as he makes a lightning quick reverse pass at 1:26 that led to a Scottish try.. That would have had Bill McLaren purring! And rightly so. I've watched the ½ speed replay (click on the "Settings" button at the bottom right of the YouTube window) of that pass several times and I'm still not exactly sure how he managed to do what he did. Players with that speed of thought plus the ability to execute are rare these days. 

Meanwhile at Twickenham, England took on Italy and ran in 8 tries to win 57-14 - a result that, according to the French TV summariser, owed much to English 'pragmatism' - whatever the heck that meant in this context. (Phlegmatic and pragmatic - I( can be guaranteed that any French commentator will come out with these two words within the opening minutes of any match featuring England.) 
OK, I hear the critics say yes, but it was only Italy - but look at the results against the Azzurri's earlier opponents: Italy lost away to Scotland 33-20, then lost at home to Wales 15-26 before losing again at home to Ireland (last year's champions) 16-26. Look at the margins they lost by: 13pts, 11pts and 10pts - nothing to be ashamed of there.

This next comment will probably cause outrage in the Valleys but I have to agree with Italy's head coach, Conor O’Shea, who after the match yesterday praised the resilience of his side on an afternoon when they lost three centres and finished with a prop in the back row. He said, “They could have thrown in the towel but kept getting stuck in against a powerful side who, in my opinion, are the best in the Six Nations”. Yes, the Welsh boys sit at the top of the table and the Grand Slam is theirs to lose, but next weekend, they entertain Ireland at Cardiff - then we'll see.   

5th March. Here's one of those cinematic scenes where the images and the soundtrack merge into a coherent whole. The late Jeanne Moreau in Louis Malle's 1958 New Wave film "Lift to the Scaffold" (Ascenseur pour l'échafaud) wanders the night-time streets of Paris (always best in black and white)  looking for her lover as the Miles Davis Quintet picks up her mood perfectly:                                 

3rd March. The Spanish authorities gave their blessing to this bizarre high risk strategy a day or two ago when a fire fighting Canadair amphibian dropped in over the rooftops at San Sebastian and landed in La Concha to pick up water:

I believe many of us have dreams that mostly stay on the back burner - there's no harm in that. For many years, mine was to sell up in the UK and move down to the Pay Basque where we could enjoy on a daily basis what we'd previously only known for 2 weeks every year. Realising that particular dream was (and still is!) every bit as enjoyable as I'd hoped.

However, that's not the end of it. I've another long-standing dream - namely, of owning a sixties Porsche 912 - like the one (below) - and this dream has been parked on the back burner for years as well - but, unlike my other dream, I think that's where it will stay. Has there ever been a better body shape than this - clean, sober, functional, no wings or stripes, no "attitude"? It's just a beautifully balanced and timeless shape. It would be perfect for exploring the lanes that criss-cross the back country of the Pays Basque and the mountain passes of the Pyrenees - sigh! (all donations gratefully accepted!☺) How many other cars that are 50+ years old look this good?

Here's another one.

264. Into February with a bang!

26th February. For some odd reason Bert Jansch's name sprung to mind earlier and for the life of me I couldn't remember the record that made his name (with me at least) in 1965. Thanks to the power of Google, here he is with Davy Graham's "Angie":

25th February. We went for a walk this afternoon around the lake at Hossegor.. It was hard to believe we were still in February..! We were tempted by the ice creams (minus the chantilly) at Tante Jeanne and so we stopped there and enjoyed one out on their terrace (in the shade!).

23rd February. There's going to be a major seismic event emanating from here later on this afternoon. This will be preceded by the hors-d'œuvre from here. 

22nd February. I had Nutty down to the beach at Anglet on this sunny morning and we encountered a great-looking dog (right) - an 11 month old Griffon Fauve de Bretagne - a rough-coated French hunting dog from Brittany. The two of them got on well and after running around like a mad thing, I think Nutty will be taking a load off this afternoon. The owner said that he'd been given the dog by a hunting friend as it shied away from gunfire and it was afraid of wild boars.. Despite all this, he was a larger-than-life character - full of beans - and he had me wishing we could have one.

Looking at a wild boar without a wire fence getting in the way would certainly focus my mind!

We met a lady up in the mountains in the Jura a couple of years ago with a smaller version of this breed - a Basset Fauve de Bretagne - he was equally characterful and he had the same effect on us as well.

15th February. Just back from a trip out to Ascain.. it was 24°.. This is more like it!

Just for Lesley!

I've mentioned before the forthcoming introduction of the Tram'bus here (due in service this year) - the service is being given a dedicated lane.. and so this has caused widespread disruption on the roads locally. Fortunately, everyone's fairly patient.. 

I know I could be tempting fate but I think we might just have seen the last of the endless rain that plagued us throughout January. Yesterday the TV météo showed us as being the warmest in France again.. with highs of 18° forecast for nearby Biarritz. In the afternoon,  I mowed the lawn for the first time this year, after which I dusted off the last of the Christmas puddings sent to us by friends in the UK. While it was heating up, I stepped outside and it was warm - the thermometer in the shade said 16° - but in the sunshine it felt like 20°. I set up a couple of chairs and a small table - Madame made some tea - and then we enjoyed some Christmas pudding (with some crème Anglaise she had made) sitting out in the sunshine. The simplest pleasures are often the best.

You'll be pleased to hear that there's no 6 Nations rugby this weekend!

13th February. The sun was shining today and we were the warmest in France with temperatures up in the high teens (the car said 17.5°C - 63°F).

Sorry for the heavy rugby content this month - I'll try to keep it down to a minimum.

I've been kept busy lately preparing a PowerPoint presentation on the Comet Line for a local school.. Despite trying to keep the number of slides down to a reasonable number, the total is just shy of a hundred. Two of us from our association will be presenting - and I think we'll have to give the kids a break or two. We're booked into the school for most of the day and I'll be presenting - in English - to the "European" class. We did this a couple of years ago and I think it was well-received.

11th February. Yesterday saw England continuing their excellent current form by beating France 44-8 at Twickenham in their biggest win over their closest rivals since 1911. Words like 'humiliation' are floating around in the media - but I don't subscribe to the use of this word in a sporting context. Outplayed is enough for me.

The lightning-quick Jonny May scored his hat-trick inside 30 minutes (look at his electric pace as he raced past the French defenders for that first try). England preceded this with a convincing 31-19 win over France in the 6 Nations U20 championship - and to round off a satisfying weekend for English rugby, England's women beat their French counterparts yesterday 41-26 (unfortunately no video available yet) in Doncaster of all places!

A very short comment on the ongoing Brexit saga: I would remind those who support the EU's long term aim to become the United States of Europe that one of the fundamental principles of America's great democracy was stated unequivocally by Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address when he spoke of government "of the people, by the people, for the people".

Here's a link to a think-piece written by an anonymous British civil servant who suggests that the forthcoming choice between accepting Theresa May’s deal (or a version of it) or leaving the EU without a deal is a “stark binary choice” that can be summarised as one “between democracy and permanent second-class statehood”. Well worth a read. Here are two excerpts from it:

 

"So the choice is clear: a Brexit that restores supreme law-making powers to the UK, or the triumph of technocracy and the enforcement by a foreign court of perpetual protectionist mediocrity, to ensure that no member state of the EU is ever independent enough to question the power exercised by an unelected Politburo in Brussels, whose mission is to create the United States of Europe, by fair means or foul". 

"That the second largest financial contributor and the oldest democracy in the EU voted to leave is a damning indictment of the political failure that has marked the European Project in the last twenty years".

8th February. As the England - France 6 Nations match is being played at Twickenham this year, that means it's our turn to entertain A and V on Sunday. He's a retired French Air Force Jaguar pilot and a keen follower of the oval ball game - and, after the outstanding performance of England in Dublin last weekend, the match has all the makings of a classic encounter. Despite losing at home to Wales (after leading a 16-0 at half time), I don't believe that Les Bleus will be as generous with les Angliches as they were with the Welsh. England, on the other hand, played as well as I've seen them play for a decade or two. To give you an idea of the grip England exerted on Ireland, I read somewhere this week that Ireland only set foot in England's 22 on 3 occasions last Saturday.     

7th February. Having just been caught out by the latest sudden downpour, it set me to thinking about the umbrellas (le parapluie de berger) habitually carried by shepherds up in the Pyrenees. Looking at the price (around 200€), you could be excused for that sharp intake of breath - but as well as their general robustness, they have a hidden quality in that they're made largely from wood with the minimum of metal components to avoid the risk of a lightning strike. I noticed one of my Basque friends with one in the mountains and his featured double ribs for extra strength in gusty conditions and a really sturdy fabric covering. They are the Rolls-Royce of umbrellas. Think of one as a lifetime buy!
6th February. This is a rare film of Paris in the late 1890s before the advent of the motor car. Crossing the road in Paris on foot then was clearly just as hazardous as it is today - perhaps more so given the number of horses! Sounds have been added, the film speed has been corrected and the image cleaned up.

4th February. I came across these sample UK Citizenship tests this morning. It struck me that when we went to the Préfecture in Bordeaux before Christmas that I hadn't had to sit down and take a formal test like this - I was interviewed (in French) and asked a number of personal questions, followed by some general questions about France. If you're a Brit, try the above test and see how you rate! (I'm ashamed to say that I got two wrong)

For would-be applicants for French citizenship, I'd recommend reviewing the document shown on this French government site. My application for French citizenship shouldn't imply any transfer of my loyalties - the acid test of that will come next Saturday oops, Sunday when England play France at Twickenham in the second round of this year's Guinness 6 Nations tournament. To set a few minds at rest, let me just say that I can never envisage that a day might come when I could welcome a win by France (or any other country for that matter) over England. I applaud good rugby - regardless of who plays it - but the final result is all important.

3rd February. England (ranked #4 in the world) took on Ireland (ranked #2 and last year's Grand Slam winners) in Dublin yesterday in a match that some of the game's elder statesmen were saying was England's to win. I wasn't convinced as I thought Ireland's all-action game would be too much for the English lads. What do I know?! Apparently just about as much as former Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan who claimed in the Times earlier this week that only Billy Vunipola and Maro Itoje would get in the home team!

It turned out to be one of the best games of rugby I've seen in recent years - bearing in mind I'm an England supporter! (your mileage may vary). This match was a perfect demonstration of why, for me at least, the 6 Nations is the greatest sporting competition in the world - bar none. Superbly fit athletes, no simulation, high intensity, high skill levels, remarkably few instances of foul play, no arguing with the ref - what other sport could lay claim to all of that? It was full of talking points from start to finish as well. Here's a balanced match report from the Irish Times and this one from the NZ Herald! So, break out your Sunday best whisky, pour yourself a dram and sit back to enjoy this week's special offer - the highlights - brought to you at no extra charge!

In the interests of balance (as the BBC would say) here are the highlights of the Scotland v Italy match - the result of which hoisted Scotland to the top of the table (albeit by one point in points difference). Match report here.
2nd February. What a thundering start to the 2019 Guinness 6 Nations Rugby tournament as France hosted Wales in Paris in very wet conditions! France raced to a 16-0 half time lead that looked unassailable - courtesy of two well-worked tries by Louis Picamoles and Yoann Huget - followed by an opportunist drop goal by Camille Lopez just on half time. At this point I imagine that many watching would have thought "Game over" but Wales hadn't read the script. They dug deep and showed great character to fight back - in Paris of all places - to reply with three second half tries and a Dan Biggar penalty to clinch the match 24-19.
The match was full of talking points - the failure of Morgan Parra's kicking game, the chalking off of what seemed to be a perfectly good try by Liam Williams until the replay showed he'd lost control of the ball just when he needed not to. There was a moment of magic when Wales abandoned the bish bash bosh "pick and goes" as Adams cut through a static French defence before passing to Tomos Williams for a wonderful score. France had a nightmare second half in which they gifted Wales two tries - the first following a gross handling error by Huget (that should give him sleepless nights for years) and capitalised on by George North - and then a hapless long pass by Vahaamahina that George North intercepted to give Wales the lead and clinch the win in the closing minutes.. (Match report here)

1st February. We went to Irun in Spain this morning for some minor shopping and so I was let loose with the dog while Madame enjoyed some retail therapy. It was a sunny morning but with a cold wind and as I wandered the streets, I was amazed to see how many shops had closed down or were empty - I'd say maybe one in four.. and of the ones that were still open, I'd say that 80% had sales on. Sad to see and definitely not healthy. Reasons why? I have my own ideas - but I'd be interested to hear yours. Send me your thoughts via the email link - in the left hand column.

After Irun, we drove to Ascain to try our former favourite restaurant that we heard is now "under new management" - a phrase that when associated with a restaurant is often the kiss of death - but hopefully in this case, it might just be the kiss of life. Unfortunately it was still closed for their winter holiday, but there was a note on the door that said it would be open for lunch on Sunday. We're tied up then so I expect we'll be giving them a visit sometime very soon. More to follow.

Château-Vieux, Bayonne

Yesterday, I was privileged to be invited to the 11th century Château-Vieux, Bayonne - a medieval castle in the heart of Bayonne where it has played a central role in the history of the town for hundreds of years. It was actually constructed on the site of a 4th century Roman castrum (a fortified military camp). However, today, it serves as the proud home of the Officer Commanding the 1st RPIMA, as well as being their Mess, and the occasion to which I had been invited was the serving of the galette des rois & drinks. There were some impressive-looking characters there. (More here) 

263. What will this year bring?

31st January. Still strong winds and rain here.. I took advantage of a pause in the rain to go out to the garage yesterday evening to bring in a sack of logs.. When I came out of the garage 15 seconds later (at most) there was a downpour that had come from nowhere.. (as someone once said, "like a cow peeing on a flat rock!") 

30th January. This short video ('De roc et d'eau' translates as 'Of rock and water') shot from a drone shows what spectacular landscapes await the intrepid traveller if he puts the pleasures of the Basque coast behind him and ventures inland - and yes, they are griffon vultures that make an appearance at 2:35. Here's a story to put you off your breakfast!
I occasionally watch televised live sessions of the UK Parliament (please don't laugh!) and I'm often struck by the arcane and, to my mind, archaic procedures in use. This document may help in decoding what's going on! (Having read that link, I still think they're archaic!) The unexpected referendum result in June 2016 threw a large rock into the UK political and establishment pond and it caused widespread mayhem in all directions - except in the media. For them, it was manna from heaven - the story that gives and keeps on giving - we've had 2½ years of 24 hour rolling media speculation ever since.

It's taken 2½ years for the aftershock waves to settle down enough for the nearest thing to a political consensus to emerge. However, the approach of 29th March (the date when the UK will leave the EU) has focused minds and - finally - it appears that there is a majority parliamentary view that supports the approach that Theresa May wishes to take with the EU negotiators.

However, I suspect though that the EU is prepared to resist any attempts to re-open the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) - and forego the UK's £39bn - to show that they can stand firm as a "27" to protect the integrity (as they see it) of the Single Market and, perhaps more importantly, to discourage any member state from emulating the UK. If the EU refuses to re-open the WA, the UK negotiators may request that a codicil is added that addresses the Irish border question. The danger for the EU is that if they were to give way on the Irish border issue - a difficulty that they themselves have created - then that could well trigger further dissension within the EU ranks - which could, with a bit of luck, bring the whole rotten edifice come crashing down.. One can but hope! I think the outcome will depend on how badly the EU needs the UK's £39bn.. It should be remembered that Germany made a 48bn€ budget surplus in the first 6 months of 2018 - so they will naturally be keen to preserve the status quo. 

To all those who take a jaundiced view of the unruly House of Commons, the challenges we've witnessed to the elected government are all the evidence we need that the UK's democratic traditions are alive and well -  this is real democracy in action. This cannot be said for the serried ranks of nodding dogs who populate the EU Parliament, let alone the unelected bureaucrats who sit astride the whole structure.

29th January. The weather forecast for this evening is for 80mph (130km/h) winds on the Basque coast. I've just spent an entertaining minute or two closing the shutters upstairs! I should add that our shutters aren't the lightweight louvre'd variety as seen in Provence - no, these are sturdy solid wooden doors, with z-bracing on the inside - and when the wind catches them as you try to close them in a howling gale - well, that's when the fun starts! Traditional Basque shutters are made solid to resist the storms such as we've been experiencing over the last few days. Meanwhile, the wind is starting to whistle and moan around the rooftops now. 

28th January. Wintry wet weather is upon us in the form of squally showers that are blown in at frequent intervals by blustery winds straight out of the bay of Biscay. The dog's ears were unusually horizontal this morning when I took him for a walk on the coast! Wood burner weather..

We were invited out for lunch yesterday at the home of a former choriste. She hails from Arzacq in the Béarn and she served us her native speciality - poule au pot. She'd spoiled us once before with this magnificent dish and I was delighted and honoured that she'd chosen to prepare it for us again yesterday. There were six of us around her table and after a home-made chicken noodle soup (made, I'd guarantee, with the carcass of the chicken) she brought out a huge serving platter laden with the plat principal - a delicious distraction from the rain and hail rattling on our hostess's windows. What a treat! 
I was seated next to a lady who'd lived in many countries in Africa for almost 40 years and during the inevitable passionate discussion of all things edible, she turned to me to ask (at the very moment I was having that very same thought) if I found it astonishing that French people habitually talked about the pleasures of the table. Once upon a time I would have agreed with her, but now I see this passion for good food for what it is - the driver in the endless search for perfection - as opposed to the merely adequate - and I'm used to it by now. So no complaints from me!

Restaurant des Chasseurs,
Ascain

Side view

Later on, she told me that the restaurant des Chasseurs, our erstwhile favourite hotel / restaurant at Ascain, a beautiful Basque village in the foothills of the Pyrenees, had changed ownership. We'd discovered this simple hotel / restaurant almost 30 years ago and we spent many happy summers there before we moved here 11 years ago. The original owners served country cooking of a very high standard that was beyond reproach. The prospect of another summer holiday there was always eagerly anticipated and the thought of our next visit there sustained us during the long dismal winter months in England - until the day came when they retired. The years that followed were sadly marked by a slow decline of everything - except the prices. We'd always had this dream of becoming regulars at the restaurant for Sunday lunch when we moved here but under the last ownership we regrettably had to set that idea aside. However, my neighbour at lunch yesterday told me that new management had taken over the restaurant a year ago (photos here), and so we are looking forward to a speedy return to the place where we spent so many happy times. Fingers crossed. (I'll update its entry in the restaurant map in the left hand column after our visit)

By the way, if anyone has visited "Des Chasseurs" under the new ownership, I'd be interested to hear your views. (Either use the 'comment' feature at the end of this post - or contact me via the email in the left hand column - just below the Translate widget. Thanks!)

Here's a montage of Ascain showing the pastoral life in and around the village at, I would say, around 1900 (turn the sound down!) - the restaurant appears at 2:42 tucked in besides the church:
 
24th January. It seems that we're in for some snow next week - according to Madame who believes the local forecasts! Since we've been here, I think we've only had snow twice - and then it only lasted a day.

We've been invited to an evening with the Mayor tomorrow evening to "receive his best wishes for the year" - but talking to someone who's already been to one, it seems that the occasion is one where we are told at length what the Mayor has done in the last 12 months. I'm tempted to plead a previous engagement involving tidying my sock drawer..

20th January. If, in an idle moment, you've ever wondered what the F1 - F12 keys do (on the top row of your keyboard), ponder no longer - look here. I realise that, in telling you this, I'm running the risk of getting dangerously close to proving the truth of the old adage that "life's too short to stuff a mushroom..". 

I took Nutty (aka "Bulldozaire" - our 17kg 4x4 cocker spaniel if you've just joined us) down to the beach this morning for a good morning run and a blow out. It was a blustery morning with broken cloud and showers blowing in periodically from the Bay of Biscay. I waited in the car for a couple of minutes while a shower blew through and then we set off. There's a jetty - although jetty's not the right word as ships can't moor up against it - they call it a digue in French - that sticks out (right - the nearest one of the three) and, as a small coaster was lining up to enter the river, it seemed like a good idea at the time to walk out to the end. There were quite a few surfers out there too. Just as I got out to the far end, a heavy shower made its presence known! I had to keep telling myself "It's only water..". It was a loong way back to the car. Nutty's a water-magnet - he took some drying off!

18th January. This is a well-known piano concerto that, despite being played to death on Classic music stations, can withstand repeated listening.. Here's Anna Fedorova and the North West German Philhamonic Orchestra conducted by Martin Panteleev at the Royal Concert Hall, Amsterdam with Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor:

(I confess that I'll never be able to understand how anyone can play this demanding and complex piece with the music in front of them - let alone from memory!)

16th January. Went down to the beach early this morning to give Nutty a good run. According to the car at 8.30am, it was 2°C.. and it felt like every bit of it. The sea was almost a flat calm except for some beautifully formed waves that were rearing up at the last moment. Looking south down towards Biarritz, there was a silver'd mist hanging over the beach lit by the early morning sun that had just made an appearance. My shadow was about 20 yards (or 18.3m if you insist!) long. It was c-o-l-d ! 

Here's the latest picture of Nutty - glaring at the camera, as he'd been left alone over lunchtime (we'd been invited out). The object that looks like a gift-wrapped parcel between his front paws is his new rubber 'squeak' - and he guards it jealously..!  

George & Janet,
Pyrenees 1955

Regular readers might remember references here to the Comet Line - the Belgian-run WWII network designed to repatriate shot-down Allied aircrew. Sadly, I have to report that George Duffee DFC, one of the more notable wartime RAF evaders, passed away peacefully on 21st December aged 94. His beloved wife Janet predeceased him by 2½ weeks - they'd shared 72 years of a very happy marriage together. They were a lovely couple and I was very fond of them both - they'll be greatly missed. Here's George up in the mountains (above) during their annual visit to the Pays Basque in 2012.

RIP George and Janet.

13th January. There was a feature on Penne-d'Agenais (Lot-et-Garonne) on the box a day or two ago - and a very charming village it looked too. Might try a short break there in the Spring.

Down to the beach this morning for the first time since the New Year.. a grey blustery morning with showers blowing through every few minutes. Very low stratus with the cloud down to the sea. Not a day to linger down there. It can only improve!

A former British Prime Minister (aka John Major) is pushing for a second Referendum (how on earth did he ever make Prime Minister?) Are we heading for best out of three? If our MPs and our brilliant Oxbridge-educated Civil Servants - with all the government facts and figures at their fingertips - can't agree on what's best for the UK, how on earth does Major expect the average 'Joe on the street' to be able to when 'Britain's brightest' can't? It begs the question why we are paying them.

Churchill got it right: The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. I certainly wouldn't go for a second Referendum.

12th January. Watching a cracking game of rugby this afternoon between Leinster and Stade Toulousain.. (It finished 29-13) It reminded me that the Guinness 6 Nations starts in just under 3 weeks time.. with a mouth-watering clash on the Friday evening (terrible time to have a game of rugby) between France and Wales.

7th January. Biarritz staged another mass release of some 3,000 Chinese/Japanese lanterns from la Grande Plage last Thursday evening (3rd).. A pity we had to miss it - but I picked up a real winter cold the other day and it wouldn't have been a good idea to have gone. I'm wheezing like an old set of bellows! (aka Man Pain!)
2nd January. This beautifully restored Bentley straight six engine is from a Mark VI model (1950-ish). I could look at this for hours! Period review of the car here.
Looking ahead, the opening round of the Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Tournament is only a month away.. 
We spent the New Year at the home of Madame's sister-in-law on the bay of Arcachon.. where, on New Year's Eve, we and three generations of family enjoyed a wonderful feast of the freshest of fresh seafood - coquilles Saint-Jacques (scallops) to start with; then gambas and crevettes (prawns or shrimp for English readers) of all sizes, followed by sea bream in a creamy sorrel sauce. We'd brought a crisp white Irouléguy. After that, it all gets a bit hazy - but I do remember having some magnificent cheeses (with a red Irouléguy) before we finished up with an assortment of decorated ice cream logs!

On New Year's day, we took the dog down to the sea-front and tried to walk some of the excess off. For lunch, we had a delicious veal stew (can't remember the correct term) - Madame's late brother knew his wine and with it we enjoyed a memorable 2001 Premières Côtes de Blaye from the dwindling reserve of his bottles. It struck me that drinking and enjoying a wine that he'd chosen - 5 years after his passing - was a touching way of remembering him - it brought him near to us all - and I silently toasted his memory. I hope you don't think this is a morbid thought but I think I'll lay down a few selected bottles in the cellar for friends to enjoy around our table one day, hopefully far in the future.

As always, the year stretches ahead as a series of blank pages. Who knows what the coming weeks and months will bring? All I know is that these are days to be filled with laughter and good times - and I'll try to share as many of them as possible with you. Madame and I hope that 2019 will bring much happiness to you and yours.