276. The dawn of a new era

29th February. Apologies for my absence of late because as some of you will be aware, we've been dealing with some health issues here.

I think we've just seen the future of food shopping - we visited Grand Frais at Biarritz this morning.. It's housed in a former Renault dealership - and whoever is behind it has captured the essence of old traditional food markets - and brought it bang up to date. The groaning self-service displays are lit by warm spotlights (shades of Hollywood) and everything looks so appealing (don't worry - I know when I'm being seduced!).

I've never seen such a range, variety and quality of food (freshest of fruit and vegetables - plus meat, fish and dairy products) as here. The word cornucopia sprung to my mind as we walked around - such an abundance of the finest quality products - and at competitive prices. It made shopping a genuine pleasure - and how often do you find yourself saying that? I can see that we'll be regulars here. A similar shop - Coeur de Frais - opened up at Bayonne a while ago (only visited it for the first time the other week) - it's the same concept - the freshest of fresh produce - but again, served in a self service environment.

We've also just heard that Philippe Lopez and Sylvie Lacroix have moved from one of our favourite restaurants - the Café du Musée at Bayonne to Urt, where they've taken over La Galupe, a renowned local restaurant on the banks of the Adour. Philippe has always been an inventive chef and his menus reflected what was in season at that moment. A visit to La Galupe must surely follow as night follows day! (Edited in 2023 to add: I believe Philippe and Sylvie have since departed - maybe their business model didn't survive Covid)

26th February. This haunting piano piece by Rachmaninoff - his Prelude in C Sharp Minor - was written when he was only 19..

Is it me or is not this piece more stirring when played on the organ? Here it is played by Loreto Aramendi, the main organist at Santa Maria del Coro, San Sebastian, Spain. Played like this it uses all the power of the pipe organ.

(Listening to the piano version, I suddenly realised this played an important part in that childhood favourite of millions of kids - myself included - in the 1950s - "Sparky's Magic Piano".. 

19th February. I stumbled upon some early Dylan songs on YouTube earlier - and this album contains many of them.    

15th February. I see that the UK is reportedly in talks with the Chinese over giving Beijing's state-owned railway builder a role in constructing the HS2 high-speed rail line.

While this would probably represent the most cost-effective solution, it's a shameful indictment of just how much of the UK's ability to manage and deliver large infrastructure projects has withered away. Once upon a time, the UK introduced railways to a waiting world - and now, after decades of neglect, managerial incompetence, adversarial industrial relations, under-investment, years of muddled strategic thinking and the inability of UK politicians of all persuasions to think beyond the here and now - we've arrived at the end game. Chickens have come home to roost. Sadly, and tragically for the UK, it appears that we no longer have the ability to build a high speed rail network. Note, we're not talking about manned space flight here - but merely trains that can run at high speed - safely - on purpose built track. It's yet another worrying straw in the wind - similar to the RMS Queen Mary 2 being built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire and the more recent disquiet over Huawei's potential involvement with 5G networks in the UK. 

14th February. I heard a story on the radio earlier today that reminded me of something that happened to me fairly recently. 

I was riding on a train in the Paris Metro (one of those ultra-quiet ones with the rubber tyres) and I was standing by one of the doors swaying with the motion when I felt someone's eyes on me.

I looked up and an elegant Parisienne (somewhere in her forties) sitting a few seats away from me was giving me one of 'those' looks with a single raised quizzical eyebrow. (gulp!)

Being a Brit, I turned away (as you do!) to look out of the window - but a few moments later I turned back to look at her and her smokey eyes were still fixed on me.

At moments like this, it's inevitable that all kinds of scenarios flash through your (OK, my!) head.. but then she stood up and walked over to me and asked, "Would you like my seat?"

Why? What else did you think she was going to say?

12th February. Just back from a quick trip to the Spanish supermarkets here and my world toppled when noticed that Glenmorangie 10 year old (aka my favourite dram that I've been drinking for 45+ years) (I know - I'm a slow drinker!) has rocketed up in price - it's now 42€/litre.. I was at a friend's the other night and he offered me a glass of Speyburn 10 year old Single Malt. I normally add a splash of water to lengthen the taste but I didn't.. Even so, it struck me as an interesting dram and I resolved to see if I could find it in Spain.

Wow - and there it was - and at 23.99€/litre (£20.14 at today's rate - shorely shome mishtake!), it's just over half the price of Glenmorangie. I'll be interviewing the bottle shortly.. It gets quite a good review here. 

Well, I added some water to it - and it's clearly a Single Malt - but I'd have to say that it has fewer of those honeyed heathery notes of the sublime Glenmorangie - but then, it's not far off half the price. At £20 / litre I think it's excellent value for money. Madame is not so sure - but my question is how many drinkable Speyside Single Malts do you know at this price? Here's one I wouldn't thank you for - I'd say Speyburn is at least a step or two up from it. Judging by this review, the jury's still out on Speyburn. I'll have another go at it later in the week.

9th February. Here's a little treat for you - the 1964 Newport Folk Festival when Pete Seeger introduced a 23 year old Bob Dylan with his tour de force song "Hey Mr Tambourine Man" to a spellbound audience - a complex song that defies categorisation with its staggeringly rich imagery (starts at 1:14):

Here's Bob with the song from his "Bringing it all back home" album (1965). 

8th February. Post-match addendum: Well, I'm happy to admit that I got the outcome of the Ireland v Wales match wrong. In the end, Ireland ran out convincing 24-14 winners (video highlights here). I'm happy with that because I freely admit to not being a fan of Welsh rugby and all the baggage that comes with it.

Calcutta Cup

In a windswept and rain-swept Murrayfield, England emerged victorious from a hard-fought 13-6 win against a well-motivated Scotland side in horrible conditions (video highlights here). It wasn't a match for the purists though but I suppose with a greasy ball and a swirling wind we were never going to see a festival of running rugby. I recorded the match but I can't imagine any circumstances that could possibly tempt me to watch it again - but well done England for a gritty performance - they were worthy winners of the Calcutta Cup played in appropriately monsoon-like conditions.

7th February. The Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Tournament kicks off again tomorrow with all four Home nations in action. Ireland welcome Wales to Dublin at 1415 GMT - my money's on Wales to win - after which at 1645 GMT Scotland will fancy their chances against an England XV that was strangely out of sorts against France last week. I think this will be a very close match and the Murrayfield effect is not to be under-estimated. Eddie Jones will have done very well if he comes away with the points.   

I hope we're all allowed to be a little sentimental from time to time. Just as well - because I had Radio Nostalgie Best of 60s playing in the background this morning and Richard Anthony's version of "500 Miles" came on. I was once out in the American Mid-West when I heard the distant wail of a train whistle at night across the lonely prairie.. and it seemed like the most evocative sound I'd ever heard. (More here).

I remember Madame telling me years ago that this great song had been one of her favourites - so here it is:

Here's an earlier version of Hedy West's song by The Journeymen in 1961.. 

4th February. This song of Bill Withers reaches out to me at the moment.

3rd February. The rugby world was stood on its head yesterday when England (2nd in the recent Rugby World Cup) was taken to the cleaners in Paris in just about every department by a young but very capable French XV coached by Fabien Galthié, Raphaël Ibañez and Shaun Edwards. The match finished 24-17.

England coach Eddie Jones made a rod for his own back by announcing prior to the game that England was going to visit "severe brutality" on the French - an ill-advised statement that to this armchair coach at least would serve only to inspire les Bleus. England were minus the Vunipola Bros and they also lost Manu Tuilagi after 15 minutes. It has to be said that England were woeful while France played a fluent aggressive match with creativity, quick line speed and safe handling. After the initial French onslaught, England looked shocked, clueless and a leaderless rabble - and it was only thanks to some individual brilliance by Jonny May that they were able to register some points - points that, in my opinion, flattered them. The normally reliable Owen Farrell had a rare off-day - perhaps as a result of a big 'hit' earlier that seemed to distract him.

Two French players stood out (but there were more) - Charles Ollivon, a powerful 1m99 (6ft6") flanker from nearby Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle who scored two tries and Antoine Dupont, who sparkled at No 9. I think the Wales v France match on 22nd February will play a major part in deciding where the title finishes up.

1st February. Yes, while I might be many miles away from England down here in the Pays Basque, even from this distance I can sense there's been a tangible lifting of the mood among the majority of the population of the UK. Of course, there are those who continue to re-visit old battlegrounds with their tired old arguments that we've had to endure during the last 3½ years but soon even they will come to recognise that the banging sound they can hear is coming from the stable door after the Brexit horse has bolted for good from the EU stable. 

275. The Hindsight Year

31st January. The thermometer on the terrace (in the shade) was registering a very welcome 19°C late this afternoon. I've just been reminded that it's "Chandeleur" on Sunday - in other words, crêpes-a-go-go! This means break out the fat boy pants!

One unfortunate result of our coughing and spluttering this past week has been the unavoidable cancellation of our long-awaited visit to our friends in Biarritz for ze Crunch! Always an entertaining day, full of laughter, comments, enlightenment and the pleasures of the table - but sadly, not this year. 

Tonight sees the culmination of 3½ years of political battling, obfuscation, foot-dragging and the use of any and every Parliamentary tactic (aided and abetted by a shamelessly partisan Speaker) designed to slow down and/or halt the democratic process resulting from the seismic outcome of the 2016 Referendum. At last, the country - prompted by the electorate - has democratically (that word again) chosen the path of self-determination instead of settling for the slow managed decline into insignificance preferred by many from the metropolitan political and media "elite". The preferred option of this elite for our country was for it to exist as a premium fare-paying passenger on the undemocratic EU gravy train that is heading for an idealistic dream of being a global power on a par with the US - but minus the fundamental democratic processes, checks and balances that underpin that Great Democracy. The impeachment case that currently beleaguers Donald Trump is evidence enough that even the president is accountable to the people and his actions are not above the scrutiny of the law. I hold no brief either for or against the incumbent - but this is exactly as it should be.

The world as imagined by John Lennon works fine in a pop song but watching the nation states of Europe subjugate themselves and the freedom of their citizens to this bureaucratic regime (run in Brussels by unelected opportunist political pygmies) in exchange for a few pieces of silver has been an unedifying spectacle. God help them.

If you read nothing else about Brexit, I would urge you to read this powerful piece by Melanie Phillips.. it says everything that needs to be said on this day of days.

This great hymn "Jerusalem" (based on a poem by William Blake) encapsulates what many of us think about our homeland - and it needs no introduction.. (it always sends a shiver through me)

As Martin Luther King Jr said, "Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last."

Montauzer

28th January. The annual rugbyfest that is the 6 Nations tournament kicks off this weekend. First up on Saturday, it's Wales v Italy followed by Ireland v Scotland - then on Sunday, we're off to Biarritz to watch France v England with A & V, our French friends - always an enjoyable occasion regardless of the outcome! Hopefully, it will be him shouting at the TV - not me.

Had a special treat yesterday lunchtime - Madame caught me by surprise when she presented me with some truffled boudins blancs - served with sautéed apple - fresh from Montauzer's new premises smack bang in the centre of Bayonne (above). This was a major mmmm moment! (whatever I did to deserve this, I'm going to keep doing it - once I know what it was!)

27th January. The lunchtime news today led off with a report on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. We're supposed to forgive and forget - but I feel unable to. I don't see how either are possible.

No choir practice for me tonight - I've somehow managed to pick up a bug over the past few days and my voice is not much more than a croak - plus there's are all the usual joint pains - and I'm coughing for Britain. Dr Glenmorangie's Patent Restorative has so far been unable to make an impact on any of my symptoms - we've had Whisky Macs and hot toddies but to no avail - so I guess I'll just have to keep trying.

24th January. Is the cold getting to you? Joints getting a bit stiff? Problems wid de articulamations? Here's the late, great Miriam Makeba with her global 1967 hit, "Pata Pata".. she'll soon have your feet tapping again!

21st January. Spotted in French Entrée magazine: "A study of data that has taken two years to compile has named the best – and worst – places to live in France. The Villes et villages où il fait bon vivre association assessed eight key areas: education, shops and services, health, sports and leisure, solidarity, quality of life, and transport. The 34,841 municipalities of France were ranked based on data provided by the National Statistics Office and, controversially, did not take residents’ views into account.

The winner of the coveted top spot of the category for towns or cities with more than 2000 inhabitants was Annecy, in the Haute-Savoie, closely followed by Bayonne, La Rochelle, Angers and Le Mans. In this category, Biarritz, Anglet and Pau also scored highly.

In the category for locations with fewer than 2000 inhabitants the top three were Peltre, Guéthary and Martinvast." Look up your village/town here.

I have to say that Annecy is a genuinely beautiful town set on a spectacular lake - we visited it a while back - but Bayonne is in the warm South! - and it's far more affordable - and it's a real living working community.. as opposed to Annecy which, without wishing to be unkind, had something of the feel of a retirement home.

It could be argued that those conducting the survey should have included climate, the job market and the property market as factors. One downside to Bayonne is the high humidity - and the Côte Basque is notoriously difficult from an employment perspective.

Still no reply or even an acknowledgement from Bill Wiggin MP to my email of 7th January proposing that the UK offers assistance to the Australian government to combat the fires raging throughout the country.

Haggis, clampit tatties & bashed neeps
(decode extra!)

This week will see the slaughter of thousands of innocent haggis in readiness for this coming Saturday when Burns Night (video here) will be celebrated throughout the length and breadth of Scotland as well as by all those exiled Scots around the world wishin' they were hame. This is also one occasion when this particular Sassenach wishes that he could be north of the border to enjoy this most über-Scottish of celebrations.

For those who curl their lips at the idea of eating this Caledonian delicacy, let me simply say that it is truly de-lic-ious - and it tastes even better when accompanied by a dram or several of mountain dew - aka the Great Scottish Blended or Single Malt Restorative Compound (ye ken fit I'm talkin' aboot!). On a winter's night, what could be better?

Make no mistake - it has to be Scotch whisky. Would you consider buying a bottle of Polish claret, a Mexican Rolex or a pair of Chinese Levis? Of course you wouldn't. Yes, there are now several distillers around the world offering up their products and calling them Whisky - or Single Malt Whisky (here are but two examples - here and here) but trust me, we're talking chalk and cheese here. Buy a bottle to offer to your friends - saving the genuine article for yourself. I've tried both of the examples above and I can honestly say that they're not even close.

I remember one enjoyable Burns Night aeons ago when whisky was served before, during and after the meal. The funny thing was, the next day I suffered no noticeable battle damage - none whatsoever. For me, it's fatal to mix whisky with wine.       

I was down at the beach a day or two ago early in the morning to give Nutty his morning run and it was a bracing 1°C..!

I'm honoured and privileged to have been invited to the Château Vieux in Bayonne this coming Thursday for the Galette des Rois ceremony. The Château Vieux is situated in the heart of Bayonne and it's currently the Mess of the 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (1er RPIMa) as well as housing the personal quarters of its Officer Commanding. I was there last year and there were a few lantern-jawed paras present who looked straight out of Central Casting! (think "Rambeau"!)

19th January. We went out to a concert yesterday evening to see David Krakauer and the Chamber Orchestra of Nouvelle Aquitaine at the Quintaou Theatre, Anglet. David Krakauer is an American clarinetist who performs klezmer, jazz, classical music, and avant-garde improvisation. To be absolutely honest, we both preferred the playing of the clarinetist in the orchestra to that of the soloist.

This is how the piece should be played (the adagio starts at 12.33) - with the clarinetist showing the instrument's capability to produce that wonderfully liquid tone. I'm no expert but to both of us, the soloist last night had the instrument shrieking in a way that didn't do justice to this great piece.

Still, we both enjoyed the experience of live music.. I've become so used to listening to music either from CDs or via YouTube these days that the difference was really remarkable.. particularly in the strings. I think YouTube recordings capture only the centre part of the frequency bandwidth required to give a faithful rendition of the sound. The experience made us both want to attend more concerts.

Meanwhile, here's one of my favourite Simon and Garfunkel tracks..

15th January. Still waiting for a response (or even an acknowledgement) from Bill Wiggin, my MP, to my proposal that the UK takes the initiative in helping to provide whatever aid the Australian Govt deems necessary. Whichever way you look at it, this is a major catastrophe.

12th January. I offer this to you all as a freebie! - in full knowledge that it might not be your cup of tea.. It's Nostalgie Best of 60s - it's a good mix of great French and English songs from the 60s. You'll probably have to disable your ad-blockers to access the site from this link.

10th January. No reply as yet from my MP.

8th January. This is a beautiful contemplative piece from J S Bach - his Adagio in D Minor, BWV 974 - played here on a harpsichord by Olga Pashchenko:

Here's the Adagio played on the piano by a binman (garbage disposal operative?) in a Russian street before the piano is taken away to help the police with their enquiries. Or something.

7th January. Given the extent of the Australian bush fires that have been - and still are - sweeping the country, I asked myself the other day why hasn't there been a coordinated international effort to try and bring these fires under control and bring assistance of all kinds to the community? Here in Europe there are countries - like France for example - that possess numerous firefighting aircraft (like these Canadairs) - and I remember seeing similar but more capacious aircraft in service in the US. From a practical perspective, it would be a simple matter to deploy jet-powered water bombers (like some shown here) to this distant region. It's also the northern hemisphere winter so there can be little or no requirement for them here.

Is it that Australia needs to ask for help from the international community first? This image below shows that Australia is a huge country. Surely we could and should all be doing more to help our friends down under? If the much bandied-about term "Global Village" is to mean anything, this ongoing human tragedy and ecological disaster surely demands a world-wide response.

Email your representatives / MPs / Congressmen  / Deputies and demand action! I've emailed my MP and I'll publish his response here if/when he replies.

Here's a video that originated from ABC Australia Central Coast that (Warning!) shows some harrowing, even apocalyptic, scenes.. It's hard to watch:
2nd January 2020. Here's a look at the Pyrenees as seen from the air - it's a video with a Spanish commentary - but it has some truly spectacular footage. Our part of the world comes in at 13:40..

Happy New Year! I can't believe we're already 20 years on from the Millennium. Remember all the media uncertainty and hype about Y2K and what might happen if all our computers went on the fritz?

My ears pricked up when I heard this playing on the radio earlier today - "Sheep may safely graze" by J S Bach - a piece that's long been a favourite of mine. Here, it's sung beautifully by the University of Redlands choir, California, directed by Mr J William Jones way back in 1957. Here are the lyrics as transcribed by me:

Sheep may safely graze and pasture

In a watchful shepherd's sight.
Sheep may safely graze and pasture (Repeat)
In a watchful shepherd's sight. (Repeat)

Those who rule, with wisdom guiding,

Bring to hearts a peace abiding,
Bless a land with joy made bright.

Those who rule, with wisdom guiding,
Bring to hearts a peace abiding,
Peace abiding, peace abiding,

Bless a land with joy made bright.

I've not been able to make out the final verse. If anyone does know the final verse as sung below, I'd be grateful you could send it to me via the Comments facility at the end of this post.. Alternatively, email me via the contact address in the left hand column. Many thanks.   

It's a benchmark performance and the Redlands choir is simply the perfect blend of voices, singing with conviction. I've listened to it more times than I care to admit to! I wonder how many of them are still with us? Enjoy!

If the YouTube player above is intermittent, - try this direct link to the source video.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir can always be relied on to provide a wonderfully polished performance and while they don't disappoint here, I just prefer the version above. 

Here's the same piece - but this time it's performed / rendered / mangled (you decide) on the Moog synthesiser. From the image of Herr Bach that appears early in the video, you could be excused for thinking that he'd been overdoing the Bolivian Marching Powder!

274. December again..!

31st December (aka Saint-Sylvestre here). I just noticed that France play England in Paris on 2nd February in the first weekend of the 2020 6 Nations rugby tournament. Not long to wait then this year!

Here we are again - as the closing hours of 2019 tick away. For many, it's an occasion for letting rip one last time before the New Year presents itself with bills to be paid (or to be tucked behind the clock on the mantelpiece!).

We're off out this evening - to Restaurant Larralde, Ascain - as they've put together an interesting-looking menu for this evening. This means that I'll have to limit myself to a couple of glasses of wine during the course of the evening - but this is honestly no longer the hardship that it might once have been a few years ago. I'll be quite happy with a glass of Jurançon doux (the wines of Domaine Cauhapé are a current favourite) and one of velvety Irouléguy Gorri d'Ansa (right).. We're taking a friend who would otherwise be on her own. 

For others, this time of the year is often a difficult hurdle to surmount, especially for those who have lost a loved one during the previous 12 months and before. Each New Year is a reminder of loss and it marks a further distancing from the passing of a loved one - and for those out there for whom this applies, try and seek comfort in the bosom of your friends and/or relatives. Tomorrow is a new day and life continues afresh - if not exactly as before. Remember that quote: "The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, moves on.."

I was out early this this morning to the bakers in town before Ali Baba (& friends) sweep through and hoover up everything out on display. (I remember this scene from childhood a long time ago)

Coming back, the whitewashed Basque houses glowed yellow in the slanting rays of the early morning sun.   

30th December. It was a crisp 2°C this morning.. but at least we had cloudless blue skies.

Boudins blancs with sauté'd apple

I forgot to mention that Madame made our favourite boudin blanc aux pommes for lunch yesterday. These were the truffled boudins blancs from Montauzer in town.. but as they're a seasonal dish that appears only during the Christmas season, perhaps that's why they don't feature on the website. If you are tempted to try them, whatever you do, don't buy them from a supermarket - find a good charcutier who makes his own.

Verdict? They were absolutely de-lic-ious! (my mouth's still watering with the memory!)

29th December. This morning I took the pooch to the coast for a run and according to the car it was 3°C (37°F).. When I got down to the beach there were some quite big breakers rolling in - and here's the thing - the sea must have been warmer than the air above it as steam fog (or sea smoke) was forming and rolling off the waves in billowing clouds.. I've seen it once before here on the river Nive - but this was the first time I'd seen this phenomenon at sea.

As 2019 rumbles on towards its end, it's maybe time to review the past 12 months - or maybe not! Whenever I turn on the TV or the radio, or open a newspaper, the first thing that catches my eye are the inevitable lists of the 10/50/100 Best Whatevers (pick from Teams, Cars, Books etc etc) from the last decade, or yet another reminder of those who have shuffled off to pastures new in another world - most of these last being 'celebrities' I've never heard of!

To spare you from having to read yet another list, let's look instead at one or two highlights. The political uncertainty of the last 3½ years since the Brexit referendum had been a constant reminder to me of the potential fragility of my position here. I decided to find a solution that could mitigate any downside of Brexit from a personal perspective - and so I applied for French citizenship.

I think the single event that pleased me the most in the last 12 months came when I learned that my application for French citizenship had finally been approved. This means that my position here is now secure, regardless of what happens on the Brexit front, especially if the UK leaves the EU on WTO terms, ie, "No Deal" - as I think it will. (Here's a brief guide to WTO terms).

One of the side benefits of my being a bona fide French citizen (albeit one with dual nationality) is that I can now vote here. I duly applied at the Town Hall to be added to the registered list of voters. It's not an automatic process - for some reason, my request had to be approved by the Mayor of Bayonne. However, all's well that ends well as he did approve it - so now I can vote in elections here.

Does my newly acquired French ID card mean that I won't ever return to live in the Independent Coastal State (as the EU now likes to characterise the UK) that lies across the English Channel from Calais? I can think of few scenarios that could force me to do so - but one possible scenario might be if the value of the £ sterling vs the Euro were to plummet to a point where it became financially unsustainable to continue to live here.

Who was it who wrote: "This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this Independent Coastal State"..? Here's the original.  In classifying the UK as an Independent Coastal State, the EU has succeeded* in removing the magic from the title of Bill Bryson's first great book!

* Only here in this blog! I did it just to emphasise the EU's sterile vocabulary and lack of imagination - remembering that it was this particular small Independent Coastal State (supported by the Commonwealth and the Dominions) that stood resolutely alone in 1940 until the United States entered the war in December 1941. The Anglosphere Allies enabled freedom and democracy to be re-established in continental Europe. I know it's unfashionable and perhaps insensitive of me to remind people of this inconvenient fact - but it does need re-stating from time to time.

If you haven't read Bill's valedictory review of the island that had been his home for some 10 years, I would urge you to do so. It's a very, very funny book indeed.

25th December. Our very best wishes to all of you out there.. I hope this is a happy time for you with family and friends - but just remember that, if they're in short supply, tomorrow's another day. (Maybe Dr Glenmorangie can make a house call!)

22nd December. Another noisy night here on the Côte Basque with strong winds and rain lashing down all night. We have a weatherproof cover on the table outside - hope it's still there! Gusts of 140km/h (85mph) with 9 metre (30ft) high waves..

20th December. On the lunchtime news today there was a report that a maximum wind speed of 207km/h (128mph) had been recorded during the night at Irati.. I went to sleep last night to the various sounds of shutters rattling, the roof creaking, wind whistling and howling around the house etc etc before falling into my usual coma! For some reason, these sounds kept Madame awake! 

The weather forecast for Saturday does not augur well for the mass release of thousands of Japanese lanterns planned for tomorrow evening - strong winds and heavy rain are forecast. Great pity as last year's event was a real triumph. (we didn't attend - thinking that we'd go to the one planned for 21st instead). I suspect tomorrow's release will be cancelled or postponed.

   

Yesterday I attended the funeral of the mother of one of our Basque mountain guides for an association I'm involved with - she was 97. The funeral was held in the church of Saint-Etienne in the beautiful village of Espelette. While waiting outside, I was talking to an elderly Basque gentleman and he happened to mention the village of Villefranque. I told him that we'd stayed in a gîte there for five months upon our arrival in the Pays Basque in 2007. It turned out that the owner and propriétaire of the gîte - Mr D - was his brother-in-law! Small world. 

The church was packed and the service was all in Basque. As is the custom here, all the Basque hymns were sung with a gusto unknown in England - especially for those of us brought up in the Church of England tradition (I was its sole representative!). What could be better than to leave this world to the sound of these ancient songs, sung with such force and passion? It must be a great comfort to the family.

Afterwards, I was invited to join the extended family at a restaurant in the hills for the traditional post-funeral meal. The communal spirit was quite remarkable.. and it's one of the reasons I love the people here.    

18th December. This morning we drove to Peyrehorade (about 45 mins away) to meet up with a friend to look at the Christmas market.

Walking through the crowds, it was clear that we were in la France profonde heartland! As is usual with these markets, there was an optimist who was trying to sell mattresses (there's always one!). I've never understood this.. It seems that "going to the mattresses" means literally that in the Pays Basque! (maybe we've misunderstood "The Godfather" all these years!) I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that a mattress is the last thing I'm thinking of when I visit a market. (I must be missing something!)

The real reason for our trip to Peyrehorade was to pay a long-awaited visit to "Au Bon Coin aux Pieds de Cochon". This unpretentious restaurant is something of an institution in the area - it serves authentic regional food cooked in the traditional manner.

pièce du boucher

la grande dégustation..

One of the items on the à la carte menu was something called La Grande Dégustation (left). It comprised almost all of my personal nightmare dishes - all on one plate! There was tripe, a calf's head with sauce gribiche* and a pig's trotter. A portion of andouillette would have completed the nightmare for me. Like the mattress, how many people leave home thinking "I fancy tripe, a calf's head (with sauce gribiche) and a pig's trotter for lunch"! We safely avoided la grande dégustation and instead ordered a pièce du boucher - an un-named cut of beef (above) while our friend chose an omelette au cèpes.

* this was said to be one of the late President Jacques Chirac's favourite dishes.

Looking around the busy dining room while we waited, locals were tucking into prodigious quantities of food and the room resounded with many animated conversations in the unmistakable twang of the south west. I'd like to return someday and try some of the other dishes. Here's what someone else thought of it (in French).

16th December. How many more chocolate shops can a small town of 40,000 support? Two new ones have opened in Bayonne (however, there may be more that your scribe is unaware of).

Perhaps the better-placed of the two is Puyodebat (opposite Monoprix at the intersection of Rue de la Monnaie and Rue Orbe..). The shop, a former jewellers, has been re-styled and really looks ultra-chic with some spectacular-looking chocolate products.

The other new kid on the block is Chocolat Pascal that has taken over the former shop of Montauzer (at the intersection of Rue de la Salie and Rue du Pilori).

We stopped off for a hot chocolate (5*!) at Kalaka Café.. Highly recommended.

15th December. As today was sunny with blue skies, we headed off to Biarritz that dazzled us in the bright sunshine. We had a good walk along the sea front on the Grande Plage that was protected by a barrier of sandbags. Imagine a row of sturdy canvas bags full of sand, each about 4 feet x 4 x 4, all ratchet-strapped together - and you've got it. In previous years, the sea has come up onto the promenade and smashed a few windows.. This solution looks capable of withstanding most of what winter might throw at it. Unfortunately, the Bleu Café (our favourite) was closed up for winter so we found a table at Le Georges, a café in the Place Clémenceau.

14th December. Into town straight after lunch and the outside terraces of the restaurants and cafés were full of people! The temperature was 18°C.. not bad for just before Christmas..

The centre of Bayonne (particularly near the rivers) will be at risk of further flooding today if this video (filmed yesterday) is anything to go by:
 This (below) was the Nive at Bayonne this morning - at low tide - and the level is still dangerously high.. but it takes more than floodwater to stop the Basques from singing (see 1:06):
Villages further inland look set to be troubled by rising floodwaters - though not, at the time of writing, on the same scale as was seen recently in south east France:
Fortunately, we're on higher ground so zero flood risk - but, with Christmas looming, my sympathies are with those who are faced with rising waters.

13th December. Listening to Classic FM earlier, I'm sure I heard the presenter announce the next piece of music as coming from Wagner's Rinse Cycle..

Just back from town on a last-minute shopping expedition for a few odds and ends to top up Madame's Christmas stocking. As we walked back on a very blowy morning, we faced a prolonged headwind that felt like at least 80km/h (50mph) that made Nutty's long ears stand out horizontally. I was convinced that they were actually producing lift!  

Following the outcome of the UK election, at last we have a government with a substantial majority that will, after the log-jam at Westminster that's dominated politics since June 2016, enable the country to move on with the #1 issue on the agenda. There are many issues with the Withdrawal Agreement that is essentially the one that Theresa May negotiated - minus the Irish backstop - but that's all for the future. This result completely changes the political dynamic in the House of Commons and opens the door to further progress. That's all I'm going to say.

11th December. We had blue skies and sunshine at midday and we'd hoped that perhaps we'd seen the last of the squalls out of the Bay of Biscay - but earlier this evening once again we heard heavy rain lashing against the shutters and the sound of water running in the gutters. Even the dog limits his time outside to the bare minimum required!

"The World's Gone Mad" Department: German banks have now started charging retail customers for their savings. Now I'm a self-confessed financial pygmy but for the life of me I cannot understand why, given that, anyone would want to deposit money in a savings account in a German bank. There must be some hidden warning implicit in this but I haven't the economic insight to say what it could be. Will this policy trigger a rush towards gold? Has the ECB started printing money - aka quantitative easing (QE)? Here's the Bank of England's take on QE - and the ECB's guide to it. They make it all sound so benign.  

This Peter, Paul and Mary song (1969) came up on the radio earlier and it took me straight back to 1967 when Madame and I met - and before long, we were conducting a long distance relationship.

It was a bittersweet time for us as it seemed that we were forever waiting at airports or windswept railway stations to either meet each other or to say goodbye till next time. And when we were together, the time flew by.

Then there were the postal strikes and expensive international phone calls. If only we'd had email, Skype, VoIP phones*, the Eurostar train or Ryanair back then - but we didn't. This song captures that period.

* We pay about 7€/month for our VoIP phone - and that gives us unlimited phone calls throughout Europe and North America.

9th December. I've just noticed that there will be another spectacular mass release of Japanese lanterns in Bayonne on Saturday evening, 21st December. We went to last year's event and it was a great evening! If you are planning on coming, it's highly likely that the drifting smells from foodstands will give you an appetite. In that case, it's probably a good idea to book a table somewhere in advance for afterwards. I think the police estimated that there were 50,000 people present in 2018. Just to remind you, this was 2018:
Some wild winds during the night and looking outside now there are only a very few leaves left hanging on. I could hear the muted roar of the sea in the distance when I let Nutty out. Might just swing by the beach later on for a look.. it's always an impressive sight.

8th December. Struggling to find a Christmas present for a father/husband/son/brother/cousin? My father once gave me a copy of Eric Newby's first book - "The Last Grain Race" - and I think I wore the print off the pages by reading it so many times! I lent it to someone (forgotten who) years ago - and it was never returned. I bought a second copy a decade or two ago - and the same thing happened. I've just downloaded another copy onto my Kindle - it should be safe there.

"One hand for yourself and
 one hand for the ship.."

Eric was 18 years old when, in 1938, he signed on as an apprentice on "Moshulu", a Finnish 4 masted barque working the South Australian grain trade. He was the only native speaker of English on the ship - the rest were largely Scandinavian (Swedish or Finnish) - with a sprinkling of other nationalities. He has a terrific ear for dialogue and the book fizzes with laughter and acute discomfiture in equal measure. The characters he describes live on years after my first reading of the book - as well as the tensions that built up between the Captain, the Mates and the crew and how they were resolved - sometimes explosively. He's at his best when describing the sensation of being "op the rigging" and out on a spar in the middle of the night in a storm-tossed Southern Ocean:

At this height, 130 feet up, in a wind blowing 70 miles an hour, the noise was an unearthly scream. Above me was the naked topgallant yard and above that again the royal to which I presently climbed ... the high whistle of the wind through the halliards sheaf, and above all the pale blue illimitable sky, cold and serene, made me deeply afraid and conscious of my insignificance.

Eric joined the ship as a boy - and left it a man.  He appears to have been ravenously hungry, cold, wet, exhausted, and yet exhilarated all at the same time. The next meal assumed an importance for the crew that's difficult for us to comprehend today. Ironically, "Moshulu" is now a floating restaurant - moored at Philadelphia..

This short video gives some idea of what life was like on board one of these ocean-going windjammers:

I defy anyone not to enjoy this book - even if you've never sailed a boat or been higher than the top deck of the Clapham omnibus! This is one book I can recommend unreservedly. 

7th December. There's a new word in town - curated - and it's one I've been aware of reading for the past few months without it really registering on my cringe-ometer. I see the NY Times spotted it 10 years ago - a decade before it popped up on my radar. What does it mean? Simply means that objects in a collection that have been "curated" have been specially selected by 'one who knows'. In other words, it's more media tosh. You won't be reading it here.

4th December. Earlier today, I came across a curated list (aaargghh! See above..) of 30 things to love about life in France - the author gets most of them spot-on. See if you agree. My comments in red:

1. Café culture and people watching, it's a way of life in France.

2. Croissants: flaky, buttery, sweet and soft, the perfect start to the day.

3. Cheese: Camembert, Brie, Comté, Epoisses, Munster, Tomme - even Vieux Boulogne, officially the smelliest cheese in the world. + Brillat-Savarin & Vacherin Mont d'Or 

4. Cakes that look like jewels and taste like heaven made by master craftsmen.

5. Eiffel Tower: meant to last for just 20 years, the 130-year-old Eiffel Tower is one of the most photographed sites in the world.

6. Wine: red, white, rosé and even yellow wine from the Jura region. There is a wine to suit all. 

7. Banks where you get to speak to a real person.

8. I love that French bookshops are still going strong. Nothing wrong with buying books online but there's something reassuring about seeing books on shelves.

9. Champagne, of course.

10. Crêpes: thin, sweet and crispy or savoury galettes from Brittany, what's not to love?

11. Paris. As in point five.

12. Brocantes, vide-greniers, marchés aux puces: flea markets are a national obsession and a cultural connection for visitors.

13. Two-hour lunch breaks being normal! 

14. French language: croquer la vie à pleines dents literally means 'bite into life with all your teeth' but really it means, 'To embrace life to the fullest.'

15. Baguettes: Tucked under your arm, sticking out of a basket, nibbling the end, smothered with butter - a taste of France.

16. The French passion for heritage and deep-rooted support for the arts.

17. Christmas Eve dinner lasting until 5am. 

18. Community spirit in country villages. 

19. Work-life balance - key to the good life in France.

20. Street markets being a way of life, ensuring local producers are supported and people can buy fresh, seasonal, local produce. 

21. Shops that close at lunchtime and on Sundays, and are not open all night long. 

22. Bastille Day or le Quatorze Juillet as the French call it: fun, food and fireworks.

23. Politesse (politeness): saying bonjour when you walk into a shop, doctor's waiting room, shaking hands with everyone in the local bar. 

24. French philosophy: Mangez bien, riez souvent, aimez beaucoup. It means eat well, laugh often, love abundantly... I think we all agree with that then!

25. Supermarkets that have an aisle dedicated to local produce.

26. La mairie (town hall) - the one-stop shop for all your questions about life in your village or town.

27. Beautiful châteaux.

28. Architecture: Baroque, Hausmannian, Le Corbusier, Auguste Perrett, French Renaissance, Gothic, Romanesque, Gallo-Roman, Beaux Arts, Belle Epoque and more… 

29. Family values.

30. French people. It can take a while to make French friends, but once you do, it's for life. 

A friend has just suggested: Modern and clean trains that run on time that get to useful destinations by reasonable routes at sensible prices. Agree 100%. 

If you have your own reasons to love life here, don't be shy - send them in to me! (via the contact form in the left hand column - or add a comment at the foot of this post) I'll add them to the list (no names!).

In talking to people here who went on school trips to England years ago, it appears that just as I have an aversion to andouillette and tête de veau (calf's head), there seems to be one thing, above all, that many French people remember with horror - and that's jelly! (jello in the US). I must admit that I haven't had any for years - but when I was a child, it was very popular.. With some tinned fruit (pears, pineapple or peaches) and a swirl of evaporated milk, there was always room for seconds! (this was the 1950s remember)

However, on a scale of 1-10, jelly for me doesn't get even close to the real horrors that are andouillette and tête de veau (both of these are solidly in projectile-vomiting territory). I've tried both andouillette and tête de veau once (you have to) but wild horses etc etc. I guess it all depends what you are used to. Naturally there's an association for andouillette. If I was forced - at gunpoint - to have to choose to eat one or the other, I think tête de veau would just shade it - by a millimetre or two. It would have to be a big gun though! If I'm honest, I'd rather go hungry. I don't care what anyone says - for me, these two dishes are the stuff of nightmares.

Next come the marginal dishes. There are several dishes in France that I've never been hungry enough to try: snails.. (and yes, I know the garlic and parsley butter is delicious); tripe - regardless of how it's been cooked; whelks (bulots here). Ris de veau (sweetbreads or pancreas) teeters on the brink (I tried this once - couldn't finish it). I've never had the opportunity to try a pied de cochon (pig's trotter). There are probably one or two more out there that I can't remember just at the moment - but, in extremis, I could - just - imagine eating something in this group.. maybe. Perhaps - when there's a 'k' in the month.

To try some of these specialities, you must pay Au Pied de Cochon (right) a visit. It's open 24 hours/day.. so it's perfect for night owls (and owlettes!). Their onion soup au gratin is legendary.. I had this once in the 60s at about 4am.. You'll see an eclectic and eccentric mix of  characters there too.. (menu here) I've added it to the map in the left hand column.

On the other hand, there are some/many specialities here that I really do enjoy: duck gizzards (gésiers de canard); foie gras (social suicide in some quarters to admit to this), calves' liver, frogs legs, oysters, mussels. I'll think of some more.       

1st December. Fingers crossed that December will be drier than the month just gone.

We've been talking about a trip up to Paris - not sure if it will be this month or next year in the Spring - but just writing that has made my mind up!