30th September. I was watching the TV coverage of the funeral of former President Jacques Chirac from Saint-Sulpice when I heard this sublime piano piece being played. It's Schubert's ImpromptuOp.142 (D.935) No.2 in A flat Major - played here by Daniel Barenboim and I later learned that it was President Macron himself who had been inspired to select both the piece and Daniel Barenboim's interpretation of it. The same piece was repeated over the images of the hearse as it drove away through the eternal streets of Paris, preceded by a phalanx of police motorcyclists. Very moving.
An avuncular figure, Jacques Chirac was renowned for his love of France and her people, and to many here he epitomised all that was good about France and he was well-liked across the political spectrum. He was equally at home at the Elysée Palace or at the annual Salon International de l'Agriculture at the Paris expo Porte de Versailles where he clearly took great pleasure in many of the things that France is noted for - including two of my personal no-go areas: andouillette and tête de veau. On occasion he would stay at Biarritz and reportedly would walk down from his hotel (Le Miramar) to the Hotel du Palais for a gin and tonic. Thinking about it, I thought that he had much in common with that great American president Ronald Reagan.
Jacques Chirac 1932 - 2019
Schubert is a composer whose works I've completely overlooked. Here's Vladimir Horowitz with Schubert's Impromptu in G flat Op. 90 No. 3..
29th September. It was a beautiful September morning here in the Pays Basque and where better to spend it than at the Bleu Café, Biarritz contemplating the endless Atlantic breakers. A silvery mist hung over the town this morning and it seemed to add sparkle to the scene:
28th September. In mid-August, we had a break in the stunning Ossau valley.. to the south east of here. Take a look at these images of this majestic landscape which is off the tourist trail. Robert Frost summed it up best:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Last December we were in Bordeaux in connection with my application for French citizenship (which came through by the way) and we stopped for lunch at Ragazzi da Peppone - one of the most authentic Italian restaurants I've been in. I noticed the other day that a branch has opened in Bayonne and if it's anything like its parent restaurant up at Bordeaux, we'll soon be regulars! Here are some reviews..
27th September. Time for a bit of Django..
26th September. In the 2019 Rugby World Cup being held in Japan, England played the USA in what turned out to be a mighty physical clash.. There was much "beef on the hoof" on show from both sides and there were more than a few ground-shuddering tackles that must have registered on a Richter scale somewhere.
Piers Francis (Eng) was cited after the match for a high tackle on Will Hooley in the opening seconds that left the American full-back concussed. Meanwhile John Quill (USA) was sent off later on the game for a high tackle on Owen Farrell.
England ran out convincing winners and I think they were fortunate to emerge unscathed. They're still making more handling errors than they should (said he from his armchair) but in their defence the ball was clearly slippery. They put some excellent moves together that, with a bit more assuredness, would have resulted in a bigger scoreline. But - let's not be greedy - this was a good win against a powerful American side.
Here's a beautiful early morning shot of Bayonne looking south towards the misty Pyrenees.. showing the confluence of the Nive in the centre with the mighty Adour flowing from the left towards the open sea. The boat (right) soaking up the sunshine is a floating restaurant (still on our "to do" list after 12 years) with the colonnaded Town Hall behind it. Click to enlarge!
Sorry to have left the blog on the back burner for the past few weeks - but I've been very busy in the aftermath of the recent commemorative Comète weekend - so, like the mayor of Pompeii in 79AD, I'm waiting for the dust to settle. Innumerable emails in and out, photographs to gather and videos to piece together - plus I've got a symposium coming up in October on the subject of escape/evasion lines in and around the Pyrenees.. and much preparation work is required for that.
7th September. Nutty (our cocker spaniel) has discovered a small colony of lizards in the garden and he's become obsessed with trying to catch them. They lie immobile on our hot pebbled paths soaking up the heat only to take off in a frenzied blur when he charges up at them. He's way off the mark but that doesn't stop him in his latest obsession.
There was a letter in today's Daily Telegraph that caught my eye:
SIR – What country in its right mind would want to leave the world’s largest trading bloc and risk financial ruin by going it alone without a deal? What country, attempting to hold together a union of disparate political entities, would risk that union when many of its inhabitants do not support the break-up in the first place? What country’s leaders would be prepared to take a reckless leap into the unknown in the illusory hope of a brighter, more prosperous future, free from outside interference?
The answer, of course, is the United States in 1776.
They must have been insane.
Nicholas Young
London W13
6th September. Life has been increasingly hectic here with the imminent approach of one of the highlights of the year - yes, it's time for the annual commemorative Comet Line weekend in the Pays basque that will take place 13th - 15th September.. I've been busy translating innumerable speeches and preparing this, that and the other.
In the meantime, here's a long programme that features some of the most beautiful squares in Paris. If the commentary is distracting, just turn the volume down a tad. One particular favourite of ours is the Place des Vosges. If you want to go there directly, start at 23.47..
The square makes a defining statement about the French love of control of Nature, of planned formality, of "statement" architecture, of order and precision - and, in my view, a fundamental distrust of anything that looks unplanned by the hand of Man. In a nation sometimes seen as unruly and indisciplined, this square reveals and underlines a fundamental contradiction in the French character - a desire for order and symmetry in a disorderly and asymmetric world. This may be one of the reasons why they consistently fail to understand the occasional anarchic shenanigans of British politics! (like the rest of us then!)
We like the Place des Vosges for personal, entirely different, reasons! It's a fascinating place to walk around under the colonnaded arches - I'm not the world's best shopper by any means but there are some individual shops, galleries, restaurants and cafés there that repay closer inspection. Once there, there's a sense that you're in an oasis of calm. The centre of the square is formal - but despite that, it's one of our favourite places - and it's an ideal spot to ask someone a question. Enough. As the presenter rightly says, it's a place that's easy to overlook if you don't know it's there. See what you think:
1st September. If there's a month in which to visit the Pays basque and experience it at its very best - it's September. I realise I could be pushing my luck saying this but the weather is generally stable with average temperatures of 25°C; the sea is still warm; those seasonal visitors with children of school age have returned home - and finding a parking space in the same time zone as the place you are visiting becomes possible - maybe!
31st August. From the "How Times Flies" Dept.. Tomorrow, it will be 12 years to the day since we arrived here in the Pays Basque - thus fulfilling a long-held dream. There's always an element of risk in taking the decision to live out a dream - as dreams can sometimes turn out to be fantasies - but, prior to making our decision, we tried to think of all the likely (and unlikely) possibilities that could arise and assessed the likelihood of any of them happening. We tried to have a plan for each one. Our biggest risk was moving to the eurozone with our sterling pensions (but that's another story). In the end, it came down to a yes/no decision - and we took the plunge and it worked out very well for us.
A few years ago, we encountered someone who was clearly something of a fantasist. One hot summer's day, we stopped for a drink in a traditional café in the heart of an ancient market town a few miles inland from here. On trying to order a citron pressé from the waiter - and getting the blankest of looks in return - our suspicions that the café was owned by a "subject of her gracious Majesty" (as they say here) were confirmed when we spotted beer-battered fish & chips chalked up on the menu board. Again, nothing wrong with that - but here, in a traditional village in la France profonde?
The waiter went back inside and a few seconds later, a lady - clearly the owner - came out to help.
Even I could hear that she had attended the "Edward Heath School of French" (for readers with long memories!) and she was as English as could be. Again, nothing wrong with that of course, but a café plays such a central rôle in the life of a village community here that her rudimentary language skills and inability to be able to serve standard menu items doomed the project to failure from the start. I admired her pluck in trying it but the odds were heavily stacked against her making a go of it. Sure enough, a few weeks ago, we passed through the village and sadly her café was no more. 29th August. In 1975, the UK held a referendum that addressed its continued membership of the EEC. The question as asked was: "The Government has announced the results of the renegotiation of the United Kingdom's terms of membership of the European Community. Do you think the United Kingdom should stay in the European Community (the Common Market)?" In a 64% turnout of the electorate, the country voted to stay by 67% to 33% (figures rounded up/down to nearest whole number).
In June 2016, the UK held another referendum to ask the electorate a simple yes/no question: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?" In a 72% turnout, the country voted 52% to 48% to leave.
It should have been a straightforward process for the UK to leave an international organisation it had joined freely and of its own volition some 40+ years ago. After all, it's not as though the EU is the Warsaw Pact. However, the EU has treated the democratic result of the UK referendum with outright hostility from the outset. France's erstwhile president Hollande threatened darkly that "there would be consequences". Perhaps the reason why UK should be subject to the EU's punitive and frankly hostile stance may emerge in the fullness of time.
Amid a storm of protest, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has acted with characteristic decisiveness to suspend Parliament for just over a month. As I see it, this was to forestall those in Parliament who have been working furiously to derail any moves to leave the EU without a deal. The protesters claim that Parliament is being denied its voice. To that, I would say that we have endured 3+years of listening non-stop to parliamentarians and endless media speculation and we are still no nearer now to implementing the referendum result than we were in 2016. As long as our efforts to leave the EU remain stalled, the worse it is for Britain and the EU at large across the board. We need closure on Brexit and we need to move on. So - well done Boris. At last, we have a prime minister worthy of the name.
27th August. Here's a recent shameful quote from Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator:
"My mission will have been a success when the terms are so brutal for the British that they prefer to stay in the union.” This comment merely serves to confirm my belief that, for all its fine words, the EU remains a deeply politicised club that we are well out of.
Barnier's appalling statement was followed by one in similar spirit from Donald Tusk - the president of the EU Council - who declared just before the G7 that "the one thing I will not cooperate on is no deal."
Barnier contrived to lock the UK into a 'brutal' deal - one that no freedom-loving country could accept - and so the only alternative now is to leave on No Deal terms - and in this Tusk says he will refuse to cooperate. With "Friends and Partners" like these, who needs enemies?
I can't imagine for one second that Winston Churchill, Britain's greatest-ever Englishman, Prime Minister and statesman, would have ever uttered either of the statements quoted above.
He had it right: “Never Give In, Never, Never, Never, Never Give In – In nothing great or small, large or petty – Never Give In, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force, never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” There's an excellent overview of Churchill here. To get a sense of this true giant of the 20th century, I can unreservedly recommend taking the time to visit his home - Chartwell, in Kent.
25th August. I was out with the dog this evening - it was warm and sultry - when I saw that a substantial metal barrier (about 3 metres high) had been erected from wall-to-wall across the road at the top of our avenue, thus securing access to the Law Courts (which have been fenced in and guarded by armed gendarmes). I noticed that four armed gendarmes - all in full heavy tactical kit - were watching me closely and so I thought I'd go across and congratulate them on providing a safe and secure environment for the G7 - and in doing so, show them that no, we don't all hate the police.. Their surprise turned to pleasure when they realised I was on their side and, amid smiles all around, we had a friendly chat (one or two even tried out their English on me!) and we shook hands. For those who think the gendarmes have it easy, I'd say try standing out in the heat and the humidity all day wearing all that heavy kit - being provoked and abused by elements of the public. Given that Biarritz was selected (rightly or wrongly) as the venue for the G7, I think the forces of order (as they're known here) did a superb job in providing a secure environment for it. Well done!
A bit of action in town last night - an entirely predictable protest by the usual suspects that turned into a "let's confront the police" situation. Surveillance helicopters chuntering overhead all day. Protesters and people with cameras in equal measure looking for saleable photos or videos with protesters only too willing to oblige. Protesters shouting "We all hate the police". I wonder how many of them could explain what capitalism is? And what viable economic system they would propose to replace it with? All very sad. 24th August. While I love Irish rugby - I love English rugby just that little bit more. The two sides met today in a Rugby World Cup warm-up game - and this was the first time that coach Eddie Jones showed his hand. There were plenty of fast, powerful and mobile players out on display from both teams today - but I'll leave it to you to decide who deserved the most plaudits. Pity there's no full length video of the match - but despite that, these highlights should give an idea of which way the wind was blowing.. I wish commentators would refrain from using words like 'humiliation'. It was a heavy defeat - nothing more.
Meanwhile, north of the border at Murrayfield, Scotland recovered from being 3-14 down to France - only to show remarkable spirit in fighting back to win 17-14..
22nd August. You're getting some real musical treats this afternoon - and all at no extra charge! With jazz, I always think less is more.. (you're entitled to differ of course) but this track by Chet Baker is very close to perfection (in my opinion). Guess who wrote it? (answer at the foot of the page):
I never tire of listening to this piece by Beethoven - his Sonata Pathetique, Op. 13: II. Adagio - and it was one of my father's favourites that he used to enjoy playing (only I had no idea at the time). A few months ago, I posted Matthew McAllister's version on the classical guitar - remind yourself of it here. Now listen to Daniel Barenboim's sublime interpretation of it on the piano (it starts at 9:46).
Here's the great Ry Cooder with his slide guitar and his "Feelin' Bad Blues" on the soundtrack of the cult film "Crossroads" (1986) - the guitarist in the clip below is played by actor Ralph Macchio:
21st August. I came across this poster (right) for the Train Bleu earlier and it was a timely reminder that we are far from being in a Golden Age for travel. There was once the old-fashioned notion that the actual travelling was part of the pleasure of a holiday; this, however, has long been overtaken by the grim reality of travel in the era of mass tourism.
Nowadays, we have to park - with our luggage - in windswept lots that have different post codes than the airport; with check-in two hours before take-off; then there's the mandatory queueing; the printing of our own boarding passes & tickets and now self check-in (this happened to us on our recent trip to Naples); the searching of personal belongings (shoes off/shoes on etc); walking down interminable corridors looking for the departure gate, plus the sheer numbers of fellow travellers - not all of whom make for ideal travelling companions.
The Train Bleu dining car
This photo of the dining car of the fabled Train Bleu puts me in mind of the age when the "getting there" could be just as enjoyable and memorable as the holiday itself - for the lucky few.
For them, the overnight train journey south on the Train Bleu must have been a highly pleasurable method of launching a holiday on the Côte d'Azur between the wars. Those well-heeled travellers maybe would have kick-started their holiday at the magnificent Le Train Bleu restaurant (below) at the Gare du Lyon, Paris (more here) before descending to the platform to join their train for the delights of the south. (Thinks: "Now where did I put that cheese sandwich..?")
(Here's a little known factoid for when it goes quiet in the snug: In most countries, the “rule of the road” for trains is the same as for road traffic. For example, in England, where cars drive on the left of the road, trains run on the left hand of a pair of rail tracks, while in Germany, where cars drive on the right, trains use the right hand track of the pair. France is an exception to this rule. Cars drive on the right, but trains run on the left. This is because the early railways were mainly built using British expertise and standard equipment “out of the box”.)
18th August. With less than a week to run before the 45th G7 Summit takes place (24th-26th August) at the hyper-luxurious Hotel du Palais at nearby Biarritz, security in the area is getting tighter than a tight thing. Biarritz itself has been divided into two zones (only accessible by those who are accredited) with pedestrian access only in the immediate seaside area. Those not attending the G7 are being advised not to try to access the town and/or its beaches. The frontier with Spain is being closed and commercial flights into Biarritz are prohibited.
Looking at the attendees, I'm asking myself why the EU is there - represented by messrs Tusk and Juncker - neither of whom have been elected. It begs the question why on earth are two of them needed?
The declared theme of this G7 is - and I quote - "the fight against inequalities" which explains why the attendees and their entourages will be roughing it at the 5 star Hotel du Palais (above and below). You couldn't make it up.
I've just heard that counter-demos by the usual suspects (aka G7EZ) are likely to be mounted as of tomorrow and it seems that Hendaye and possibly Bayonne will be likely locations (gulp!). The heightened security profile was evident during our return from the Ossau valley last Friday. At the final péage on the A64 autoroute from Pau, gendarmes (and possibly CRS) were pulling cars over for a document check if the occupants fitted the profile. As we've now come to expect, we were waved through!
"Aaarrgh! You don't have to reply when a biker thanks you..!"
Changing the subject, I don't think I've ever mentioned a ridiculous gesture employed by French bikers (motards). If you move over to the right slightly to enable them to overtake (as they inevitably must), you will often be thanked - motard-style. That's to say - he will stick out his right leg as a thank you. As gestures go, I must say that this is one of the weirdest. Where else in the world does an extended leg mean thank you? Apparently they are unable to raise their right hand in a thank you gesture that lasts maybe ½ second - as presumably in their eyes, the right hand belongs on the throttle. As a former rider I think I could bear to raise my right hand for that long without being a danger to myself or others. This extended stiff leg looks anything but cool (which I think is the effect that they're looking for).
17th August. We're just back home after a few days away in the Vallée d'Ossau.. a spectacular valley in the Pyrenees that made me think I was in a different country. And it's only 1 hour 40 mins away from home. Here's a stunning view of Bielle:
Vallée d'Ossau
We stayed at a hotel buried deep in the countryside just outside Sévignacq-Meyracq - it's not somewhere that you would be likely to stumble upon by accident. (It's part of Logis Hotels group) It was our third visit there and as ever it was a delightful experience. (Edited in 2023 to add: The owner J-P Paroix has left - unsure what the current situation is?)
The owner and chef Jean-Pierre Paroix is clearly doing something right as every table was occupied! The restaurant features a fairly limited* spoilt-for-choice menu and the cooking is of an exceptionally high standard - and in fact, our whole stay there was perfect.
We're now seeking excuses to make another visit!
* always a good sign.
Hotel-Restaurant Les Bains de Secours, Sévignacq-Meyracq
This video (shot by someone else) shows the drive we took yesterday morning from the lake at Fabrèges down to Laruns.. via Gabas (where one of our favourite restaurants was - now closed). In what some consider to be an ill-advised move, wild bears from Slovenia were re-introduced into the Ossau valley. Start at 6:00.. (it gets 'interesting' from 29:00)
The houses there were of a completely different style to those on the Côte Basque. Look at these sensational properties that are on the market - I would be prepared to sacrifice several body parts for the opportunity to live in some of them!
13th August. I was recently offered a "waiter's friend" corkscrew ostensibly made by Laguiole - the ne plus ultra of such things from that quintessentially French brand. These corkscrews are hand-made and they are incredibly tactile objects. French craftsmen seem to have a real affinity, a craft tradition and a great gift for designing and making small metal objects that are seldom equalled elsewhere. More here on Laguiole. These same skills are apparent in northern Italy as well and it's no accident that some of the world's greatest cars originate from there. Back to corkscrews!
In handling it out of its box, I was astonished to find a small sticker on it to the effect that it was made in - wait for it - the PRC! I've said this before elsewhere in the blog that we in Western Europe are dooming our native manufacturing capability to extinction by exporting our ideas, design, tradition, craftsmanship and know-how to China and elsewhere. Laguiole built up its reputation for top quality French craftsmanship over the years and now - what? What will we be making a few decades from now? Will we have any craftsmen left?
The security operationthat will be mounted while the G7 conference is taking at Biarritz is remarkable. Major security measures are being implemented to ensure that our leaders will be able to carry out their business unmolested by the ranks of the seriously disgruntled. This (below) is how protests used to be conducted in the UK! (if only..!)
For those of you who have tried, and failed, recently to access my interactive map of restaurants in France that still serve meals that are cooked in the traditional way - ie, from scratch, using fresh ingredients, without resorting to the use of microwaving 'bought-in' meals* - you will have noticed that the map could no longer be accessed as it had been blocked by the provider. I'm pleased to be able to tell you that thanks to the generosity of the map provider (Zeemaps) I can continue to offer it as a free service. There are some nice people 'out there'. Thank you, Zeemaps!
* Sadly, the use of bought-in meals and microwaves in restaurant in France, as elsewhere, is becoming increasingly prevalent as restaurateurs seek ways to cut their costs - and one of the major suppliers of these meals is Brake - a formerly British company that's been owned since 2016 by Sysco, a US corporation.
Here's how the map works:
- to access the entry for a restaurant named in the list below, simply click on its entry - & click on the photos to enlarge them.
- to slew the map to a particular area of interest, use drag and drop.
- use the +/- buttons to zoom in or out.
- to see the map full size in the blog without the accompanying key text, click on the >> arrow at the top right of the map.
- click here to see the map in full screen. (useful if the text entry for a particular restaurant appears compressed and unreadable)
- the position of each pointer is accurate so if you select 'Satellite' at top left and zoom right in down to house level, you can see exactly where the restaurant is.
My only caveat about any of the restaurants mentioned above is that it's a fact of life that the restaurant business is fluid and that some of the owners and staff running restaurants inevitably move on. My comments relate to the situation that prevailed at the time of the visit. Enjoy exploring the restaurants on the list. Bon appetit!
12th August. It's been a while since I've featured the great Django Reinhardt - here he is wiz Stéphane Grapelli:
10th August. We've decided to have a few days away next week as the peak of the high season draws near on the coast here. We're going to return to a small country hotel near Laruns (south of Pau) in the foothills of the Pyrenees. We've been there twice before - and there's good food, empty roads, good walks.. and the mountain air is like wine. This time we're taking the pooch! He came out of the kennels a few weeks ago with a spectacular dose of 'Montezuma's revenge' - plus I don't think he'd slept for the 3 days he'd spent in there.
9th August. We drove down to Saint-Jean-de-Luz last night for a few attitude-adjusters in the place Louis XIV where we found a band was setting up.
We found a table at the Bar de la Baleine.. and, over a couple of long glasses of sangria, watched the square fill up with August visitors.
If you happened to see that funny, quirky and highly entertaining Irish film "The Commitments" (1991), you'll know what I mean if I tell you that the group last night started playing that same brand of 60s Soul music.. and they weren't bad either - the square was jumpin'! One elder statesman (not me) caused some amusement by dancing along to the music - alone! If I had to choose one song from the film, it would be this.
If you haven't seen the film it's well worth searching out (I believe it turned into something of a cult classic). The story? A young would-be promoter/ entrepreneur gathers together a group of dysfunctional musicians in Dublin to form a soul band (the film is worth watching for the audition scenes alone!). After grinding through rehearsal after painful rehearsal, and just as they appear to be within touching distance of "making it", they self-destruct spectacularly. (Warning: If you watch the film, you'll need to set your "Bad Language Filter" to max!)
7th August. Words You'll Never Read Here Dept: these are some of my current favourites: 'nuanced'.. 'conversation'.. and 'narrative' (might have had this one previously).
5th August. I saw the first graffiti today about the G7 meeting at Biarritz later this month - all it said was G7EZ.. It's the acronym for the usual rentamob (aka eurotrash from all over Europe) to turn up, protest - oh yes, and while they're at it, break a few shop windows, loot shops, throw stones at the police, steal someone else's property or set fire to people's cars. Very democratic..(!)
I have no objection whatsoever to people protesting - but I totally fail to see the connection with all the associated vandalism, violence, thievery and destruction of someone else's property and/or livelihood. Then there are those who come equipped with powerful catapults and other weapons. I have zero sympathy for any of them should they get hurt. This is not a fashionable statement but I hope the CRS give as good as they get - plus a bit of interest.
4th August. I was idly watching someone smoking (if that's the right word) an e-cigarette earlier today. As they walked along and exhaled, they emitted a prolonged cloud of vapour reminiscent of an old steam train. It looked like they were boiling a kettle! Instead of faffing around with these ridiculous e-cigarettes (which are cigarettes in name only), why don't they just give up? It ain't that hard.
Years ago, long before we moved here, when Winter would slowly morph into Spring each year, I'd start getting restless thinking of the possibilities for summer. Just to set foot in France at one of the Channel ports already involved a considerable expense as the cross channel ferry companies would jack up their prices in time for the holiday season - or the airlines would find an excuse to ramp up the cost of their tickets (no low cost airlines back then). It occurred to me the other day that my feet no longer start their seasonal tapping as we're now in the fortunate position of being able to travel any time at all - subject to the dreaded finances of course..
Hotel du Palais
We got up early this morning, took the short 10 minute drive to Biarritz and "installed ourselves" (as the French say) at the Bleu Café at Biarritz's Grande Plage. Perfect way to start the day, watching people and the ever-changing sea. In a few weeks this won't be possible as the "Great and the Good" will be ensconced at the palatial and hyper-glitzy Hotel du Palais, Biarritz, for a meeting of the G7. Security will be tighter than a tight thing - I'm not even sure if the tide will be allowed to come in while they are here. As Biarritz will be in full "lock down" mode, I've heard it suggested that Bayonne could well receive a visitation from the Black Bloc. The Romans understood the benefits of guard dogs. (Cave Canem = Beware of the Dog) I have an 18kg attack spaniel with a hair trigger tongue!☺
2nd August. I went out on my ebike this afternoon for a short ride up the Nive as far as Villefranque (at the bottom of the map) and return. My right knee is still talking to me so no harm done!
1st August. I had the third and final session of treatment on my right knee this evening - using a Swiss-made device that delivers a pneumatic drill-style hammering at the location where I'd previously told the doctor the pain was at its maximum. If I understood him (a rhumatologue) correctly, the idea behind the process is to create scar tissue around the knee ligaments. I tried to maintain a Zen-like calmness throughout but I was reduced to reflex squirming on several occasions. As a fun activity, it's one that's hard to beat on a summer's evening!
(The post title is just a bit of meaningless cod-Latin!)
Answer to the who wrote "Almost Blue" question: Elvis Costello..
31st July. We've just had a few days away in the mountains in order to escape the massed crowds attending the Fêtes de Bayonne - and also to breathe some fresh mountain air after the weeks of heat and humidity we've had on the coast here. We'd planned to drive up and across to the Jura to visit my wife's aunt who is 92 - but given the canicule (heat wave) we thought better of it - we'll go there in October instead. In the end, we went to Montory, a small village in the foothills of the Pyrenees about 10km from the border. This (above) is the former stable - now the rustic dining room of the country hotel that we stayed in. We spent our few days there exploring local villages via some spectacular roads and stunning scenery. We enjoyed largely empty roads during our stay in this beautiful area - even in the high season as most tourists are content to remain in the beach resorts.
Approaching Sainte-Engrâce one day, we turned a corner to see 3 or 4 people looking at a very large bird (a good three feet high) standing in the road nearby. It may have been hit by a car - but it suddenly took fright when it saw our car approaching and it started running awkwardly towards us, with its scrawny neck jutting forward and beating its great wings before taking off over our heads. It was a griffon vulture (vautour fauve). Not one of Nature's triumphs - at least from an aesthetic point of view!
This area has featured regularly in the Tour de France due to its many hills and mountain passes - and there were groups of cyclists out there grinding up the hills - and they all seemed to have that same cyclists' physique - lean with skinny arms and legs. I can never understand where the power comes from (quiet in the cheap seats!).
Returning on Monday, we decided to route home via a tangle of small lanes that brought us through numerous sleepy hamlets and villages. We made a coffee stop at La Bastide-Clairence (founded in 1314) - and one of France's most beautiful villages - on the way home. It certainly merits its inclusion in that group. This is somewhere that, in almost 30 years, for some unknown reason we've only visited twice! (photos here) (AirBnB listings here)
This view (looking south towards the Pyrenees) was close to Ainharp - and this was rural Pays Basque at its best with its white-painted farmhouses dotting the rolling wooded landscape.
24th July. When all the fireworks went off to mark the start of the Fêtes de Bayonne a few moments ago, it sounded like the start of "Saving Private Ryan".. they do like their fireworks to be noisy. No finesse, no carefully timed displays in time with classical music - no, just a constant bombardment of chest-rattling explosions until the box is empty. Here's how it looked - and sounded!
Two places of natural interest lie just to the south of our intended destination this weekend: the Gorges de Kakuetta and the Passerelle d'Holzarte. It's one of those inexplicable quirks that, despite it being almost 30 years since we first visited the Pays Basque, we've only visited the Gorges of Kakuetta once - and we've never been to the 180m high suspension bridge at Holzarte.. You'll find them here:
So - Boris Johnson is to be the next Prime Minister. His time in office may be long or it may be short - but one thing's for certain: it won't be dull! Here are some examples of the wit and wisdom of Boris Johnson. Fasten your seat belts! 23rd July. Tomorrow sees the opening of the Fêtes de Bayonne.. and I can see that the influx of people has already started. To escape the hordes, we'll be having a few days away in a sleepy no-horse village in la France profonde - about 2 hours away to the south east of here - in the foothills of the Pyrenees. What is la France profonde? There's a paragraph in this link that almost gets it - although I think the author is a bit harsh on his native America:
"As an American, to visit a French provincial town or city is to see a way of life that is deeply enviable. Small shops, cafes, town squares, churches — the hustle and bustle of pedestrian life that one has not seen in the United States in decades, if one has seen it at all. It is vivacious, but it is also gentle. It is human, in a way that our built landscapes in America no longer are, and in most places never were".
For me, la France profonde is a place or an area where life continues to be lived as it always has been - with its customs, traditions and values more or less intact. Down here in the far south west, it's still possible to find places that qualify - and for that, I'm extremely grateful.
The forecast is for 39° in the shade today - so I can see us spending the day largely indoors - except for periodic visits outside for the dog! I took him out early this morning and it was already 25°.
At around 8pm this evening, we had a mad scramble as the wind suddenly got up and trees in the garden were bending this way and that. The howling wind threatened to blow the solid inch-thick shutters upstairs at the back into matchwood. We'd just had them loosely latched to try and keep the house cool but on seeing the sky suddenly darken, it looked like a good time to put umbrellas and chairs safely away. The minute I stepped out in the garden and had an armful of umbrellas, all hell broke loose upstairs as all four of our heavy shutters broke loose and started banging to and fro from stop to stop. We managed to fasten them shut securely before any damage was done. When I'd finished, I looked up and saw thin low cloud was scudding over at 500ft.. There is a localised meteorological phenomenon here known as a Brouillarta.. a sudden sustained gust of wind (akin to a line squall but without the rain). I suspect I saw the tail end of it passing overhead.
Et voilà - I just found a warning about it in today's Sud-Ouest.. that's exactly what it was - and they got the timing spot on too!
Here's a speeded-up video that shows a Brouillarta hitting the coast south of Biarritz in 2016..
Take some time out to relax with this great old tune - beautifully played here by Kimiyoshi Akiyama:
Here's another very creditable version of that same song.
22nd July. Yet another 'make or break' moment in this mission. If for whatever reason, this manoeuvre had been unsuccessful, and in the absence of any other means of transferring the two astronauts into "Columbia", that was game over for them. Every one of these technologies had to work perfectly first time and the astronauts had to get join-ups like this right first time too. The "Eagle" spacecraft re-appears at 2:07 (top right in the video)..
(by the way, 36,000 feet per second = 24,500mph or Mach 33). Here's a video that really gives an impression of the work load during Eagle's lunar descent - the profile was astonishingly complex with a computer alarm thrown in for good measure as the mission approached a peak of intensity.
21st July. This video shows a later mission - Apollo 17 - lifting off from the moon - but it's identical to the Apollo 11 mission. I can't begin to imagine what that countdown must have been like:
The exceptionally hot weather we've been having these last few weeks seems to have awoken the normally dormant mosquito population - and as I'm a well-known mosquito magnet, the end result is that I've been scratching myself like a juiced-up chimp. Then I remembered the many trips to Virginia I used to make, especially those in the summer heat.. I'd sometimes stay with friends and they had a deck in their yard with a bug zapper. It contained a small UV light to attract mosquitoes and other bugs - and surrounding the light was an electrified grid that constantly despatched the pests with a satisfying (to me at least) buzz-zap! Job done. Here's one in action - music to my ears!
The question is: can anyone recommend an electric bug zapper for outdoor use - preferably with an LED light - that really works and is available in France? I've read of a US product - the Flowtron BK-40D - that is highly recommended (see above) but with the shipping cost, it works out at a hefty US$90. There would be additional import duties to pay on it too. (Electricity supply in France is 240v and I've just learned that the Flowtron is rated for 120v. Ah well..)
20th July. These incredible live pictures from Man's first steps on the lunar surface 50 years ago showed us Earthlings exactly what we - the human race - are capable of. Where we go from here is another question though.
19th July. I started painting the shutters at the back of the house at 7am this morning while it was still cool - and by mid-morning I'd finished. By late afternoon, they were bone dry and I managed to hang them without breaking any toes! The temperature on our west-facing terrace at 7.20pm was 36°!
50 years ago tomorrow - less than 25 years after the end of WWII - Man landed on the Moon in the form of two astronauts - Neil Armstrong and "Buzz" Aldrin. This staggering achievement was enabled by pushing the technology of the time to the very limit. JFK had set the bar high 8 years previously - and America delivered in spades. Did it ever! Hats off to all those who were involved.. all 400,000 of them. I remember watching these fuzzy pictures as they came in in the wee small hours:
17th July. We were in San Sebastian this morning to do some minor shopping and at lunchtime we went for a stroll along the promenade overlooking La Concha - when we found La-Perla - a relaxed café/restaurant with an uninterrupted view of the bay. Considering its position, it was very reasonably priced. Recommended!
16th July. Fifty years ago today we watched in awe and amazement as Apollo 11 launched into the heavens with a crackling roar atop 7.5 million pounds of thrust on an epic journey that captured the hearts and minds of the entire world. I count myself privileged to have been alive to witness Man's greatest ever achievement. It was a truly miraculous feat, and we even had live imagery from space in glorious black and white - plus live TV pictures of the astronauts' first steps on the Moon! It was only a few years previously that we'd been able to see live transatlantic TV broadcasts from the US via Telstar.
What went through the astronauts' minds as they said their goodbyes to their families and their loved ones? We'll never know what the risks were - but I'm sure NASA had contingency plans in place for as many of them as possible. They were the bravest of the brave. (Engine start at 2:00)
In the 80s,I had the opportunity to visit the Apollo/Saturn V exhibit at the Kennedy Space Centre. At the time, a Saturn V rocket was lying on its side in a ground display compound and I was dwarfed by the giant nozzles of the five F-1 rocket engines in the Saturn V's first stage - that produced a staggering 7.5 million pounds (3.4 million kilograms) of thrust and was used during launch for about 2 minutes. In the process, they gobbled up 20 tons (40,000 pounds) of fuel per second.
15th July. I nearly crippled myself yesterday evening taking down the heavy wooden shutters downstairs to give them a fresh coat of paint. These are 8ft 4inches (2m54) tall and solidly made out of wood (no venetian-type slats). My grip on one of them slipped at just the wrong moment and it landed squarely across my toes.. Ouch! (I almost said!) Nothing broken though. After a few minor repairs to the shutter, I applied a coat of Rouge Basque - but this morning it was still tacky..
14th July. Today will be a first for me - my first 14th July as a French citizen. I received an official email the other day informing me that as they couldn't dig up any 'cause or just impediment' to my application, they had no option but to tell me that I had acquired French citizenship. I paraphrased that a bit!☺ I now have to go and apply for a carte nationale d'identité.. and a passport. It makes sense - we'll have been here 12 years in September, and I'd like to stay - plus, I'd like to be able to vote here too. Phew, it was worth the effort! (I still retain my UK citizenship)
In celebration of France's Bastille Day, here's a video of the entire glittering military parade down the "world's most beautiful avenue" (and who could possibly argue with that description?). If you want to cut straight to the fly past (and SuperHomme), start at 37:04...
Here's an element of it that took all of us by surprise.. Forget flying bicycles, I want one of these!
This (below) looks like fun.. although I'm not sure that the bike (and those wheels) would be sufficiently sturdy and resilient to stand up to a few heavy landings. Some suspension wouldn't go amiss either!
13th July. We went for a evening stroll with the dog around Bayonne yesterday evening and all the restaurants along the Nive were full.. with lots of tourists in evidence.
place Jacques Portes
On the way back we walked through the newly re-surfaced place Jacques Portes (in front of the Galeries Lafayette) where a large wind orchestra (brass and woodwind) was playing LaPeña Baiona (aka Vino Greigo) - which is Bayonne's unofficial national anthem!
(Health warning: A music critic has written 25 pages to analyse the bejasus out of this song - if you wish to find out what she thinks it's all about, read on. You've been warned..)
The band turned out to be l'Harmonie Bayonnaise - and very enjoyable they were too! They went on to play some demanding music (in my untrained opinion!) - such as Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody among others.. A neighbour of mine was singing along - complete with actions - in her own private rhapsody to much amusement all around.. We enjoyed many of their renditions until the dog decided that he'd had enough..
12th July. I don't think there's a better interpretation of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" than this - by the highly acclaimed Polish guitarist Marcin Dylla. See what you think: (more here)
11th July. Just had some pasta - followed by a slice of water melon straight from the fridge.. Mmm-mmm!
8th July. The annual madness that is the Fiesta of San Fermin kicked off yesterday morning with the first encierro (bull running) of the week-long fiesta.. (Hemingway has much to answer for in my view)
Meanwhile, on our side of the Pyrenees, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is a charming small town in the foothills of the Pyrenees about 40 minutes away by car and, during our first visit there, we noticed the scallop shell motif was everywhere. It appeared that this is the symbol of the famous long distance pilgrimage known as the Camino de Santiago, the roots of which go back at least a thousand years.
Many people choose to start from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port - one of the most popular starting points for the pilgrims' walk - as from there, it's but a 500 mile hop, step and a jump to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia (NW Spain).
This walk has been on my back burner for several years now and I think it's something that I'll find myself doing sooner rather than later! Have a listen to these two podcasts that I stumbled upon by accident earlier - Part One & Part Two. 4th July. This is a piece by Mozart that I was unfamiliar with until recently: it's the third movement from his Serenade # 10 for winds 'Gran Partita' in B-flat major, K. 361/370a..
Meanwhile - Happy birthday USA!
This video clip of Stromboli erupting yesterday popped up as a 'recommend' for me.. I wouldn't want to be anywhere near that..
1st July. My favourite dog-walking field behind the beach at Anglet was invaded the other day by a hundred or so white vans and caravans - belonging to a so-called "evangelical group". We had a visitation from them in the same place last year and it took some time for the local council to evict them. I sympathise with the council as it doesn't have the practical means at its disposal to forcibly evict encampments like this.
Over the winter, the council had positioned massive concrete blocks across the access points to the field - but they hadn't done their homework properly - apparently this well-organised group gained access to it via an unblocked route further up the coast. The council will have to ensure that access to the field is fully watertight in future. When I spotted the 'evangelical group' in situ last week, I saw that they'd also opened up an electrical power supply box and had hooked up the entire convoy to the mains supply. Who pays for the power used? And then there's hygiene. I wonder. By law, councils do have to make provision for gens du voyage ("travelling people"). I see this same group are now ensconced at Ascain (below) - our former holiday village.
* According to Henry James: the two most beautiful words in the English language.
