264. Into February with a bang!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just for Lesley!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Château-Vieux, Bayonne

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

263. What will this year bring?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Restaurant des Chasseurs,
Ascain

Side view

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

George & Janet,
Pyrenees 1955

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

RIP George and Janet.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

262. Countdown to Christmas..

25th December. 

23rd December. In reading about the recent tsunami that killed many in the Sumatra and Java region, I came across this compelling video of Anak Krakatau volcano erupting during the night at the end of October (plus a close-up version, filmed from a drone in daylight, here):
It appears that the tsunami was caused by paroxysmal explosive activity.. more here. When too close is too close.

And here, filmed from the air, largely hidden by clouds of gases, steam, smoke and ejected material is Anak Krakatau in its death throes:

And here it is - as it was filmed 3 days ago - hard to believe that it's the same volcano:
22nd December. Saw an amazing spectacle this evening. We walked into Bayonne to watch the release of hundreds - what am I saying?! - thousands of Japanese lanterns into the night sky. It was just the night for a hot wine to kick start the system too.

I think in England the Fun Police would have slapped a banning order on it ('Elf 'n Safety mate). It was a stirring sight as thousands of the metre-high lanterns rose gracefully up into the heavens (fortunately there wasn't a breath of wind). I've never seen anything like it in my life.. There were so many families there with young children and I'm sure the magnificent spectacle created an unforgettable memory for them all as the lanterns, uneasily at first, lifted slowly up into the night sky. It seemed as though they represented all the hopes and dreams for Christmas and beyond of those present - very moving to watch:
This was followed by a firework display, accompanied by music. The last song was this one - and I'm convinced someone let all the remaining fireworks off at once! It starts at 0:36..

According to a police estimate, there were between 50,000 - 60,000 people present. Afterwards, we headed off into the centre and found a table at a restaurant (now closed) - where we chose the "all you can eat" beef option from the "dead but could still be resuscitated" menu. Excellent beef - tender as anything - and it could be cut with a butter knife. And for a change, we also put a bottle of Graves out of its misery!

It's always during the last few days before Christmas that doubts set in about the presents that you've chosen for your loved one. Was it a good idea to have bought her a pair of slippers with matching oven gloves*? How many times will she watch the DVD of the 2018 Six Nations rugby*? Will a new vacuum cleaner hit the spot*? ☺ While I think I'm pretty safe this year, there's always that lingering doubt. Too late to do anything about it now though.
* Just in case there's any doubt, I bought Madame none of the above! However, my brother once bought his wife (a stranger to the kitchen) a food processor. <ouch!> I believe he was seen wearing it not long after!

In the meantime, there's never a better moment than the shortest day of the year to enjoy the mountain scenery of the Pays Basque.. (full screen!) plus a report on Pierre Oteiza's pigs.. in Les Aldudes, a must-see village up in the Pyrenees close to the border..

19th December. Madame's presents have been safely smuggled into the house - I've just one more to wrap and then I'm done. I also need to take one last trip down to the cellar to make sure that there are no major shortfalls in the bottle department. 

Most days I take a look at British Media online - and I shudder at much of the tosh I read there. New words continually bubble up to the surface of all the froth - and one curious addition to the trendy hack's lexicon is wellness. I have no idea what this means. Then there's the all-consuming obsession with celebrity - especially when the celebrities in question are total nonentities as far as I'm concerned. I'm convinced we have far too much media. I did ask a GP friend in England recently if he knew what wellness was and he had no idea. So what is it? Answers on a postcard please to the usual address.   

Here's one of those hyper-concentrated videos that attempts, in the modern way, to cram the Pays Basque into a frantic 2½ minutes. To enjoy? Dilute to taste with a / few / many / glass(es) of sangria / Jurançon / Irouléguy / whisky (insert drink of choice) - and r-e-l-a-x!

18th December. A disturbing statistic for casual observers of the European Union: according to figures released by the federal statistical office, Germany had a surplus of €48.1bn in the first six months of 2018, equivalent to 2.9 per cent of economic output — the highest level since German reunification in 1990. By contrast, France, the other major EU political player, had a €58bn budget deficit in 2017.  

How long can this dysfunctional situation be allowed to continue? It should be enough to send shivers up and down the spines of economists throughout Europe - and indeed further afield. The adoption of the euro by all those EU countries was, and is, a triumph of post-sixties wishful thinking, inspired perhaps by smoking too many exotic cigarettes (think John Lennon's 1971 hit "Imagine"), and unchallenged by economic reality and common sense. Germany's economists saw the potential advantage for them in a flash and quickly convinced their politicians to ditch the mighty D-mark in favour of the euro, as they saw that by doing so it would serve to preserve and enhance their economic dominance. Had Germany retained the D-mark, it would by now have had to be revalued upwards at least once. However, following the switch to the one-size-fits-all euro, they are making serious amounts of hay while the euro is pegged artificially low for the German economy.

And curiously, at a time when Macron is under pressure from popular opinion, French political commentators are unwilling to make the link publicly between France's economic woes and the contraints imposed by being in the eurozone. The EU project - beloved of post-war French politicians - is an article of faith for politicians of the mainstream parties. How long will this mindset continue to be the case after the UK's departure? 

One of these days someone will come along and explain to me how two countries such as Germany and Greece (but I could equally use France these days) with two totally disparate economies can possibly share a common currency. I think I'll have a long wait. Europe is paying the price for allowing French federalists (with their long-held ambition of setting up a European Superstate to take on the US) free rein with their flights of fancy nurtured in the rarified hot house atmospheres of their Grandes Ecoles. To my Anglo-Saxon mind, 'events' happen when they come about as a result of popular demand from the electorate - not when they are imposed, unasked for, by a political élite.

Peppone, 31 Cours Georges Clémenceau, 33000 Bordeaux

We're now nearing the end game of my request for French citizenship (Naturalisation) and so we went up to Bordeaux yesterday in good time (in case the gilets jaunes were up to their tricks on the autoroute) to be ready for the interview at 2pm. We had a couple of hours to spare so no prizes for guessing how we filled in the time! We found an authentic, quaint and oh-so-typical small Italian restaurant - Peppone - where we could have been in Italy. The photos say it all. (take a look down in their wine cellar - a feast for the eyes!) Fortunately, we'd arrived early and we had no trouble finding a table - but it is small - so say no more.. Great attentive service and excellent food. This is definitely one to return to. (I've added it to the Restaurant map)

Suitably refreshed, we made our way to the Préfecture where I was strapped in a chair under hot lights - no, seriously, it was really all quite civilised.. A lady came down at the appointed hour and we went through into a small interview room where she ran me through all the possible questions that officialdom could conceivably wish to ask in making its mind up about such an application. I think it was carried out in a relaxed manner - she had a form to guide her through the process that covered every aspect and we went through it all. After this meeting, I'm hoping that my application will be signed off by the Préfet of Nouvelle-Aquitaine - following which it will be sent up to Paris to be signed off (or not!) by Mr Christopher Castaner, the Minister of the Interior (at the time of writing). Once this has happened, I can expect to be invited to Pau (the capital of Pyrénées-Atlantiques) in the May/June 2019 time frame along with other successful local applicants for a short ceremony where we will all be presented with our new French passports. Phew!

We picked up Nutty on the way home - he'd had to spend a night and a day in the kennels - and then home for a quick bite before I was off out for choir practice. I must say that my enthusiasm low level warning light came on steady RED at 10pm when our choir leader decided we were going to start learning a new piece - right there and then. That had been one loong day! (Spoilt only by getting 'flashed' on the autoroute way home from Bordeaux.. Grr!)

16th December. This beautiful oboe piece comes from the soundtrack of "The Mission" - a film I saw once in the late 80s and couldn't get into. You might remember the film for the disturbing scene in which a Jesuit priest, lashed to a wooden cross, is launched on a river and goes over the Iguaçu Falls..
12th December. With less than 2 weeks to go before you-know-what, I have to say that - so far - I haven't received an invitation to a single bunga bunga party! Only joking! Wasn't it Bill Bryson who said that, at his age, he now views sex as a welcome chance for a lie down!* (I agree!) (Eek! What am I saying?!)

* In modern parlance, that would be a "lie down with benefits"..

Anyway, moving swiftly on, I have to make a start on writing Christmas cards - so, I suggest you find something to occupy yourself with for the next few hours.

At a time when earthbound media is huffing and puffing over such events as the "No Confidence" vote being triggered in the UK this morning - or that French lawyers (en colère*) are demonstrating outside the courts this morning over recent "preventive control" measures taken during the ongoing gilets jaunes disturbances - despite all that, it's worth taking a step back to absorb the fact that we are the first generation of human beings in history ever to know the colour of a Martian sunset. That's a staggering thought isn't it? And how many different technologies had to be present to enable this photograph?

Here it is (at no extra charge!) - I believe this was taken on Mars in 2015 and I've only just found out about it in 2018 - there were clearly far more important events happening. Like what for example?

* Strikers, demonstrators or simply just malcontents are routinely described as being en colère here.. It just means that they're furious, angry, not happy or - insert word of choice.
 
8th December. Walked to town this afternoon to pick up a few things for Christmas.. it was so warm that we stopped off at this café on the banks of the Nive and had a hot chocolate and a pancake each in the sunshine. 

7th December. We're back after a few days away (just to give Madame a break before Christmas). We went down to Saint-Jean-de-Luz today - I'd received a letter from the Prefecture in Bordeaux (in connection with my request for French citizenship) telling me that they wanted to see me up there on 17th December - armed with more copies of paperwork that they already have in their possession. This time we need a letter from our bank in St-J-d-L that states that we have a joint bank account there - and it's active. I don't question any of this any more - I just do it. 

On the way down to the bank, we spotted a group of swimmers having a swim in the bay (above) - no wet suits either!  

It was around 17-18°, sunny with a cloudless sky so after calling in at the bank, we drove around to Socoa for lunch at Chez Pantxua.. We sat outside in the dazzling sunshine and had one of our best ever lunches there.