Let's start with the weather - the first day was blisteringly hot - 34 degrees the green flashing neon sign read outside the Pharmacy. All that reflected light on the river and no hat ensured that my face by the end of the day was like a beetroot! On Thursday I was awakened by the sound of dripping water outside my window - this made a change from the normal sound of JCB diggers and road whackers! The town council AKA "La Marie" has decide to dig up the road outside the busiest 2 hotels in the town just in time for the opening of the tourist season - so it's not just the Brits that can cock things up when it comes to welcoming visitors!
The room with a view!
I digress - so the day on the river was wet with thunderdstorms - but it not detract from the beauty of this region, it just made us paddle a little faster! Today we've been blessed with hot sunshine again - I managed to buy a hat in one of the local supermarkets - not flattering but functional!
Fallen trees seem to have played rather a major part in our lives during the last couple of days - rainy day saw the three intrepid canoeists trying to weave our way through jungle like brambles to our exit point when we found our way blocked by a large fallen tree! Unable to portage , Mike & Tom heroically got out of their boats and into the raging torrent to man handle said tree out of the way - I sat in my canoe and looked on, offering words of encouragement! Job done we continued ! Then blow me down, today, en route to our starting point we came accross another fallen tree right accross the road. There were several cars already stationary and their occupants pondering what to do with said tree - out leaped the three amigos and whilst Mike & Tom and some of the assembled throng moved the tree, I stood and offered words of advice and encouragement in my best French!
Obviously coming to France, food plays an important part in our daily lives. The French pride themselves on being the best country in the world for cooking! Night 1 - Pizza - not good, too doughy and the toppings weren't cooked but, I guess you can't blam the French for that as Pizza is Italian! Night 2 saw us eat at the Grand Hotel - the set menu was not to dissapoint us - A warm duck heart salad with Prune oil for me followed by pork medallios en croute with chips and a Creme Brulee to finish - never a great fan of offal but this was surprisingly good! Night 3 saw us eat at "Le Beffroi" - Mike's escargot had escaped, or at least one of them had - my token Foie Gras was delicious but alas no sweet white wine to accompany it! The piece of beef that I had as the main course was huge and juicy, accompanied by green beans and Lyonnaise potatoes followed by a chocate fondant and creme anglaise (custard!). Mike's confit de Canard looked equally scrummy, perhaps I'll have that next time!
And so my time in France has come to an end for another year - one more night out - I think I'll go for the Pizza!
A bientot!
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