A 'Guest' Blog - by a guest!

This week the perfect guests have been to stay.  They took over all dishwasher; pool-cleaning, bin emptying and garden watering duties and also took themselves off in their hire car every day to explore the area and they have been so enthusiastic about the visit that they even volunteered to write this blog.  So over to my ‘guest’ blogger, Tony .....

 

The offer of a week’s holiday in the P-O was just too good to miss - but what about the chien?

My hostess (Mme. Caroline) was welcoming, but did warn me of the dog.  It was bound to be a fierce one and I am not very good with mutts.  I devised a cunning plan to deceive everybody (and their dog) by playing ball with the thing.  Literally.  Tennis, football and handball have been undertaken; so much so that Loulou has now become absolutely devoted to me and will not leave me alone. We have indeed bonded and I now refer to her as the CGV (Chien a Grand Vitesse). She has become almost too affectionate - several times I have awoken to something wet and shiny in my lap only to find the mutt’s  nose resting la.

Anyway we are off for a walk in the vineyards now

 hullabalou Loulou

don’t bring Loulou

  I’ll bring her myself

Is the P-O a happening place?  Well judged on this week it is.  We hired a car so as to explore the area and have most certainly done so. Several great trips and the two most frequently heard phrases in the car have been “Look at that” and “bloody traffic”!

Always something happening and lots of traffic to follow it. On Tuesday we popped over to the delightful Prades, sightseeing combined with a wonderful market selling local fresh foods and artisan products - very popular with people driving in for miles (or kilometers). The highlight for us was the fight between two pairs of stall- holders (probably husband and wife but you can’t tell these days), when packing up for the day one had knocked over part of the others display.  A lot of shouting from the guys, but the real drama came from the two women who went at it like a pair of fishwives (well in this case a greengrocer and a dress shop owner). Peace was barely restored by the appearance of Arthur Bostrom’s brother (the “Poloseman” in Allo Allo) who told them twice to be quiet and then gave up.

The next day saw a trip to Collioure. Superb.  I can’t add anything to all the delightful things there. Well there is one – market day is Wednesday!   Selling local fresh foods and artisan products - very popular with people driving in for miles (or kilometers) etc etc. get the picture?

By the way avoid St Cyprien on a Friday unless you like markets selling local fresh foods and artisan products  - very popular with people driving in for miles (or kilometers).....

So now we have becone wise to these markets and moved the planned trip to Ceret from Saturday (market day) to Sunday.  Brilliant idea and Ceret and  Amelie-les-Bains are both absolutely gorgeous and well worth a visit. Who would have thought that they could host both  the XVIIIth national Petanque championships AND the Folkdance festival at the same time in fact the same weekend (today) 

Bouchon* is a great word!

*Traffic jam