Can't Deny that Climate Change Exists!

 July 2023

This month the calendar takes us to Cambodia which I guess is the nearest I'll get to visiting it, although, I've had a couple of invitations to visit Thailand recently.

Well, back to the present. July's done and dusted. The swallows have been joined by second homers and other holiday makers here to enjoy the music and the sunshine and we enjoy catching up with "part time" friends and complain about the increased traffic on the roads! It's been hot, over 40° at one point, and of course, water restrictions are still in force but hey ho, my plants have learnt to like shower and washing up water while the herbs get any clear water that I manage to save. The jalepeno pepper plant has just finished flowering and the one that I thought would make it, is holding its own. Everyday life has involved eating, drinking and being merry on the one hand and episodes where any motivation to be active has been hard to find. For example, it took me a week to get my suitcase unpacked after last month's trip to UK. On a positive note, I finally broke my duck and got back on the treadmill on the 24th and walked 5km five days out of seven. Now for the nitty gritty . . .

First up was a trip to Port Vendres with JJ to join Jean and Françoise at a conference on water and climate change. We sat through 3 speakers who gave short presentations and left before we got caught up in some experimental theatre. Went for an early lunch at "The Chalut"; 18€ menu was ok though nothing extraordinary. 

The next day as it was too hot to cook,  Michèle and Henri treated me to Sunday lunch in Cèret and I was even able to get myself there and back on the bus.  Had a day's break from restaurant food then it was back on the bus, this time to Perpignan to meet up with Jean-Louis (a colleague of Christian's) and Aimiée who live in Nîmes. It's probably 4 or 5 years since I've seen them. We had lunch at "Le Grain de Folie" a more upmarket establishment that I would normally choose when in town but yet again, I was treated. Time passed quickly chatting away happily when we didn't talk covid or the  current social unrest following the death of Nahel, shot by a police officer in Paris. Made it home for 16h20, satisfied that I was able to make a seamless connection.There were other restaurant meals too:

§ At 9 Suprem after one of the weekly trips to Figueres market with Michel. By chance we bumped into Jacques and Suzette so instead of going home after our apéro at the market café/bar, we went for broke. You can see from the photo what all this wining and dining is doing to my weight!

§ At O Liban in one of the pedestrianised streets in Perpignan's old centre, which is Lebenese not Irish!. We both went for the vegetarian platter which was generous and tasty served by a very pleasant waiter cum manager cum whatever! A small kitchen with a young helper and a counter with just 4 small tables outside  was the sum total of the establishment. They also did a very steady takeaway trade, too. It had been a sad start to the day for us as we had been at Guy's funeral at the crematorium. I was acquainted with him, his partner and a group of his friends through Michel. It did mean though that the day could only get better and it did because as well as a lunch, I finally carried through on the threats I've been making for months and months and set the wheels in motion to change my internet provider.

 

§ At Tartana, outside Figueres with David, Laura and Martine. This is the 3rd time this year that I've been and I'm still raving about it. Can't not give you a rundown of my meal, which at 24€ is an absolute steal even when the drinks were added on.

• Cava and olives

• Rich creamy vichyssoise soup poured at the table onto a bed of veg with a viola garnish. On the side there was a stuffed courgette flower with aubergine crisps

• Pork secreto with sweet, lightly curried seasonal veg

• Lemon mousse with a strawberry and cherry ice cream centre on a biscuit base

• Organic rosé wine and water

A trip to look at the centennial oak that's 400 years old according to the Catalan man, who was there at the same time as us, followed with our last stop before home being at Capmany to get in a stock of cava. Just a couple of peaches were all that I needed in the evening along with . . . a bottle of water.

As if these meals weren't enough, there were others "chez des amis":

§ Dinner at Michel's with his friends Steve (British, family in Switzerland) and his wife, Ya (Thai) which was followed by a guitar concert from Michel.

§ An apéritif dinatoire chez JJ with Jean & Françoise before they went away then another a few days later for 10 of us before he went away. As usual everyone rallied around before, during and after (except for the washing up). Reminds me of the time I lived in Glasgow when an elderly lady told me that she took my neighbour's turn to clean the close as he was working! Arrrgggh! So was I! On a positive note I was delighted that Dali , who's Algerian, wanted to know who made the tabbuleh as it was good! Quite a result even though she recognised that the chickpeas were tinned. I'll settle for that!

§ Dinner again at Michel's  with his visitors and with Jacques added on.

§ Chez Rémi and Lynne to celebrate Rémi's birthday. A great dinner (I've said elsewhere that Lynne's a good cook), yummy birthday cake, cava and an excellent playlist suited to the participants.

§ Chez Jacques instead of chez moi. Dinner should have been with Jacques at mine on his return from Gruissan but Suzette came with him and they had lots of food to eat up so I grabbed a bottle, and a dessert and went to be waited on. Plans made with Jacques have a tendancy to get changed without much notice but in this case, I wasn't complaining.

§ Once more chez Michel. A short walk through the village took me to his door where Jacques, Suzette and a strong mojito (make that two) and lunch were waiting. As if that wasn't enough, we all ended up at Jacques' for a late dinner with his friends Michel and Gui, a Franco/Mexican couple here for a visit. A case of excess being well and truly enough!

And chez moi:

§ Dinner of lamb curry for Steve, Ya and Michel. It was so hot that we went Spanish by not starting the apéros until 21h. Followed the next day by a leftovers lunch with Jacques.

§ Lunch with Patt who was down in the village for a hair appointment. Imagine making a drive of over an hour each way on a twisty road up and down the valley to get your hair cut.

§ An apéritif dinatoire for Jean, Françoise, JJ and Jacques (the other one). You'll be starting to recognise my M.O. by now that when I have guests there are always enough left overs to be able to invite someone the next day.

And so it was that Jacques came round the next evening.

 

Of course there were several trips to the café for either a coffee or in my case a cuppa or and apéro;  sometimes one the former would morph into the latter as below with les Anglaises.

 

Bastille Day or la Fête Nationale as it's called in France. Listened to an inaudible, lack luster speech from the Mayor so didn't bother to stay for the apéro and went to the café instead.
 

Eric Masiam's vernissage; artist of international reknown.

 

 

 

 

There was another vernissage, this time by invitation only in Sandrine and Henri's spacious house with food in the large garden. 

 Had not been looking forward to it as I didn't expect to know anyone. As it happened the Mayor was there as was, one of the Municipal Police and Samia. 3 hours later I left having had a good time ... and there was me thinking that I'd give an excuse and go after an hour!

 

Young people from the Chilterns Academy Orchestra on a stop over in Céret.

 

3 day Festa Major, the last day of which, saw 12 (5 different nationalities) tuck into the above menu.

Nature notes: