Another Valley

Funny how different two valleys can look and feel. For once we had lunch out with Ann and Henry where they now live rather than head over the border as usual. An apéritif chez eux to start off with and then a good (for a price of 12.50€)lunch. We were the only people in which gave us chance to catch up with a couple of months or more of news. This small restaurant in the heart of a village is up for sale.... anyone tempted?
In the evening I attended a meeting chez Maggie, the English woman councillor. The aim was to set up an association (club/vol org) which would try and bring the different nationalities together in the village. The name we came up with is "........ sans frontiers". Let's go for broke, I say!
One piece of good news, the THT is to be buried so no pylons to disfigure the landscape. Remains to be seen if the electricity companies or the State (ie,us) will pick up the tab.

Girona Demo

Who chose the day the clocks went forward to have a demo? An early start and a long walk but a great atmosphere. There was probably about 15,000 people. All ages, all styles and once again the hat was a sensation. People came up expressly to take photos! Now I know how Carla feels!The march ended with speeches climaxing in fire crackers going off all along the nearby bridge presumably to remind the authorities of what could happen if the pylons come our way. There are now rumours that the THT might be built under the sea and it seems that a decision should be delivered at the end of June. There was just time before we caught the bus home to have a cold beer in a café on the ramblas. Then it was out of the demo gear and around to Michel and Joëlle's for a surprise apéritif dinatoire to celebrate Michel's birthday.
ps You really need to click on the fuzzy, oops artistic photo to get the best effect.

Non à la THT!

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Off we set at 8.30 on the bus organised by the mairie. There were 15,000 people (the police said 10,000 ~ it's the same the world over) on the demo which wound its way around Perpignan. A great atmosphere with lots of Catalan music and human towers
My horned tartan hat (thanks Ray and Paul) went down a bundle and I was even interviewed by French national telly. I'll let you know if they use it. There was not much of a (visible) police presence and no trouble. Let's hope that it does some good as we certainly don't want these high tension powerlines here. Photos to follow. Arrived back and had a late lunch with Jean-Jacques, Michelle, Joëlle and Michel at one of the village restaurants; then it was home for Christian to have a wee snoozette before going out to leaflet. This evening we were invited to Diana's for dinner but ended up eating in the other village restaurant where we found 9 other Brits! Now it's time for bed and a long lie tomorrow.

Blue Skies

After several days of cloud, the sun is back and instead of being out enjoying it, here I am in front of the computer. That's one thing about living here, at least you don't feel obliged to make the most of the sun as you know it'll still be there tomorrow. Didn't even get to the market this morning as there was another meeting. My first but Christian's fourth since Monday not to mention all the informal electioneering we're doing. If André's list doesn't get in, it won't be for the want of trying. Had friend's round for dinner last night and today we had lunch out. Apparently, the paint fairy has been busy daubing 'Non à la T.H.T.' (no to the high tension powerlines that "they" want to put through the area) on the roads and there have been a couple of arrests as a consequence. Next Saturday there's a demo in Perpignan so we'll be on the bus that leaves from here ~ that'll take me back to the days of the miner's strike, marching through Glasgow behind a pipe band and ending up on Glasgow Green for speeches. While I'm reminiscing, is anyone watching "Ashes to Ashes"? A bit daft but doesn't it take you back? Ah, sigh, sigh.