Andrew writing this coz everyone else is in bed and trying to get to sleep - but failing coz they're all super excited about the canal boat trip with the Dawson's tomorrow :)
The life style down here is very relaxed and I suppose it is accentuated by the fact that we're staying on a vineyard, but it's just so laid back ! Each day we'd wake up and think what we could do and there was so much; even though Trouillas is a wee village surrounded by other tiny villages, it just seems to be in the middle of everywhere.
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It rained on Tuesday - how rude ! Quiet day with books, cards and a 'competitive' game of Monopoly ! Wednesday we hopped in the car and went to Chateaunou - an old walled village. I think it is fair to say that we've seen just about enough old stone buildings with high walls and low ceilings :). Chateaunou was neat though as it was restored and you could imagine how life was for folk back in the medieval times - not great unless you were the head honcho.
We were lucky enough to be able to pick grapes with Rachel and Jon on Thursday. We had to be up and ready at 7:45 which is unheard of for us this week - lots of grumpy souls eating toast that day :) Tough work and we're not used to it so after we'd finished and picked out all the thistles, we had showers and we snoozed !!! Dinner and bed - end of story.
We cruised down to Collioure today - and that was great. Not sure of the history of the place but it had a truly wonderful feel about it. It's an old walled village on the coast with moats and ramparts - the whole ten yards. It didn't have that touristy feel about it but still had the small lanes with closed in buildings AND a very cool beach. It's at this point that I need to say that Grace was clear that the ice cream here wasn't anything like as good as gelato - but she still managed to skoff her way through what she had with nothing left for her dad ! This is another place that Wendy and I will get back to for a few lazy relaxing days - sometime in the future.
Got home and packed up coz have an early start in the morning. I'll be sad to drop of the Peugeot; it took us to lots of new adventures. Ironic to think that today was the first time that I found myself on the wrong side of the road !! Plus there was a big hoofin' truck coming at me - it was all slow speed stuff and nothing dramatic but funny all the same. Had a few farewell drinks with Rach, Jon and the crew - it was a different side of life here, more real and therefore all the more enjoyable. I have very fond memories of the Roussillion district and it's on our 'come back to' list.
Bring it on Dawson's !
enjoyed this lovely writing Andy, you and bender are so funny you both sound like each other x
ReplyDeleteMike Devlin: Spring has truly arrived in NZ (albeit transiently) so it is now it is a little easier for us to identify with your lunchtime siestas and your afternoons beside the pool - no exotic beaches and tall stone buildings with low ceilings and ramparts here, and no vineyard outside the front door, but stunning weather today in Timaru, although I spent most of it seeing patients at the Sunday after hours clinic. I am enjoying my stint in Timaru though - a nice change - and only two hours from Chch !!!
ReplyDeleteThe All Blacks won last night - but Dan Carter is out for the rest of the season (courtesy of some South African thuggery), we lost another race in the America's Cup this morning - and nearly lost the boat as it flipped up to 44.8 degrees (45.1 degrees is unrecoverable), and Labour elected David Cunniliffe as their new leader (as a result of secondary preference votes) - a big 24 hours for NZ.
I will definitely look out for the 2013 Domaine Macabeu - "stomped by the feet of Devlins" - I currently enjoying a Dashwood Pinot Noir before retiring for the evening - a cheeky wee number !!!
Travel safely today on your final outing in the Peugeot, and best wishes on your canal cruise with your friends - we look forward to the pictures --> Ahoy Captain Andrew - and no re-enactment of the Concordia please - not too close to the coastline !!! Keep up the informative posts - we are all following your travels with slightly envious interest. Keep safe, Mike
Cheers Mike - in the back of nowhere on the canal, and just had the most amazing dinner with the Dawson's - wonderfull wee restaurant for a wonderful wee day ( albeit 13 years ago !). Will remember this one with a huge amount of joy. Have to keep this brief, but suffice to say that we're throughly enjoying this new and 'out of the comfort zone' experience
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