Day 10 of 21 – Off to Collioure – but first some parts d’ Pau
Yesterday was a beautiful, brilliant trip and we got a much-needed break in the heat and a good soaking of rain. Chris swallowed a duck the night before so I did the first bit of the drive from Pau to a charming little town of Castelnaudary. I had the joy of driving a dozen or so roundabouts whilst our charming brit-based GSP gave me very clear, quite nicely dictated instructions about how to navigate the roundabout.
Lunch was with dear Martina- a surprise connection from a Christmas past- and she chose a bit of a sleeper town with a Michelin-star rated restaurant Le Tirou for a light cassoulet of duck, pork, sausage, and butter. Lots and lots of butter. Oh, and maybe some lard to balance the flavours. And wine. Just some wine. A touch.
Yesterday during the day of no selfie, we survived. Chris thrived. It’d be nice if he smiled when HE takes the selfie….
- We skipped Lourdes. The thought of bus-loads of old Catholic pilgrims standing in line in the blistering heat dissuaded me from reach back to the folklore of my childhood. I vaguely remember little water statues of mary in my house as a kid that was supposed to have come from Lourdes with the idea that if you drank from this Holy fountain you would be cured. I drank one. Seems it worked! All my life I have been saved from the oppression of a thought-to-mouth filter and because of this mystic drink, I’ve held the ability to say what is on my mind. So don’t judge, it’s a God-given gift. Or it made me gay. Win-win for me!
- We stayed in Pau – Its small, sweet and incredibly well suited for a day of simple exploring and rest. We needed it. Between the marathon, the duck-fat and the Foix on everything, a stroll around a city based in my Basque heritage was perfect. Better still was the company. Chris is a champ. More on that later. He warrants a separate post.
Selfie Rule #7 – No bitching and you are not a victim if you declare a day-of-no-selfie. Shut up and embrace your choices.
We’ve had a fantastic AirB&B experience, so if you are planning on a trip and want some suggestions. We have them. One note about France – not all places provide sheets and towels and hosts being clear in the instructions when you rent seems to be optional.
randy marcotte - uncle randy writes here 