Well, the winds have died down from 100 km/h to only about 25 to 30, enough so that one person can open the door now, so we have ventured out.
But first some very tragic news. The very image of France, the French Cafe, is dying. In 1960 there where over 200,000 and today there are just over 41,000 with 2 a day shutting down. The number of closings this year has increased dramatically. The blame is placed everywhere; the new no smoking law, the economy, the americans (just kidding about that one); but probably, they say, it is just a changing culture. The bar in the cafe is where you go in the morning to have your espresso or shot of favorite pick me up, the latest news, and then went to work. You have it at the bar because it is cheaper there than if served at a table. It is where you met your friends in the evening and discussed politics, sports and the world in general. They have all the newspapers for you to read and some of the weekly news magazines. Sort of the image of the corner bar in the big city in the States. It is mainly a male domain(at the bar). It is also where you set on the sidewalk in Paris and watch the world go by. Someone gave me some great advice when I was complaining of paying $5 for a cup of coffee. He said you need to look at it differently. Look at it like you are renting one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in the world for the day for $5, because once you buy your coffee or beer you can set there all day, read a book, write emails, whatever. They do not care and will not bother you. With that new approach I have had some marvelous afternoons setting outside at the cafe. As he said, though, choice your real estate wisely. (This may be old news to you, as I see it has hit the US press)
Of course, the open urinal on the street is almost extinct now. But do not worry, women's and men's bathrooms are still in the same room with an open urinal. And Boule is still going strong. I have seen no young men playing, so it may get beat out by computer games, but they have let women join in now.
And setting in the sun will always be in style!
I got so bored I went to a museum this week. Not really, but we did go to an art museum. We where the only people in building and where out numbered by guards 4 to 1. This out of season travel my be cold or wet or windy, but it is not crowded and there is no problem finding a parking spot. And you can stand in the middle of the street to take your photos.
The city of Nabronne is a nice city but I do not like it as much as Arel which was the big city near the farm. We went to a great little cafe for lunch, the french couple at the table next to us asked, in english, if we would mind if they smoked. Amazing! And they fine you $128 if you do not pick up your dog poop and they mean it.
On the Canal Midi, be sure and check your tide tables before you leave your boat for the winter!
(They actually drained it for the winter to do maintenance)
Sunday we decided to ride down the beaches in the direction Perpignan a ways and then pop up into the hills and follow yet another "route the Vin". I may have mentioned that most of the beach towns in this area are not very exciting as they a modern villages designed just for the beach goer. First stop was in a "real town", Leucate, at a parking lot flea market. Two guys keep trying to get me to join them in some rum, but 10am was a little early for me. On down the road there was a sign for "naturist pleage" and Vicki said we should go visit it. It took me a little while to realize that she did not understand it meant "naked beach" and not "nature beach". When we followed the signs into the Aphrodite subdivision, she finally caught on.
Two roads diverged in a woods, and I --/ I took the one less traveled by,/ And that has made all the difference.
--Robert Frost
