A Warm Weekend

Oops! I was reading back through the blogs and noticed that I had completely screwed up on my explanation of Territorial and Local Government administration in France. It's now corrected so if you really want to know, go back to the blog dated 19 Jun 'Lecon Geographique..'.

Sat 24 Jun

The weather is really starting to warm up now and it would be very easy to find a shady spot, pour a 'pastis', and read a book. We decide however, to drive to Carcassonne for the market then on to Minerve and Homps to make some reservations for our outings with the visitors from Gladstone who arrive on Tuesday evening.

The markets really are an event for many cities and towns where locals can purchase smallgoods, meat, cheese, produce, flowers, clothing,leathergoods,jewellery, and so on from local producers and craftsmen. The Carcassonne Saturday market would rank amongst the bigger in the area. The centre square is dedicated to fruit and vegetables, flowers, cheese, and smallgoods which include sausages of all types, rabbits, chicken, and every offensive piece of offal known to man!

In a large adjacent building, the area is set aside for meat (including beef, lamb, goat and horse!), fish, shellfish, and cheese.

Somewhat further away and lining both sides of a major corridor through town is the general market. Here it seems everything is available from leather lounge suites (600 Euros),to clothing, shoes, kitchenware, electrical goods, toys, carpets, and, as I said, you name it you can probably buy it here.

Apart from all, the markets being extremely busy the other notable observation is the ethnic mix. Almost without exception, the food markets are run by French caucasians. The general markets, again almost without exception, are manned and run by the Muslim ethnicity. The prices are pretty good and, as an example, I was able to buy four Bonds type 'T' shirts for 6 Euros the lot!

After a 20 km drive to Minerve and a visit to the Chantovent Restaurant (they remembered us as we walked in!) to make our reservation, it was off across some roads we had not been on before to Homps. Our plan was simply to make a booking for the trip up the Canal du Midi, book a table in the courtyard restaurant and head home. Well, after a lovely lunch of Trout Meniere for Donna and grilled salmon for me and finishing with sorbet for Donna and 'Ile Flotant' for me, we drove slowly home enjoying the aftertaste of an extremely good Rose. I just knew you would ask! 'Ile Flotant' is meringue, covered in cream and caramel, floating in a dish of custard.

Dinner was not a high priority after such a lunch so we settled in to watch the first couple of episodes of 'The Sopranos'. How could it be that we have not watched this before? Our friend Michael, proudly of Italian extract, used to rave about it and we now know for good reason. Brilliant!

Sun 25 Jun

It is humid and with rolls of thunder in the sky and a few large raindrops we eagerly awaited the storm. It didn't come. Perhaps the weather Gods are closed on Sundays! House cleaning is on the agenda.