France 2015 Day 12: Long cycle

Last night's dinner:

Pineau

A bit boring actually.

This chap dropped in during dinner.

Early morning drumming session:

Found a good perch half-way down this flight of steps:

Overcast this morning

Then this chap came to spy on me.

Brocante Vide Grenier at le Barp:

No joy at this Vide Grenier this morning - it was a bit pathetic actually. There was one H0 scale plastic car available but the chap wanted 10 euros for it and I couldn't be bothered bartering.

Cycled to Cazaux this afternoon:

What the hell's all this?

A Spanish roller blading convention.

And more joined in.

And more ......

Then through 8 km of cooling forest.

Then joined a cycle path.

Not much open in  Cazaux other than this joint.

Mysterious single-track railway

Which disappeared into this French military establishment.

On the way back spotted this familiar looking handkerchief on the cycle track - so popped it in my pocket!

Currently listening to:

May 2015 edition of Optimo podcast on Rinse FM

Currently reading:

France 2015 Day 11: Thinking

Last night's dinner:

The campsite Rose.

At last we're in Pineau terroir

Rouget

Had a hilarious interchange yesterday with the wine seller at the market in Teste. I asked him to recommend a red wine for drinking "ce soir".

"What will you be eating?"

"Poisson."

I thought he was going to call the police.

"Jamais, jamais, jamais. Jamais red with fish. Jamais."

Of course I knew all this, but had neither the lingo nor the inclination to explain that many decades ago I had given up any interest in matching food with wine (except for oysters, funnily enough).

Therefore, I lied.

"Sorry, I meant "canard"!"

"Ah! Canard, monsieur!" he said unctuously.

And so he pointed me in the direction of this bottle.

Result.

Early morning drumming session:

Up at 6.50am and down to the cliff top to practise the old Caixa.

A really enjoyable 70 minutes playing while looking out over the ocean below.

Then back to the market at La Teste de Buch:

Spent much of the day thinking about what I'm going to do with all this reading of and around Sartre's philosophical novel, Nausea. Actually, put pen to paper - well, fingers to keyboard.

And bought tonight's dinner.

Then some speed practice on the old drum pad whilst listening to a metronome and watching paragliders drift by the front of the cabin:

Currently listening to:

Scientist

Currently reading:

Chaim Potok

Chaim Potok was also a painter; but not a great one.

Unlike Marc Chagall, who was a great painter.

A soothing presence.