After another few weeks in London with Debrah, I flew back to Carcassonne today ahead of the Easter weekend. Debrah is following in a couple of days for a well deserved break from her job and her office.
The last few months have involved an enormous amount of soul-searching by us both as we determined to solve our 'living in different countries' conundrum. It hasn't been easy but decisions have been made and our lives are about to change which is all very exciting - but more of that another time.
Back here in Carcassonne and excitement is measured in different degrees from life-changing decisions. The programme for the Summer music festival has been announced and we have new recycling bins on the corner of the street - oh, and apparently sushi has arrived somewhere in town.
This year the music festival starts earlier than normal, in mid June, and goes on well into August which I think is a good move. It used to be crammed into three weeks of July with concerts every night, which was too intense. There will be the usual mix of classical, dance, theatre and contemporary French and International music - the highlights of which are Bob Dylan, Carmen, Jamiroquai, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Mika, Ballet Bejart, Motorhead, The Cranberries, Saoud Massa, Simple Minds and Roberto Alagna. Something for everybody there I think. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
Now then - waste collection - not a topic to set the pulses racing, I know, but actually it has always been a bit of an issue here in the Bastide, the very heart of Carcassonne. Because the streets are so narrow and because most of the building are split up into apartments, it is impossible for everyone to have their own dustbin - so there are bins at every junction and there are collections three times a day, every single day of the year, which is most impressive.
The problem though was that everything went in the same bins and therefore recycling just didn't happen. There are bins/collection points for glass, paper and cardboard and plastics at different points throughout the town but human nature being what it is, they weren't used as well as they should have been.
Now at least we have a recycling bin and general waste bin on every corner if not in every home. Sure, it isn't perfect and still requires everyone to do their own waste separation but so does every recycling system that exists anywhere in the world. I was encouraged by my first trip to the bins - it very much looked as if everyone was playing their part - good for them.
As for the sushi, well I need to do a bit more exploring and research to find out exactly where and what has arrived - it remains to be seen whether Carcassonne is yet ready for such a bold move but I hope so - if the quality is good it will be a welcome addition to our culinary options.
Monday, 29 March 2010
Monday, 8 March 2010
I don't believe it
What an extraordinary day!
On Saturday I was sat outside Cafe Saillan enjoying some lunch, some wine, some chat with friends and 20 degree heat from a cloudless blue sky. I have the beginnings of a suntan to prove it.
Today, it has snowed incessantly from first light until 6.30pm this evening and dumped a good six inches of the stuff right here in the centre of town. The strong wind meant that the snow was drifting and is considerably deeper in places. I can only imagine what it must be like up in the Haut-Vallee and the Corbieres hills.
The snow warnings were around whilst we soaked up that magical South of France sunshine, one of the main reasons we live here, but you never really believe that it's going to be as bad as predicted - just covering themselves surely.
When I first got up it didn't look that bad - a smattering of snow and just a few flakes falling. A false dawn. It didn't stop snowing though and it was very sticky stuff. I ventured out to the pharmacy and felt like a snowman when I got back.
My departing guests left early on a train for Toulouse. My arriving guests were flying into Toulouse from Hamburg and driving down to Carcassonne. As the hours went by and the snow continued to relentlessly pile up and I had heard nothing from them, I wondered if they would arrive at all. When I heard that the A61 autoroute was blocked I feared the worst.
But sometime after 4pm the doorbell sounded and a very slightly shocked mother and daughter, here to practice French (no point looking at me then), stumbled in from the snow wearing inappropriate shoes. Poor things. It had taken them three to four hours for a journey that should take an hour and a half at most.
There was no point them trying to explore the town or walk up to the castle (I later ventured out to survey the scene - when I got to the old bridge I couldn't even see the Cité for the snow still swirling around in the air) so I persuaded them to take a bunch of dvd's and snuggle up in the safe and warm of their suite for the evening.
Earlier, I had noticed that the tree in the courtyard was looking in a more stressful state as the day developed with the weight of the snow pulling down the branches dangerously low to the ground. Whilst preparing my supper this evening, I heard an almightly crack and swooshing sound and knew what had happened. I rushed to the bedroom window to find a huge branch had come down onto the courtyard, neatly resting next to my snow laden car. I will have to deal with that tomorrow - I just hope the other branches manage to hang on in there.
At least it has now stopped snowing and indeed there are signs that some of the snow is melting. It had better get on with it - I am not sure that I could cope with yet another flight cancellation on Wednesday.
On Saturday I was sat outside Cafe Saillan enjoying some lunch, some wine, some chat with friends and 20 degree heat from a cloudless blue sky. I have the beginnings of a suntan to prove it.
Today, it has snowed incessantly from first light until 6.30pm this evening and dumped a good six inches of the stuff right here in the centre of town. The strong wind meant that the snow was drifting and is considerably deeper in places. I can only imagine what it must be like up in the Haut-Vallee and the Corbieres hills.
The snow warnings were around whilst we soaked up that magical South of France sunshine, one of the main reasons we live here, but you never really believe that it's going to be as bad as predicted - just covering themselves surely.
When I first got up it didn't look that bad - a smattering of snow and just a few flakes falling. A false dawn. It didn't stop snowing though and it was very sticky stuff. I ventured out to the pharmacy and felt like a snowman when I got back.
My departing guests left early on a train for Toulouse. My arriving guests were flying into Toulouse from Hamburg and driving down to Carcassonne. As the hours went by and the snow continued to relentlessly pile up and I had heard nothing from them, I wondered if they would arrive at all. When I heard that the A61 autoroute was blocked I feared the worst.
But sometime after 4pm the doorbell sounded and a very slightly shocked mother and daughter, here to practice French (no point looking at me then), stumbled in from the snow wearing inappropriate shoes. Poor things. It had taken them three to four hours for a journey that should take an hour and a half at most.
There was no point them trying to explore the town or walk up to the castle (I later ventured out to survey the scene - when I got to the old bridge I couldn't even see the Cité for the snow still swirling around in the air) so I persuaded them to take a bunch of dvd's and snuggle up in the safe and warm of their suite for the evening.
Earlier, I had noticed that the tree in the courtyard was looking in a more stressful state as the day developed with the weight of the snow pulling down the branches dangerously low to the ground. Whilst preparing my supper this evening, I heard an almightly crack and swooshing sound and knew what had happened. I rushed to the bedroom window to find a huge branch had come down onto the courtyard, neatly resting next to my snow laden car. I will have to deal with that tomorrow - I just hope the other branches manage to hang on in there.
At least it has now stopped snowing and indeed there are signs that some of the snow is melting. It had better get on with it - I am not sure that I could cope with yet another flight cancellation on Wednesday.
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