Another hard summer

Yes, it's fete season again, and we managed to eat meals in two different villages both Saturday and Sunday at the start of June - good job we'd been training!  Then Judy's mum and youngest sister came to stay for a few days; mixed weather but that was all to the good as it wasn't too hot.

Then came the disaster of Brexit and we'd arranged an evening with the locals which wasn't as jolly as it might have been.  Nearly 40 people turned up, only four not French.  We had told everyone not to bring anything, but would they listen?  We were inundated with gifts and had a very touching card saying how welcome we were despite the referendum!

Anyway, as we'll no longer be EU citizens we won't have the automatic right to live here so we went to the prefecture to apply for a "titre de sejour".  If it's approved - which could take months - then we should get a permanent one as we've already been here 5 years.

We headed for the beach for a week at the beginning of July before Montreal's events started. We cooked duck for the first medieval evening in mid-July, went to a couple of superb concerts (one ballet from Paris, one full orchestra from Toulouse) in local towns then seemed to spend a lot of time eating and playing the local skittles game.

One of the walkers from Condom arranged a small group visit for a theatrical spectacle at Gavarnie in the Pyrenees, with two days of walking.  When we said we'd go he immediately asked us to lead the walks, so we had to spend a few days reccy-ing the walks before doing it for real.

The real thing went well and we came back for the fete in Montreal where we cooked moules-frites the Saturday night, then more frites and bits Sunday mid-day.  The next medieval followed on the Tuesday and we cooked 400 confit de canard - a record we think!

Judy was in a team of skittlers who qualified for the national chamionship, so we had to go to the Aveyron for a weekend.  Other teams from Lauraet had qualified too so they organised a coach and accommodation.  The weather on the day was foul - rain, rain and rain - and that was the only day we'd seen rain for a while.  Judy's team didn't make it through the heats to the main competition but they also run a competition for the non-qualifiers on the day and her team came second!  So more partying.  Next day we came back via a visit to the Millau viaduct and a very protracted lunch!

It's serious drought here so we're trying to keep the garden alive and the afternoons are so hot we retire to our super-insulated house.  The house is looking good, sits well within the plot and we finally got around to making a photo-book of the build. 

Off to another meal tonight!

Chris is 65!

So we stayed with Nicky, Bryony and Morgan until the last minute as we had booked a holiday to celebrate Chris' 65th birthday on 23rd May.  Just over 24 hours at home then on the plane to our luxury, all-inclusive stay in the Dominican Republic.  Not usually our sort of thing but turned out to be excellent, would definitely do it again.  Weather good - 30 degrees in the day, 25 at night, mix of sunshine and clouds so we didn't burn.  Always something to do, great choice of restaurants and just very relaxing.

Now back home for the foreseeable future and open for visitors.  Judy's mother and youngest sister are coming 14-18 June but otherwise...

Baby Morgan

We came to North Wales on 22nd April as Nicky's baby was due on 2nd May.  He finally arrived on 13th, 11 days late, by Caesarean section.  Named Morgan, he and Nicky came home on 15th.  All well, but Glyn still away.  We go back home on 18th, then away again on 21st!  

Anyway, here are some pics of Morgan (and Nicky and Bryony).

Just born

All together

What's for dinner?

What do I do with it?

Last few days in Oz

So our two months away is nearly over. Have spent the last three weeks installing the new kitchen for Donna and Jacko, including removing the old one and repairing the damage, redecorating and installing a new window. All done now, just in time.

Went up to Airlie Beach - full of backpackers and other tourists so felt quite at home - where we saw the sand-dragon. Then great lunch at Dingo Beach where lots of houses for sale.

Plane early Tuesday to arrive back late Wednesday. Doesn't time fly.

Last few days

Three hours on the bus south to Jaipur, the "pink city". Hotel turned out to be only a few hundred metres from the bus station, but in a quiet leafy area. Went to have a quick peek at Jaipur, then shower, then very cheap meal. Playing tourist properly tomorrow.

Everybody comes to Jaipur to see the ladies' palace, the Hawa Mahal, with its beautiful facade and the City Palace, still partly occupied by the current maharaja. Both lived up to expectations and took most of the day. Not many tourists: people say that numbers of foreign tourists have nearly halved over the past 5 years. Chris had haircut and we both had a head massage.

On local buses to Amber Fort in the morning, passing the palace and all the tourists we climbed the elephant track to the top to get lovely views. Lazy afternoon before we take train to Agra tomorrow.

Picked up from Agra Fort station then dumped bags at guest house; went back to see the fort later! Up early next morning to visit the Taj Mahal - absolutely fabulous. Peaceful because so huge despite the tourists, has to be most beautiful building in the world. A super place to finish. All pics on J's camera, will post from Oz. Off to Delhi this afternoon, planes to Singapore, Brisbane, Mackay tomorrow. Here ends our vegetarian alcohol-free odyssey to India.

In the desert

Arrived Jaisalmer just before midnight and were met at station, taken to our hotel and given an upgrade: beautiful carved stone room in old building inside the fort. Jaisalmer is all yellow sandstone with lots of carvings on buildings and the Jain temples. Because it's so lovely it's also very touristy and at times seems like a huge souvenir shop. But a great place miles from anywhere on the edge of the Thar desert. Will try to get a long way north-east tomorrow, so 6am start.

A long but successful day on sundry buses: Jaisalmer to Bikaner (7h), then on to Sikar (5h) then the last local bus to Nawalgarh. And the bus you want out never leaves from the station you arrive at - perverse! But people were very helpful, making sure we got to the right place. Anyway, we made it and for  the princely sum of £10 for the two of us. Now ensconced in a traditional hut at the Shekhawati Guest House where we have been very well fed.

Came to this region (Shekhawati) to see the havelis - Persian for "wind house" because designed for ventilation. Built by rich merchants on the Silk Road they tried to outdo each other over the years. Most are now gently decaying, some restored, some just preserved. Anyway, stunning.

Next day our hosts suggested that we go to Lohargal which we think they described as a quiet temple and pool up in some hills about 20km south. When we arrived it was manic: hundreds of people bathing in the pool and having a great time. Apparently it was a festival day. But talking to a local seller he said people came from all over India and it was busy every day. So we say and watched a while, visited the Sun Temple then tried to find a quiet shady spot to eat our snack lunch. No sooner has we settled down than the front door opened and we had a long conversation with the brother who spoke good English while his brother and sister joined in from time to time. They brought us chairs and tea - great hospitality. Off to Jaipur in the morning.

Getting hot in India

It was Chris's turn for the Delhi belly on our last night in Udaipur, but managed to get up for the 8am bus to Jodhpur and survive 6 hours on the road. Our homestay turned out well, right in the old town under the walls of the fort.

Jodhpur fort is supposed to be the most impressive in Rajasthan and it is fantastic, certainly the best yet. Stuck up on a huge sandstone slab it's both forbidding from the outside and luxurious on the inside with great views over the old "blue town". About 37 degrees today.

Went for a tour of some local villages, particularly the "Bichnoi", 15th century tree huggers. Some well-off, some very poor. Tried to help our driver advertise his homestay better. Bought a hand-printed tablecloth.

Caught local bus to Osian about 60km north to visit yet more temples, very impressive again. Back for big late lunch before 6 o'clock train to Jaisalmer.