Bastille Day and Capestang - Tour De France

In France, it is called Fête Nationale ("National Celebration") or more often, “Quatorze Juillet” - 14 July; we called it Bastille Day and we chose to celebrate the day by driving all over the country trying to find someone celebrating the day… We were 4 hours too early in Capestang, so drove on, only to be too early at every village until we reached the sea. So, we sat down to enjoy the seaside and eat. We began with ice-cream before sitting down at a curb side restaurant. There were very few people sitting down so wandered for a couple of minutes before deciding to sit down. When we returned, the place was packed and we were lucky to be seated. People who followed were turned away. It took 3 hours to enjoy our meal before making our way back to Capestang for a planned firework spectacular. We got as far a Narbonne, and watched their display from the outskirts of the shopping centre. We then mad it to Capestang for midnight and spent a few hours watching a troop of singers attempting to sing every song ever written in the last 50 years. Sometimes we would get 30 seconds of the tune before they changed outfits and began the next snipet. 2 hours later our beds called out and off we went. It was relief as in the background local children were treating the old folk of the village to a barrage of firecrackers and fireworks.

The Tour De France came past again this year, so off to Narbonne to mingle with the cyclists on Thursday before getting up, making a picnic and settling in for the long wait along the route. This year we stood along the canal in Capestang. It was good spot to see the cyclists, but a dreadful spot for freebies. Far too many tourists with faster feet to and no manners all pouncing for plastic key-rings, cotton hats, newspapers and of course, washing powder samples. We walked away with a cardboard megaphone (roled up piece of card) and a daily paper.

Shortly after the freebie parade the cyclists arrived and this year, as we were on a bend at the top of a hill, the bikes were easy to see. Last year we blinked and they were gone.

Here they come

Swoosh

Shwoosh Shwoosh

Swoosh - Smile for the camera

The Summer Arrives

For one day in June all of France comes together to celebrate music. It does not matter what the music is or where it’s played. This year Alan participated in the Fete de la Musique by playing his violin to a packed room in Capestang. The temperature was in the 40s so after Alan’s performance many of the Cruzyites went into Beziers to experience the atmosphere. There was a heavy punk band on the main stage, flamenco dancers wandering around, a lovely stage with gospel music and a very busy square converted into a nightclub complete with laser light show and thumping music.

With the sun and weather, came the gardening. We have worked very hard this year not to let our plants die. The sunflowers died the day the sun came out, but the twig that was a rose from last year came to life and produced the most dainty of flowers.

Last year’s strawberries are still producing fruit and for the first time, we have tomatoes. They are sweet and taste delicious. Our friends on the far side of Cruzy have a great selection of fruit trees in their garden and this year offered us a few kilos of apricots. We set to work making some jam. 4 kg of sugar, 4 kg of apricots, 1 vanilla pod and 1 pint of water later, we were the proud producers of 6 jars of apricot jam. Yes. It’s the best jam we have ever tasted and we are down to 1 jar.

Last week the local choir here in the village performed in the village hall. Everyone was dressed in white and we settled down for a night of entertainment. Two minutes into the first song, the power went on the electric piano. It was not a power outage which is all too common here, but the work of a saboteur: a 2 year old had found the extension lead to the piano, followed it to the wall, and flipped the switch.

With the sun came the opportunity to head to the beach. Out came the new beach towels, new parasol, new ice box, last year’s mats and rugs and a host of books, magazines, iPods and fresh sandwiches and drinks. The first day we lasted 1 hour, the 2nd we forgot the food (left by the front door) and the 3rd the sea was so rough we dare not swim. So, off to the river with friends celebrating birthdays. Now that’s the place to swim. White water rapids, whirl-pools and water snakes. We had a blast, and came home red raw and covered in bruises. We can’t wait to go again.

An now, to introduce the newest member of the L'Abeille household. Our washing machine. Yes, its been 19 months in launderettes and now we have our own little washer. It's the hardest working member of the team and has managed 15 washes in 5 days. It get's thursdays off.