Week 16
Monday 12 November 2007
More wind so staying put another day. Did a few jobs around the boat. The nights have started to get very cold!
Tuesday 13 November 2007
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARRYL
Darryl was up early as it was his birthday and he was excited about getting his presents. After a breakfast of croque monsieur we cycled into the Sete to find a nice seafood restaurant for lunch ….. there were many to choose from but eventually decided on the one that was busy and full of French people …. if it is good enough for them …..! Had a wonderful seafood lunch (the starters were so big we struggled with the main course .. and dessert!!!!) and then walked along the quayside and to the beach, in the sunshine! In the evening Alan came over to our boat and we had a few drinkies and Darryl got out his guitar for a sing along ……Christine sounded even worse than usual after a couple of glasses of champagne but a good time was had by all!
Wednesday 14 November 2007
Nice lazy day – popped to internet café …… thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes.
Thursday 15 November 2007
Wind still pretty strong so cannot move on yet. The Dutch man from the barge moored behind us told us there were due to be 95 km/h winds blowing down the Rhone … scary as that is where we need to be heading pretty soon! In the evening decided to go and check out a few bars that had been advertising the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau. The first couple of bars looked a bit dead but the last one sounded quite lively and people were up dancing so in we went. We bought ourselves a glass of Beaujolais each and then discovered that it was free top ups for the rest of the night … FAB … and there was a free buffet too!!! An older French couple who were up dancing insisted that we joined them and we then spent most of the evening on the dance floor. Later in the evening the DJ called us over and said the owner wanted to know if we were English and then said he would like us to have a drink on the house with him – very kind. Then the DJ announced to the by then very full bar that there were some English guests in the bar whereupon everyone clapped and cheered and came over to shake our hands and kiss us and kept topping up our glasses even more! There were a few jokes about the English beating the French at rugby too! A group of “youngsters” (or so we thought) came over to chat to us and we then discovered that 2 of them who looked about 25 were infact 39 ……. they say it is due to all the sunshine and good wine. They also told us that the local Frontignan people do not actually like Beaujolais as their local wine is much better … but it is a good excuse for a celebration!! Eventually staggered back to the boat about 1.00 am – a very good evening!!!!
Friday 16 November 2007
Another lazy day. Alan came over for dinner in the evening and very kindly bought us a tin of Birds custard as Darryl had told him we had run out and he missed having custard!! No singing tonight!
Saturday 17 November 2007
Got up after a very cold night (3.5°c). Went to market for fresh fruit and veg and also bought some thermals for skiing (although after last night may well need to use them before then). Went to a car boot sale just up the road and a chap Alan new on one of the stalls insisted on giving us stuff …. We came away with a very good quality wooden cleat for the boat, a set of jump leads and a clock! In the afternoon Alan came over and we had a bbq – the wind had dropped off a bit and it was a lovely afternoon. When we went to bed it was really cold so Christine warm her new thermals and we had hot water bottles!
Sunday 18 November 2007
Woke to find out the temperature inside the boat had dropped to 2.5°c during the night …. And outside there had been a frost …. No wonder we were cold on a little sailing boat with no heating!!!! Still no wind today to cycled to Sete and found another car boot sale – Darryl managed to a computer lead he needed from a stall for 1 euro!
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