Saturday, October 22, 2022

Inside-out snail heads, grapes, and modern oystering

Great news, I found out that when snails want to be left alone, they turn their face inside out, antennae first. A skill we've been trying to learn: my friend advises starting by getting your nose into your mouth.
Speaking of enclosed face places, here is how you collected oysters in the olden days.
You do this in the étang, which is vast inland marshy basin filled with great things like flamingos, demonstrating our amazing photography skills.
So let's look at the cool skies, and imagine the under-oysters instead.
Speaking of photography, we learnt about cave drawings, well what little there is to know.
The washrooms in France are limited and terrifying. This one, covered in stank, doesn't turn on the light until you lock the door in the pitch-black room, then opens and showers itself automatically after 15 minutes.
Best to plan well in the Boulevard of Thirst.
We went to Rocamadour, and I tried to not make sound effects while Barry was driving as he "does not like that".
We compromised that I was allowed to squeal lightly and singsongishly.
We saw the making of Rocamadour cheese, which you throw whole into lunch salads. Have I mentioned my love of cheese?
And it was just past graping season. They throw the skins back into the fields (for fertilizer, I suppose). Seemed like a good fibre supplement to balance out all the cheese, but I resisted.
They also had Dough house, Cream and Tip of the day, so some great food options.
Finally, I can't resist taking pictures of old, short French doors, so we'll close on that:




Sunday, October 9, 2022

Prickly Crayfish and Pears; Greenish and Pinkish water

We visited my parents in France, and Barry took the perhaps the best picture ever of the 3 of us. Too bad I didn't wear more fashions.
I also took some great ones.
This is the view from their rooftop terrace, to help you remember where you are.
They took us to a nearby ghost town, knowing our love us such things.
They were surprised at our fascination with the locally invasive crayfish.
Why so angry, crayfish?
There are many pretty old things, like this walled town.
Even older dinosaur footprints!
Local greenish water near the old moulin.Local pinkish water, where I learnt that fleur de sel is actually made from the crust of the sea. Fun fact: rather than to flavour food, it was traditionally used as a purgative!
You can hike up to some castle ruins. I was tempted to dig around for artifacts, but informed that we didn't have enough time.
Barry failed at his goal to feed the local donkey, because that was not allowed.
And I was curious about the abundant local prickly pear.
Too curious, in fact.

Mountains of Abundance

After a flat time, we sought some mountains. This is Montserrat, Spain.There was a huge wait to go to the monastery at the top, but the better view was from behind.
We went to Andorra, where there are hill cows grazing in the mountains. I'm not sure if they make Andorran meat or cheese.
There were huge supermarkets. Here is the cheese section; I may have overreacted.
This is how many kinds of roquefort there are. I didn't know there were kinds!
Speaking of cheese, we went to the goat cheese farm (ok, this was in France, but technicality).
Barry and #01168 may have fallen in love. Also, look at all those udders!
The crosshatch pattern makes for a pleasing way to display your sausages, I think.
So many hams.
Andorra has some curious goods for sale, including concerning light weaponry.
My favourite selection was the traditional Andorran bottle opener.
It all makes for a lovely Andorran picnic!