(no subject)

I worked today after all. While I was mucking round with busses, some of what I'd seen started to process. I have one of the missing character arcs done and some rather crucial thoughts for a small bit of the dissertation. I also saw a flamingo in the wild, found out more about how that region makes salt, pondered the reasons for walled towns, sorted out what I went to Aigues-Mortes for, and realised that my inner battery life is not very high. I came home early to rest for a bit. This evening I shall take two hours off (I am so determined tto do this, this time!) and I shal estivate. There may be wine tastings, or there may only be an evening market. This depends on my level of estivation.

Food has been a bit tricky in Montpellier because of how it's handled and because fish is on every menu. I walk by and watch and have ended up relying on Monoprix for basic ingredients. I had the same problem in Spain, years ago, but didn't have access to any cooking facilities or refrigeration and so relied on takeaway Spanish omelettes (in baguettes) for a lot of my time there. The cuisine isn't the problem - it's the handling of the food. So please don't ask me about marvellous French food. I've had some, but I had to err on the side of safety, given the last few years and given that I'm travelling by myself. Last time and the time before, France wasn't such a problem because there was so much North African food round. Now that's a bit harder to find, and I don't really want to spend all my time hunting. Also, I rather like coming back to my bedsit and sorting things. It's the last few days in over a month away, after all, and yes, those abtteries need recharging.

Anyhow, tonight are the markets. If there isn't any food there I want (and there may not be much food there at all- the French don't eat while wandering the same way Aussies do and takeaway food is really to eat at home, it seems) then I have my emergency tin of ratatouille and my emergency gourmet cheese to eat with it, plus my emergency chocolate for dessert. None of this is tough, you realise, except at lunchtime today when I was reduced to raspberry and coffee iceream in a waffle cone. Which wasn't really that tough, either, just not something to live on longterm.

I ought to tell you something substantial, but today was a nice summery day, not too hot. Not the day for seriousness. It ought not be, anyhow, so why did I do a day's work when I announced I was on my weekend? It was a very good day's work.

Oh, and my right left is nearly healed, but my left still has some infection but is definitely smaller and less angry (dressing change today!). The result is possibly the battery charge problem. Anyway, I still have 3 1/2 days of antibiotics, so I will be fine.

No other news. Tomorrow is my various messages and spending of moneys and sorting things prior to my return.

(no subject)

This update is specifically for the friends who enabled it. In other words, it is brought to you by that group of friends who gave me money for my birthday and specifically said it was for enjoyment and making life easier overseas. It is also brought to you by my estivating.

"Estivales" is the Montpellier summer festival. and every Friday it has markets. Actually, it has markets every day (and often twice) but the Friday markets are, it seems, a bit different. Tables are set out for those who must sit. People walk around eating (enormous amounts! I noted that I ate nothing compared with everyone else - you could buy a tapas plate containing 10 different portions). There are antique stalls and bookstalls along with the regional stuff. The food stalls are part gourmet, part regional and part pure junk food.

And there are wine tastings. For 4 euros (provided by my very thoughtful friends) I bought a glass with 3 tickets. Three tastes of regional wines. As you possibly know (stop laughing, those of you who have seen me choose water above alcohol) I am not a big drinker. I do come from a family who loves wine, however, and I do like to taste, so I bought a glass.

French 'tastings' at the Montpellier Estivales are not at all like tastings at the Canberra wine show. It's more like the way everyone ate the food tonight. Full glasses, I got. Very full glasses. Three of them.

I bought some frites to help cushion them then, when I realised that I needed more, I bought some tourtons.

Tourtons would go down nicely in Australia, I think. Little, square deep fried pastries filled with yummy purees. I asked for the four most traditional and got potato, potato and cheese, potato and a much stronger and smellier blue veined cheese ("Do you like cheese?" she asked me dubiously. "I love it," I said. "Oh good then."), and spinach. All very yummy.

Not quite enough to offset a glass of white (more semillon than chardonnay, but not quite either - and no leaflet to tell me), a table muscat ("C'est tres moelleux," the owner rhapsodied) and a dessert muscat. The former was from Chateau de Stony, in Frontignan, and was called "Fleur de Muscat" and the latter was from Lunel (the closest I could get - no busses run to Lunel in summer and I regret to say I didn't think of the train until it was too late - Lunel was actually where I *wanted* to go today, and not going there turned my day off into a day of work, but not unhappily). I think I had their Spring Muscat (Vins de pays d'Oc), but I wouldn't swear on it, even now, with the leaflet in front of me.

All I know was that I left a bit earlier than I had intended, for I saw myself trying for another 4 euros worth of tastings. And I saw myself buying many, many things, lubricated by wine. There were no books I needed, but a lot I wouldn't mind having, and my luggage is full and it might have spoiled the evening's experience if I had woken up with the need to post another parcel.

The Estivales were fabulous, even by myself. There were two different sets of music. There were massive choices in food and wine. There were (not quite enough but still awesome) stalls that sold everything. It was great.

My only problem now is getting my Estivales wineglass home safely. I do want to keep it, you see. I am examining the problem right now, just checking along the way in case there is a drop of that nice muscat left...