I am not sure what causes us to sleep so well here – perhaps
the silence; the semi dark room or the cosiness of the bed, but we seem to have
enormous trouble getting up and going in the mornings. Something will have to
change, radically, as later this week will be an occasion when we have to be up
and about at seven in the morning, but more of that later.
We started our week at our normal time and managed to leave
home at about ten o’clock. We had two places to visit, both of which, we had
been told were well worth the trouble. The first was the medium sized town of
Rieupeyroux, about twenty five kilometres north east of us. As is so often the
case, the central, old section of the town has been left pretty much as it
would have looked in the Middle Ages, although people still live in the houses
and trade from the small shops, and they have obviously modernised the
interiors. Beyond what would have been
the town walls are modern new houses, shops and supermarkets just like any other
medium sized town. We found our way to the Tourist Office and picked up a
handful of information as well as some useful tips – such as, most shops and
restaurants were closed because it was Monday – which we had forgotten about.
Being a kindly Tourist Officer, she phoned around and found a cheap and
cheerful place where we could have lunch, and she couldn’t have done better! It
was just the sort of place we love – where all the locals go to eat.
After lunch we first walked around the old part of town following
a walking tour map, and then drove out of town a short distance to a small hill
which afforded us incredible views of the countryside. It was a little hazy but
on a clear day one can allegedly see the Pyrenees a few hundred kilometres away
.
Then it was on to Belcastel. The road took us down, down,
down into the Aveyron Valley where we suddenly came upon what I like to think
is probably one of the most beautiful villages we have ever visited. Situated
on the banks of the river between looming hills, the little village is
dominated by a semi ruined castle, the lower half of which has been converted
into a chateau. Once again, because it was Monday and out of season ,
everything was closed but it didn’t really matter, because, without dozens of
cars and masses of tourists, we could wander around and enjoy the quaintness.
All the roads and paths through the village are cobbled and very steep in
places, while all the houses and other buildings are constructed of the same
greyish stone. The original village dates in parts, to 1040 while subsequent
restorations and renovations have taken place over many years up to 1975. It is
a quite delightful, interesting and charming village.
We really tried to get up early the next day, but because
there was no real reason to do so, we once again didn’t manage! But after
lunch, as the sun was still shining and fairly warm (17.5˚) we decided to
return to Sauveterre de Rouergue, where it had rained so much on our previous
visit. What a difference a bit of sun makes! Sauveterre’s main attraction is
its large arcaded square and the grid-like layout of its streets and lanes. It
has become well known for its craftsmen and there are small workshops for
knife-makers, leather-workers, wood-turners, milliners and artists to name but
a few. Sadly, as is so often the case, these handmade items are not cheap and a
small pottery pig which I thought rather
sweet, cost 90 Euros which in South African money is just too much for a
souvenir. But we enjoyed ourselves, wandering up and down the streets, again
following a walking tour map. These maps are a great idea as they point out
details one could easily miss, while giving a bit of background history to what
one is looking at. We ended up spending about three hours there and only
returned to the car as it was getting a bit chilly.
The following day was a bit chaotic as we ran around getting
everything organised for our ‘Big Adventure’ the next day, and the reason for
our early rising. We were off to Mallorca to celebrate our eldest son’s 50th
birthday!
We set the alarm clock for 6.30 am and by 8 am we had
finished packing, got ourselves ready to go and tidied up the flat. Our host
had kindly offered to drive us into Villefranche where we would catch the train
to Toulouse. From the station we take the navette (bus) to the airport; then a plane to
Barcelona where, after a short wait we would catch another plane to Palma,
Mallorca. Twelve hours after the alarm had awakened us, we were in our son’s
wonderfully comfortable and well-appointed apartment. But our day was not yet
over as he invited two neighbours to come up and share a celebratory bottle of
champagne with us before taking us to a little waterside restaurant for a light
meal.
The train trip was very interesting. As we travelled south,
the countryside changed from the hilly pasturelands of the Aveyron to the
flatter crop fields of the Haute Garonne , with just a few vines appearing now
and again. Also, and rather different to South Africa, the crop fields have no
fences around them, nor do the vineyards!
Our trip on the navette
showed us a part of Toulouse we had never seen before – the part where a lot of
the red-brick buildings are, for which the city is famous. What a pleasure to
be driven through a busy city area, and for both of us to be able to sight-see!
And then it was on to the plane and the most spectacular
views of the snow-covered Pyrenees. Neither of us had ever realised that the
range of mountains covered such a large area, but with the snowy peaks
disappearing into the far distance, it was very obvious. Barcelona was dry and
dusty (outside the terminal buildings) and quite boring. Typically expensive
shops line the vast walkways and one seems to have to walk for miles to get
from arrivals to departures - or perhaps it’s just me that thinks that! And then a short while later we were in Palma
and our son was there to greet us. It was two very weary people who fell into
bed that night.
Friday was the day of the BIG PARTY and the reason for us
coming to Mallorca. Held at a small restaurant in Palma, on the waterfront, it
was a gathering of special friends (and
us) and while it started out relatively quietly, it didn’t take long before
everyone had relaxed, the noise levels rose and we all had a good time. As one
might expect from a seafront restaurant, the evening’s menu included such items
as giant prawns, huge oysters and a range of fishy nibbles, cooked and salad
vegetables. There was a Tom Cruise-style barman making cocktails while juggling
bottles and cocktail shaker and two different live bands – not at once! As the
drink/driving laws are very strict in Mallorca, a bus was ordered for those
that wanted to take advantage of it, and it was certainly very pleasant to be
driven to and from the venue without having to find our own way.
As a result of yet another long day and very late night,
Saturday didn’t even get off the ground until midday , and even then everyone
was somewhat lethargic. But there was a special motoring event taking place on
the island so we went along to have a look but by the time we arrived, all the
racing and parades had already happened although there were still plenty of
exciting cars to look at which we did before coming home to an early night.
Sunday again and I can hardly believe we have only been in Mallorca
for just over three days. We seem to have already squeezed so much into the
time that it feels as if we have been here for about a week. Today we took a
trip back in time to the port of Soller, going by train and then tram from
Palma down to the port. The train is an old-fashioned one with wooden coaches
and seats with back-rests that flip over for the return trip. It rattles along
with a wonderful clackety-clack and a load of passengers who have lots to say
to each other, so there is plenty of jolly noise all the time. Everyone was
definitely in holiday mood! The train line has to somehow cross a range of
fairly high mountains, so there were a number of impressive tunnels to pass
through before we eventually came out on the sea side of them, and high above
the town. As we wound down towards Soller, we became aware of a faint scent of
citrus in the air and then we realised that there were vast lemon and orange
orchards on both sides of the track. From Soller we caught an even older tram
to do the last few kilometres down to the sea. This tram trundles slowly along
using the same road as the cars, or should that be that the cars use the same
lane as the tram?! Pedestrians wander back and forth in front of the tram
without giving it so much as a glance, while some cars appeared to be almost
suicidal as they squeezed past the tram to get through the narrow sections of
the road first. At the end of the day, we did the whole trip in reverse and
were ready for a reasonably early night after all that fresh air.
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