De-Nesting Diaries: Tuesday, April 23rd

That sorrow which is the harbinger of joy is preferable to the joy which is followed by sorrow. -Saadi, poet (c.1213-1291) [Gulistan] 

Pézenas Market!

Hi Pat,

Attached is a blurb on the place we rented last fall in the south of France in a small medieval village called Neffies nestled in the heart of the Langendouc wine growing region.

This is the summer place of a Vancouver couple (Dina and Simon) who live not too far from us in Dunbar.  Simon and Claire (my wife) used to teach together at Eric Hamber.

If you are interested I will put you in touch with Simon and Dina.  They only rent to friends, or friends of friends.
(Coincidentally a hockey buddy of mine and his wife and two of their friends have rented in May.)

Late September, early October is the best time to go in my opinion because it's wine harvesting season.  The biking is astounding in this area.  There are hundreds of miles of small lanes through the vineyards that are perfectly paved with only the occasional vehicle.  The Tour de France came through Neffies a few years back so you can imagine.  There is a small mountain climb just 10 minutes away that was part of the Tour.  I did the climb a half dozen times.

This particular area of France has very few tourists.  It is the authentic item.  The town of Neffies is very cool.  Two very good restaurants, and one small general store, and bakery, and wine coop.  You can get everything you need there.  But it is also easy to bike to nearby towns.  On any particular day there is usually a market in one of the nearby towns.

There is an excellent bike rental shop in nearby Beziers.  The bikes are first rate and not expensive.  They will deliver the bikes to Neffies. I recommend everyone have a bike here.  It is much more pleasant than biking in and around Vancouver.  No dangers here.  Everyone will want to be able to bike to the nearby villages of which there are dozens. The bikes have baskets (optional) so that you can take home what you buy at the public markets.  Also a few days spent biking the Midi Canal is an absolute must.  

I wouldn't recommend more than 2 weeks, though, since this is a rural locale, and by the time 2 weeks has passed you will have seen all villages within 30km.  In my opinion this is the perfect prelude to a week in Barcelona.  Is there a city more interesting in the world than Barcelona?  Barcelona reminds me of what it was like in downtown Vancouver during the winter Olympics, but Barcelona is like that all year round and Barcelona is 3 times the size of Vancouver. If you are lucky try to get tickets to see Barcelona FC.   I tried but I was too late.  I was in Barcelona for "El Clásico". The city was buzzing.  Barcelona FC stadium holds 100,000 people.  The practice stadium holds 50,000.

One other thing.  This Beau Soleil is not suitable for just one couple.  It is too big.  You need at least 4 people.  We had 6 people and it was perfect.  There are 3 queen beds.  Oh and did I mention the ping pong room in the basement.  Dennis

Hi Dennisovitch! (RDCB version to follow, Ragin'!)

Thanks so much for your detailed account of accommodation in Neffiès and description of surrounding region/environs, as well as suggestion about Barcelona. Funnily enough, Jo-Anne Naslund, (former colleague at UBC's Education Library), and her husband, Colin, were staying in Pézenas in early April, only about 19 minutes by car from Neffiès, as you might know. Both Cora Lee and I would certainly love to visit Barcelona but not sure if we can "squeeze" this wonderful city in on this particular trip.

I was first there in 1951 and celebrated my third birthday on the ship we were traveling on,(from New York, eventually to Cyprus), harbourside there. I remember I received a red plastic pop gun that shot ping-pong balls and I would spend  hours in the companionway outside our cabin bouncing my "bullets" off the steel walls. The high sills on the entrance ways that one needed to step over, kept the balls in the hallway, most of time, and I would gather up the spent ammunition and repeat this performance ad nauseam, (as only a fixated child or OCD afflicted adult can do!), finally driving my parents and their friends to utter distraction, and resulting, if I recall correctly, in the confiscation of said offending toy!

I also remember being in a large touring car, a convertible, with my parents and some of their ship-board friends, and have vague memories of tall palms lining a huge plaza and the surrounding main thoroughfares. As I recall, I never put my feet on the ground the entire time we were in the city and assume this is where my compulsion to do the same when riding originated. I'm sure Dottore Ragin', (Let he who is without neuroses cast the first cigar!), will offer more than highly informed, clinical insight into this pathetic, crippling behaviour. "Drink two lattes and call me in the morning," were his last words to me after I informed him of my latest accident!

At any rate, I am very interested in the possibility of renting so wonder if you can give me some idea of cost and/or put me in touch with the owners. On the matter of bicycles, I do appreciate what you said and it is certainly important for any friends who might possibly wish to stay. For my part, I am actively planning to buy a bike in England. We land in London on July 11th and after a week or so will take the train to York, where we will stay with friends in Harrogate. Their is a dealer in York selling Montague foldable road bikes, for ease of transportation in both rental cars and on trains: http://montaguebikes.co.uk/, so I'd like to pick up one to have while in Yorkshire and elsewhere, (particularly in Cornwall where we are doing a house exchange for the month of August), and then from the 28th of September to October 12th when we are on a barge on the Canal du Midi, out of Agen, again but three hours from Neffiès. I plan to leave the bike with friends near Lyon as we hope to spend the next few years exploring more of Europe and would like to have my own bike on these future excursions.

The location of Beau Soleil is seemingly ideal, from the point of view of our own itinerary, as well as being so well situated in terms of the relative proximity to so many other noteworthy places/regions so I am definitely keen to hear about availability/cost at the owners' earliest convenience.

Managed an hour on the stationary bike at FCCC yesterday. Very low resistance and felt pretty good. I read my latest crime novel and time just slipped by. Will go back again today and do the same. My groin muscles felt a bit looser this morning so am hoping there will be a slow, steady improvement. Thanks again for your informative response, Dennisovitch. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

P, Thanks. Sounds idyllic beyond imagining. Any sense of the cost? W

Words are things; and a small drop of ink / Falling like dew upon a thought, produces / That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think. -Lord Byron, poet (1788-1824)

Hi Giggster! I was composing the message above when your email arrived. Will let you know about availability/rates as soon as I hear. Heard from Kjell and he is still on for tomorrow. Have you had any thoughts about how to get to theatre? In the past, I have walked and can/will probably do the same tomorrow. If you wish to cycle and meet us at entrance that is fine, of course. Anyway, let me know your thoughts. Cheers, Il Stazzionatore!

PS: Work finally seems to be proceeding behind Big Yellow Fence, as I pen. Back-hoe/front-end loader making all sorts of noise outside our bedroom window. Sound and fury but no discernible action. Maggster is not happy. The Sisterhood is grumpy. News to you?

 P, Re: transport to Vancity Theatre. I will ride but can also pick you up if your infirmities are still an issue. W

Hi Whirlage!

My mental infirmities will always be an issue, according to my Sisterhood Fan Club! Thanks for offer to chauffeur but I 'd like to walk, if possible, as I need to stretch/exercise those muscles. As well the Swedish Bombshells will be along should I require mouth-to-mouth or other resuscitative measures. About 4:00ish? Barbara starts at 4:15pm. Cheers, Il Voloptuore!

Yes, I saw a doctor yesterday and after that did quite a few blood tests and an X-ray of my chest. And then there is a whole battery when I come home in four weeks. The doctor seemed to think that stress was involved and possibly compressed discs in my spine (that's why the X-ray).

Anyway, how are your injuries coming along as of today? And what about the movies???

About alcohol, I poored myself a quarter of a glass of white yesterday, but I left some of it in the glass! That is my general feeling about it, and somehow I think it is going to last. Fondestos, Kjell

Hi Kjell! Glad to hear you are making some headway on the medical front. Funny how one's taste for hootch seems to evaporate when one is feeling under the weather. Our bodies are quite the intelligent systems if we but listen to them.

Managed an hour on the stationary bike at FCCC yesterday. Very low resistance and felt pretty good. I read my latest crime novel, (Nete Neuhaus, German, Snow White Must Die), and time just slipped by. Will go back again today and do the same. My groin muscles felt a bit looser this morning so am hoping there will be a slow, steady improvement. 

Heard from Whirlygig and he is still on for tomorrow.  He offered to chauffeur me but I 'd like to walk, if possible, as I need to stretch/exercise those muscles. In the past, I have walked and can/will probably do the same tomorrow. This being the case he will probably cycle and meet us at entrance. About 4:00ish? Barbara starts at 4:15pm. Anyway, let me know your thoughts. Cheers, Il Stazzionatore!

PS: Work finally seems to be proceeding behind Big Yellow Fence, as I pen. Back-hoe/front-end loader making all sorts of noise outside our bedroom window. Sound and fury but no discernible action. Maggster is not happy. The Sisterhood is grumpy. News to you?

Hi Babycakes!

Great to see you, back-to-back weekends! Talk about a Freeloader! You are worse than the Sutherlands!!

Managed an hour on the stationary bike at FCCC yesterday. Very low resistance and felt pretty good. I read my latest crime novel, (Nete Neuhaus, German, Snow White Must Die), and time just slipped by. Will go back again today and do the same. My groin muscles felt a bit looser this morning so am hoping there will be a slow, steady improvement.  Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Hi Goils! Simply wonderful snaps! Unfortunately we have a conflict with the Laura's/James' wedding on same day as celebratory party for Katie and Brian. Perhaps we can "squeeze" in a quick hello. Let us know details of latter and we can try to plan something. Love. Dad/Patrizzio!

Hi Chloë! If you have The Sisters Brothers that is terrific. Let me know, please. Love Dad! 

i'll check tonight, how's Mags? how are you feeling??  will do. too bad they are on the same day but that is always the way, either your in demand or no one wants you!!! xx

Hi again, Chloë!

Just like you and B & G too! Maggster is sleeping on the blanket as I pen while Nana is now cleaning paint splattered floor! Managed an hour on the stationary bike at FCCC yesterday. Very low resistance and felt pretty good. I read my latest crime novel, (Nete Neuhaus, German, Snow White Must Die), and time just slipped by. Will go back again today and do the same. My groin muscles felt a bit looser this morning so am hoping there will be a slow, steady improvement.

Let me know about book. Thanks. Fondestos and Love, Cheers, Dad! Snaps:  Pics you took! 

Speaking of Pézenas I was there 2 or 3 times on our trip.  They have a great market.   I'll be in touch shortly with more information.

Hi Market Man! Great shot! Can hardly wait. Did you bike to market? Cheers, Il Conduttore! 

Glad you're making progress. Tomorrow, Jane and I will have to be at the Chan Centre by 7.40pm. Is the Barbara movie still at the Vancity Theatre, and how long does it go on? If it's not terribly long the combo should be possible. Kjell

Hi Kjell!

Don't think you'll be able to see Lore as film starts at 6:30pm, (109 minutes), and is only on tomorrow, as far as I can tell. Shouldn't have any difficulty seeing Barbara at 4:15pm and then making it out to UBC for 7:40pm. See you at 4:00pm? Cheers, Patrizzio! 

And it is Vancity Theatre again? I have a free ticket, and so have you, I suppose? 4.00 it is!

Hi Kjell! Vancity Theatre it is, with free tickets to boot! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Ayn!

You can go on either of these:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

http://www.thetrainline.com/buytickets/

Cheers and Love, Dad!

Thanks! How’s the recovery? Love the Tinsel Towners!

Hi again, Ayn and Tinsel Towners!

Work finally seems to be proceeding behind Big Yellow Fence, as I pen. Back-hoe/front-end loader making all sorts of noise outside our bedroom window. Sound and fury but no discernible action. Maggster is not happy. The Sisterhood is grumpy.

Maggster is, nevertheless, trying to sleep on the Mexican blanket as I continue to scribe while Nana is now cleaning paint splattered floor! Managed an hour on the stationary bike at FCCC yesterday. Very low resistance and felt pretty good. I read my latest crime novel, (Nete Neuhaus, German, Snow White Must Die), and time just slipped by. Will go back again today and do the same. My groin muscles felt a bit looser this morning so am hoping there will be a slow, steady improvement. Fondestos and Love, Cheers, Dad!

Biked to lots of markets but not that one.  

About renting bikes, you have to reserve well in advance. 

P Great. See you there. W

You have been looking in my window watching me read...W

Hi Fanfarrónage!

Not me my boastful friend but rather an exotic little bird that chips away, taking pictures every time the motion sensors read your braggart's lips! See you at VCT if my remote eyes and ears don't capture you on the Big Brother Knowledge Network beforehand! Cheers, Winston Smith, Ministry of Truth!

PS: It certainly would not be your window I was looking through if I was considering a career as  a peeping Tom but rather that of the Swedes, you dolt! Boast about that, John!

 

Pat,

    The place in Languedoc does look fantastic with excellent cycling in that area it seems. Agree that September is probably the best month, still warm but not red hot. Sylvia knows of Dennis and Claire. Simon, the owner, evidently worked with Claire at Eric Hamber School.

    Hope you are making good progress. My exercise this week will be limited to gardening, splitting and stacking wood. The latter was completed late afternoon. Stiff and sore, of course.

    Really enjoying 'The Unlikely Pigrimage of Harold Fry'. I think you would also, so I'll pass along our copy when I finish. Ray