Chapter 27 - North American trips

Here goes another - not many to go before this project ends. As usual if you want to view the photos which were in the original version go to www.lesnpat.smugmug.com and scroll down to the album for this chapter.

Chapter 27 - North American trips and a wedding in Australia

Once the Dickason’s snowbirding trips were in the past, Les became a volunteer for Tourism Nanaimo, and for several four-hour shifts each week walked to Beban House. “Working” in this art deco [haunted?] log house provided Les the opportunity to give back to the community, and the forty years of living in Nanaimo combined with the steel trap memory meant that other volunteers and visiting tourists turned to Les for information and advice. 

The Dickasons took advantage of the offers from some tourism operators to visit their establishments and learn what they offered tourists. Tours of B&Bs on Gabriola Island, a scenic Nanaimo harbour cruise on the Bastion City, whale watching out of Telegraph Cove and a west coast cruise on the “Uchuck” added to the Information Counsellor’s knowledge base. During the years as a volunteer, Les was asked to represent Tourism Nanaimo by staffing a booth at conferences and trade shows in Vancouver, Calgary [Alberta], and Long Beach [California]. Calgary’s Home and Garden Show was in the winter, and travel from the local motel to the convention centre in below zero temperatures was a challenge. Long Beach was much warmer, but the long day in the booth [Les being the only attendee from Nanaimo] left little time for enjoying the sunshine or local attractions.

In April 2005, Pat’s niece was married in Melbourne, and after much debate, the decision was made that Pat would go and represent the Nanaimo branch of the family and Les would hold the fort, and mind the cat, at 3377. It was a flying trip for Pat, who, when not needed for wedding preparations and duties on the big day, had a round of social activities including catching up with friends [another Grange dinner was arranged despite the short time-line for the trip].

 As a sort of tit for tat, Pat insisted that Les take a trip while she held the fort, and after considering several options, a B&B was booked for several nights overlooking the town of Oliver in the Okanagan Valley a week or so before Pat left for Australia. It was many years since the last visit to the major wine growing region of BC, and Les enjoyed watching the soft fruit orchards and the vineyards coming to life again after the winter. Pink and white blossoms gave the orchards below the B&B location a distinct pastel hue.

Several vineyards were visited, but one stood out, not because of the vines or wines to taste, but because of the dogs. A walking trail map from the Visitor Centre recommended a 10km walk on the trails starting behind the Tinhorn Creek winery. The description of the hike warned that those trying it may have company - the winery 

dogs. Les went to the trailhead soon after breakfast, and set off up the hill between the vines. Within 100 metres, the three dogs appeared from nowhere and joined in; for most of the walk, one was ahead, one behind, and the third with nose to the ground darting from side to side away from the trail. When a junction was reached [there were 2km and 5km options], one dog went on each of the branches until Les had chosen, then the trio reformed and romped ahead on the track or road above the valley.  

   Towards the end of the 10km, with the map indicating the route was on a public road back to the winery entrance, the dogs adopted a protective stance and barked at other dogs in the yards of houses. Back at the winery, the dogs first waited at the gate to be sure Les was close behind then immediately went to the fountain and took long drinks from the cool water. Les had timed the walk so that the tasting room would be open, and during the tasting and buying session remarked on the dogs having completed the 10km. The agent suggested that if we checked outside we would find that they dogs had left already to accompany the walkers who had started the trail soon after Les had entered the tasting room. As Les loaded the car, there was no sign of the dogs, who, the agent said, could walk/run the trail three or four times a day.

The four day flit was not exclusively concerned with wine and food, and one day Les took the self-guided tour of the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory 

which was high on a hill on a back road. The variety and size of the different radio telescopes and the display centre were a distinct contrast to the agriculture in the parallel valleys in this region. [see photo right]

However, the activities of the days spent relaxing, walking, eating and drinking in this rapidly growing wine region were soon forgotten when Les reached Edgewood, having phoned Pat from the 12.30pm ferry to announce his return. When the VW turned to pass through the gate, Pat was waiting and flagged Les down; she opened the car and sat in it.

As the car slowly climbed the hill, Pat explained that she had come to prepare Les for the potential shock of what had happened at 3377 [and 3379] the previous day.

Monday is garbage collection day at Edgewood, and while the large truck was stopped at the top of the cul de sac across from the Dickason’s driveway, and the driver was collecting the bins nearby, the brakes failed on the truck and it rolled, backwards, down the cul de sac, across Edgewood Drive, across the driveway of 3377, and came to rest on the roof of the garage of 3379 next door. Les had taken the camera to Oliver, but neighbours later provided a record of the resting place of the truck, and of the drama during the day as emergency vehicles arrived. The road had been closed, the gas shut off, and eventually a large tow truck arrived 

and with great difficulty the truck was pulled off the roof, across the driveway and away from Edgewood. Slowly, things had returned to normal. The first photo on page 3 shows the truck partly on the driveway of 3377 - the driver is sitting on the wall beside the Dickason’s fence. 

The second photo shows the truck as it was towed off the garage roof and across the Dickason’s driveway. 

   The final shot shows the damage done to the wall between 3377 and 3379 and to the roof of the next door neighbour’s garage. The open door is to a utilities shed, the link between 3377 and 3379.

   The first good news was that no-one was injured - the neighbour was asleep in a front room when the accident occurred. The other good news was the neighbour’s car was undamaged too and that the only damage at 3377 was to the driveway, and two sections of it were later replaced. The work on 3379 took months to complete, and insurance claims continued for longer than that.

The next trip in 2005 could not match that excitement but was one which had been on the Dickason top ten list for quite some time, and June was chosen finally for a fly/drive tour of selected parts of the Canadian Maritimes. A rental car from the Halifax airport took us to nearby Dartmouth where the daughter of a couple 

who were in the original play-going group in Vancouver from the 70s, and her husband, were living. After a relaxing night to recover, the quartet went to the downtown Halifax market the next morning and wandered through the many stalls specializing in local products and work of artisans. After farewells, the Dickasons drove south on the east coast, first visiting the famous Peggy’s Cove lighthouse,

then continuing through delightful small fishing villages such as Chester and Mahone Bay and hunting for a B&B for the night. One was found not far from Moose Harbour, owned and operated by an artist who gladly showed us his studio, his original works and the prints made from them.

On a pre-breakfast walk the next morning, Les was very taken with the serene scenic views of the boats in the bay.

Over the following days, the rental car survived the numerous, huge pot-holes in the Nova Scotia roads as the route went through the fertile Annapolis Valley with stops at the Historic Garden and the Port Royal fort which was very well renovated and gave a realistic view of life in the stockade so long ago.

   A surprise was in store when the northern end of the valley was reached - wineries. Being from BC, the Dickasons were basically ignorant of the potential of vineyards and wine making in this province. But a tour at the Grand Pre winery provided an education, and some pleasant tastings of the award-winning products from the winery.

Staying a night in Pictou the night before catching the ferry to Prince Edward Island, the Dickasons found that this coincided with a lobster supper at a recommended nearby restaurant. Complete with paper bibs, potato salad and the traditional fixings, it was a feast to be remembered.

   The ferry ride to PEI was on a foggy, drizzly morning which cleared as the red soil of Woods Island appeared on the horizon, and  blue sky dominated as the Dickasons headed towards Charlottetown.

   Our accommodation for the three nights on the island was to be at Tea Hill, a few km outside the capital. The car was pointed towards a convenience store to buy supplies after checking-in to the cottage with its well-equipped kitchen when Les suddenly hit the brakes. Pat was puzzled when Les backed the car to the previous turn-off to the right, headed down a side road, and pulled off at a spot with a view of a tulip farm. Les had seen the colour in his peripheral vision and drove back to check on what it might have been. It was the mother of all photographic opportunities and the digital camera clicked and clicked. Pat collected some of the tulip head rejects from recent picking to take back as decoration for the cottage.

Over the years since, Les has printed photo-cards using some of the photographs taken that afternoon. When the British Columbia Automobile Association asked members to enter photos in a travel calendar competition, Les submitted his favourite shot of the rows of tulips, and was later pleased to receive a phone call indicating that it had been selected as one of the thirteen images for the calendar, and that there would be an on-line contest to decide the one to be on the cover. To keep a long story short, the tulips won the contest easily [might have been the PEI Tourism Department press release encouraging PEI residents to go on-line and vote?] and brightly decorated the calendar cover.

The lasting impression of the tiny province was of its size - it was possible to drive to all sites in a very short time. Unfortunately, 

the timing of the visit - early June - meant that many of the tourist sites had not yet opened for the season. But the scenery was a delight and the relaxing days were appreciated, even if the Anne of Green Gables visits - to the site or to the musical - did not occur.

   Using the Confederation Bridge to return to Nova Scotia was shorter than taking the ferry, and there was time to cross to the eastern end of N.S. and explore the sites that were already open there.

   The views in the Cape Breton National Park were impressive, and so was a stay in Braddock where an afternoon was devoted to exploring the Graham Alexander Bell Museum. The architecture outside and the exhibits inside were a delightful combination.

A final highlight was a morning at the fortress at Louisbourg on the south east coast of Cape Breton - built by the French in 1713. The reconstruction was a huge project but produced a jewel in the Parks Canada system. The staff and volunteers were in costume, spoke as if they were living there in the 18th century, and answered visitor questions while staying in character. The photo below is taken from the car park - visitors are taken into the fortress on a bus with a guide giving an introduction before the gates are reached.

The return to Halifax was via some other country towns on the south coast of Cape Breton, with trendy Guysborough providing picturesque views and a pub supper complete with country musicians to entertain us with spoons, harmonica and guitars. A final dinner in Halifax with our Dartmouth hosts was a finale before the return to the airport and flights all the way west to Nanaimo.

While the preparation for the Galapagos cruise continued, there was a memorable break when two friends from Australia arrived in Vancouver. Marje and David had hosted us on the coast of NSW several times on our trips to Australia, and they desperately wanted to see the Rockies when visiting North America. So the Dickasons planned a loop from Vancouver which would take the Matthews to Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff with B&B accommodation in Kamloops and the Okanagan on the way there and back.

The grey VW Passat collected the Matthews at their Vancouver hotel, and fully loaded, drove out the Trans-Canada highway for a picnic lunch at Hope. A stop at Hell’s Gate canyon and a ride on the tram across the roiling Fraser River coincided with the train from Vancouver to Jasper passing on the railway line above us. When we checked-in at a first B&B stop in Kamloops, and stood on the deck looking over the valley below [with glasses of BC wine hand] the train was heard, then seen, as it arrived in Kamloops for its overnight stop.

During breakfast the next morning, the train was heard leaving as it headed to the Rockies, and the VW was soon on its was up highway 5 to cross the BC Alberta border, with the visitors catching a glimpse of Mount Robson, and on to Jasper. A walk from our B&B [after a warning from the hostess about the potential of moose on the streets] produced a smile as the train from Kamloops pulled into Jasper as we headed to dinner downtown.

The drive the following day included the Athabaska Falls, then a ride for Pat, Marje and David on the Columbia Icefields in the huge snowcat. It was a grey and overcast day, but that added to the excitement for the Australians because during the stroll at the top end of the snowcat loop on the glacier, snow fell - a first for them. The other first was the appearance of a cheeky chipmunk at the Icefields centre parking lot.

   The skies cleared somewhat for the view at Lake Louise, and for the arrival at the B&B in Banff - “The Wit’s End.” For the two days in Banff, the sun shone on the fall colours - mainly the yellow of the alders and poplars - and the frost at dawn warned of the coming winter.

On the return to Vancouver, the Rockies in their full splendour were seen as we stopped at Roger’s Pass [see photo at left] and the VW 

continued down into the Okanagan Valley for a visit to Gray Monk winery and a final B&B with a view of vineyards and orchards.

With hugs, the Dickasons left the Matthews at their hotel in Vancouver to prepare for a transfer to the airport to fly home to NSW. On the ferry ride to Nanaimo, Les and Pat began making lists for the much anticipated Galapagos expedition - the next chapter.

There is only one photo of the Rockies trip included here because this trip was the first to be added as a slide-show to music on the Photodex website. If you wish to see the show [and have a PC - sorry Mac users], please go to www.photodex.com/share/lesnpat/ck4 then look for Rockies 2005 in the bottom row of slide-show titles.

Chapter 26 - more cruising and another French cottage

Here goes with 26 - the photos from the original version are once again at www.lesnpat.smug.mug.com - scroll down to the appropriate album.

Chapter 26 - to sea again with a difference 

- one more cottage

Our Travel Agent, Barbara, who arranged early cruises and many of the airline bookings for trips to France, had not given up on seeing the Dickasons go cruising again, even though we discouraged her after the last Princess cruise.

In 2003, she recommended that we try Celebrity. She assured us that her other clients with similar interests had given high praise to the smaller ships, the food and service on this cruise line, and she had taken groups on Celebrity cruises and agreed with their judgement. Somewhat reluctantly the Dickasons allowed her to make reservations for us for a short cruise on a round trip itinerary from San Francisco in March 2004, though we were determined not to enjoy this larger ship after Explorer. Flights to and from San Francisco were included in the package she presented, and a night in a hotel near the San Francisco airport was reserved for the night before embarkation.

Once at the San Francisco pier, we were delighted to find short lines for check-in and security, though there was an anxious moment when the agent at the desk searched in vain for our file for some minutes then called a supervisor. Very quickly she found the Dickason’s file, in an up-graded stateroom with a veranda instead of on the expected lower deck with an oceanview. Our prejudice against this cruise was immediately reduced - and minutes later on board after the Seapass photo was taken, one jacketed staff member took our carry-on bags, another presented us with flutes of champagne, and we were escorted to our stateroom.

Mercury was then one of Celebrity’s smaller ships at just under 1900 passengers if completely sold out. The itinerary from San Francisco included calls in California at Monterey and Catalina Island as well as Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with several sea days. The itinerary was not as important to the Dickasons as checking out Barbara’s recommendation, and on four counts it was a success - we did enjoy the change of cruise line.

Service, food, entertainment, and benefits [actual and potential] impressed us, and as later chapters will detail, led to more Celebrity cruises. 

We found the staff of this line to be very well trained, always willing to smile and chat and offer hints and suggestions. In small lounges the bar staff were knowledgable, prompt, and when they realized we were wine drinkers, suggested we buy a bottle [cheaper than wine by the glass] and offered to label the bottle with our stateroom number and store it until our next visit. Similar service was available from the Sommelier in the main dining room, where our waiter and assistant waiter were attentive, helpful and witty too.

We had taken Barbara’s advice and requested a table for two in the main dining room, and this really appealed given that it eliminated the gamble of whether there 

would be compatibility with table-mates. In the main dining room the appetizers, soups and desserts in particular were a delight, and some main dishes were very good to excellent given the number of dinners served at each sitting. We also enjoyed the small appetizers offered in the lounges with pre-dinner drinks, though we only attended the fabled midnight buffets as photographers not as grazers.

Breakfasts and lunches were most often eaten in the buffet on the upper deck, and by being selective, we could eat surprisingly fresh fruit and salads with perhaps pasta or pizza or soup at lunch and thereby save our major appetite for the menus at dinner.

The Celebrity Theatre featured a main stage show each evening. The ‘Broadway’ style shows with the Celebrity singers and dancers were very popular and very colourful and well produced, but our preference was for the guest entertainers. On this cruise there was a comedian, a classical pianist and a magician who separately entertained us. In the smaller lounges before dinner and into the night, we became groupies for the string quartet, and enjoyed a solo pianist/singer who had a great variety of tunes. 

On our first cruise with Celebrity, Michael’s Club, another small and enclosed bar, was a cigar lounge. There was a wide range of cognacs, whiskies and liqueurs on offer, but the Dickasons found the cigar smoking produced a difficult environment, so we only visited if one of our favourite entertainers was performing early in the evening before the serious smokers arrived.

The friendly Celebrity activity staff scheduled shuffleboard, table tennis and many indoor games too. Still competitive and relatively ache-free, the Dickasons made a hard to defeat team for shuffleboard, and Les continued to win t-shirts at table tennis and putting. We occasionally sat in to hear the “Name that Tune” music, but decided to leave playing that game [and Trivial Pursuit style games too] to the really keen passengers.

Being rookies on Celebrity, the Dickasons were not invited to the Captain’s Club events, but the Captain’s Club hostess made sure that we knew we would be members if we sailed on Celebrity again. She presented us with a list of the escalating benefits of being members, and directed us to the Future Sales manager who informed us of the advantages of making bookings for future cruises whilst on board - category up-grades, small deposits, ship-board credits - and she assured us that if we decided on a cruise and made a reservation she would fax the details to our Travel Agent who would earn the normal commission and handle all arrangements for us.

Snow-birding was behind us; we had no plans for January 2005; we found a cruise on Celebrity’s Horizon in the eastern Caribbean and paid the deposit. We think Barbara must have been very pleased to receive the fax which confirmed that her recommendation had worked.

Two other discoveries were made on that first cruise; our aversion to a veranda, and Cruise Critic boards. Having the up-grade to the veranda stateroom was not as appealing to the Dickasons as expected. On sea days, it was very windy and made reading a book there difficult. In port, there were fifty-fifty odds because the veranda was either on the dock side, where bus and truck traffic continued most of the day, or the water side, which often had a tender alongside which re-fueled the ship or took off garbage and sewage. Either way, the noise and fumes made sitting on the veranda unlikely. Given the popularity of verandas with other passengers [some ships have all-veranda configurations] perhaps we were too fussy, but we made our conclusions on this first Celebrity cruise, and with one notable exception, have not had a veranda since.

In conversation with another passenger in a lounge, Les was told about the Cruise Critic’s web-site. There a surfer could find recent reviews of sailings written by professional travel writers and by members of Cruise Critic. Members could also post reviews of cruises. The ‘boards’ consisted of an elaborate mix of chat lines where members posed general questions and received answers from informed and experienced cruisers. There were also Roll Calls for specific sailings which resulted in postings with advice by other members who had reserved staterooms on that future cruise.

Back at 3377 Les spent some time becoming familiar with Cruise Critic, joining the Roll Call for the Horizon cruise for January 2005 and unearthing the glowing reviews that were posted for the most unusual of the Celebrity ships - Xpedition - which had week-long cruises in the Galapagos Islands. The Dickasons discussed what an adventure that this would be, and despite the cost, determined to book a cruise when on Horizon the next January.

The final French cottage

The Dickasons had heard friends rave about the Provence countryside and nearby tourist attractions after they had arranged through the Dickasons and Richards to rent the Provence cottage. Using the credits for having sent so many friends as renters to the cottages, the Dickasons reserved the seventh and final one for a two week period in October 2004, and informed the RIchards that this might be the final cottage trip.

Flights were arranged from YVR through Heathrow/Gatwick to Montpelier, and a Europcar Renault from Andre was reserved for pick-up there, Montpelier being much closer than our usual Toulouse landing place. A final stay at our favourite B&B, Staith House, near Gatwick completed the arrangements, and everything worked very smoothly and the Dickasons struggled through the traffic in Nimes for the first time, 

headed north to La Calmette for provision shopping in the supermarket before the final 6km to the east to Russan [Ste Anastasie], our home base for two weeks.

The village and the cottage were small. Situated on the River Gard, Russan had about 300 people living in creamy-grey stone houses with orange tiled roofing. It was large enough to have a shady central square with a fountain, a church, Post Office, newsagent/bar/cafe, a small general store, and very importantly, a fine bakery which received a pre-breakfast visit from Les every morning.

The cottage resembled a small apartment with main bedroom, living/dining room and kitchen all on the main floor with a spiral staircase leading up to a second bedroom and downstairs to a laundry area. A terrace was situated off the kitchen, and was equipped with an electric barbecue. The journals from previous renters, the restaurant reviews, the box of tourist literature, the roster of markets, picnic backpack and the plastic jug for wine were all there, and the decor of the cottage was distinctly Provencale with furnishings and paintwork in the grey-blue which is peculiar to the region. Prints on the walls were of work from famous French artists who had once worked in Provence.

The Dickasons adopted a different approach with the luxury of two weeks in the same cottage. Longer day trips for sightseeing were scheduled every second day, with activities closer to home for the days in between. On some of these days, the car was not used at all as long walks on the Grand Randonnees [marked walking trails] which passed through Russan were taken, or strolling around the village, reading, eating and drinking filled a very relaxing day.

During the time in Russan, several trips were made to Uzes, only a 20 minute drive. The first coincided with the St. Fermin Fair, and the traffic was diverted from the town centre to accommodate the stalls for artisans, potters and artists, food and wine merchants, fabric vendors, and to allow the musicians to set up and entertain the thousands of visitors. Checking out the market and exploring the 12th and 13th century buildings, including the chapel and fenestrelle tower [see photo at left], confirmed what friends had told us - Uzes was the most fascinating small town.

   Another visit was to the regular weekly market, and again thousands attended to buy from a different set of vendors of fruit, fall vegetables, cheeses, olives, wine, and fresh meat and seafood too. Again traffic was barred from the central streets, and shopping was facilitated. After placing the shopping bags in the Renault, the Dickasons returned for a lunch at a recommended tapas bar, and after chatting with the friendly chef, came home with a recipe for a beef stew with chocolate which is 

sometimes served at 3377 dinners.

 Also within easy reach was the famous Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct over the River Gardon. On one of our lazy day trips from the cottage, it made a perfect picnic lunch spot as we marvelled at the Roman skills in architecture and construction techniques.

A very productive short day trip was to the Cooperative winery in Bourdic - Collines de Bourdic. The display of awards won in the vaulted tasting room and the tasting of their premium wines meant the Dickasons had to buy quite a selection to use in Russan with the barbecued dinners. Though it was tempting to buy only the more highly rated Rhone wines in supermarkets, the Bourdic vines on the hills produced some excellent matches with local meats and cheeses. The photo at right shows Pat in the cottage dining room with Bourdic wines to accompany some veal straight from the bbq.

There are souvenirs here at 3377 which remind us of two other short day trips. The local newspaper announced the annual artisan and wine festival at Quissac, and after watching the procession of locals in historical costumes, some on vintage bicycles, unicycles and tricycles, tasting wines and sampling olives, the Dickasons found a wood-worker who painstakingly cut and trimmed a piece of wood to make a nameplate for the new cat Zoe. It is fixed to her bedroom door at 3377.

 Entries in the guest book at the cottage prompted us to drive the short distance to Lussan to the pottery there which specialized in producing ceramics of pintades [guinea hens], roosters and chickens. The showroom was very impressive, but the bargain purchases could be found in the room at the back where ‘seconds’ were arrayed on shelves. Having chosen the items we wanted in the front, the Dickasons retreated to the back room and found almost identical hens - with blemishes hardly noticeable - and for which the price was a fraction of the ‘firsts.’ The two hens often form part of the decor on the table at dinner in our dining room.

   Nimes was an approach-avoidance location during this stay in Provence. It seemed that all roads south led through Nimes, and the Dickasons cursed the traffic on the first Saturday and on several longish day trips, and were forced to allow extra time and to be patient when approaching and passing on what was considered a by-pass but was clogged with traffic. However the day allocated for a trip to Nimes to explore produced an instant love affair. Again, the connection to things Roman had jaws dropping and heads shaking at the brilliance of the ancient builders. The Maison Carree, a temple with perfect proportions from the first century and the stunning Arenes de Nimes, an amphitheatre dating from the same period occupied much of the morning. A guided tour of the latter was held on the same morning that the preparations were being made for placing a roof over the floor area so that concerts could be held in the coming winter [see photo next page].

The arena, the guide explained, had been transformed into a fortress in the 6th century, to a chateau in the 12th, and was used by hundreds of villagers in the 18th 

century. Restored in the 19th century as a bull ring, it became a very active theatre site in the years which followed.

Leaving the Roman section of the city after a picnic lunch, the Dickasons found Les Halles, a very large indoor market place which had daily offerings of a huge range of foodstuffs, fabrics, local products from artisans as well as restaurants. 

   The city of Nimes is very proud of its reputation as “olive capital” of France [and “beef capital” too?] and postcards, posters and fabric art cheekily announced the claims. Les has an apron from the market depicting a bull and strategically placed olives which amuse guests at 3377. The Dickasons did buy a variety of olives as well as postcards and the apron.

   Several other day trips, that went past or through Nimes, resulted in visits to fascinating destinations on the Mediterranean. The Carmargue, with its flamingoes, white horses, marshy parks and walking trails was a complete contrast to the cities and villages of other day trips. The walled town of Aigues Mortes was the highlight of another day, and on the return trip the feature was the fortress and revitalized town inside it at Les Baux. 

There are so many famous places to visit, that as the second week wound down it became difficult to set priorities and make plans. However, two other sites made the cut; St. Remy and Avignon. On a cool, grey day in Avignon the Dickasons were warm inside using an audio tour of the 13th century Palais des Papes, with brilliantly restored chambers with furniture and tapestries. A view of Le Pont d’Avignon across the Rhone River was the centre-piece of the picnic lunch that day. St. Remy provided an informative self-guided walking tour of the places Van Gogh had lived and worked - with reproductions of his work on every plaque, postcard and poster, and in the many galleries dotted through this charming town.

At a final celebratory lunch back in Uzes, the Dickasons concluded that leaving the Provence cottage as a finale, and having two weeks in the fall in this region of France was a definite highlight of the multiple trips to all seven of the Richards’ cottages. However, when asked during this period and years later which was the favourite, the Dickason response typically was “whichever cottage we are in.”

Second Celebrity cruise

Before the January cruise could be enjoyed, the frowning travel gods forced a change of plans for leaving Nanaimo to travel to Tampa Bay. Snow fell four days before the planned ferry trip to Vancouver for an overnight motel before an early morning flight. It continued to fall for 36 hours and that raised the possibility of canceling the cruise. But, with the assistance of neighbours at Edgewood a Plan B formed - first to arrange for one friend to come and feed the new cat, Zoe, and take her to the cattery when weather permitted - and secondly to have another friend at Edgewood, who had chains on his SUV, agree to collect the Dickasons and luggage for delivery to the ferry terminal on January 7th, a day ahead of schedule due to the forecast of yet more snow. The motel near the airport in Vancouver extended our stay to two nights, and the Dickason’s extra time there passed slowly before the alarm sounded at 5am on the 9th. 

Flights, a stay in a Tampa Bay motel on the 9th, and transfer to the ship on the 10th were anti-climactic after the anxious moments of the previous three days. Seeing Horizon in the sun at the dock was very cheering. She was then one of two small ships in the growing fleet - carrying about a hundred fewer passengers than Mercury. Everything on board however was very similar to what we had experienced on our first Celebrity cruise - though this time the weather was much warmer.

The sailaway from the dock in Tampa Bay is arguably the most serene and beautiful of departures from the eastern US ports. Leaving the dock, the ship steamed slowly down the channel as the city sparkled in the sunshine before she crossed the actual Bay of Tampa and reached the Gulf of Mexico. Passengers strolled on the outer decks and sat in t-shirts and shorts at bars with ‘sailaway’ drinks - a contrast to the winter wear needed just days previously.

Ports on this cruise offered varied excursions, but the Dickasons followed the pattern from their Princess cruises and took self-guided walking tours or bought excursions ashore from private operators [some highly recommended on Cruise Critic ‘ports of call’ boards].

Although it was only the second Celebrity cruise, the Dickasons were recognized by some staff members who had been on Mercury and we remembered them. Over the following years, this would occur more often as the total number of cruises with Celebrity climbed. Being members of the Captain’s Club meant there were invitations to special events, and the Captain’s Club hostess was available and willing to answer questions and resolve problems. Celebrity also hosted a reception for the Cruise Critic members who had registered on the Roll Call, giving the Dickasons the opportunity to meet and put names to passengers who had been posting anonymously, with screen names, in the months before the cruise.

Outstanding on this cruise were lectures from a digital camera expert [who doubled as a comedian in the Theatre one night], “Two for the Road” [piano and violin duo playing light classics], Colin [piano and vocals], lectures from a geologist/oceanographer, and the two appearances of Katya, a classical pianist who gave recitals in the Theatre. Probably the best waiter of our cruising experiences was serving the Dickason table for two on this cruise. Capacci was a superstar who exhibited humour, willingness to help, fine relationships with his assistant and our Sommelier, and even chatting to passengers when he met them ashore. 

Not all was perfect on this second Celebrity cruise because there were some last minute changes to the itinerary due to some mechanical problems and some strong winds and currents. Our arrival in San Juan, Puerto Rico was several hours late, and though the departure time was extended, there were some passengers heard loudly grumbling about the inconvenience and about the weather. Later in the itinerary the ship docked instead of tendering in St. Maarten and divers made repairs to the propeller seal while most passengers were ashore.

Two incidents in ports visited merit inclusion here. In Nassau, as we strolled back to the ship after bartering for a straw hat, military music was heard just a street away. Investigating, the Dickasons watched as a brass band and a police motor-cycle escort preceded a procession of judges in full regalia. The opening of the Supreme Court was to take place that morning, and the colourful event attracted quite a crowd of tourists and locals as it passed the pastel coloured buildings on the main street.

 

   The Dickasons had no plans for excursions in St. Maarten, but soon after leaving the dock and enjoying the warm sunny morning, we were approached by a tout for one of the time-share companies and offered a sealed envelope. Inside was a shopping voucher for $500... suddenly the tout was very excited. He assured us that there was rarely such an envelope in the pile he was given to distribute, and that he was thrilled for us [and we guessed for his commission]. The fine print on the voucher directed us to take a taxi to the time-share location in Oyster Bay where the taxi would be paid for, the voucher authorized, and a taxi would be provided for returning to the dock area for shopping.

The drive to the complex was first through a very poor area of the city, then through the lush jungle to a very beautiful bay. Our driver assured us that Stallone and Belafonte, among others, had houses on the bay. At the administration building, the driver was paid and he left. The Dickasons waited for some time before a charming lady arrived, seemed surprised at our voucher, asked for our ID, and announced that because the time-share had age restrictions and we were both over 60, she could not authorize the shopping voucher or take us on a tour of the facility, but she would arrange for a free taxi ride back to the dock. While waiting for the taxi, Les did take some photographs [see at right] - and as we enjoyed a $1 beer at a dock-side bar later before re-boarding Horizon, we put a positive spin on the adventure. We would have had trouble spending $500 in the shops anyway, and besides we had a free shore excursion to a lovely location.

Key West was the final port of call before the return to Tampa Bay. The Chamber of Commerce there provided a self-guided walking tour map of this lovely Florida city, and it had many historical highlights on the route. Several of the descriptions featured Ernest Hemingway - the 

houses he lived in, his six-toed cats, and his favourite pub [Sloppy Joe’s]. From the outer deck that day we saw over 400 sailboats heading out for one of the races in the KW 2005 series - quite a sight with the blue water and the many sails outside our stateroom.

   We asked that evening why Horizon had not stayed longer in such a wonderful port. The answer was surprising - apparently there was a local by-law which prohibited cruise ships from staying in port after 5pm. The logic behind it was that the local residents of apartments and houses near the dock did not want their sunset spoiled by having a ship in the foreground!

As Horizon sailed north on flat seas towards Tampa Bay, Les sat with the Sales Manager, Olga, and arranged for reservations on Celebrity Xpedition with a package deal which included a night in Quito, Ecuador, a flight to the Galapagos, seven nights on the luxury ship, and a flight back to Quito in November later in that year.

One more hint from the Cruise Critic boards aided the Dickason’s return from Tampa to BC. Cruise lines insist that flights leaving airports after disembarkation of passengers be booked after noon at the earliest. But, when a cruise ship docks on time, and the disembarkation is smooth and the airport is nearby, passengers can find themselves at the airport hours before their scheduled flight. The hint was to ask at check-in if the airline agent could change the ticket to allow for an earlier departure. The Dickasons followed the advice, and were re-ticketed for stand-by and  did leave Tampa ninety minutes early, with Economy Plus seats. However, snow falling in Chicago delayed the departure from there, and the Vancouver arrival was almost exactly at the time showing on the original ticket with a different routing.

Planning for the Galapagos began almost immediately - although, as the next chapter will describe, several other trips were wedged between January and November 2005. 

chapter 25 France, and more France......

Here is another chapter on travels in France. Photos appearing in the original version can be found at www.lesnpat.smugmug.com - scroll down to the relevant album for this chapter.

Chapter 25 - France again - and again

Quite a different variety of experiences was involved with the next Dickason trip to cottages in France in 2003. With a distinct memory of the difficulties associated with the charter flight and the 9/11 episode, we completed research which produced a much preferred flight booking. British Airways had introduced two flights daily from Vancouver, and by buying seats on the earlier of the two, it was possible to take the bus from Heathrow to Gatwick and transfer to a connecting flight to Toulouse on the same day rather than overnight near one of the London airports.

The same research led to the discovery of the World Traveller Plus class on BA. This level, for a premium paid over the economy fare, provided economy class food and wine but a two-four-two seating configuration [compared to three-four-three in economy] in a small section of the aircraft, forward of the wing. With fewer than 40 passengers and one flight attendant, it proved to have faster service, was quieter, and seemed to have fresher air than the World Traveller or economy section further back in the plane.

The Dordogne and the Pyrenees cottages combination was the original plan, but having sworn to return to the cottage where we had spent but two nights in 2001 after the cancelled flight, a week in Gascony was added. The referral of friends to the Richard’s cottages was succeeding since the initial arrangement, and adding the third week was at no cost to the travel budget because of the ‘credits’ we had accumulated.

A booking for a Renault Clio was made through Andre in Montreal, and a Novotel airport hotel reservation made for the Friday of our arrival in Toulouse. The World Traveller Plus flight from YVR was quite relaxing with the extra legroom and the wider seats. The National Express bus to Gatwick gave us ample time to switch to the flight to Toulouse, and the shuttle at the Toulouse airport took us to the hotel in time for a pleasant dinner outside on the patio - pate, coq au vin, confit de canard and some local red wine were a perfect introduction to eating in France again.

Late in the morning on Saturday, the hotel shuttle returned us to the airport where the EuropCar desk confirmed our booking. After a quick orientation to our new car, we headed north to the Dordogne cottage, stopping outside Cahors for a picnic lunch. The information from the Richards indicated that there were no shops in tiny Berbiguieres where the cottage was located, so we first stopped at the super-market in Siorac-en-Perigord to buy staples for the first few days, and continued the final 4km to the cottage.

‘La Maison du Chateau’ is a simple Perigord stone cottage, one of several in a horseshoe shape surrounding the chateau which was originally a military stronghold in the 11th century. The Dickasons were delighted to find that the view out the front living room window was across a farmer’s field, with crops already planted and 

sprouting early in May. The entry to the cottage was into the large living/dining room with white walls and oak floor - the kitchen was separated from this by a half-height wall and had a door to a small patio. The main bedroom, bathroom and laundry were downstairs, and upstairs was a loft with two single beds. 

   A surprise woke us the next morning - bells at the local church starting at 7am. The sound ensured Les was out on his pre-breakfast walk that Sunday, and each morning during the week as well. The Dickasons tried to determine the logic behind the number of peals each day - it varied - but gave up after three or four days.

The list on the kitchen wall informed of a market in St. Cyprien on Sunday morning - just 4km from our cottage - and visiting that and buying fresh fruit, vegetables and wine in the plastic jug occupied the first morning, with lunch back at the cottage on a hot and sunny day.

After reading through the box of tourist literature and the journals of previous renters, it became obvious that this cottage was within very easy reach of a wide variety of places to visit. The Dordogne River wound through the area, and on almost every bend there was another castle or fort. Each had a long history, and some had interesting recent residents of note too. To ensure a steady stream of tourists, tours with guides [or audio-guides] were available at almost all attractions.

Others such as such as Chateau de Castelnaud advertised a specialty. Here a display of MIddle Ages clothing, furniture, mosaics and weaponry [small items inside, large items like catapults outside] was particularly well done. From the ramparts here it was possible to look in both directions along the river and see other castles and forts at each bend. Some sites enhanced their attraction by adding activities such as 

demonstrations of birds of prey at Chateau de Millandes where the Dickasons and a crowd of tourists were fascinated by the eagle owl and various hawks as trainers put the birds through their acts. The interior of the building featured the history of a 20th century owner, Josephine Baker, a US born musical hall star who turned into a Resistance fighter. 

   A routine was very quickly established in this cottage with a picnic being packed into the car for a short trip to a walled town or castle for a tour or walk. The picnic lunch was eaten at a picturesque viewpoint before a short trip to formal gardens or to another famous town or village. Sarlat, Beynac, Roquegageac, Cadouin and Montpazier were recommended by entries in the journals, and they did not disappoint. The Dickasons were tempted by the potential of renting a canoe from Roquegageac and taking the leisurely two hour trip down river past four chateaux, but it never seemed to fit the schedule, though we watched others paddle along past us during our picnic lunches.

One morning, while approaching Montpazier on a small winding road, the Clio was tailgated by a yellow Porsche. Les pulled over to allow it to pass, only to find a black Porsche was immediately behind the Clio, with a silver grey one behind that. After parking in the lot outside the walls of the town, the Dickasons walked through the arched gateway, along the narrow cobbled street to the town square. Our eyes 

widened as, parked in straight lines in the square were more than 40 Porsches. Apparently breakfast for the Porsche Auto Club was planned for 10am right there in Montpazier. Under tents were tables with plates of croissants, pate, cheese, bread, fruit, Cognac, Sauternes and more as the drivers and their passengers [and dogs] enjoyed the gathering.

Throughout the week, we noticed flowers budding everywhere. In Berbiguieres, climbing roses and wisteria suddenly added colour to cottage walls in the ruelles, and while driving past some fields the Dickasons saw the red poppies appearing amongst the grasses.

During the week, dinner was in the cottage each evening except one. The ingredients for most meals were bought at local markets and at road-side stalls. One neighbour operated a van which he drove to markets to sell local cheeses. His weekly schedule meant he visited twelve different towns, and we recognized him and his van and bought cheese from him and bread from the baker he recommended. 

    Consistently high praise in the ‘restaurant’ book at the cottage was for the Auberge de la Nauze in a small town just 7km distant. On Thursday night we dined there and enjoyed the Perigord Noir cuisine with terrine with fois gras, veal with a morel sauce, with apples and walnuts all featuring as local products.

   Too soon, it was house-cleaning and car-packing time, and the Clio was pointed south to take the ring road to the east of Toulouse and continue another 100km to the south east to the town of Mirepoix where the Pyrenees cottage [La Maison des Penitents Blancs] was easily found.

The contrast between the Dordogne and Pyrenees cottages and their location was very marked. Berbiguieres was a tiny village with no shops; Mirepoix a town of over 3000 souls, with all facilities. The Dordogne village bordered a farmer’s field; the Mirepoix cottage was a three storey building with shutters and an entrance off 

the pavement on a regular street [with parking restrictions].

However, the Mirepoix home was comparatively large, would sleep up to six adults, and had been renovated beautifully. It was just four blocks from a super-market on the edge of the town, so before arriving to open the door, the Dickasons augmented the supplies carried from the Dordogne week, then explored and unpacked once inside. After dining on local sausages, a stroll into the walled town was the most obvious activity.

Within two blocks was one of the gateways into the old town [see the photo at left below], and another two blocks inside the walls was the Place des Couverts - a central square surrounded by medieval houses and arcades which provided covered walkways for the shops. Of particular interest was the Maison des Consuls which had over 100 carved wooded heads on the ancient woodwork of the beams on the arcades. The square was large enough to have trees, benches, a merry-go-round, and that Saturday evening, many arm in arm couples were strolling.

   On the far side of the square, Les grabbed Pat’s hand and steered her towards the cathedral. Having heard some music, the hunt was on for the source, and it was not very distant. Inside the very gothic Cathedral of Saint Maurice, the organist was practising for Sunday services, and the Dickasons enjoyed the impromptu concert. When leaving the cathedral, Les stood on a large stone which was loose in the flooring, and realized that it was vibrating due to the massive 

bass sounds from the organ. This unexpected musical event was particularly satisfying because during previous stays in cottages, there seemed to be a musical jinx on the Dickasons. Posters in tourist offices and shop windows often advertised an appealing event the week before or the week after our visit but nothing within reach during our rental week. The jinx continued for the balance of this France visit, and the following one too. The photo at right shows the cathedral in dawn light later in the week.

Another contrast to the Dordogne region became apparent when the previous renter’s journals and recommendations were read later the first night. Mirepoix was on a plain in the Ariege department, and while there were many recommended sites to visit, most required longer drives that those in Dordogne where everything was so close. But, a plan for the week was drafted, and fascinating contrasts were revealed through the week.

The Pyrenees cottage was touted as being in Cathar country - and mountain-top strongholds of the heretics of the 13th century were dotted through the region. On Sunday the Clio was driven to Montsegur, where after a long siege, 200 heretics had been burnt to death. After parking the car, the Dickasons made the steep climb to the ancient fortress [see photo at left], and wondered at the motivation of those who built it and survived in it so many years ago. The afternoon was spent wandering around Limoux, finding a tasting room for the sparkling white wine which is produced in the area - Blanquette de Limoux. While not taken with the apple peel flavour of this specialty, it was very refreshing on a warm Sunday afternoon, and a bottle accompanied us back to Mirepoix where it was enjoyed with some sea bass bought at a Limoux stall.

   The Pyrenees - the chain of mountains bordering Spain - were just 30km south of Mirepoix. On Les’ pre-breakfast walks on clear days, the glaciers and snow pack were visible in the distance.

Monday was market day in Mirepoix, so the Dickasons gathered the shopping bags from the hall of the cottage [and the plastic jug] and spent a productive morning buying local cheeses, vegetables, and filling the jug from a winery stall. After lunching at one of the many cafes around the plaza and depositing the purchases back at the cottage, there was just enough energy left to drive to Camon, another walled town nearby. The Abbey there dates from the 8th century, and the travel gods smiled at having our visit coincide with Camon’s Rose Festival. Every house sported pots of roses, and climbing roses growing from tiny pockets of soil against brick walls, and public areas were a mass of colour from the varied plantings. 

The photo at left shows the roses at their peak in Camon.

 One of the other contrasts with other cottages was revealed when we had a visit from the local managers. During stays in every other cottage, there was little or no contact with a manager. But here, Barbara and Martin phoned and dropped by to check that everything was up to their standard. They were from the UK, lived in a house outside Mirepoix, and had rented a large plot of land which they had planted as a vegetable and fruit garden. They invited the Dickasons to drop in for tea if passing - we did - and finding them very interesting people, we invited them to join us for what was a 38th anniversary dinner for the Dickasons at La Flambee, Mirepoix’s highly rated restaurant. A photo is included below.

Other highlights of a very busy week included a day trip to Carcassonne, a visit to another Cathar stronghold at Puilaurens, a drive to the west to the city of Foix, a picnic lunch at Castelnaudry, and a visit to an organic winery. 

The fortress at Carcassonne was originally a Roman edifice which was augmented in the fifth century. Inside the fortress are Chateau Comtal and the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire [with wonderful stained glass windows] and a complete village. Despite the designation on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites, the Dickasons found it a strange mix of wonderful historic buildings which were beautifully restored, and a sort of Disneyland dressing of shops, tours, and attractions [such as wax works] designed to pry money from the more than three million visitors who arrive annually. We were very glad to have arrived before the gates opened [a recommendation in the cottage visitor book]. Parking then was easy in the massive lots outside the walls; and our first walk along the ramparts and into the Chateau and Basilica were pleasant. But, later in the morning, as dozens of huge buses had arrived, walking on the narrow cobblestone streets was slow and difficult, and taking photographs without intruding tourists was impossible.

At that point, we ate a picnic lunch, strolled to the lower town outside the fortress walls for a very different view of the walls. The photo here at left shows the Chateau from below the ramparts.

   The visit to Puilaurens revealed another Cathar ruin, this one dating back to the early 11th century. Once again, the path was steep, but the views were spectacular, and the panels illustrating the history very interesting.

   Foix, the largest city in the region, sprawls around the Chateau and the Abbey, both of which date back to the 9th and 11th centuries, and have famous towers which dominate the 

skyline of the city. The museum in the complex was impressive, and provided warmth on what proved to be the only cold day of the week in the Pyrenees region.

Castelnaudry is a market town based on the Canal du Midi. It has several claims to fame, but none of more interest to the Dickasons than ‘the home of cassoulet.’ A can of one of the more famous varieties was purchased for a dinner the following week.

One of the favourite memories of the week though was of a picnic lunch alongside the Grand Bassin, a large stretch of water near the locks of the canal and across from Castelnaudry. The view across to the town, the quiet sounds of the barges preparing to enter the locks, and the lunch of local market-bought goodies combined to reinforce the reason for the trips to cottages in France.

After a salmon dinner at home on Friday night - with accompanying Limoux wines - house-cleaning and packing followed. Saturday was moving day, but with a relatively short drive to the Gascony cottage, about 200km to the west on secondary roads.

When checking the availability page of the website of the Richard’s cottages many months earlier, it was a surprise to find that the owners would be in the Gascony cottage the week before us. They had a routine whereby every ten months or so they would travel from Australia to France and spend a week or two in each cottage doing needed maintenance, checking with the local manager, replacing kitchen equipment, reading the journals - and enjoying up to twelve weeks in France. E-mailing from Dickasons to Richards before this trip confirmed that the owners would accept an invitation to stay an extra night in the Gascony cottage as guests of the in-coming renter Dickasons, so that we could meet and go out to dinner together.

 The Richards, Geoff and Kathy, were at La Maison des Arcades in Tillac waiting for us and had moved their gear to the bedroom on the top floor so that we could occupy the main bedroom on the first floor. They had made a reservation at a favourite restaurant in Villecomtal just 15km distant, but before we left for the much anticipated dinner, Kathy asked if they could remain in Tillac for most of the next day too. On Sunday, Tillac would celebrate its annual Foire de Broccante - or antique fair - and the Richards had reserved seats at the outdoor lunch and hoped the Dickasons would join them and two other friends who had bought the end unit in the 

arcade where the Richards’ cottage was. 

The Dickasons and the Richards had much in common - and the dinner at La Rive Droite was followed by a late night with more wine and swapping of stories from Australia, and of the cottages.       During Sunday breakfast, the street outside and all others in Tillac were bustling as hundreds of vendors established stalls then drove their vans off to the designated parking areas outside the village. Stepping outside our front door put us right behind the counter of a book seller, with many other stalls to the left and right. The photo included here was taken before the vans had left the streets and the market had officially opened.

Most of the morning was spent wandering the stalls, and each of the  four of us found something of interest to buy. At coffee time the clip clop sound of hooves came in the open window as the first circuit of the horse and cart ride, complete with a piano accordionist went by the house. 

It being a sunny day with temperature topping at 25C, the lunch was outdoors at long tables, and the Richards introduced the new neighbours who had bought the cottage at the end of the street. Anne was a librarian in the UK, and two mornings that week played tennis with Les at the local courts before she returned to England. Her husband Geoff stayed on to continue renovations and furniture buying and he dined with the Dickasons one night when pork 

from the Tillac butcher was featured in the main course.

The Richards left for the Dordogne cottage after the lengthy lunch, and the Dickasons settled down to a typical week in a French cottage - pre-breakfast walk for Les, plans for the day finalized over breakfast, picnic lunch packed [in the new back-pack picnic basket complete with wine glasses, cheese board, cutlery and freezer pack containers], a drive to a recommended site to explore, picnic, a drive to another site or a market town, and finally back to the cottage for appetizers, local wine and dinner at home. One of the dinners featured the canned cassoulet bought in Castelnaudry previously - it went well with the hefty Buzet reds we bought and drank with much pleasure in Gascony. Local Armagnac was the finish to the meal of course.

The previous short visit did not allow time to visit the Pyrenees, but on a beautiful sunny, warm day the Dickasons plotted a route to Col d’Aspin which was familiar to us from our viewing of the Tour de Lance [oops - France]. The climb to the summit of the road is challenging for cyclists, being almost 1500 metres high, with gradients from 5 to 8% on the 13km route from the valley below. The view from the top was truly amazing, and we did pass some cyclists testing themselves on the narrow road to the summit. In the photo here, the valley floor is visible to the left of the resting cyclist and to right of the post.

Difficult as it was to leave the idyllic picnic spot with the view as seen below, the Dickasons returned to the valley, then took a different route back to Tillac.

The Clio passed through alpine villages with white water streams, artisanal shops, markets, and with signs pointing to the many ski hills in the region. 

Other highlights of the Pyrenees week were the visits to Pau, the Cathedral Ste. Marie with its huge organ, and to many nearby picturesque bastide towns. Pau was almost 100km to the west, but the recommendations in the journals made this longer drive a must. It is a large city with over 60 000 inhabitants, and the site was fortified in the 11th century. Of the several attractions there, the Dickasons chose to begin with the Chateau, birthplace of Henry IV, complete with a museum with a remarkable collection of tapestries. But, the travel gods were not in a good mood - the sign at the locked entrance included the fateful words “La Greve.” There were rotating strikes across France and the staff of the museum had not reported to work.

However, Pau had other attractions, and the plan B included the Funiculaire which connected the upper and lower levels of the city, the Casino, the wide streets and pleasant walkways and parks. Unfortunately the British tourists had discovered Pau, and many of the shops and restaurants had English names and featured products designed to bring in the visitors from the UK.

Pau was the site of Les’ second most embarrassing travel experience [remember ‘humping’ at the Winnipeg station?]. Previously, the notes and coins of the ‘old French’ money, francs and centimes, had been taken from the 3377 safe and carried to France on visits to the cottages, but attempts to change them to Euros were not successful. Small towns and cities did not have a branch of the required Banque de France where the change to Euros could be made, and a deadline of February 2005 had been announced. Pau did have a national bank, and the Dickasons parked on a nearby street, entered the grounds after explaining the reason for the visit to the armed guard in the gate house, and joined the short queue inside after using the complicated speaker phone system at the front door to the main floor to gain admission. 

With new Euros in hand, when walking out along the driveway, the Dickasons watched as a huge armoured truck squeezed slowly through the gates. Les pulled out his camera and tried to line-up a scenic shot of the truck and the gates and gatehouse. But, not finding a ‘keeper’ composition in the viewfinder, Les put the lens cap on and pocketed his camera as an alarm sounded, lights flashed, the gate closed, and an armed guard appeared from nowhere, demanded the camera and firmly escorted Les to the front door of the bank. In halting French, and with the aid of the English of a second guard from inside the building, Les explained why he had visited the bank, where he was from, where he was staying, and ensured the questioners that he had not taken a photo. The two guards took a few steps, discussed the situation, then returned the camera and allowed Les to rejoin Pat and wait for the lights to stop flashing and the gate to re-open so they could leave, start breathing again, and return to the car. There are no pictures to show to illustrate this embarrassing story!

The influence of the British tourists also had a negative effect on Tillac in that the promised restaurant just outside the town gate, Le Relais de la Tour, had opened since the first short visit, but proved to be a French version of a British pub. The owners, from the UK and South Africa, were pleasant hosts, but the Dickasons had but one drink there one evening and decided the offering of beers and crisps from Britain and patrons who spoke only English did not rank highly on the list of reasons for renting cottages in France.

An unexpected highlight one morning was the medieval walled village of St. Bertrand de Comminges with its roman ruins, a Romanesque cathedral [with Gothic additions and a Renaissance organ], and the famous goats with their bells ringing as they roamed the fields outside the walls.

  The organ was not being played during our visit, but a recording of it was on the sound system in the entry area, and so impressed the Dickasons that we broke the resolution of not buying CDs abroad and bought the recording.

   Our final full day broke a temperature record with a maximum of 33C under sunny skies. The restaurant review book had several raves about a small family run Chez Georgette in a bastide town, Barran, which was 30km from Tillac. Arriving mid-morning we passed a castle, crossed a 16th century stone bridge over the river and watched swans in a moat outside the village. Geese were used as guards inside the stone walls of several gardens - as Les discovered when he walked close to a gate without seeing the 

goose which lunged in a loud attack which was thwarted by the gate.

One of the other attractions in this idyllic setting was the church - with a twisted steeple [pictured in the photo below]. The restaurant lived up to its reputation, and the Friday four-course lunch special included only local ingredients, and wines from nearby producers too.

Siesta was required on such a hot afternoon, and after house-cleaning and packing, an evening stroll around the Tillac village completed the week in the fifth of the six cottages in France owned by the Richards. Only one remained, but before the Dickasons completed the circuit, there was one more rental of two previously visited cottages - with friends Janet and Roy from Nanaimo [previously Vancouver, Chicago and Claremont].

The Taylors had some commitments in Europe in early spring 2004, and almost a year before that suggested we four could share a vehicle and the cottage rental costs. The Pyrenees and Haute-Provence worked well with the Taylor’s other plans, and were available for the dates needed.

Once again, Europcar through Andre in Montreal was contacted, this time for an SUV-type Renault Kangoo, which the Dickasons collected in Toulouse at the airport early on Friday morning. The rendezvous with the Taylors was to be at the train station in Carcassonne, and the Kangoo with its box shape and sliding rear doors easily accommodated the luggage and four adults when the pick-up was made. Two rooms had been reserved at a small hotel in the centre of nearby Castelnaudry for the Friday night, and though the location was perfect, the rooms were on the third floor, accessible only by a narrow winding staircase. Only one suitcase at a time could be carried as the quartet negotiated the many landings several times to reach the rooms with all of the luggage. The dinner in the hotel restaurant soon had Taylors and Dickasons relaxed, and an early night helped the latter to conquer some of the jet-lag.

The drive south on Saturday was in cool, grey, showery weather and the Pyrenees were not visible when we reached Mirepoix, but later in the week, they appeared with a heavy covering of snow. Shopping at the nearby supermarket was completed before we used the keys to open the cottage and the experienced Dickasons showed the Taylors around La Maison des Penitents Blancs.

During the time in this cottage some trips were to sites previously seen by the Dickasons, and some were chosen because they were new. Cathar castles, the Prehistoric Art Park, the church in the rock at Vals, Carcassonne, a long day driving 

to Albi for the Toulouse Lautrec Museum, a return visit to the organic winery at Castel Negre [see photo below], markets and dining at home easily filled the quickly passing days.

   The drive from Mirepoix to Buis les Baronnies in the fully-loaded and underpowered Kangoo was long and tiring, but with the knowledge from the previous visit, the cottage was found quickly and no assistance from young boys was required.

   The weather was cool for most of the week; there was still snow on Mont Ventoux though the road on one side was open. With a low ceiling and showers, the views were elusive from the summit. On the return from the mountain, the gas gauge was showing just under a quarter full, so the Kangoo was pulled into a gas station to ensure a full tank for the next day’s planned trip. The convenience store was closed, it being Sunday afternoon, but the pumps were unlocked and appeared to be operating. Les inserted his VISA card, but discovered that the pump did not respond, and worse, the card did not return. Despite efforts with fingers, a screwdriver and paper clips, eventually hope of retrieving the card disappeared and we continued to Buis.

There, the car was successfully filled, and, given that we did not plan to drive all the way back to the gas station near Mont Ventoux again, a collect call to VISA reported the ‘lost’ card. The pleasant agent in Toronto who answered Les’ call was most amused by the story of the gas pump ‘swallowing’ the VISA card. She cancelled the card, promising to mail a replacement to Nanaimo in time for our return. Pat’s card was used for the balance of the trip. 

Day trips were to markets, Vaison La Romaine [where another Ansatu print was purchased], and Nyons for tasting and buying olives at the Co-op.  The Buis market was bustling and included some new vendors, and we all enjoyed lunch after the market at one of the restaurants under the arcades. Despite the need for jackets because of the weather that week, picnics featured on several days, though dining at home, with Dickasons and Taylors alternating culinary duties was enjoyed each night. Local lamb, pork, chicken, were prepared simply - preceded and followed by pates and cheese - and all enjoyed with the wines from the Mont Ventoux and Beaumes de Venise appellations, with the plastic jug put to good use again.

Some of the cottages had a set for petanque or boules stored in a cupboard, and Buis had a lovely esplanade under trees beside the river where locals often 

played. So Les and Roy took the set there, and with much encouragement from Pat and Janet and amusement for the locals, soon developed some skills - Roy leading 25 to 23 before the chill began to set in and the quartet walked back to the heated house for appetizers and pre-dinner drinks.

One of the reasons the Taylors were in Europe was to visit a friend in Switzerland and this required that they leave the Buis cottage two days early. Their train reservation was from Orange, a large city about an hour’s drive to the west. 

An accident on the outskirts and resultant stalled traffic delayed progress and made us all very pleased we had left the cottage in plenty of time to reach the station on Thursday.

After confirming that the train was on time and which platform it would depart from, farewells followed, and the Dickasons set off to explore Orange. This city was an important Roman centre and the beautiful Arc de Triumph dates back to Augustus and draws many tourists. Nearby was the Roman theatre, reputed to be the most impressive in Europe and still in use, and the Dickasons climbed to the top seats and heard a demonstration of the acoustics when a guide leading a tour spoke to her group from the stage. With the now expected Dickason jinx, no events were planned in this very active theatre for the week of either visit to the Haute Provence cottage. Pat, in the yellow jacket is visible to the left in the photo below.

Once again it was time for housecleaning and packing, and a final dinner before heading back towards Toulouse. Knowing that it was a long drive from Buis to Toulouse, a night was booked in an auberge in Nailloux about 50km to the south east of the city, but within easy reach of the airport the following day. This facilitated the return of the Kangoo, check-in and start of the return to Canada. Over dinner in Nailloux, the Dickasons discussed the advantages and disadvantages of re-visiting cottages and made plans for another trip to France to complete the cycle of the six cottages.... Provence would be next.

 The Richards maintain a website for their cottages, and maps and details can be found there - www.cottagesinfrance.com.