Sunday 28th March
This was a day of cleaning the boat as well as we could without a hoover (it broke) in preparation for our guests arriving the next day. We were also expecting Fergus from the marina in Barcelona for dinner and so we were making a big roast dinner with the pork and veg we bought at the market the day before, it was very good but Fergus didn’t get any as he only turned up at 10pm….. This meant a later than planned night as there were drams to be had whilst catching up on what had been going on over the last few weeks.
Container ships came in at least four times a week and were very noisy!
We awoke on the Monday morning unexpectedly early with very loud rumbling noises coming from the commercial pier where a load of fruit from Africa was being unloaded so not a lot of sleep was had and we weren’t feeling as spritely as we should for finding our way to the airport at Perpignan where the Jamiesons were flying into! Ali went off to get some veg and bread to make a pot of soup for tea when we got back and the girls and I did some last minute arranging and tidying
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Port Vendres
We set off around lunchtime luckily as the bus took about an hour to get to the station in Perpignan, then we couldn’t figure out where to catch a bus to the airport so we tramped off to the Office de Tourisme and found out the bus went from the same station we had come into….. The girls were feeling the heat as we walked back to the bus station and it was only about 18°c and we were thinking what on earth are we going to do in July when it is 35°c +! We got to the airport about half an hour early and it was then that the girls started to get really, really excited and started running round in circles. Kaylee was feeling especially nice and saved one smartie each for Robbie and Ellie to welcome them (generous to a fault - not!)
Finally we went through to arrivals to wait, Perpignan is a very small airport so we could wait just at the other side of the luggage carousel and watch all the people coming in. We did start to wonder if they were coming as it seemed the whole plane had come through and the girls were getting a bit fretful that they had maybe missed the plane but finally there they were and immediately all the excitement turned to shyness and they wouldn’t speak to each other for about five minutes, typical! I am glad to say that once they started speaking they managed to keep on doing so until the end of the holiday. There was a bit of hugging and awkward Shetlander attempts at a Mediterranean greeting by kissing each cheek, I just don’t think us Scots will ever feel comfy with all the facial contact that goes on over here!
We started back towards the boat by just squeezing onto the shuttle bus back to Perpignan which was entirely packed this being the first Ryan Air flight of the season into the region. The bus ride was very informative though as each one of us managed to sit near to someone who had oodles of advice on what we should do over the next week.
When we got back to the boat we were dismayed to find that the tramontane was blowing again, ripping straight through the harbour and though there was no swell the boat was fairly leaning over to one side with each gust to the point it was alarming me (although I tried not to pass this on to the guests!) There wasn’t much we could do so we just got on with the business of eating and gossiping and drinking and gossiping. The kids were doing much the same and we realised when Kaylee came screaming through form the fore cabin to go to the toilet and couldn’t stop talking to us all through the process that they were high as kites and bedtime was likely a long way off. At this point Ali and Colin thought they had better go and check out the local hostelries leaving Susan and I to calm the mob down. I am glad to say that being a Monday night they found little excitement and all the pubs closed at eleven - ha! Ali tried to get Colin to drink some of the cheap rum he had bought when they got back but It was so bad that even Colin had to refuse!
The kids on deck the first morning.
The first day of the visit began by Ali and Colin going to the supermarket to get fresh bread, hams cheeses fruit and of course chocolate croissants for the kids for breakfast which we ate on deck. We had breakfast on deck every day after that even the days when it was a little nippy but some things just have to be done!
We just went wandering around Port Vendres the first day and tried to figure out what e would do with the rest of the week. The main item on the agenda was figuring out how to include a trip to Carcasonne. It turned out that to go by rail would have cost in excess of 200 Euros so it fell to Ali and Colin to hire a car. It turned out that the only place in town which we could get a car from was - wait for it- Phillipe’s Taxi/Ambulance/Funeral Hire Company! Where ever you are headed he has the vehicle for you.
We decided to go for a ‘menu de jour’ at lunch time. The kids menu proved a bit problematic as they had salami for starter which we thought they would prefer over egg mayonnaise and then chicken and chips for main meal but the chicken came with a sauce (shock horror) which was thought to be yucky by most of the youngsters! The ice cream for pudding was however acceptable to all funnily enough. As for the adults we had no such problems the food was OK the wine was fine and the company good!
The kids had had enough of walking around or so they said so they decided that they needed a rest back at the boat which loosely translates as we want to play the Nintendo Ds and watch each other play it. If left to their own devices I am sure this is how they would have spent the entire week as they never seemed to tire of it and had to be dragged away from the games to do anything (and I mean anything.)
A Nintendo session with everyone still in their pyjamas.
The next day we thought we had better be a bit more organised and get the ten o’clock bus to the next town. We failed entirely in this and only managed to get the next bus at 1 o’clock. This did give Ali an Colin time to go and finalise the arrangements for the hire car - and ascertain that it definitely wasn’t a hearse or an ambulance we were getting!
Collioure
The next town is called Collioure and is very picturesque with a medieval castle and big old church and a lovely old harbour. We got off the bus (1 Euro to go anywhere up to Perpignan) at the seafront where the kids immediately spotted a play park which of course had to be utilised.
This was next to the beach and even though it wasn’t brilliantly warm they all had a little paddle and Ellie got the rest of them to half bury her in sand against Susan and my advice but you just can tell them can you.
We went for a walk around the town which is full of little touristy boutiques, café’s and restaurants looking for a reasonably priced place to eat with an acceptable kids menu - what is the thing with Egg Mayonnaise?? After lunch (no alcohol - honest) We headed over to the castle which was a great old place or so we thought as we raced around it at a pace of knots behind the kids who were in danger of getting entirely lost. It had lots of info plaques and we got the gist of it with our rudimentary French. Here are some pics from the castle.
You can just see the history absorbing into the children - not! However they did perform a fairly accurate re-enactment of the crucifixion and ressurection directed by Ellie, thankfully no real nails or crosses though!
The next big excitement for the day was the feeding of ducks that they found in the river/large drain/river bed/carpark which runs through the centre of town. There are lots of signs all around saying that you leave your car there entirely at your own risk!
Our Carriage!
The next day was the first day of car hire and we tried to set off early to get to Carcassone quite early and actually managed quite well, it was about 11am when we got going…. Ali drove the minibus whilst Colin navigated and we got there around lunch time so we all tucked into some sandwiches before going in. we also got the kids all to go to the toilets in the car park, so here is some touristy advice, wait until you get inside the citadel the toilets are much, much cleaner inside! I won’t say any more than that.
We spent the rest of the day walking around the citadel which is free then we paid for tickets to get into the castle and the ramparts which was 7.50 for the adults and free for the kids. I tried out my best French on the ticket seller and she just kept talking in English so that can tell you how proficient I am. The castle is quite impressive with lots of different rooms and corridors to walk along which we again raced around after the kids. They just didn’t seem to quite feel the historic aura if the place. Being the 'foodie' that he is Colin was fairly keen to get his hands on a dish of cassoulet so we stopped at a bistro where the kids, Susan and I had crepes and Colin and Ali had the menu du jour. It turned out to be a fatty pork, goose and bean stew. It was OK but Ali has spent the next few weeks trying to make his own version and I must say he has got it pretty darn good now, not very true to the original formula but good all the same.
Some pictures from Carcasonne -
There was really just time to drive back to the boat and go and get a few take out pizzas or a late tea that day. Accompanied by a glass or two or red needless to say.
The next day we were going to drive down into Spain to go to Figueres and see the Salvador Dali museum. This was precluded by a terror ride around the windy single track road that goes through the Banyuls vineyards and gives spectacular views for those of you who like heights and steep hillsides and tight corners. The main hazard was trying not to hit the many cyclists that we came across who panted in either direction until they got to the ‘top’ of the road then went flying down the other side as fast as they could after that. Here are some pics from along the route.
Port Vendres from up the hill.
One of the vineyards that cover the hills here, it is hard to believe that in just a few months these stumps will be huge leafy vines laden with grapes to make the Banyuls special wines!
We had deliberately not taken the Nintendos this day and the kids were starting to get very grumpy indeed by the time we finally exited onto a normal road and we realised we were only 5 miles form Port Vendres and still had to drive the rest of the way to Figures. We went the coastal route on the way there driving through Banyuls sur Mer and then Port Bou on the Spanish side of the border, both look like pretty little towns.
By the time we got to Figueres and got parked we were all quite hungry and went in search of a ‘menu del dia’ which Ali and I had been raving about for being better value than the French counterpart, the place we picked was cheaper but that was really the only benefit over the French. Typical especially when we were reading the guide book whilst waiting for our coffee and it said the very next restaurant was the best in Figueres and we had nearly, nearly gone there!
Ali very kindly offered to keep the kids whilst Colin, Susan and I went to the ‘Salvador Dali Teatre Musee’ I suspect he wasn’t really worried about seeing a lot of abstract art as he thought the Sagrida Familiar in Barcelona was far too ridiculous and could have done with a few more straight lines.
The Teatre Musee is billed as being more of an experience than a museum which is certainly true. The building has a huge courtyard in the middle and you follow a route around about it going throug corridors, down stairs and into little rooms. Most of the artwork is by Dali himself but some of it is from his personal collections and people he had tried to copy. Here are some pics.
I took loads more photos but that's all I have time to post!
We left there and after having bored the kids entirely we decided to let them have a go in a play park we had spotted earlier.
There was a bit of mummy power required for the roundabout!
When they started falling off I realised I had maybe gone a little too fast.....
Then we set off back to France trying to figure out how to get onto the motorway rather than the long and windy coastal route back as we were trying to get back to Collioure in time to see the Parade de la Sanch as it was Good Friday.
Collioure harbour at night.
The Klan oops sorry the parade getting ready for the march.
The parade is a bt of an oddity and can only be described as lots of purple black and red hooded torch bearers (think Klu Klux Klan for the outfits) walking along in silence carrying effigies of the crucifixion and ressurection. All the while there is a booming voice giving and explanation in French of the meaning of it all and the rattling of chains and banging of drums. Thankfully none of the kids are of a delicate nature (too used to killing monsters on the Nintendo I suspect) or they could have been a little scared. It went on for an hour and we had to stay for the whole hour because as usual we had positioned ourselves at the end of the parade route. This made for some unhappy kids but they managed quite well considering we had been out for 13 hours and with no nintendos!
Men selling fish straight from the boat on the pier at Port Vendres.
Saturday was our last full day and apart from returning the hire bus there was nothing planned except a trip to the local market. I went back to the herb stall to see if he had some cardamon pods and garam masala and got completely ripped off - I should have asked the price first. The kids ran around looking at the different things and we bought some veg. We stopped at a café for some refreshment on the way back to the boat….
Colin suggested we take the train to the next town Banyuls which we had driven to the day before and take the kids to the beach so we all ran back to the boat got the swimming stuff sorted and made hast to the train station to find there was a train strike and no trains running. Unfortunately this was only the first time Colin dragged us all up to the train station that weekend….. It was lucky in a way though as it warned us that there may be problems getting the Jamiesons back to the airport the next day.
We decided to take the kids to the tiny beach at the end of Port Vendres instead which was was OK but a little bit dirty. When we got back to the boat, it was delegated by the men that Susan and I would shower the kids whilst they booked some transport to the airport. This was OK but poor little Robbie had to endure sharing the girls shower rooms with two elderly German ( it broke ) ladies who though absolutely nothing of being entirely naked, resulting in Robbie locking himself into one of the shower cubicles and a lot of screaming until he managed to free himself.
When we got back to the boat we met two sheepish figures heading out saying they had to go to the internet café and that they had had a really stressful time booking a taxi. A likely story we thought and we were right they were just sneaking a few last beers together so Susan and I decided not to be beat and got the gin, tonic and lemons out to ‘de-stress’ after our shower experience.
It did turn out that Colin and Ali had managed to do one good thing which was book a nice restaurant for tea that night. It was a really nice place with lots of space between the tables and even a moat completes with fish running around the middle of the room. The kids behaved impeccably which made the meal all the more enjoyable and there was even some entertainment in the form of the waiter dropping a huge pot of steaming shellfish into the moat, the poor fellow was fairly embarrassed.
Kaylee and Robbie looking for fish.
Each course was like a work of art and tasty too even the kids managed most of their dinner which was very good. All that is left to say is thank you to Colin and Susan for the lovely meal.
Ali eating a whelk he wanted some photographic evidence.
When we got back to the boat we tried to have a last night dram but all felt so sleepy we had to retire! I suspect Colin was angling to go to the pub but no one else had the energy.
The next morning I got up to make the Sunday morning pancake batter and Colin went out for a wander coming back all puffed to say that there was a train running to Perpignan but it left in half an hour. Needless to say there was a major panic as Susan had thought there would be at least another three hours to pack and Ali cooked pancakes as fast as he could for Robbie and Ellie to have before they left. I went up the road with them to help carry bags, to say there were a few grumpy faces is a bit of an understatement. This was nothing compared to when we got to the train station (again) and Colin announced, “It did say there was a train, honest.”
Well Ellie and Robbies faces lit up and all the tears dried up as we trotted back down the road to make sure that Alisha and Kaylee hadn’t scoffed all the rest of the pancakes. They were also glad there was enough time to get a few more stars on Super Mario too. Susan got time to repack and get a much needed cup of coffee and Colin sat very humbly trying not to be noticed until it was time to go! Finally it was time to go and everyone had a hug and said goodbye as guess who, Phillipe’s Ambulance Taxi came to pick them up. All that is left to say is thank for coming to see us we really enjoyed the week and hopefully we will see you again sometime before we get home - the girls are banking on Turkey next spring by the way!
We had to move our boat that afternoon as we were in the place of a rude man’s boat which we duly did and got a much better less rocky spot on the other side of the pontoon so it was a good thing in the end. The rude man had a really odd name for his boat
If he hadn’t been so awkward we would have asked him why call your boat a name like that as it is a bit grim.
Another odd name for a boat we came across in the marina was this,
Now the behaviour of the boat one morning was as the name suggests a bit ‘blonde’ as the boat came careering out from its berth hitting us and another boat as it did so but the crew were two men in their eighties believe it or not! You had to applaud them for just having the energy to attempt to take a boat out to sea at that age.
One last picture of something with a rather unfortunate name was this washing liquid we purchased back in Spain.
The next few days before we left Port Vendres were spent going to the internet café everyday to check the weather forecast as it was fairly windy and I for one wasn’t setting off in that- and waiting on the new pieces for the toilet to come just incase it burst again. We took a bus to the big Carre Four supermarket to buy a new little hoover for the boat as we realised sadly that we can’t live without one. Here I found all the same spices I had bought in the market for a much lower price…..
This part of the world has seen a lot of war and fighting over the years and Port Vendres being on the border between Spain and France has probably seen it's fair share. This was evident by the amount of left over cannons there were in the town-
There is even an 'artillery street'
The main use for old cannons has been bollards around the old harbour -
We met up with the Aberdonian couple David and Jane and they invited us up to their apartment for a few drinks and food which was lovely. Jane had made a really lovely spread which was very much appreciated and the company was great. David and Jane have lived in Port Vendres full time for the last few years but have had an apartment there for about twenty years so know the area and all the history very well and therefore ar great to talk to. The wind howled for another couple of days and we sat tight in the harbour Ali was always itching to set off but I said no way until the wind came below a force five mainly because the Gulf of Lyon is notoriously unpredictable and about a million people had told us all there horror stories which had scared me silly.
Finally on the morning of Friday 9th April we set off across the Gulf. It was still a little windy and the sea was choppy enough to make Kaylee feel a bit ill.
The light at the end of the breakwater at Port Vendres you can just see it but the stairs going up it were ripped off and twisted in the infamous storm on boxing day 2008!
Byeee Port Vendres, we very much enjoyed our stay there!
The French sea police helicopter 'buzzing' us as we left Port Vendres
Ali’s little anemometer was reading between 15 and 25 knots for the first few hours which resulted in me saying we had to reef the sails in when it got too windy and Ali putting them all back out when the boat slowed down too much.
Kaylee feeling a bit better.
The wind did die down in the afternoon and we idled along with the main at 3-4knots for a good few hours until we gave up and put the engine on.
Ali and the girls trying a spot of fishing (unsuccessful as usual!)
The sea became very calm and we motored all through the night until we reached the Isles de Frioull just a mile or so from Marseilles at around 6am, we anchored there rather than trying to negotiate Marseille harbour when really tired.
We finally rose at about 11am and got straight on the phone to Brian Leask to tell them that we were near by and coming in. It was a lovely day and the Rade de Marseille was fairly busy with boats zooming about all over the place. The Isles de Frioull looked lovely and we promised the girls we would come back so they could go rock climbing.
Approaching the Isles de Frioull at dawn.
Marseille harbour
We managed to dodge everything on the way into the harbour and were met by a speedboat with two very familiar faces onboard.
Brian and Marie onboard Dicey
Brian and Marie directed us to where they were berthed and we tied up alongside helped by Dennis who was on deck varnishing windows and there the party began!
The Marseille report will be the next instalment including Inga and Mark’s volcano lengthened visit.
To make anyone back home feel better we are currently tied up in Cannes harbour in a force 6-8 storm with lots of rain and thunder. Not quite what we were expecting from the French Riviera!
This was a day of cleaning the boat as well as we could without a hoover (it broke) in preparation for our guests arriving the next day. We were also expecting Fergus from the marina in Barcelona for dinner and so we were making a big roast dinner with the pork and veg we bought at the market the day before, it was very good but Fergus didn’t get any as he only turned up at 10pm….. This meant a later than planned night as there were drams to be had whilst catching up on what had been going on over the last few weeks.
Container ships came in at least four times a week and were very noisy!
We awoke on the Monday morning unexpectedly early with very loud rumbling noises coming from the commercial pier where a load of fruit from Africa was being unloaded so not a lot of sleep was had and we weren’t feeling as spritely as we should for finding our way to the airport at Perpignan where the Jamiesons were flying into! Ali went off to get some veg and bread to make a pot of soup for tea when we got back and the girls and I did some last minute arranging and tidying
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Port Vendres
We set off around lunchtime luckily as the bus took about an hour to get to the station in Perpignan, then we couldn’t figure out where to catch a bus to the airport so we tramped off to the Office de Tourisme and found out the bus went from the same station we had come into….. The girls were feeling the heat as we walked back to the bus station and it was only about 18°c and we were thinking what on earth are we going to do in July when it is 35°c +! We got to the airport about half an hour early and it was then that the girls started to get really, really excited and started running round in circles. Kaylee was feeling especially nice and saved one smartie each for Robbie and Ellie to welcome them (generous to a fault - not!)
Finally we went through to arrivals to wait, Perpignan is a very small airport so we could wait just at the other side of the luggage carousel and watch all the people coming in. We did start to wonder if they were coming as it seemed the whole plane had come through and the girls were getting a bit fretful that they had maybe missed the plane but finally there they were and immediately all the excitement turned to shyness and they wouldn’t speak to each other for about five minutes, typical! I am glad to say that once they started speaking they managed to keep on doing so until the end of the holiday. There was a bit of hugging and awkward Shetlander attempts at a Mediterranean greeting by kissing each cheek, I just don’t think us Scots will ever feel comfy with all the facial contact that goes on over here!
We started back towards the boat by just squeezing onto the shuttle bus back to Perpignan which was entirely packed this being the first Ryan Air flight of the season into the region. The bus ride was very informative though as each one of us managed to sit near to someone who had oodles of advice on what we should do over the next week.
When we got back to the boat we were dismayed to find that the tramontane was blowing again, ripping straight through the harbour and though there was no swell the boat was fairly leaning over to one side with each gust to the point it was alarming me (although I tried not to pass this on to the guests!) There wasn’t much we could do so we just got on with the business of eating and gossiping and drinking and gossiping. The kids were doing much the same and we realised when Kaylee came screaming through form the fore cabin to go to the toilet and couldn’t stop talking to us all through the process that they were high as kites and bedtime was likely a long way off. At this point Ali and Colin thought they had better go and check out the local hostelries leaving Susan and I to calm the mob down. I am glad to say that being a Monday night they found little excitement and all the pubs closed at eleven - ha! Ali tried to get Colin to drink some of the cheap rum he had bought when they got back but It was so bad that even Colin had to refuse!
The kids on deck the first morning.
The first day of the visit began by Ali and Colin going to the supermarket to get fresh bread, hams cheeses fruit and of course chocolate croissants for the kids for breakfast which we ate on deck. We had breakfast on deck every day after that even the days when it was a little nippy but some things just have to be done!
We just went wandering around Port Vendres the first day and tried to figure out what e would do with the rest of the week. The main item on the agenda was figuring out how to include a trip to Carcasonne. It turned out that to go by rail would have cost in excess of 200 Euros so it fell to Ali and Colin to hire a car. It turned out that the only place in town which we could get a car from was - wait for it- Phillipe’s Taxi/Ambulance/Funeral Hire Company! Where ever you are headed he has the vehicle for you.
We decided to go for a ‘menu de jour’ at lunch time. The kids menu proved a bit problematic as they had salami for starter which we thought they would prefer over egg mayonnaise and then chicken and chips for main meal but the chicken came with a sauce (shock horror) which was thought to be yucky by most of the youngsters! The ice cream for pudding was however acceptable to all funnily enough. As for the adults we had no such problems the food was OK the wine was fine and the company good!
The kids had had enough of walking around or so they said so they decided that they needed a rest back at the boat which loosely translates as we want to play the Nintendo Ds and watch each other play it. If left to their own devices I am sure this is how they would have spent the entire week as they never seemed to tire of it and had to be dragged away from the games to do anything (and I mean anything.)
A Nintendo session with everyone still in their pyjamas.
The next day we thought we had better be a bit more organised and get the ten o’clock bus to the next town. We failed entirely in this and only managed to get the next bus at 1 o’clock. This did give Ali an Colin time to go and finalise the arrangements for the hire car - and ascertain that it definitely wasn’t a hearse or an ambulance we were getting!
Collioure
The next town is called Collioure and is very picturesque with a medieval castle and big old church and a lovely old harbour. We got off the bus (1 Euro to go anywhere up to Perpignan) at the seafront where the kids immediately spotted a play park which of course had to be utilised.
This was next to the beach and even though it wasn’t brilliantly warm they all had a little paddle and Ellie got the rest of them to half bury her in sand against Susan and my advice but you just can tell them can you.
We went for a walk around the town which is full of little touristy boutiques, café’s and restaurants looking for a reasonably priced place to eat with an acceptable kids menu - what is the thing with Egg Mayonnaise?? After lunch (no alcohol - honest) We headed over to the castle which was a great old place or so we thought as we raced around it at a pace of knots behind the kids who were in danger of getting entirely lost. It had lots of info plaques and we got the gist of it with our rudimentary French. Here are some pics from the castle.
You can just see the history absorbing into the children - not! However they did perform a fairly accurate re-enactment of the crucifixion and ressurection directed by Ellie, thankfully no real nails or crosses though!
The next big excitement for the day was the feeding of ducks that they found in the river/large drain/river bed/carpark which runs through the centre of town. There are lots of signs all around saying that you leave your car there entirely at your own risk!
Our Carriage!
The next day was the first day of car hire and we tried to set off early to get to Carcassone quite early and actually managed quite well, it was about 11am when we got going…. Ali drove the minibus whilst Colin navigated and we got there around lunch time so we all tucked into some sandwiches before going in. we also got the kids all to go to the toilets in the car park, so here is some touristy advice, wait until you get inside the citadel the toilets are much, much cleaner inside! I won’t say any more than that.
We spent the rest of the day walking around the citadel which is free then we paid for tickets to get into the castle and the ramparts which was 7.50 for the adults and free for the kids. I tried out my best French on the ticket seller and she just kept talking in English so that can tell you how proficient I am. The castle is quite impressive with lots of different rooms and corridors to walk along which we again raced around after the kids. They just didn’t seem to quite feel the historic aura if the place. Being the 'foodie' that he is Colin was fairly keen to get his hands on a dish of cassoulet so we stopped at a bistro where the kids, Susan and I had crepes and Colin and Ali had the menu du jour. It turned out to be a fatty pork, goose and bean stew. It was OK but Ali has spent the next few weeks trying to make his own version and I must say he has got it pretty darn good now, not very true to the original formula but good all the same.
Some pictures from Carcasonne -
There was really just time to drive back to the boat and go and get a few take out pizzas or a late tea that day. Accompanied by a glass or two or red needless to say.
The next day we were going to drive down into Spain to go to Figueres and see the Salvador Dali museum. This was precluded by a terror ride around the windy single track road that goes through the Banyuls vineyards and gives spectacular views for those of you who like heights and steep hillsides and tight corners. The main hazard was trying not to hit the many cyclists that we came across who panted in either direction until they got to the ‘top’ of the road then went flying down the other side as fast as they could after that. Here are some pics from along the route.
Port Vendres from up the hill.
One of the vineyards that cover the hills here, it is hard to believe that in just a few months these stumps will be huge leafy vines laden with grapes to make the Banyuls special wines!
We had deliberately not taken the Nintendos this day and the kids were starting to get very grumpy indeed by the time we finally exited onto a normal road and we realised we were only 5 miles form Port Vendres and still had to drive the rest of the way to Figures. We went the coastal route on the way there driving through Banyuls sur Mer and then Port Bou on the Spanish side of the border, both look like pretty little towns.
By the time we got to Figueres and got parked we were all quite hungry and went in search of a ‘menu del dia’ which Ali and I had been raving about for being better value than the French counterpart, the place we picked was cheaper but that was really the only benefit over the French. Typical especially when we were reading the guide book whilst waiting for our coffee and it said the very next restaurant was the best in Figueres and we had nearly, nearly gone there!
Ali very kindly offered to keep the kids whilst Colin, Susan and I went to the ‘Salvador Dali Teatre Musee’ I suspect he wasn’t really worried about seeing a lot of abstract art as he thought the Sagrida Familiar in Barcelona was far too ridiculous and could have done with a few more straight lines.
The Teatre Musee is billed as being more of an experience than a museum which is certainly true. The building has a huge courtyard in the middle and you follow a route around about it going throug corridors, down stairs and into little rooms. Most of the artwork is by Dali himself but some of it is from his personal collections and people he had tried to copy. Here are some pics.
I took loads more photos but that's all I have time to post!
We left there and after having bored the kids entirely we decided to let them have a go in a play park we had spotted earlier.
There was a bit of mummy power required for the roundabout!
When they started falling off I realised I had maybe gone a little too fast.....
Then we set off back to France trying to figure out how to get onto the motorway rather than the long and windy coastal route back as we were trying to get back to Collioure in time to see the Parade de la Sanch as it was Good Friday.
Collioure harbour at night.
The Klan oops sorry the parade getting ready for the march.
The parade is a bt of an oddity and can only be described as lots of purple black and red hooded torch bearers (think Klu Klux Klan for the outfits) walking along in silence carrying effigies of the crucifixion and ressurection. All the while there is a booming voice giving and explanation in French of the meaning of it all and the rattling of chains and banging of drums. Thankfully none of the kids are of a delicate nature (too used to killing monsters on the Nintendo I suspect) or they could have been a little scared. It went on for an hour and we had to stay for the whole hour because as usual we had positioned ourselves at the end of the parade route. This made for some unhappy kids but they managed quite well considering we had been out for 13 hours and with no nintendos!
Men selling fish straight from the boat on the pier at Port Vendres.
Saturday was our last full day and apart from returning the hire bus there was nothing planned except a trip to the local market. I went back to the herb stall to see if he had some cardamon pods and garam masala and got completely ripped off - I should have asked the price first. The kids ran around looking at the different things and we bought some veg. We stopped at a café for some refreshment on the way back to the boat….
Colin suggested we take the train to the next town Banyuls which we had driven to the day before and take the kids to the beach so we all ran back to the boat got the swimming stuff sorted and made hast to the train station to find there was a train strike and no trains running. Unfortunately this was only the first time Colin dragged us all up to the train station that weekend….. It was lucky in a way though as it warned us that there may be problems getting the Jamiesons back to the airport the next day.
We decided to take the kids to the tiny beach at the end of Port Vendres instead which was was OK but a little bit dirty. When we got back to the boat, it was delegated by the men that Susan and I would shower the kids whilst they booked some transport to the airport. This was OK but poor little Robbie had to endure sharing the girls shower rooms with two elderly German ( it broke ) ladies who though absolutely nothing of being entirely naked, resulting in Robbie locking himself into one of the shower cubicles and a lot of screaming until he managed to free himself.
When we got back to the boat we met two sheepish figures heading out saying they had to go to the internet café and that they had had a really stressful time booking a taxi. A likely story we thought and we were right they were just sneaking a few last beers together so Susan and I decided not to be beat and got the gin, tonic and lemons out to ‘de-stress’ after our shower experience.
It did turn out that Colin and Ali had managed to do one good thing which was book a nice restaurant for tea that night. It was a really nice place with lots of space between the tables and even a moat completes with fish running around the middle of the room. The kids behaved impeccably which made the meal all the more enjoyable and there was even some entertainment in the form of the waiter dropping a huge pot of steaming shellfish into the moat, the poor fellow was fairly embarrassed.
Kaylee and Robbie looking for fish.
Each course was like a work of art and tasty too even the kids managed most of their dinner which was very good. All that is left to say is thank you to Colin and Susan for the lovely meal.
Ali eating a whelk he wanted some photographic evidence.
When we got back to the boat we tried to have a last night dram but all felt so sleepy we had to retire! I suspect Colin was angling to go to the pub but no one else had the energy.
The next morning I got up to make the Sunday morning pancake batter and Colin went out for a wander coming back all puffed to say that there was a train running to Perpignan but it left in half an hour. Needless to say there was a major panic as Susan had thought there would be at least another three hours to pack and Ali cooked pancakes as fast as he could for Robbie and Ellie to have before they left. I went up the road with them to help carry bags, to say there were a few grumpy faces is a bit of an understatement. This was nothing compared to when we got to the train station (again) and Colin announced, “It did say there was a train, honest.”
Well Ellie and Robbies faces lit up and all the tears dried up as we trotted back down the road to make sure that Alisha and Kaylee hadn’t scoffed all the rest of the pancakes. They were also glad there was enough time to get a few more stars on Super Mario too. Susan got time to repack and get a much needed cup of coffee and Colin sat very humbly trying not to be noticed until it was time to go! Finally it was time to go and everyone had a hug and said goodbye as guess who, Phillipe’s Ambulance Taxi came to pick them up. All that is left to say is thank for coming to see us we really enjoyed the week and hopefully we will see you again sometime before we get home - the girls are banking on Turkey next spring by the way!
We had to move our boat that afternoon as we were in the place of a rude man’s boat which we duly did and got a much better less rocky spot on the other side of the pontoon so it was a good thing in the end. The rude man had a really odd name for his boat
If he hadn’t been so awkward we would have asked him why call your boat a name like that as it is a bit grim.
Another odd name for a boat we came across in the marina was this,
Now the behaviour of the boat one morning was as the name suggests a bit ‘blonde’ as the boat came careering out from its berth hitting us and another boat as it did so but the crew were two men in their eighties believe it or not! You had to applaud them for just having the energy to attempt to take a boat out to sea at that age.
One last picture of something with a rather unfortunate name was this washing liquid we purchased back in Spain.
The next few days before we left Port Vendres were spent going to the internet café everyday to check the weather forecast as it was fairly windy and I for one wasn’t setting off in that- and waiting on the new pieces for the toilet to come just incase it burst again. We took a bus to the big Carre Four supermarket to buy a new little hoover for the boat as we realised sadly that we can’t live without one. Here I found all the same spices I had bought in the market for a much lower price…..
This part of the world has seen a lot of war and fighting over the years and Port Vendres being on the border between Spain and France has probably seen it's fair share. This was evident by the amount of left over cannons there were in the town-
There is even an 'artillery street'
The main use for old cannons has been bollards around the old harbour -
We met up with the Aberdonian couple David and Jane and they invited us up to their apartment for a few drinks and food which was lovely. Jane had made a really lovely spread which was very much appreciated and the company was great. David and Jane have lived in Port Vendres full time for the last few years but have had an apartment there for about twenty years so know the area and all the history very well and therefore ar great to talk to. The wind howled for another couple of days and we sat tight in the harbour Ali was always itching to set off but I said no way until the wind came below a force five mainly because the Gulf of Lyon is notoriously unpredictable and about a million people had told us all there horror stories which had scared me silly.
Finally on the morning of Friday 9th April we set off across the Gulf. It was still a little windy and the sea was choppy enough to make Kaylee feel a bit ill.
The light at the end of the breakwater at Port Vendres you can just see it but the stairs going up it were ripped off and twisted in the infamous storm on boxing day 2008!
Byeee Port Vendres, we very much enjoyed our stay there!
The French sea police helicopter 'buzzing' us as we left Port Vendres
Ali’s little anemometer was reading between 15 and 25 knots for the first few hours which resulted in me saying we had to reef the sails in when it got too windy and Ali putting them all back out when the boat slowed down too much.
Kaylee feeling a bit better.
The wind did die down in the afternoon and we idled along with the main at 3-4knots for a good few hours until we gave up and put the engine on.
Ali and the girls trying a spot of fishing (unsuccessful as usual!)
The sea became very calm and we motored all through the night until we reached the Isles de Frioull just a mile or so from Marseilles at around 6am, we anchored there rather than trying to negotiate Marseille harbour when really tired.
We finally rose at about 11am and got straight on the phone to Brian Leask to tell them that we were near by and coming in. It was a lovely day and the Rade de Marseille was fairly busy with boats zooming about all over the place. The Isles de Frioull looked lovely and we promised the girls we would come back so they could go rock climbing.
Approaching the Isles de Frioull at dawn.
Marseille harbour
We managed to dodge everything on the way into the harbour and were met by a speedboat with two very familiar faces onboard.
Brian and Marie onboard Dicey
Brian and Marie directed us to where they were berthed and we tied up alongside helped by Dennis who was on deck varnishing windows and there the party began!
The Marseille report will be the next instalment including Inga and Mark’s volcano lengthened visit.
To make anyone back home feel better we are currently tied up in Cannes harbour in a force 6-8 storm with lots of rain and thunder. Not quite what we were expecting from the French Riviera!
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