20th May

Meanwhile, on safari….


We have actually left Castelsarrasin!! We have travelled on and are now in Toulouse as we start our trip south.

Seems like a good time to reflect on amazing wildlife which continues to fascinate us…

Coypu are a regular sight swimming about in the canal
Terrapin, although not so often, also live in the canal and nearby lakes
Bittern - this was flying around the port in Toulouse, landing on various boats
Night Heron - crouching under some bushes on the canal side
Purple Heron - seen all along the canal
Golden Oriole - two males flying in a riot of bright yellow in the woods near the house
Osprey?? - now this doesn’t seem right but something big grabbed a fish in it’s claws out of the canal right in front of me!!
Hoopoe - just a glimpse of one in flight, but definitely heard them
Frogs - so many frogs!! And so noisy!!
Buzzards - everywhere
Black Kites - I think. Dull, brown, big with kite shape tail
Red Kite - I think. Big, kite tails, in a flock, circling and soaring [ all these big birds are difficult to identify]
Storks - only in flight
Black dragon flies - don’t know exactly what they are, butt hey are everywhere at the moment

…….AMAZING!!!

16th May

16th May

We’ve been on holiday!!! I know we are on holiday, but we have been on holiday from our holiday!! Our friends, Kate and Dave, follow summer round the globe, living between Auckland in New Zealand and Valencia in Spain. So, as they’re in Spain at the moment, we drove down to see them and their two children!
The journey down was quite epic as we decided to abandon the motorway and cross the Pyrenees on little roads!! The scenery was magnificent and there was snow in gullies on the road side - all very exciting.
Valencia is a fascinating city - the river which used to run through the centre has been diverted!! The river bed is now a very long thin park which goes right through the city. Everybody is there and everything seems to be done there - probably because everybody lives in high rise apartments.
We had a wonderful time! Paul and Dave went off to do heroic boy things, whilst I had my `baby-fix’ - I even got to push the pram!! So lovely. We visited the America’ Cup base - a small town is being built to accommodate the yachts and associated paraphernalia. Dave knew all the best spots so we were able to sit at a bar and all the competing yachts passed within a couple of metres as they went out for their preliminary races. The atmosphere was electric and we just loved it.
We left reluctantly on Tuesday morning and stuck to the motorways for a speedy and easy trip back.

8th May

8th May 2006
Still here - wine just as good, food just as good, company just as good, and the fishing continues to be impressive!
Supper last night was duck breast, asparagus, potatoes; washed down with Costiers de Nimes [1,59euros per bottle]; followed by locally grown strawberries; then cheese which we get from the market for 5 euros a kilo.
Drove up into Aveyron this week. Some super towns and villages and the most impressive Gorges de Aveyron. Well, we must have liked it because we bought a little house while we were there! It will be this winter’s [and possibly next winters too] project!! Upstairs is liveable in but the two rooms downstarirs have to be made I.e. barn doors replaced with windows, concrete floors, ceiling boards, staircase and heating….for starters! So, if you are not busy any time from October on, and you are a bit handy…!?! WE will continue to live on Havorn each summer and to continue travelling and exploring. Should be fun
It’s another bank holiday here today. The tourist office at the marina is closed as it was last holiday Monday!? Even the locks are closed so you cannot travel on your boat on a bank holiday!?
Dom continues to be very happy! His latest bag of dog food has a wonderful mis-translation….it is full of wholewheat gobbits and suppy-lumps! very appetising - think I’ll stick to the strawberries and asparagus!

1st May

1st May 2006
Bank holiday…but then everything here is closed on Mondays!
Paul’s fishing hit an all time high this week - he caught a 10.5kilo carp!!! It was all so exciting. I came back to the boat to find that he had hooked this thing and it was putting up an incredible fight! His rod was doubled back on itself and the fish kept shooting off in different directions, often trying to get under the boat. As it became clear it was huge he asked me to get out a bigger landing net but I really didn’t think it was worth the bother as he was surely going to lose it!?! [he keeps reminding me about this bit!] Gradually a crowd gathered on the quayside to watch this English man’s struggle! Well to cut a long story short, he eventually landed it! Such a magnificent and beautiful fish. The crowd clapped and cheered! And, fortunately, nobody wanted to eat it. [ I was quite worried about somebody deciding to kill it] So it swims to be caught again another day!
We have had some lovely days out and about but haven’t yet moved the boat from Castelsarrasin - with such big carp I don’t think Paul will ever want to leave! We have visited Moissac - splendid market full of flowers, asparagus and strawberries. We had a trip to the Pyrennees - fantastic mountain shaped mountains and very beautiful. We have even been into Toulouse to get our annual licence for the canal.
Lots of good food, wine and company!