Elsien's Traveblogue

Montpellier 12^th October 2011

No more boxes, everything is now more or less where it should be, pending the arrival of the new furniture in two weeks' time. We didn't go to the whole morning for the new Montpelliérains on Saturday as we wanted to get shot of all the boxes by Sunday, which we did. We did go to the buffet though and that was splendid, especially the oyster stall. Plates with four of the biggest oysters I've ever seen outside XXXX, not even in Whitstable; there was an old geezer, who probably wasn't even a nouveau Montpelliérain, who installed himself at the end of the table and scoffed one plate after another … We just had the one plate, followed by a generous portion of smoked salmon, then saucisson and black pudding, olives, downed with glasses of champagne. Some guests walked around with plates piled indecently high with little cakes, cackling gleefully as they moved along, depriving others of even one little cake. I became French when I encouraged one monsieur who was taking handfuls of little chocolates: “Go on, Monsieur, have some more! They are good for you, make you nice and fat! Help yourself to some more, there's plenty for everyone!”

When we left, we saw the Montpellier mayoress and her team outside the venue, the Corum, which is the big cultural centre in the centre of Montpellier, having lunch, chatting to citizens as they walked past... Sweet!

On Sunday we went for a long walk by the river, the Lez. We discovered that the river has a walking / cycling path all the way to the sea, 8 km, so we can walk or bike there in future! We also discovered a nice little café / maison de thé by the river, just behind the University Library, on a little square with fountains and heads of Revolutionary heroes: Danton, Robespierre, Marat, Camille Desmoulins … I felt quite at home! The weather is still amazing, between 28° and 30° with a little breeze.

Yesterday was a day of strikes, yes, we're in France! The 'cheminots', the railway workers, were striking and a number of government employees – the usual, more money, less work, fewer cuts, more pension... In the meantime our rubbish is collected every single night and policemen patrol residential areas and quiet little squares ….

posted by Elsien Gale  # 3:44 AM