June 28, 2004 - South of France

     We both slept pretty badly last night due to the heat, and we ended up sleeping in.  I eventually explored our little village a bit.  Judging from the buildings, Nezignan-L'Eveque is evidently a very old village, set in the Languedoc region, the latter gaining a reputation for fine wine.  We have committed ourselves to making extensive, first-hand assessments.

Just before noon, we drove on our own to Ross and Vicki's house, making only one major error, but finding a way to backtrack and correct it.  They have a 250 year-old stone house way out in the country, beside a river.  It seemed a perfect place for lunch.      Last year, however, the river rose to the bottom of the second story windows you see on the house.  (You can find Sheila and Vicki walking beside the house, on your right, for scale.)

     After doing REAL laundry with a washing machine and clothes line, we relaxed a bit during the afteroon.  Europeans, it turns out, feel that clothes are not fully cleaned unless washed for a couple of hours.  Also, the concern for the cost of electricity results in washers that turn on and off repeatedly over a long period of time.  Given the sun and heat, however, our clothes dried quickly once they were hung on the line.

     If the quality of these photos seems to have degraded, that's because my primary camera had died and I am working with a backup.  I don't know that I can get repairs in Nezignan L'Eveque, but I'm hoping for help in London.

     We had a grand dinner late into the evening, when we were joined by some British neighbors of Vicki and Ross's.  They gave us all kinds of suggestions for our travels in Britain, and we might even get together in London.  One of the party will be home during the time we're there.

     Best news of all, we drove home alone without error in the dark.  Next time should be error-free and we should feel more confident about it.


Prev   June   Next