Dereict? Make-Up Attempt #1

A fellow 3:00 A.M. traveler....

I knew I was overdue for  post, but I was stunned by how long it had been since my last entry.  July has come and gone--and I am wondering exactly where the time went.  I will just have to hit the highlights.

One of the Canals of Sete

One of the many food stalls

I thought this looked particularly good

My friend Shelley and I made what turned out to be, for me, a disastrous trip to Sete in the first part of the month.  I bought new shoes--my old New Balances were in dire need of replacement.  And I wore those shoes to Sete, and proceeded, during our forced march on a hot day around the town, to rub blisters on both feet.  Ugh!  But Sete was lovely- we went there on market Wednesday.  Sete has the BEST market.  Bought some vanilla paste, a group of new napkins (6 for 10 Euros--I can hardly beat that price) and some tapas--black olive, garlic and tomato, and some hummus.  Their indoor market is also wonderful and runs daily. Shelley scored some balsamic vinegar from a stand that sells various olive oils on tap!  Worth a return trip.

Shell buys some---vanilla salt!

Sketching during lunch

Along the Med

This IS France, after all

Inside the theater in La Cite--Goodle image d

I made the blisters much worse the next evening by walking in shoes without socks  to my friend Veronica's house.  From there, her husband drove us to La Cite so we could attend the open air performance of the Marriage of Figaro.  We stopped for a glass of sangria and aperos at one of the many open air cafes near the theater.  I did bring my camera, only to have it confiscated.  I get really angry about that.  I get it that they don't know me well enough to know that I would never, ever use a flash.  Moreover, I have been on their side of the stage and I would never, ever think of photographing or videotaping the performance.  I understand about intellectual property and the right not to be videotaped and uploaded to the Internet, especially when what they are doing is their livelihood.  But what I don't get is why the security forces don't also confiscate cell phones.  All I wanted were some photos of the theater as the sun was setting and after dark.  So, yes, I was not happy when throughout the opera cell phone flashes provided a certain visual static to the performance.  After it was over, at nearly 1 in the morning, there were complimentary glasses of wine to speed us on our way home.  As an added note, Figaro could act as well as sing, the Count was wooden with a great voice, Susanna was splendid and the poor Contessa struggled with D'ove Sono.  The orchestra was behind the singers, on stage, in seated in a carousel-roofed structure.  And the walls of the Cite gleamed golden.  It is a magical place to watch an opera.

It was then that  I did the real damage to my toes--walking down the mile or so from the butte to my apartment.  What made it sort of worthwhile was seeing the activity still buzzing at that hour of the night.  I think of my city as sleepy little Carcassonne, but maybe I am the one who's sleepy.  Arnaud was still entertaining clients at his wine bar, and several restaurants still had lingering diners.  People were walking on the streets and the gypsies were, as ever, plopped in front of their doorway, shrieking to the universe.  I guess if you can't keep them quiet you may as well join them.