Christmas in France and the UK

We started the Christmas (or birthday) celebrations in France. We had many of our french neighbours round for apéros on Saturday with the hard work being done by our local butcher. They provided a splendid array of treats and so it wasn't necessary to eat afterwards. Here is a flavour of what we ate.








Our guests generously brought flowers





On Pat's birthday, we went into Beziers by bus and then to a Michelin starred restaurant for lunch. We had a very good meal and then a walk. The bus back wasn't until after 4pm, so we just had to go shopping and so Pat was well kitted out for Christmas.

In the evening, we had apéros for English speaking friends produced by a different supplier. They were very good, but our local butcher won the comparison.

After that, it was a case of getting ourselves together for the flight to the UK on Thursday, 30 hours later.

We had rented a flat near to Helen, in the centre of Crouch End. It was very convenient, but not as cosy or as well equipped as the flat that we usually rent. We did manage to do some decorations, using the TV as a Christmas tree




Our first date was to call into our house in Cambridge and see how things were going with our tenants. Unfortunately, the train we were to travel on was very late, but it eventually arrived about 45 minutes late. Where the train was going to stop, seemed to change on a minute by minute basis, and eventually, anyone wanting one of the last 4 pr 5 stops before Cambridge, was told to get off and onto the train behind. We eventually got to Cambridge and to our house, only 15 minutes late.

We then went to our favourite restaurant in Shelford for an excellent meal with friends.

James' girlfriend, Sophie, was over from Brussels for the weekend and we ate with them one evening. We met her about 10 years ago and it was lovely to see her again.

We were then busy taking charge of Ernie, the let Helen and Nick have a little time to themselves. We fitted in many visits to nearby parks. The weather was not good and we took shelter in a park cafe on a couple of occasions. Ernie found friends there both times.

This is the Priory Park paddling pool in winter with the cafe in the background.





Ernie after a baby chino




On Christmas Day, we ate in a local pub and then retired back to our flat to start on the present opening, which took several days to complete as we moved from house to house.


Herrett Stewart family portrait




And one of us all



Trying to slide down a wooden slope with Grandad


Reading a book with Nana





Walking round the slide





A rare photo of James smiling




We returned to France on the 30th when Pat went down with a cold almost immediately.


Happy new year! The 2014 blog will start shortly at http://uzin2014.blogspot.com


- Pat and John on tour

A week in the UK

As soon as we returned from Girona on Friday, we were preparing for a trip to the UK on the next day. This time, we were travelling by train to Chipping Norton where Helen was attending rehearsals of 'Jack and the Giant' for which she had designed the set. The journey went well and in the early evening, we arrived at the cottage that had been booked for Helen and Ernie and the Ernie sitters.

The cottage was very quiet, overlooking an orchard and within walking distance of the town centre. This lane was opposite the cottage




Soon, we were out with Ernie and finding our way around. We wandered into Chipping Norton.

Some typical stone houses and shops













The Town Hall and Ernie exercising his fascination for going up and down steps





As usual, we needed our coffee shop and found one, the Old Mill, very close to Sainsbury's. Ernie was happy with his baby cinno and croissant which he had enjoyed with us in Chester. The staff in the coffee shop were very welcoming, so we would return each day, sometimes more that once.

The next thing was to find the playground. While the equipment was good, it was all on long grass, which, in the damp winter, was something of a quagmire. Nevertheless, Ernie enjoys his swing.




Unfortunately, the slide was far too muddy, but we did try several pieces of equipment.

The weather was not particularly kind to us and so we had to find things to do. Ernie took a great interest in the escalators in department store, Beales, being determined to descend the up escalator and causing amusement to other shoppers.

One difficulty was that the TV in the cottage didn't have the ability to watch catch up TV, thereby depriving Ernie of his favourite 'In the Night Garden'. Fortunately, we were able to download episodes onto the iPad and before long, Ernie was galloping up the stairs, saying iPad and settling down on our bed to watch.

We took Ernie to the dress rehearsal of Jack and the Giant, fully expecting to have to leave after about 30 minutes. He sat on Helen's knee, mesmerized, for the whole performance, clapping towards the end.

This is the theatre





Inside, the stage is very small and the audience is about 200. The theatre is very well supported locally and has a national reputation. It is completely unsubsidised and David Cameron, who lives locally (Helen saw him and his family on their bikes) is going to see the panto, we are told.





Here a some photos showing the set









On Thursday, we returned to London to stay for a couple of nights with James. We needed to go across to Helen, to collect various items, including Pat's new glasses from Muswell Hill.



There were some good views across London.





Then it was time for Pat to go shopping on Oxford Street while John did some gardening at Helen's before meeting Pat at the Apple store to sort out her Xmas present - in the end she opted for the iPad Air over the iPad mini. Then it was back to James's and a meal in a local restaurant and some wine tasting.

On Saturday we were on our way back home by EuroStar and were surprised to see just how much snow there was over the centre of France



So now we are back at home for 4 weeks until we return to the UK for Christmas.

We have lots to keep us busy: Christmas fairs, carol services, meals with friends, Christmas lunches (retired association), wine maker open days and arranging two apéro parties, one French and one English speaking, not to mention Christmas preparations.

In a previous blog, I mentioned that I won a leg of lamb at a Lotto. An unforeseen result of this is how many more people now say hello and mention the lotto lamb!

- Pat and John on tour

The world's best restaurant

In February 2013, we booked a table for 4 at a restaurant, El Cellar de Can Roca, in Girona. At that time, the restaurant had been number 2 in the world ranking for a couple of years. We booked with our friends Martin and Sile Dwyer who run a Chambre d'Hôtes with Table d'Hôtes in our village. We had been talking about doing it for years. Deciding on a date that we could all commit to and that the restaurant had available was tricky, but we eventually settled on November 14th.

A couple of months later, we read that El Cellar was the top restaurant for 2013, so we were pleased that we had got our reservation and held on the to the date ferociously.

Clearly, for full enjoyment we had to stay the night, so we booked into a hotel in Girona where we had stayed before. We were lucky enough to get a suite, although we had booked standard rooms. This was our sitting room with wall feature.





We took a walk around Girona after a light lunch of tapas.








El Cellar is not a large restaurant, but it is spacious and very well staffed. It is run by three brothers, Joan, Jordi and Josep Roca and the tables are dressed with rocks.





This is the entrance to the restaurant with Pat and Martin



and the interior with its central garden of trees.



Along with the menus, we were presented with a trolley containing 3 wine menus - one each for the white, red and rose wines. Clearly, choosing the wines could take some time .....






We had the choice of an 8 course or 14 course menu - we decided that, as this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, we would go the whole hog and chose the longer menu with accompanying wines. (By the end of the meal we had decided that it would most likely be more than once in a lifetime).

We started with Cava and apéros which were beautifully presented in a black globe there were five tastes from around the world.




This was followed by caramelised olives stuffed with anchovies and presented on an bonsai olive tree



And more apéros














Then we started on the menu - everything on the plates is edible including flowers and prawn tentacles.


Vegetable stock





Asparagus viennetta




Chestnut and smoked eel




Mackerel



Boletus edulus





Sea anemone





Prawn



Steamed langoustine, cooked in situ by pouring sherry onto hot stones




Sole




Lamb with artichoke flower


Pigeon




Sour dough ice cream




Candy Apple, as presented, what was inside and a tiny sugar maple leaf.









Walnut lemon and ratafia.




We finished with petit fours





Martin is a professional chef himself and ran a restaurant in Waterford and on request we were allowed to see the kitchen. Here we all are with the head chef, Joan Roca.






It was truly a great experience. The next day, we returned home to France. Snow had fallen on the Pyrenees overnight making the scenery that much more interesting.


- Pat and John on tour