Irritations

I'm trying to upload more photos, but since I've been sitting here for more than five minutes, waiting for the images to upload, I'm thinking it's not going to work. As long as the photos are still on my camera, though, I'll be fine.

I've been fighting with McGill, again, over the same stupid situation. Academic references! I graduated five years ago, but they still want me to find someone who remembers me. But I found one! Ten years ago an instuctor, but I've got the reference letter made. That's the thing with having professional writers for instructors...

My ordeal of building fires with wet wood in an effort to keep warm, and eating only sprouts and lettuce is about to come to an end. I really deserve a glass of wine, though alcohol is not allowed. We're meant to be headed to Corte for the afternoon, but we're still at the library, where I'm fiddling with my camera and this blog in order to keep awake.

There is fresh snow on the mountains, and full sunshine today. The view is spectactular, of the sea and of the hills. I'll play tourist for the day, should I get the chance, and probably eat a little clandestine meat. Yesterday I went to Tallone and hung out with the local baker for a little while, chatting about Corsica. I went home with two loaves of bread AND two apple turnovers. I'm eating all my Quince jam so that I don't have to pack it to my next destination, and enjoying some porto salut cheese. I recommend the latter. i was going to get some Corsican cheese, but it was expensive!

Enough rambling!

Tallone

Here I am, still in Tallone, on Corsica. The rest of France is knee-deep in snow, but here we've had a little frost, a little rain, and a bit of sun.

I've been finishing an exterior wall with cement for the last four days, and I have to say, I don't mind doing anything, relatively, if I don't have to do it all week. By the end of three hours of smearing cement on cinderblocks, I'm near to swearing. But I leave next Wednesday, so the end is near, even if the project isn't completed!

On Saturday I rode my bicycle to the top of the mountains, to the Col de Cosardo, which was 6 inches in snow, and beautiful. The ride up the mountain was a continuously gradual climb, and I'm hoping I can do it again, but this time loaded down with all my stuff. I have some lovely photos, but that will have to wait until another time...

My dreams for Wednesday include a rather hearty and luxurious cooked meal, which will be sure to include wine, meat, and bread. Damnable vegans make me want nothing but meat!

I'm getting a ride to Corte this Saturday, so I'll be able to scope the city out before I arrive Wednesday, and I'll be able to decide whether the route is possible fully loaded. Sunday there may be a trip to a monastary, though it might in fact be a nunnery, or whatever you call the female version.

McGill has nearly rejected me. This is the third time they've asked me for academic referrences, and you'd think they'd know by now that I don't have any, and I have good reason for not having any. Emailing professors whom I took classes from ten years ago is rather embarrassing. Yeah, I know you don't remember me, but I'm begging anyway. I'm not too worried about it, though, since there are a lot of other things I'd like to do besides the MLIS at McGill. Besides, I think I'll learn French better if I'm not going to an English school. Maybe Engineering is in the future? Plus, I've had offers from new friends to travel the USA with them...

But I'm not there yet! Instead, I'm escaping the winter on Corsica. I hear Vancouver's weather is just perfect for the Olypic games--14° and melting!

Who Misses Me?

Then send me a letter! I'll be at the following address until the end of February, so get your letters in the mail before the 15th:

C/O Alban Arriaga
52 Chemin de Peygros
83440
Mons
France

See you in the mail!

Corsica

It feels warm like spring one day, it's mildly frozen but sunny the next, then wind, now rain and fog. But it's beautiful!

I'm on a large and beautiful bit of land in the valley of Bravone, near Tallone. You can see Tallone (when it isn't foggy) from the garden--a clutch of stone buildings atop the hill. It's deceptive! The walk to Tallone is a long, winding, uphill march, and there isn't much in the town itself, just a post box and an old church, and a nativity scene put in disorder by the recent winds. Joseph is the only guy standing, and the wise men seem to be hiding in the bushes. I saw two cows and several barking dogs, and three people in the cemetary (which seems larger than the town itself...)

The mountains are beautiful here. The view from the top of the nearest ridge was of the Mediterranean in one direction, and a snow covered mountain in the other. The wind, though, once I'd left the shelter of the valley was cold and strong!

The best part? The view of Monte Cristo from my bungalow. Actually, the best part was my sucess at lighting a fire last night. No electricity, so no heat, makes my little wooden shell of a house pretty chilly in the eveningtime! And, yes, that means no internet access, so hold tight, those that are looking for updates. I may manage it, but the (noisy!) library (where I paid ten euro to become a member for internet access!!) is far and gone (20 kms) away.

I'm here until the 20th, then I hope to spend a few days on Corsica, cycling around before I take the ferry to Nice. But for now, it's rain and Monte Cristo!

Final day in Laroque des Alberes

That's it, I'm off tomorrow! I went into 'town'--Argeles-sur-Mer--to pick up a ticket to Nimes for tomorrow morning--my train leaves at 746AM, and I'm not looking forward to the 630 bike ride into Argeles. It's been windy--again. I watched trees out my window last night, expecting them to fall over or snap in half.

(A few people have complained they don't see MY FACE in pictures. Well, here it is, a picture of my face. Pretending to be French or a choir boy or something...Yes, it's a 'self-portrait'!)

Last night we had a bonfire for the Solstice, a day early. We had a rather glorious fire, burning in less than an hour wood that had taken us half a days work to collect. The firepit 'we' dug (I didn't dig it) looked and worked great. A little Polish vodka and today I have a mild headache and everything smells like smoke. The wind picked up my jeans off of the clothes line and landed them in the smouldering ashes this morning--now I've got singed, smokey jeans...

My baggage has actually gotten larger in the last four weeks. I am still arguing with myself about getting rid of some of my clothing...

My last couple of days off were wasted variously. There are two grandchildren visiting for the holidays who brought with them colds from England. I spent 36 hours in bed, not being able to eat or drink anything. When I got up, the guys claimed I was trying to get out of doing the dishes. Oh, I'd go on about the guys here, but I'm holding my tongue for a bit...

Saturday I got up at 6 to help at the market in Ceret--the kids were going and Namua had a cold. The intent was that I would do a little relief work, so she could take the kids to get some food, warm up inside. Did I mention it's COLD here? By 930, everyone was packed up into the van and headed home except me. I didn't mind too much--it was frightfully cold, though. I got to chat a while with the fellow across the lane, selling French books. He'd be competition if it weren't for the language difference! He raved about Corsica, and I'm doubly excited about going there, although I've been warned by Sylvian that it's cold!


The market at dawn. We'd about set up already, and the kids were little ice lumps on the folding chairs we'd brought them, huddled under a rather thin blanket.

There are Christmas decorations hung in all the villages around here, rather pretty, and not unlike at home, though with less colour. I prefer less colour.

















Setting up for the market. Namua is the blur in the second picture.

The door to the apartments beside our stand. Plainly pretty!

Back to Collioure

Our day off, we headed back to Collioure, me on my bike, the other kids on the train. I beat them to Argeles-sur-mer and Collioure! I wandered about a bit and took a few pictures. It was a beautiful day--great sky! It was lovely in the sunshine--there was no hint of what was to come in a few days...

































The kids showed up laden with food! That's fresh butter, cut from a great slab of butter at the shop. And strong, dry cheese. Four kinds of bread. They know how I roll! I roll with them!












Sitting outside a cafe having a lovely afternoon coffee: Elise, Lucy, Glyn, and, tiny tiny on the beach, Lea...

Payback for being cheeky

Here's what happens when you make fun of home for the weather. On the CBC website, the weather forcast for Vancouver was 1 degree and snowing; for Montreal, it was1 degree and snow mixed with rain. Besides the fact that Vancouver and Montreal should almost never have similar weather forcasts, I am in the south of France, within spitting distannce of the sea. I was feeling smug about escaping another dreary northern winter.

Until I woke up this morning to this:

Lea bundling up to walk the dogs with me.











Palm tree, pool...snow.













More dogs and snow...and Lea!










This sign is a bit unnecessary now...












The walk up the mountain. Pretty! Cold!