146. Feel the need for speed?

26th May 2011. This made me laugh this morning - I read on an aviation web site that "..the hump on the 747 was designed so that the Captain could sit on his wallet." And while we're thinking about that, have a look at this:

It looks spectacular but there's at least 2,000ft separation between the two aircraft.. (that is, provided that both pilots don't cough at the same time!)   

Another milestone date is approaching.. don't ask! My motto is fast becoming Old people live longer.. I worked out in an idle moment that during the course of my 65 orbits around the sun I will have clocked up about 38 billion miles or 60 billion kilometers. Puts my rowing distance into perspective! 

Chocolate lovers.. this one's for you! Coming up is the Bayonne fête son chocolat, Break out those pants with the elasticated waist and get down here!

12 happy km this evening in a mixed VIII sculler.. very nice outing on a breezy river. (Running total: 712km)

There's a storm in an espresso cup going on in France at the moment. In the wake of the latest figures showing that road deaths are on the increase despite the year-on-year pattern of a continual decrease, the government felt compelled to take remedial action to reverse the upward kink in the trend. Fixed radar speed cameras (left) were widely installed across France over the past few years as excess speed has been identified as a major contributory factor to accidents. Motorists were warned of the presence of these cameras by a warning panel (right) approx ½km before the radar camera. The government has decided that the panels are to be removed and this caused a predictable and very vocal outcry. Speaking as one who has been caught speeding via these cameras, I can only say that it's a good thing.. Drivers must change their habits.. We don't need warning signs reminding us not to commit murder so why should speeding be any different? A speed limit is not an invitation to drive at that speed. People used to slow down when they saw the warning sign only to speed up once past the camera. There's also a proliferation in the number of unmarked mobile radar traps.. and of course there are no warning signs for these.  

The latest device to hit the French roadsides are the "radars pédagogiques" (left). The sign warns if your speed is over the limit, and if so, what the penalties are*. In accordance with their fondness for linguistic precision, only France could christen this type of radar a radar pédagogique. Reportedly, over a thousand of these are going to be installed across France. The intention is clear - to warn offending drivers (or automobilistes as they're known in French!) that, one, they are speeding and two, of the penalty they would face were they to be stopped. Knowing the mindset here, I would anticipate that the vast majority of French automobilistes will disregard these warnings once they realise there's no financial penalty or points on licence.

*Sharp-eyed readers will have noted yet another difference between the UK and France. In the UK, you start off with 0 points on your driving licence and points are added up to a maximum of 12 - at which point you take up walking/cycling/Lib Dem politics (topical jokette there!). In France, it's the other way around - you start with 12 points and watch them slowly disappear. Wouldn't it be handy to be able to manage your points total by alternately committing offences in the UK and France to maintain your running total somewhere between the two extremes!  

France has discovered radar speed cameras with a vengeance and so the days of driving at 160kph and more are a thing of the past. The gendarmes are now armed with hand-held radar or laser cameras.. which are impossible to spot. Even if you were to spot one in advance, the chances are that the operator will already have spotted you. The moral is quite clear - don't speed.

I believe the current prolonged outcry in the Left-dominated media over this issue - where the benefits are self-evident - is nothing more than a maskirovka operation designed purely to attack the government and thus avoid the DSK affair from hitting the headlines. If the government didn't take any action, there'd be just as many howls of criticism. 

Thought for the day: There is no pleasure worth foregoing just for an extra three years in the geriatric ward. 

John Mortimer.

Another UK/France difference (this could build into a series!): English book with their titles printed on their spines standing on bookshelves can be read by tilting one's head to the right - whereas in France - yes, you've guessed it - you have to tilt your head to the left. We have several bookcases full of English and French books, so scanning along is a nightmare..

28th May 2011. Went out in a quad sculler this morning on a warm cloudless sunny morning.. Did 12km (Running total 724km). I forgot to mention that I moved the plancha out of the garage and up the steps to the terrace where it will now stay until November probably. I cleaned all the spiders webs and other assorted crud off it, oiled the wood and it looks like new again. I have an idea that Madame is planning to use it today..!

This evening we were out on our sunlit terrace (me still in my shorts and t shirt), with a glass of sangria each and some olives and nuts, playing a game of cards while the dog snoozed on his back with his paws in the air.. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. Now, I ask you, what more do you want?

The answer to that, of course, is that great 3-1 win by a classy Barçelona side against an uninspiring Man Utd in the UEFA Champions League Final. Class vs hype? Only one outcome..

29th May 2011. Since thinning out an overgrown corner of the garden the other afternoon, I've uncovered 2 palm trees (each about 8-9 feet tall) that were being stifled. I've been cutting back old fronds and pulling creepers off the hairy trunks - they're certainly very different to the trees we had in our garden as a kid! Now that they can see the light, I'm hoping that they'll put on a growth spurt. I'm glad we put in a 350 litre (77 gall) rain barrel over the winter - it's come in v handy during the prolonged dry spell we've had here.

In case you've forgotten, Vino Griego is the anthem of Bayonne that we hear each time Aviron Bayonnais (the local rugby team) play at home. And of course, during the Fêtes de Bayonne, it's heard constantly..! And during rugby internationals in Paris, you'll often hear the Basque travelling choir bien arrosé  "giving it large"! By the way, that's the rowing club at 00:14 into the clip..

Heard this today for the first time I think - pity they didn't keep the instrumental part and junk the rest..

145. Saint Pée and Hondarribia

21st May 2011. Had an outing this morning in an VIII - usually we take an VIII sculler out (with 2 sculls each), however this time we had an VIII set up for rowing.. ie, with one long oar each. Rowing, as opposed to sculling, is more technical and demands more in the way of precision from everyone if the boat is to be well balanced and pleasant to row in.. We had our moments! 14km today (Running total 700km).

Another difference between rowing in France and rowing in the UK - and I've been meaning to mention it for months - is that here in France the seats in an VIII are numbered from bow to stern from 8 to 1. In the UK (can't speak for the rest of the world) it's the other way around - thus, from bow to stern it runs from 1 to 8 - except that 1 & 8 are known as "Bow" and "Stroke" respectively. The habits of a lifetime die hard in the heat of the moment.. that's all I'm saying!

And - for any oarsmen reading this - here, they start from back stops which generally means the balance of the boat is compromised right from the start. It's much more difficult to balance a boat that's static when people start moving around. When I learnt to row we always started from front stops.. Non-rowers here might think - what's all the fuss about?

According to this guide to rowing from Trinity College, Cambridge, octuples (an VIII sculler) and coxed quads are used only by children!

Sitting out on the terrace this evening with a pastis, there was the distant sound of the natives getting restless; yes, you've guessed it - the drums were back.. That haunting, hollow, slow rattle of drums which can set the hair on the back of your neck on end. A local band must be practising in advance of the Fêtes de Bayonne (there's an HD web cam running already). I was taking no chances though so I slipped silently off to the rifle rack - and took out my Westley Richards double-barreled .577-calibre Nitro Express elephant rifle and slid a few of the long brass cartridges into my shirt pocket before tiptoeing back to the terrace. I gently eased a cartridge into both breeches before closing the gun with a well-oiled click. My thumb rested on the safety catch and I slowed my breathing down as I waited in the shadows. After a few minutes there was a tell-tale crack of a twig.. and then.. I woke up! (Phew, that pastis must have been strong!)

23rd May 2011. Back home after a great day out yesterday with Y (our metronomic oarswoman!)(that's a compliment by the way!) and her friend M (un vrai Basque) at his house on the lake at Saint Pée. They'd invited us over for a barbeque lunch (I'd forgotten to take the camera.) They had 2 huge côtes de boeuf (ribs of beef) waiting to go on the barbeque. 

No nook, cranny or crevice was left unstuffed as a continuous production line of food appeared briefly in front of us before it all vanished! We were supplied with enough vittles to suggest we were anticipating a long sea voyage in an open boat! A platter of Spanish jamon cut paper-thin with scoops of cantaloupe melon, roast veggies, the côtes de boeuf, Basque cheese, a cherry clafouti and a coffee.. If you're not sure how to make a clafouti, it's all here:

All this accompanied by a very nice Bourgueil.. If you're going to drink red at lunchtime, there's none better. The more powerful reds of the South West would have your head nodding by 3pm..! A most memorable and delicious Sunday lunch..

Hondarribia

Later in the afternoon, we drove down to Hendaye and took the little navette (ferry boat) across to Hondarribia in Spain. Y & M had wanted to show us the Parador (which dates from AD 980 - yes, 980 anno domini!) at Hondarribia but unfortunately there was a no dogs sign.. a great pity.. so we sat in the square and had a drink. All in all, it was a lovely day out in good company. Needless to say, neither of us were hungry in the evening!

I've mentioned before here that one day I'd like to sit down to a meal composed entirely of different French cheeses - starting with mild ones before progressing through to the varieties that the smell of which are capable of stunning a medium-sized wart hog at 10 paces (such as a Livarot or a Munster) or that cheesy weapon of mass destruction - an Époisses de Bourgogne* - all served with wines to match. Well, I understand a similar experience is now possible at a cheese restaurant called Androuët. 

* Allegedly a cheese so smelly it is banned from being taken on public transport in France.

24th May 2011. Watched Something's Gotta Give last night - Jack Nicolson on top form!

25th May 2011. Heard this on the radio yesterday.. it's a piece my father could play beautifully:

Spent the afternoon cutting down 4 trees at the bottom of the garden that had grown wild and were crowding out the others.. then sawing up the branches before taking it all to the déchetterie (the tip). Hot work..

It's now 30° (86°F) on our west-facing terrace at 6.30pm.. and the dog is spread-eagled on the tiles in the house keeping cool. I'm thinking about joining him..! 

144. Add James Salter to your Must Read list

16th May 2011. I've been reading James Salter lately, an American author whose prose is capable of stopping you dead in your tracks. He's a former F-86 Sabre pilot who flew combat in the Korean War and this was the subject of his first book - "The Hunters". The book I've currently got on the go is his autobiographical "Burning the Days". I read it far too quickly the first time around but I'm taking my time with it now. I was pulled up short by one sentence in particular - he was describing a friend who'd died during WWII and he wrote, "His death was one of many and sped away quickly, like an oar swirl."  The image of that oar swirl receding in the wake of life was one that struck me forcibly. I found it such a powerful simile* and I struggle to imagine how he came up with it. His books repay slow careful reading - I can't read them in my usual headlong rush. Here's an interview with the great man (from 1992). His books are well worth searching out.

* just realised it's not a metaphor.

Here's something you don't see every day.. It was the 100th anniversary last year of the birth of Django Reinhardt, the legendary gypsy guitarist. If three guitars are good - then surely a hundred would be fantastic.. non? Just as well Django didn't play the banjo then! Make your own mind up - listen here if the YouTube clip below doesn't work.

17th May 2011. Another perfect evening out on the river. This time it was an outing in an VIII sculler. Good outing in a well-balanced boat. Going up-river we had a warm breeze behind us that matched our speed so with the temperature at 26° (79°F), it was warm work. Coming back, it turned into a welcome headwind but despite that we romped home at a fine pace. Did 12km (Running total: 686km) Think I'll be just shy of the 1,000km mark (which is 621 miles - it sounds better in kilometres!) for the year which ends on 5th August.

18th May 2011. Quick trip over the border this morning to stock up the cellar with sangria et al ready for the summer. I passed through Ainhoa and already the first tourists to this honeypot Basque village were in evidence.

I haven't provided an update to the Chibby situation. If you've just joined us, Chibby is our cocker spaniel. Some friends here have a cocker spaniel bitch that's en chaleur at the moment and for the past 3 days Chibby has been extremely active in attempting to extend his lineage. So far he's had at least 50 attempts by my reckoning..! What do they say about a picture being worth a thousand words..?

20th May 2011. Pleased to see P & M yesterday - some friends who came down from Lacanau for the day. Madame excelled herself for lunch and so it was afterwards that we thought we'd add to the number of confused pensioners ambling around Biarritz in the late afternoon. We finished up at the Bleu Café, which is ideally situated on the sea front overlooking the Grande Plage. It must have been 28° at least and it was very pleasant watching and listening to the crash of the surf close by - think it was high tide. Here's a web cam view of the Grande Plage that may or may not work. 

Well spotted.. no rowing for me yesterday! Oh yes - and Chibby had a day off too!

Now that the warmer weather's here, the lizards are back! Walking around the neighbourhood you'll often hear the scurry and the rustle of quick little feet as you pass a sunlit garden wall. Lizards lie on warm stones soaking up the warmth of the morning sunshine and they disappear as quick as a flash when they sense someone approaching.

I was in the garden a few minutes ago when I heard a deep rumbling sound in the sky to the south. Not the usual Ryanair 737 or an Air France twin jet taking off from Biarritz airport.. No, this was an Airbus A380 - the new behemoth of the skies. I spotted it in the distance heading out to sea - and with the illusion of moving incredibly slowly. 

Very impressive.. first time I've seen one of these puppies.. I have to say that Boeing's mighty 747 is the runaway winner as far as looks are concerned. But looks aren't everything - especially if you're running an international airline and you're looking to squeeze those last fractions of a per cent out into the 'profit' column.

Update on Chibby - Day 4. I think we have a result! In contrast to his previous 60 or so attempts over the last 4 days, this happened this afternoon. I'd not seen this before ever and the two dogs just stood there looking a bit bemused during what apparently is called a 'tie'. If all goes well, the litter should appear towards the end of July. Then the fun will really start!

143. Grey Saturday

14th May 2011. It was a dreich day out on the river this morning.. grey, cold and with a constant fine drizzle.. We went out in a coxless quad sculler but there was some kind of problem with the steering because we seemed to have a magnetic attraction to one of the banks! In the end, I suggested disconnecting the steering as I suspected it wasn't set up correctly and once we'd done that there was a marked improvement. Arriving back at the clubhouse, we were pretty much all wet through and cold and G (le responsable) suggested an impromptu apéro - he was going to get no argument from me! If the difference a little whisky makes to the world surprises you, then how much more surprised would you be at the difference a large one would make! Did 12km (Running total: 674km)

The pooch - unhappy at being told to sit still!

This afternoon should see Chibby, our cocker spaniel, in action for the first time. Some friends of ours have a black cocker spaniel bitch - Cerise - and yesterday they phoned us to say that she's come into heat.. Between us, we decided some time ago that the next time she came into heat, Chibby would be given the opportunity to do his best (lie back and think of England) to spread his genes. We'll be getting one of the pups if everything works out fine. Poor lad - he has no idea what's in store for him!

And just in case you were wondering:

I heard this 60s song on the radio earlier today and it brought back lots of memories.. it's full of that Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" excess - it has every instrument you can think of in it - including the kitchen sink - and a few you can't. I looked it up on Wiki and there it was in black and white - it was released in shhhh -  1963. This goes back to an earlier comment I made that we're scarred by the music that was popular when we were 17. It's still a classic though after all those years (especially after an hour or so wasted watching the latest Eurovision Song Contest this evening - don't ask!!) Crank up the volume, listen to it and then tell me that's not a great pop song.. 

I mentioned the Eurovision Song Contest - this is the entry from Moldova - complete with girl on unicycle - that drove me to despair:

15th May 2011. Went for a windy walk along the sea front at Biarritz this morning. Ended up in Dodin's café having one of their hot chocolates and watching the surfers. Chibby is still on alert in case the doorbell rings with his date..! He's not yet showing any signs of big match tension.. 

Today's special offer: there are various sites that play non-stop music for all tastes.. for example, there are links that play non-stop ABBA hits. Or non-stop 60s hits. But maybe you'd prefer to browse the blog with some classic French hits in the background.. Zut alors! In that case, look no further! Or if it's that time of day, here are the non-stop smoochy ones.. (what have I started!!?) Think you need Google Chrome set as your browser to access these links.. 

You'll find that links on the blog will open in a new window from now on - I found the code that allows that to happen - so you can click on the music channels above and carry on reading - that is, if there's no paint drying in the vicinity that needs watching!

16th May 2011. I must admit to being puzzled by the allegations levelled against Dominique Strauss-Kahn (or DSK as he's known here in France), the managing director of the IMF. He'd been positioning himself as a strong Socialist candidate for the 2012 Presidential campaign here in France - and, according to many political commentators here, he would have been very electable versus the unpopular incumbent. He had a lot to lose. I'm not alone in finding the situation that unravelled over the weekend in New York a little bizarre. Without going into details, the claim is that a man staying at a major New York hotel allegedly forced his attentions on a chambermaid - in his hotel room! He's hardly an anonymous figure and hence he stood no chance of the incident passing unnoticed or that he could escape identification.

I started wondering if it might have been a case of entrapment.. Perhaps the chambermaid thought, "This guy's loaded.. I could squeeze him for a few bucks or I'll tell the cops he assaulted me." It wouldn't be the first time. I'm never a great believer in conspiracy theories such as Elvis is alive and living in Essex, or Hitler's U-boat was found on the dark side of the moon, etc etc but DSK is/was probably the only credible candidate the Left could have fielded with a chance of beating Sarko.. (Martine Aubry? No chance. Ségolène Royale? Likewise..) By the time these allegations have been proved/disproved, months will have passed and even if DSK is found to be innocent, the smear will linger. And, in case you're wondering, I don't share DSK's political views.

The Telegraph has more on this unhappy saga. It appears that DSK has an Achilles d--k. (fill in the blanks yourself!) Maybe he was so jaded by everyday life that he needed the rush that an adventure like this could provide.  

In the context of DSK's trousers, I'm reminded of Spike Milligan's alternative version of the traditional nursery rhyme about the Grand Old Duke of York : 

Oh, the grand old Duke of York,

He had ten thousand men;

He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.
And when they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only half way up,
He was arrested.

Anyway, that's enough of that.. here's a web site to browse when you have a spare moment. It looks suitably dull, as befits a product of the EU (sponsors of the world's dullest looking currency below). I hadn't thought it possible to reduce half a millennia of European cultural heritage to something akin to base metal but with this site they've managed the impossible - and in spades (I'm not mentioning that mindless disco beat..). I'm not a euro-sceptic by the way. This clip may throw some light on what they're about:

On the other hand..