Initially we had to learn how to use Blogger, and they have made it easier while we’ve been away. It used to take forever to upload photos, but now we’ve learned to do it quite quickly.
A lot of the sites we’ve stayed on haven’t had internet connection, so we’ve written it in draft to cut and paste when we’ve been able to.
Some experiences haven’t made it into the blog because we’ve left it too late to write about them before another new experience has taken precedence.
One thing is certain, what we have created is a very neat document of treasured memories.
Not that this will be our last….oh no, we still have 6 weeks left of this adventure with many more things to document, for instance………
Goose/Duck Stuffing
Now we’ve always been partial to a bit of Foie Gras, even though we’ve known that the feathered friends eat more corn than is good for them.
This trip we decided to visit a Foie Gras Ferme to decide once and for all how happy/unhappy the geese and ducks are. Rest assured, it isn’t a horrific experience.
The birds are brought up in the open air with all the comfort they desire until the last 15 days of their 4 month lives. At this point they are brought inside the barn to live in a pen with their friends and are given 2 feeds a day via a funnel, of about 200—250 grams of sweetcorn. They have fresh water constantly on tap, and other seeds and corn to peck at as they wish.
Now the gullet of a duck or goose does not have the gagging reflex we have. They totally relax and I must admit look as though they enjoy the experience. It’s not brutal or distressing, and each bird is fed by hand so the farmer can make sure that there is no ‘forcing’ the food into the bird.
We decided that ‘force feeding’ is a poor translation of what actually happens. I know we’ve only visited one farm and not every farmer will be as proud to let the public see how or what he does, but as with all animal food products, we can vote by choosing to buy only the reputable products where animal welfare is a priority.
The Guinguette
If you look this up on the internet it will tell you that it is an open air meal with some sort of entertainment, which died out last century.
If you look this up on the internet it will tell you that it is an open air meal with some sort of entertainment, which died out last century.
Nobody has told the villages in le Perigord Noir that it’s a thing of the past. Every Marche Nocturne (night market to you and me) has a Guinguette. Rows of tables and chairs are placed in the middle of the market for everyone to eat the food and drink the wine which can be bought at the stalls around the edge. There is also a stage erected close to the tables and chairs for the entertainers to perform while you eat, drink and make new friends.
We have been to several now. The food is usually of a very high standard and a little different to the bars, cafes and restaurants. But the best part is chatting to the locals and tourists alike, spending time drinking in the atmosphere in the warm summer evenings.
Canoeing on the Dordogne
With Dave and Katie due to join us next week we thought we’d get some canoeing practice in before they arrive, so yesterday we booked a fairly short (10 Km) trip. We were told it should take about 2 hours if we canoed non-stop but we had a picnic lunch with us so arranged for the minibus to pick us up 3 hours later.
We are so pleased that we had this trial run as we learnt quite a lot! The river flows at about 5 Km an hour and of course all trips are downstream – you either get a lift upstream and end up back where you parked your car or you get a lift back to the car park at the end of your journey.
Lesson 1 – book a trip where you start upstream and end up back at the base – that way you don’t have to be anywhere at any particular time. We thought we would have plenty of time but of course their time estimates assume that you travel in a fairly straight line. Our constant series of ziz-zags, pirouettes and emergency stops (to avoid serious injury to other canoeists) meant that we probably covered nearly double the distance.
Lesson 2 – when given the option of single-ended or double-ended paddles choose the double-ended ones. We thought that with one of us rowing on one side and the other one rowing on the other we would travel serenely down the river in a straight line. Wrong – next time we’ll take it in turns using double-ended paddles – not sure if it will help but it couldn’t be any worse!
Lesson 3 – just because your dog is a good swimmer don’t assume he is a good sailor. For some reason Benji didn’t seem to enjoy sitting in a puddle in the middle of our canoe for three hours. He endured it but attempted to strike out for land whenever possible.
Lesson 4 – appoint a captain. One of you has to be in charge – it’s the only way it can work even if the other person isn’t that happy about doing what they’re told!
Lesson 5 – if you’re looking for a quiet day out choose another month or another river. The Dordogne in late July is as busy as the M25 on a Monday morning – canoes and swimmers as far as the eye can see with the odd 50-seater tour boat doing it’s best to pick it’s way through the throng without drowning anybody.
Brilliant. Now I don't have to feel guilty as long as I buy the gentler fed duck, rather than the force fed duck. Can you bring some home please...?
ReplyDeleteWell done on the blog, a very entertaining read & very funny too! 100 posts later and it's almost time to come home - looking forward to seeing you.
Paul.