Well that sounds more French than OMG doesnt it? We are now in Liebvillers having completed the cross country trek from La Verrie. The plumber didnt come as promised, the truck was almost bottoming out and we had to leave plenty behind for Manon and Eric to collect on their next visit.But we are here and today is now Saturday!
Let me recoup the last few days! We had Tuesday off! As a special treat, we met up with some cousins and went to a theme park. Not your usual, mes amis, Oh no! This has been given the World's Best title and there is not a Mickey Mouse to be seen. The place is called Puy du Fou and the website www.puydufou.com gives some idea. I dont know how many times I found myself using "Wow!" but it is cerainly spectacular! All historical tableaus even a Colloseum replica which "entertained" with Christians v Romans, chariot races (4 chariots each with 4 horses!) racing around the arena and a poor Christian martyr girl tied to a stake while EIGHT freaking huge lions roamed around her! Everything is done wirh such professionalism and incredible mechanisation of the enormous props (including a full sized Chateau). Enough, I know, but how lucky was I to be treated. We shot home (half an hour to La Verrie) for dinner of delicious crepes and back to the Parc for the equally spectacular night show ON and IN the lake! Fire and fountains, ballet and wonderful classical music. So special, thank you Manon and Eric for such a wonderful and generous treat!
Wednesday was back to old clothes and cleaning cloths as the huge truck was loaded and the trailer also readied for the journey east. We all arrived here in the most beautiful Heidi country by evening on Thursday, met by Manons father (Papi Michel) to drive the last few kilometres. I have been communicating haltingly with my petit peu French but surprisingly I can make myself understood! Today Papi Michel shouted us all to the big bbq in the village community hall (a beautifully restored and renovated barn) with the main event being a sanglier shot by a local hunter. These wild boars do dreadful damage to agricultural enterprises and this one weighed 40 kilos. I had a discussion with the hunter (all in French with much gesticulating!) about how pig hunters get their beast in NZ. They dont use dogs here, they just shoot the pig. So many in the forests apparently and quite delicious too!
Time to explain about the French approach to meals! Today we started with an aperatif (bubbles with Cassis if preferred) and olives and crisps, When we were called "a table" we were served salads eg cucumber, beetroot, carrot, tabouleh, then when we had been plied with plenty of that and wines to accompany, the bbq'd wild pork came out, and kept coming and coming. More salads were added, and pasta and the ever present bread to wipe plates clean between courses. We spent heaps of time imbibing and chatting at the long table and then the green salad appeared with the cheese course! Beautiful rounds of Camembert (cost around $6 only) . More wine (you will be pleased to know, David, that I alternated with Perrier water) and onto what I thought was dessert but it was the melon preceding the gateaux for dessert proper and coffee to follow and if one had room, beer to top it all off that had been home brewed. We started at 12 and finished at 5.The format of the courses is pretty typical of the meal at home, just not quite as lengthy.
Anyone game to help me host a French lunch back home?And while I think about it, following on from the last posting, French Fries arent even a French invention!
I am lying down now to recover.
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