A hefty weekend: Part 3 - À fleur de vigne

Cravant June 2013

Sunday according to the météo was going to be rain and thunderstorms. The last thing anyone wanted. Since Friday the Cravant festival committee had been putting up covered stalls and chapiteaux (marquees) for our village foire aux vins (wine fair). In the past the Cravant wine fair had been held in the square in front of the church and the mairie. But it had begun to attract people who only wanted to drink rather than to buy and after a while, the decision was made to stop. That was two years ago. Cravant then represented the Chinon appellation for two years, playing host to the big September Vins, Vignes and Randos. An annual event, combining wine tasting and walking that takes place across the entire Indre et Loire region, wherever there are wine producers. Cravant proved the perfect spot, with it's rolling vines, little hills with great views across the valley and the plains, the forest and forty vignerons, who produce some wonderful wines. The two events held in Cravant, the village received nearly two thousand visitors. It was extremely well organised and both years, started and finished at our football ground. Someone locally realised that this was perhaps the ideal event with which to replace the traditional Cravant wine fair and so À fleur de vigne was born and took place for the first time on Sunday 9 June 2013. 

Starting point

There were three possibile routes. One for car drivers, a six kilometre walk and an eleven kilometre walk. The starting and finishing point was up near Le Gateau, which consists of a private house (with the same name) in the old part of Cravant (Vieux Bourg) and a large area of open land, and where big marquees for eating had been set up, along with other local producers - cheeses, patisserie etc. It was here you bought your 'entry ticket' - a wine glass, which had been specially engraved for the event. Apparently in the past before the wine fair was staged in the square in the centre of the village, it used to take place at Le Gateau. So À fleur de vigne was  returning to its roots, with around thirty wine producers taking part. We were so lucky. Apart from a bit of drizzle first thing, it stayed dry.  

Alain leading the way

Our day began at 9.15 am. round at the house of our neighbour's Jacqueline and Norbert. They'd invited Alain who lives opposite them and his new girlfriend and some other neighbours who we'd not met before. So coffee and croissants to get us going. Alain is an ebullient buoyant personality and Sunday, he was on top form. We were in stitches. It was a great way to get started.  We set off at 10am. It was cool, greyish but in many ways perfect for walking. We kept bumping into people we all knew. So lots of stopping to chatter. The routes kept crossing over each other so although we were doing the six kilometre walk, sometimes we found ourselves doing a section of the eleven kilometre and even part of the car route. 

Glorious Cravant

We walked all over the place, into parts of the village we didn't know existed, vines we'd never seen before, and met vignerons whose faces up until now, we only recognised from the group photo retaken in 2010/11, of all the Cravant wine producers. We have a copy at home. The first photo was taken at least thirty years ago. The latest one reveals the generational changeover, with sons and quite a few daughters taking on the family domaine.

Mike heading into Le Chateau

The routes took us through wonderful Cravant countryside, with various pit-stops along the way. Armed with wine glasses and accompanied by enthusiastic neighbours, we all headed off to our first at Le Château  which from the opposite side of the valley you can see perched on the hillside. Part of Le Chateau is being restored, but today it had been taken over by musicians, wine producers and visitors. Each stall had two vignerons. At Le Chateaux our  tastings included Pierre Sourdais, Cristel Sourdais, Dumont, Denis Gasnier, Delallande, Domaine Pallus (another Sourdais) and Jaulin. Lovely atmosphere and there we bumped into some other neighbours, so our walking group of eight became a walking group of fourteen.

Amongst the vines

Next stop was a fabulous walk through vines from the top of the village down to pit-stop 2 at the Cravant panorama. 
Wine producers on this site included Bernard Baudry,  Gouron, Spelty, Bournigault, Moreau and Pascal Lambert who is our closest wine producer and completely bio. Have no idea what time it was. With all the chatting and meetings of friends and neighbours, the walk was more at a stroll place. Met a French friend from one of our Anglo-French groups who'd been intrigued enough to come along and see what À fleur de vigne was all about. This particular group often visit Pascal Lambert for a wine tasting, but not anyone else really in Cravant, so it was an opportunity for them to try a few other wines and get an idea of the range from just one grape - Cabernet Franc.

Working the old way

From there we headed off to pit-stop 3 which was at a site called Le Sauleau. There's a particular wine producer, Vincent Girard who works this area and he was actually there, with horse and plough. Distinctive looking individual with an incredibly long black beard. Ideal Father Christmas material - in another setting. By the time we'd arrived he was having a break and someone else was looking after things, as in the photo. The weather had started to pick up. So lovely sunshine. We didn't taste all the wines, so can't say who they all were, other than there were more vignerons from our part of Cravant and then some others slightly further away in Chezelet, a hamlet really between us and the next village along, Panzoult.

By now we were all feeling incredibly hungry, so started the walk back to Le gateau and the food tent. We got there around 2pm. Plenty of people there already. Given the type of event it was and the number of people they were catering for, it still comes as a surprise to be asked how you want your steak cooked. Of course it  was delicious.  We bought wine separately. Then cheese arrived from a special stand where you were served a little mixed plate of five local goats cheeses on freshly sliced bread. They were all gorgeous. After that Alain bought a bottle of fizzy and Jacqueline and Norbert bought a traditional tarte au vigneron, which was lovely. Met up with some American friends from Seuilly, who'd arrived with some of their friends who were staying for a short while. After lunch we started walking again, taking a slightly different route towards more wine tastings. Although truly by this time, I wasn't in the mood for any more wine. Had been carefully only sipping never drinking the tastings. It's the worse thing to do, if you expect to have wine with lunch and survive the day. 

Finally, eight hours later at 5pm we arrived back at the old church in the vieux bourg, Cravant. The others were continuing on walking and also waiting for the band to play at 7pm. But we had to call it a day. Things to get sorted out for our flying visit to the UK this week for meetings, to see friends and to pick up the last few boxes that we left with a friend in Bradford on Avon, after they wouldn't fit in our car. Also we had a barbecue to go to later that evening.

Our American friends are barbecue champions. Chris particularly loves to do them. He is a brilliant cook. But their barbecues aren't for eight or ten people. They do them when they have a houseful staying. The first time we went there must have been about thirty five people. Last night about twenty five. It was lovely relaxed evening. However by 11pm we were feeling pretty tired, so came back home.

This morning I sorted out photos which Mike printed off for me from the walk. Took some round to Jacqueline and Norbert and some others to Alain. They come out pretty well. We had a fabulous day and by the end of it, had that feeling of satisfied exhaustion which only arrives when you've had a great time.

A hefty weekend: Part 2 - Lovely lunch

We were both in Chinon this morning, but doing different things. A young friend of ours has her English conversation presentation looming in two weeks, for her BAC. Two subjects: the history of human rights and global cities. Not easy. We see her, her sister and mother quite often. Sometimes for coffee and conversation. Usually Mike is talking to the two girls in English and their mother Isabelle and I are nattering away in French, generally about arts stuff. She's far more comfortable with Spanish than English, so French is happy medium. We occasionally go to the cinema together as well. Lovely family. Today however was different. Mike was going for a concentrated session of English, while I was at the AGM of Chinon's Cinéma Rabelais.  We have joint membership of Cinéma Rabelais and Cinéplus. I've mentioned them in various blogs before. But just to recap Cinéma Rabelais is the name of the building and has a management that schedules the more commercial films. They work with Cinéplus who look after the arthouse film side of the programming, and show films on Thursday evenings as well as organise the film festival in September each year. Out of interest the theme this year is L'Extrême Orient, which will be showing Korean and Japanese films amongst others.

Just recently Cinéplus heard a rumour that the cinema might be moved to the industrial zone outside Chinon, near to MacDonalds and Leclerc.  I touched on this in another blog. I went along today really to  hear the 'other side' of the discussion, having been to the Cinéplus AGM. The mayor was present this time and gave an indication of the level of discussion surrounding 'the rumour', as well as confirmation that economically no one wanted to touch the project. One woman  said today that the communities on the other side of Chinon for whom the centre of town is not readily accessible, would welcome a serious discussion. They feel cut off and left out. So it's bit tricky.The accounts were interesting as they showed the audience range and take-up. 

After all that we drove over to Pouzay today, which from us is around 12 kilometres. It has a similar size population to Cravant, but by comparison is more built up. We were over to have lunch at a restaurant that specialises in seafood, au-gardon-frit. From the outside it doesn't look particularly big and first impressions on going in, is that it isn't. But in fact there is as much space outside as inside, so probably 120 covers plus.

We'd heard about au-gardon-frit from some people we met at a birthday party a few weeks ago. It sounded interesting so we booked. They told us the food was excellent quality, a good price, but that the decoration was antiquated.  If the food is a pleasure to eat, antiquated decoration is fine with me. Everyone was really friendly. The atmosphere was very pleasant and yes it is a bit 70s with the heavy pinewood panelling on all the walls and the ceilings. But no matter. There's a choice of five menus with varying price ranges and à la carte. There are of course alternatives to fish and seafood, for anyone who wants them.

Lunch was just fab. The most gorgeous fish, perfectly done, nothing elaborate. Well there's no need really when the product is that fresh. If you're not an oyster fan, then our starter wouldn't appeal. But given we went for the cheapest menu for our first visit, which is always a good test, the starter of eight beautiful fresh oysters was an absolute treat. Haven't had plump oysters like that since the last time we were in Cape Town. Will definitely go again.

Footnote: if you hang on for 18 seconds of advertising to finish, here's a little film about au-gardon-frit. In French of course, but it's straightforward and with the visuals isn't difficult to follow.

A hefty weekend part 1: Friday night is party night

"When the goose honks high, fair weather; when the goose honks low, foul weather"
I don't know whose quotation that is, but somewhere there must have been a goose honking low enough to cause the wind, rain, hail, and thunder to arrive all at the same time around 6.00pm yesterday evening, just before we were due to leave for a fancy dress barbecue. Eventually it stopped. For goodness sake, it's not as if  we're in a state of drought over here. CHESNUT STUFFING to you goosebird, wherever you might be!

The barbecue is annual event which a lovely French lady - Marie-Do, organises for one of our Anglo-French groups. This was the first time we'd managed to get to it as previous years we've been away. The theme this year was Cowboys and Indians. Mike went in cowboyish mode with lanyard, jeans and check shirt - his authentic cowboy boots are in storage in the UK. I was in Navajo Indianish mode with jewellery we'd bought when we were over in the States a few years back. We were passable, others really went to town and had hired costumes. We had cowgirls, mexican bandits, outlaws, sheriffs, a few Indian maidens, ranch hands, gunslingers and an Indian Chief otherwise known as Jean-François.

The goose honking weather didn't spoil anything. A really fun night. About forty of us. Everyone had bought something for the meal, along with glasses, plates, cutlery etc. Our host Marie-Do, supplied wine, bread and all the barbecue meats. We were on lift duty, taking two friends who'd been before, which is just as well as we'd never have found the cave (phonetically carve), where the barbecue was being held. All I can tell you is we picked our friends up in Chinon, took the road from Chinon to Avoine, but at some point about half way turned left into a village, then turned right, continued straight on for a bit, then turned left. We went straight on again at which point we were on a narrow grass track. Then we turned right and parked under some trees. There in front of us was another track leading to an open door and Marie-Do's cave - basically in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly the torch became one of my most favourite items. A fire was going inside - one of those large grates you often find in old chateaux, which here doubled-up as the barbecue grill.  Four friends had got the space ready and had lit the fire first thing in the morning, as it was so damp inside. The walls were literally dripping.  By the time we all got there in the evening, the cave had dried out perfectly. With all the tables, it looked great.

We were outside to begin with for apèros, but after that we went back in. Mosquitoes were out and about. Fab food.  We'd got some songs organised -  Home on the Range and other groan worthy oops sorry. . . quality compositions that conveyed to perfection the wild, open plains of the American West - welcome to Trip Advisor.  One of the Americans there had an interesting family history, which included settlers travelling by wagon across vast swathes of territory, with everything they owned.  Think she has diaries from the period. From what she was saying, it's one of the details that American Westerns, tv and film, have actually managed to get right. The party started around 7.30 and we left there after midnight, so after we dropped everyone off, we crawled in about 12.45.

As to the cave - well it's due to Marie-Do's own family history that we were able to have the party there. Her father bought it a while back as a place to specifically to have parties. She's continued the tradition as a hommage to her father, who was by all accounts a very popular man. He was also the village blacksmith and made everything for the village, from locks, keys, bolts and of course horse shoes. At one time all the village horses were wearing his hand made shoes. That's bespoke for you. Marie-Do has undoubtedly inherited her father's personality and his sense of fun. As we saw last night, she knows how to throw a party.
 

It's a small world

Out and about today, getting various local goodies together for friends in the UK. We'd made an arrangement to visit Christelle Sourdais, (French website) one of the increasing band of female wine producers in the Chinon appellation and one of the forty wine producers here in Cravant. We've tasted her wine at the Chinon wine fair which takes place late April every year. It's the perfect introduction and an opportunity to note those vignerons you'd like to visit at their domaine.  We'd made an unexpected visit to Christelle Sourdais after the concert in Cravant last Sunday. There's always an apèro to be enjoyed after an event, which the wine producers are always willing to support. They get called on a lot. This morning we went back and spent about an hour with Christelle- a lovely lady, very jolly and chatty. We tried about six wines and in the end bought two different cases of reds and one of rosé, some of which we'll be taking across to the UK. 

In last Sunday's blog I mentioned that the estate buildings of Christelle Sourdais and Pierre Sourdais - another wine producer we know quite well - are next door to each other. They are literally joined together. The guess was that they were cousins. However Pierre turns out to be Christelle's uncle. We mentioned to her that while our house was being built, we'd stayed in the gîte belonging to Jean-Claude and Christian Dellalande, then the owners of La Semellerie. It's since been taken over by their son Fabrice. We know them all very well. Anyhow Christian, as we found out several years later, is another Sourdais. This morning we discovered that she is in fact Christelle's aunt. A couple of years ago we went to visit Les Bouquerries, another domaine about ten minutes from us by car. We just dropped in  - no appointment. The husband, who is the wine producer and another Sourdais, met us and showed us into his kitchen where he was finishing off a meeting. He gave us some wine to try, finished the meeting and came and joined us. He wanted to know where we were from and what we were doing. So we explained and mentioned that we had stayed in the gîte belonging to Jean-Claude and Christian Dellalande. Oh yes he said. She's my sister. A big family! And the village being a village, even if they aren't related, they all know each other. 

After Christelle Sourdais we drove over to Crissay to visit the  honey producer Alexandra Laubigeau, who I've blogged about a couple of times. The honey is fantastic. A gorgeous day to go as the landscape is quite open, so you can see for miles. We turned a bend into the most fabulous view of poppies. They've been steadily appearing along the roadside for the last few weeks. The field of poppies made us stop. A solid blanket of red. So beautiful.

The first time we visited Alexandra's shop it was her husband we met. Mike then went again with some friends last month. That time Alexandra was there. This visit she was there again. Our timing couldn't have been more perfect. Shortly afterwards a large group arrived, so the shop was suddenly heaving with people. Hope they had some good sales. We bought some honey for us and the UK. Alexandra suddenly mentioned my blog. She'd been googling on the internet to see what came up about her shop and honey production and found my two entries - Perfect Partners and Sticky Origami.  I was so chuffed. Firstly because she likes the blog and reads it quite regularly. But she was also so happy with the entries about the shop, that she sent the links to her father who lives in Norway, who also likes the blog. I'm international! I hadn't picked up on the messages they'd left. So when we got back, I had a look, found them and replied to them both. Really made my day.

A Good Weekend - Part 3: Sunday - A Private View and a concert

The private view was the subject of much speculation. A sculpture - temporarily on view at the old collegiate church of Saint Mexme, before being permanently installed at the Museum in Chinon. It has taken twenty three years to complete.

A tiny bit of information about Emmanuel Saulnier, the creator of the piece, entitled Alter. There isn't a lot on the web that is useful. A Frenchman, born in Paris in 1952 he has been exhibiting pretty much non-stop since 1976, in Europe and occasionally internationally.  He's written numerous articles and there are various videos dedicated to his work, though as yet I haven't found anything particularly useful for this blog. He has two essential concepts.The object and its movement.

A good friend of ours Marie-Michèle Esnard was heavily involved with the sculpture commission. We first heard about it a few years ago when she was still an adjoint for Culture and Heritage at Chinon. But the initial idea began back in 1988 and progressed until 1997, when it was put on hold. Not sure why. The project was then revived in 2003 and completed in 2011.

The sculpture is a memorial to the Jewish community in Chinon.There is a multi-layered historical relevance. First of all from the moment in 1321 when one hundred and sixty Jewish men, women and children were burnt to death, through the centuries to events that took place in France during the WW2. It was a delicate project to manage. There are  various contexts. For example medieval and contemporary history, anthropology, culture, education and heritage. 

I haven't got photos to post and there aren't any as yet on the web. I'm being totally unhelpful. All I can say is that the sculpture  consisted of two long, narrow and separate pieces of glass, each about 1m80 in length, which were enclosed. One piece had been filled with water and the other with ink. Each end was sealed by a glass bubble, to contain the liquid. Each piece had an additional  slim baton of glass about 1m50 in length which had been attached to each of the liquid filled tubes in the middle. They looked like  exceptionally thin helicopter blades.

At present we are working our way through the brochure which consists of a series of interviews with our friend Marie-Michèle, Emmanuel Saulnier and Anastassia Makridou-Bretonneau who is the Network Director for an organisation called La Fondation de France. It was on her recommendation that Emmanuel Saulnier was commissioned. 
We haven't formulated an opinion. Whilst we could see all sorts of interesting associations
it has been very difficult from our first viewing, to fully appreciate what the sculptor was trying to convey. So we need to read the brochure through cover to cover. Hopefully we'll get clued in. 

We left before all the speeches and got back to Cravant in time to drop off the car and walk round to the Vieux Bourg (old Cravant) for an afternoon concert that started at five p.m. We have an old deconsecrated church in Cravant as well as as a fully operational one. The old church was playing host to a concert organised by L'Association Musiques et Patrimoine, who place music in unusual venues. The programme was a homage to Benjamin Britten and the first time we've seen the church used as a venue. 
A glorious afternoon, so the sun was streaming in. The little church was full. Two musicians
a soprano and harpist Philippe Carrillo. There were other British composers included in the programme, Thomas Morley, John Dowland, all of which were sung in English and of course some fabulous pieces by Britten as well as his arrangement of compositions by Henry Purcell. Another piece they included was an arrangement Britten had made of a poem by Yeats. It was a lovely afternoon. Thoroughly enjoyable. We're going to subscribe to the Association. They've some great concerts coming up, including a Basque Choir just before Christmas. 

The concert over, there was an announcement that we were all to wander down to wine producer Christel Sourdais who is about a ten minute walk from our house. We've never tasted her wines. Those of Pierre Sourdais, yes, who lives next door and is presumably a cousin or maybe a brother - not sure. So off we went. Lovely apèros. Met Christel and her husband and arranged to go back tomorrow morning (Wednesday) for a proper tasting.
Great end to a lovely day and a fab weekend.

A Good Weekend: Part 2 - Saturday -film, dance and music

Sounds very cultural, but in fact it was a really curious day of events. 
The film element didn't involve seeing an actual film, although we were in our local cinema, Cinéma Rabelais, at Chinon. It was the annual general meeting for Cinéplus who programme all the arthouse films. The building and staff of Cinéma Rabelais, are managed/paid for by Chinon council. They schedule the more blockbustery films.  It's difficult to describe the less than fully operational relationship that exists between all the parties, other than to say that nothing really joins up and nothing is really constitutional. It's one of those knots that would have the excessively well-organised foaming at the mouth. Somehow it works - except when it doesn't. Meaning the current debate about moving the cinema to the industrial zone just outside Chinon, where reside the new Leclerc and everyone's favourite -hm - MacDonalds.  Probably the move won't happen. The economic climate isn't right. There's no private investment willing to take the move on. Nobody involved with the cinema or at least from Cinéplus wants it to happen. So although the idea is in the ether it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. It's more an opportunity to let off some steam. Anyway we went to our first ever AGM which in itself was unconstitutionally organised. Not going into the details. After two hours the meeting was wrapped up, with a few blood pressures raised I imagine.  You have to go to these things at least once.

We got back home for a short time and then went back into Chinon to support a Latvian friend of ours, who has a group of her compatriots visiting for a few days on a cultural exchange with their French counterparts. So traditional music, songs and dance, Latvian and French, with all sorts of crafts and special foods. Our friend Ilona is fascinating. Latvian by birth, she lived in Yorkshire for some time, where there is a strong Latvian community. No I didn't know either. Then for the last twenty years she's been living in France. She is a fabulous woman. Bags of get up and go, enthusiasm, joie de vivre etc., and with the most astonishing accent. Clearly Yorkshire, even when she's speaking French. So she has three languages. There is another lady Roberte who has the same accent. The two of them are friends, but for some reason speak together in English. It's fascinating stuff. 

Mike had done the publicity for Ilona's event at the former church in Place Mirabeau, on Saturday afternoon. It's often used for exhibitions, rehearsal space and informal performances. Ilona's event included singing, dancing and music played on traditional instruments. Sometimes the groups sang and danced separately but sometimes they came together. The costumes were beautifully made and colourful. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera as it was charging up. Each had brought apero food and wine typical of their culture. It was fabulous. Completely informal and with a wonderful atmosphere. 

We'd got there around 6pm and left around 8.30pm. Stayed in Chinon to get something to eat, but we were also wanting to go to the Café Français as it had a jazz gig on. By now we were feeling pretty knackered. Having not got in till about 1am Saturday morning after Fontevraud and rushing about all over the place Saturday, we stayed for the first half and decided to go home. The band were excellent though. Electric keyboard, guitar and drums. They take standards and rework them but it's not so they are unrecognisable. It's good work and they really play well. A good way to wind the day up.

A Good Weekend: Part 1 - Friday : The Blue Hats

No - this is not the latest acapella band giving an outdoor press conference, or  an apprentice T'chai group, or the PomPom Tree Appreciation Society having a private view.  The individual on the far right - see him? That tall, good looking one! You probably recognise him. He is engrossed in an explanation by the Head of Works at Fontevraud Abbey for what can only be described as a truly ambitious energy conservation and reconstruction programme across the Fontevraud site.  At various times in its history, events and individuals have heavily influenced the development of Fontevraud Abbey. For example, it is only fifty years ago this year, that Fontevraud was decommissioned as a prison. One of the harshest and toughest routines in the country. The history of the building and its survival is a fascinating story. Since we've been visiting, restoration work has been pretty much endless, in terms of repairing the building. But the latest project which got underway in April 2013 is fascinating. It has completely changed the way the building operates from day to day.

Here's a view of the old electrics system.

The Engine Room

Here's a view of the workhouse for the new system. But there's also a mix of solar panelling and wood burning boilers. It's quite a change round. We haven't really got our heads round it. But we get the feeling that we've arrived at another one of those moments that will help define Fontevraud for some decades to come.  As always there's a deeper strategy at work. So somewhere within the thinking comes the idea of re-energising and re-invigoration. Most of the time these areas of the site aren't open to the public.
But we were there for a special evening, devoted to pass holders, which we are subscribed to. There was such an event last year, but we were away, so missed it. 

The day at Fontevraud was organised in two parts. Throughout the day and the evening.

Gutted top to bottom

For the evening the site had been closed to the public.
Essentially the works and other key areas, usually closed to the public, were open, with other events to keep everyone entertained. We decided to go in the evening, which itself was in two parts. In all there were 500 pass holders. We'd each paid E5 per head which is about £4.27, for the talk, private site visit and a three course meal with live music. We arrived at 6pm. There was an introductory talk about the project in a special room which is reserved normally just for conferences. It had a beautiful curved timber frame room. We were also told what was happening during the evening. The talks were quite interesting. We then had a chance to walk around the site, which also gave us a viewing of the major hotel refurbishment on site. Fontevraud has had an hotel in its grounds for ages. But it closed about eighteen months ago for restoration and refurbishment. It's been gutted throughout, although original features have been retained. 

Original staircase

As with all the other buildings on the site, the works will completely revolutionise the hotel. Already a Unesco Heritage site, Fontevraud is clearly positioning itself to be the main attraction in the region. In theory it should all be finished later in 2014. As a venue Fontevraud is already well established. It has a fabulous programme of events throughout the year, so it's hard to imagine just how they can better what they already do. We look forward to finding out.

Party Time

The talk and site visit took about two hours thirty to complete and then we all went to the far side of the Abbey where tables had been laid out for a massive barbecue. You sat where you wanted to. A mixture of red and rosé wines and water were on all the tables. You started off with an entrée which was served from one area of the site. Then when you were ready, you went for the main dish which was a barbecue of fish, chicken, lamb and duck. Each person had one of each. Salad and fresh bread to go with. Dessert was fresh ice-cream. I tried violet ice-cream for the first time. Quite extraordinary. Very refreshing. Quite perfumed. Mike had strawberry.

Great Band

All the time we were having dinner we had a band playing. They were soooo good. It was mostly stuff like' Heard It Through the Grapevine' and other Tamla Motown gems. Not all. They were really brilliant and played non-stop from about 8.45 for three hours. At which point everything stopped. Lights went out and we all switched on our mobile phones to create enough light for a group photo.  Two were taken. Then lights back on and we started all over again.

It was one of those great gatherings. All ages together having a brilliant time. It was such a fun afternoon and night. Loved every minute.