Memories

I’m nearing the end of my jigsaw. I’m on the rather boring bit of blue skies, made worse by an ill-fitting jigsaw. The picture is of the chateau of Roche Courbon in the Charente Maritime part of France.

 

I have fond memories of visiting there several years ago, 1998 to be precise. Even then I was in my wheelchair. Nonetheless I was able to follow the guided tour around most of the house. Afterwards we explored the ornate gardens. We spotted the fish in the lakes. The grotto, however, was impossible. The Fox explored them on his own, sending messages back with various French people he would soon be back. Afterwards we stopped at the café & chatted to a couple of French ladies who we had kept bumping into in the gardens.

 

Above all, maybe the incident at Saint Porchaire is what we most remember. The chateau was closed for lunch so we went to this nearby village for some lunch ourselves. We found a hotel selling reasonably good food.

 

The truly memorable incident occurred when another English couple arrived. Like me they ordered the langoustines in a delicate Chinese style ginger broth. It was delicious. They duly tackled the langoustines, still in their shells, with knife and fork. The French staff all goggled as did we. Like any good French person I’d tackled mine with my fingers – that’s why they provided a finger bowl to wash your fingers & a cloth to dry your hands.