Excerpts from "Provence"
journal, June 2001
"Days of hectic activity clouded by a frantic search for the
Megane log book..."
 The
Killer Mule
"...The drive is leisurely and
relaxing along quiet roads with plenty of stops in perche villages
clinging to the hillside above a gorge. At one of our stops an English
BMW pulls up and the couple greet us with a home counties 'Good
Morning'. The husband has his nose and forehead in bandages but
we politely ignore it in case it is the result of a recent 'domestic'
or worse still, he is suffering from skin cancer. However, it is
not long before the wife volunteers the information telling us a
terrifying tale about their encounters with a marauding mule.
 It
seems they had been on a circular walk and were just returning to
their car when they met a loose mull trotting along the road. It
spied the man and his rucksack and set upon him vigorously and with
malicious intent, the rucksack of food being its first object. The
poor man was thrown to the ground twice while his wife screamed
and scratched at the brute beast which eventually took off without
understanding, leaving the man covered in blood and with a broken
nose. They drive to a 'cottage hospital' where the nurse disbelieves
their story and thinks they have had 'too much sun'..."
 A
Grande Pain!
Sketch right - Roman Bridge at Vaison La Romaine
"...Having worked out the price of two baguettes
and a grande pain to be F14.20, Bren gives me the exact money in
small change. I march off to the Bon Longerise to astonish Madame
Henna with the correct money instead of emptying my wallet on the
counter. I imagine her surprise as I stride confidently into her
shop fully in control of my personal finances. But all is lost as
turning the corner of the street I discover the bread shop is closed.
Panic, what to do? However, adopting an Inspector Clouseau guise
I notice a number of people walking about clutching baguettes and
locate the grocers as the source of this supply.
 On
entering the shop I find it difficult to move for sacks of bread
and meleé of people. I wander around pretending to look at
old cheeses and vats of olives while practicing how to say 'Two
baguettes and a big one'. Eventually I blurt it out and find myself
ignored. Madame is still serving a customer who has wandered off
and reappeared with a piece of salami. Eventually two baguettes
are thrust into my basket but I have to say 'un grande pain' several
times before the whole shop before 'the big one' is also thrust
into my bag. Now the panic returns. I cannot understand a word she
is saying but I know it sounds nothing like what Bren said (F14.20)
in French before I set off. The heap of change suddenly feels redundant.
She shows me the till roll and the price is F14.80. I scratch about
for some money and can only find F200 note and leave the shop with
twice the change I set out with, but at least I have my 'two baguettes
and a big one' to show the others..."
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L'glise de Mirabel
Road to Gite di Etape
Mule (any resemblance to the aforementioned 'Killer' mule is
entirely coincidental
Mirabel
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