Friday 16th July
This could be quite a long entry.
I am writing up Friday’s events on Saturday, the first time that this has happened this year. However, I am writing it on the beach as I have forgotten to bring a book to read.
I am halfway through MORT (Terry Pratchett) having finished EQUAL RITES earlier in the week. ‘The Witching Hour’ by Anne Rice took some reading – all of last week and all of the journey down. Sue is now reading it and finding it riveting. I found two thirds of it interesting enough but the last 200-300 pages were boring and hard work.
Anyway, on Friday we called at Port Cogolin Market on our way out. This was quite small but also very cheap. We bought Sarah Triggs a bum bag here. We then spent a long day on the beach. Sue is now using Factor 4 (F4) all over. I used F2 oil all over, although on reflection, I should have used F4. The F2 had to be reapplied quite often and anyway, it was making my tan redder than it usually is1.
We didn’t make tea yesterday – we went out. We first tried the restaurant just up the road, but they didn’t take Visa2. So, we drove up to Grimaud. However, having walked around for the best part of an hour, we couldn’t find one that we liked or which would take Visa. We did find one that would have been really nice; it overlooked the valley, had tremendous views and the menu was very tempting but when we asked about Visa the answer, was “non!”. This is quite a depressing feature of this part of France. For diners it’s either cash or nothing – in many places. We have tried various eating establishments without success and the most disappointing is the Camp Restaurant. We would eat there more regularly if they took Visa, but … they don’t.
The trouble we have had with the car this week has tightened our cash supply somewhat and as credit card cash withdrawals are punitive, we needed a Visa-taking restaurant. We ended up driving back to Port Grimaud and after walking around for a while, we found a restaurant that DID take Visa.
We ate from the A ‘La Carte menu. Sue had a whole Galia Melon with Parma Ham to start and I had Salade Lacustre, which really was awful. The concept was good and well-presented but all of the shellfish, inc. octopus and calamari were pickled! We both chose spaghetti for main course, Sue had hers with Morelles and I had Carbonara, which was served ON the cream, with SMOKED bacon lardons, AND the egg yolk (which I would have mixed through the pasta, along with the cream) was sat on top – in half a shell. To be fair, it didn’t look appealing, but when it was all mixed together, it tasted wonderful. The service was slow but friendly but, as the bill took 20 minutes to arrive it was settled without tip.
Why we had spaghetti, I really don’t know. We had dismissed such a choice up in Grimaud, but I really didn’t fancy any of the beef or veal being offered (only steaks) and the various fish dishes were unappetising. I really should have had the melon starter and a different salad (they were huge) as my main course. Still, we learn as we go along don’t we? Sue drove home.
1 – After reading and typing up this week’s notes from 1993, I hadn’t realised that I was such a beach-bum.
2 – “Prenez-vous la carte”? was such a mantra in those days. Looking back, it seems ridiculous, especially as France was the first place I ever encountered one of those portable card machines we see everywhere now – the ones they bring to your table. At the time and for a long time afterwards waiters used to disappear with your card and eventually return with a bill and a pen for you to sign with.
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