Today we definitely wanted time-out after yesterday's hassles. It all turned out well in the end after the notaire confirmed this morning that it was an acceptable option to separate out the furnishings from the house sale. He will have all the papers ready for signing on Friday week.
We were keen to get out on a decent walk and opted for one beginning in the small town only 10 minutes drive away. The walk heads up into the hills, past a mediaeval watch tower, through cork forests, up to a Neolithic dolmen which is 4000+ years old, and back down beside an arrossage (water canal). It was a delightful walk and we had a picnic on the way. It cleared our heads and gave us a grand view up the valley at the same time. The recent rains have taken all the dust haze out of the air. During the last two afternoon we've had incredibly torrential rain - we got caught in it when we were in La Jonquera in Spain, and again yesterday walking back from the notaire's office.
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| Stone watchtower. A fire was lit to signal incoming enemies to surrounding settlements. |
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| Spring flowers |
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| Cork oats. When the trunks are newly cropped they are a rich red colour |
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| The 4000 year old dolmen |
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| Track beside the arrossage |
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| A very large cork oak recently cropped |
The organisers of this weekend's cherry festival have apparently been agonising over whether to postpone the festival because the forecast is so bad for the weekend. However, they have decided to run with it. It was probably too difficult to put everything and everyone on hold so late in the day anyway. Fingers crossed the forecast rain doesn't eventuate, or at least is only light rain if it does.
In the early evening we wandered down to Le Comptoir in the hope of meeting up with Australian friends (originally from Zimbabwe) who had just arrived in town today. They bought a place in Ceret just a year after us, and are also selling up this year. It was really nice to spend an hour with them. Their place is lined up to be sold to Swedes later in the year, allowing them to return to Ceret for a final visit in August. They now have three grandchildren living with their daughter in Auckland, with the rest of their family in England/Australia. They are at a very similar stage in their lives as us.
We woke on Saturday to the sound of light rain but the gods have smiled to bring clearing blue skies and sun. What a relief for those involved in the festival. The stall owners would have been setting up in the rain at 8am, but the crowds didn't really start to roll in until perhaps 9am. The festival brings around 10,000 into Ceret over the weekend. The forecast is for torrential rain between 4-6pm, but hopefully it doesn't eventuate. The weather forecast for tomorrow is for a completely sunny day, which is perfect.
It was a lot of fun to wander through the crowd of people this morning, taking in the rows of stalls selling cherries and listening to the various bands playing French and Catalan songs that we now know so well. The music really adds immensely to the festival. The band players clearly love playing and the audience sometimes slips into an impromptu dance on the street. Everyone has fun. The cafe and restaurant owners have put all their sun umbrellas up to shelter their patrons from rain, but that it came out sunny by lunchtime was wonderful for everyone.
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| Our square at lunchtime, with the sun shining bright |
By good luck we managed to find a free table at one of the cafes and ordered a coffee just as one of the bands started up nearby. We love the music - it's very upbeat and the French and Catalan songs are played at every festival held throughout the year in Ceret, and indeed our region. John spotted one of our French friends. This is a couple who bought the apartment on the floor below our first one in Place de l'Eglise. They have become good friends and invited us to stay at their other holiday house in the Lot. We did so perhaps five years ago and had a ball. They'd had a cup of coffee already but sat down to join us and catch up on news. When we told them we were selling up, they got quite emotional. Philippe even teared up a little when he gave me a big hug. They are heading back to Paris tomorrow, where they live most of the time, so we were extremely lucky to bump into them and be able to say farewell. There may be a chance they might come out and visit us in NZ. One of their sons stayed with us for a while when he was touring through NZ a few years ago.
We timed out trip back here to sell the apartment to coincide with the Cherry Festival. It brings so many visitors to Ceret, which would have made for great exposure for our For Sale sign on our apartment. In the end, we've sold even before the festival weekend, but it's really great to be able to experience our last Ceret festival.
Unfortunately the rain did descend during the afternoon, though it did stop for a few hours and allow the parade of bands to play their music through the streets again. It then bucketed, to clear once and for all at 7.30pm. The large outdoor meal was due to take place at 8pm in one of the squares. The meal usually seats a number of hundred people. We have been many times and opted to flag it this time. However, the music from the bands entertaining the diners echoed through town, and we knew all was well!
