It Has Been a Cooker!
If you haven’t heard, France is having it’s hottest year ever!
It rained yesterday. Thunder and lightning rain. It was great!
Mind you, the power bumped and the air conditioner stopped working.
But it rained and the heat dome over France has collapsed for which everyone is thankful. There is the threat of another one in a week or so.
Aside from trying to be and to stay cool, we have been doing some mundane stuff. Nothing exciting unless you call shopping for major appliances exciting. We went to Toulouse and ordered a fridge, oven, and washing machine. Would have ordered a dishwasher too, but we want to recheck the measurements for the hole it will go into.
But didn’t we say we were renting this apartment?
Well yes, we did. But in France and many other parts of Europe, the only appliance that stays is the cook top. I suspect that stays only because you need an electrician to uninstall and install them. Renting an unfurnished apartment means exactly that… unfurnished.
We were in Nimes last week for an Apero, hosted by a group called BritsNimes. This is an association that supports social activities amongst expatriates living in the Nimes area. Has over four-hundred active members. Our strategy is to join groups like this to make friends in the community who can help us as we figure stuff out
What is an Apero you ask. An Apero is a before dinner drink. An aperitif. It is also a large spritz that June found and enjoyed at one of Toulouse’s Italian restaurants. Thirst quenching and colourful at the same time.
In the case of the Apero hosted by BritsNimes, it is a monthly get together at a restaurant near the Arena in Nimes. An opportunity to enjoy a drink while chatting up friends.
We had a wonderful evening and were invited to join a group of members as they sat down for dinner. Food was great, conversation even better. If this is an indication of the friendliness and support we can get from the local community, then we should find Nimes a great place to call home.
There was a crescent moon above the Arena as we walked back to our hotel room.
Meanwhile, back in Lavaur, there was the usual Saturday Market. Mountains of produce: carrots; radishes; lettuce. Lots of photo opportunities.
Then, on Sunday, there was a big car meetup. Liddy wasn’t terribly interested in the vintage Volkswagen.
I’m not sure what this big white beast is called. Nonetheless, a very pretty roadster. Perhaps someone who does know could put a note in the comments.
As I said in my opening, it has been hot. I thought the idea of attaching a parasol over the driver of this delivery tricycle was brilliant. We frequently see these vehicles in the downtown areas where auto traffic is discouraged or not allowed.
We are fast approaching the end of our stay in Lavaur. I can’t say I will be disappointed to leave as this small city doesn’t provide the services and social opportunities that we are looking for. It has served its purpose, however, providing a centralized location from which to scout out and find other opportunities.
The next few weeks will be busy. We have doctor appointments to keep, and a cruise sponsored by the BritsNimes community. We are also packing up to move closer to Nimes for a few weeks before moving into our apartment. It will be fun to experience a new town. Liddy and I also hope to get out on some of the cycle paths that are in the area.
à bientôt