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Bike riding

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Lynne Lesley and I went for a bike ride into  La Quinta village . It was a lovely flat ride along bike paths down streets lined with bougainvillea in the richest red, past the entrances to lovely gold resorts and into the quaint streets of the old town. . It’s quite Mexican looking with white building tile roofs and a great coffee shop. Had my first bagel YUM. And a lovely coffee before browsing the streets. Lycra clad bike riders are in the coffee shops here as well as home and though we were bike riders we certainly weren’t wearing Lycra.

Rode home and rested by plunging in the pool and reclining on deck chairs. 
After lunch we headed  out to the biggest Costco . For those who don’t know Costco is huge and has everything you might want to buy from electrical things to food and even a toilet. A sort of cross between Woolies,  Target, Bunnings , BWS, at the cheapest prices imaginable. We bought food for dinner, bra  and knickers, wine, a book but passed on the car and the glasses. 
Had a beautiful margarita before dinner which we all cooked. Caprese salad followed by Delicious chicken with mushrooms, asparagus yum!

Watched a little tv and so to bed. 

La Quinta California.

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Hello readers . Welcome back. 

Yes get your maps out! I’m on the move again this time in America. I’m visiting Lynne and Tom my favorite Canadian friends.
La Quinta is a golf resort in the desert area about two hours south and inland from LA.
More to come……. I’m a bit jet lagged. 

I left Brisbane at 10am sitting in Premium Economy next to the man who had pushed in front of me in the line up outside. Funny how that works out. I caught up on my movie viewing watching Perfect Pitch, Save your legs ( the oz movie about the cricket team) and ? Something else but I think I fell asleep . That must have been the only time I slept though! It was a long 14 hr flight. 
We arrived at 5.40 in the morning, and were herded into a large “holding area” and released a few a time to pass through customs. There were 3 groups: US citizens, those with connecting flights and then the others. I saw our friends Pauline and Brian Jordan son Michael, who  was connecting to Vegas.  Well  it took until 8.30 to get through to the baggage claim then a huge queue to exit the customs! Unbelievable. They said – complain to the govt . With all the cuts there is a staff shortage. 
Welcome to America. 
I took the shuttle to Palm Springs- La Quinta and arrived at 12. 30 to be greeted by Tom and Lynne and Lynne’s sister Lesley. Great house. Lovely pool set  in golf club estate. All so beautiful and manicured. Like being on a movie set. 
We enjoyed lunch at the club house about a 15 min walk from the house and so beautiful. Then a short drive across the wrong side of the tracks to a new estate set around a man made lake. Funniest owner , looked like he was under going rehab sitting on his 4 post iron bed in this massive house all in brown! 
Home for a short sleep , swim ( did I mention the weather is beautiful – warm and dry) and Prosecco before dinner and an early night. 
Photos tomorrow. 

My last day . Sad but happy

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This morning I packed, unmade  the bed, visited the markets, had a coffee in the Place de Mairie and got into the car for the trip to Nice and the flight home.

Oh how I’m going to miss this laid back life style, the eating out, the mooching around, the       foreign accents, the walks around the villages, the autumn leaves, the neat gardens, the graceful houses, the iron work on houses, the fresh baguette, the musical “bonjour” each morning. All of it will be missed.
As will the Italian equivalent: the operatic way of life, the friendly embracing people, the “bonjourno”, the ” allora”, the Aperol spritz, the pencil pines, the caprese salads, the beautiful vegetables, the quiet villages during siesta, the blue skies, the autumn colours, loud voices, church  bells, nonnas with creased faces and friendly smiles, the markets, vino or vin (depending on the country)  rouge / blanc / rose  / rosso  / bianco.  All of it will be missed. 
But I’m so lucky I got to share it with generous Steve, and Pip my lovely niece,
beautiful smiley Pat, my lovely sister Catherine, my two “oldest” fun friends Narelle and Anne, with 
wonderful friends Lindy and Geoff, Jill and Chris, Carmel and Peter, and Margaret and John . It was an experience shared and bonds made forever. Thank you all.
I’m sitting in the Qantas/ BA airline lounge (upgraded to business – thank you Our Lady of the 
Upgrades and generous husband Steve) and I’m just about weeping with the joy of remembering the details of this wonderful adventure. I’m sorry I didn’t get to share with more of my friends from 
home but I know you were with me in spirit and have been reading the blog.
See you all soon – lets drink a glass of bubbles and celebrate together. The 16th is as  good a day as any!

Last day in Cotignac

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Again, a gorgeous autumn day so we decided to say good bye to Rose and Vaughan and then wait for the Brannock’s next visitor Rachel Nolan. If the name is familiar to Queenslanders, she is the former Minister of the Bligh Government – on a four month stay in France deciding what it do next. Interesting!

Margaret and I unmade, then made beds and prepared to say farewell to Rose and Vaughan. Pity their car didn’t start so they didn’t get to go!! I wandered the village and send a parcel to Jordan, Rob’ s girlfriend in California. It’s her birthday. The French post office works in a slightly less operatic way than in Italy, but they lack the packaging the Italians have to offer. I wanted a small packet  but the ones they had were only for France. The man had to go behind the scenes and come out with a bent piece off cardboard that I had to roughly write the address on and put the wee little present inside.
He then used masking tape to make a kind of envelope. Very strange. I hope it gets there.

We spent the afternoon waiting for one group to depart and then Rachel to arrive, but life is very laid back in Cotignac so it wasn’t a problem. Margaret and I walked up to Notre Dame, the short way – all uphill! But not like the long way of last week (see story “A walk in the woods”)

We finished with a glass of rose in the village and then showered and prepared for my last dinner – at the lovely La table a la Fountaine. We arrived there around 7.30 which is early by French standards and got a table upstairs. We enjoyed a Coup de Champagne and a delicious fish dish.

Lots of laughs and my last night was over. So sad. 

Tourtour

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Today we visited some of the little villages in this area called Var.
The weather was perfect and John and his friend Vaughan decided to ride there and Marg, Rose and I drove.
We stopped in Salernes first and sat in the sun for a coffee admiring the view and the weather. Then we walked though the markets and bought food for dinner.  Found the most beautiful looking fresh artichokes so thought we could manage something nice with them.

We continued our drive towards Tourtour and starting winding up the mountain. It’s a small hill town and the hills a covered  in autumn trees blazing in red and gold. We passed the cycling men labouring up the hill and gave them an encouraging wave as we whizzed by.
We arrived via a vary narrow street controlled by lights as two cars can’t pass.  Parked in the main piazza or Place as they are called here. It’s a vy pretty space with the usual cafes but has a vy lovely garden area overlooking the view down the valley.
We wandered around the streets and chose a place for lunch. It was a clear blue day but a little chilly so decided to sit indoors with a view through the windows!
After eating beautiful duck confit and a glass of Rose we walked around the village and up the hill to the church and lookout. It’s a gradual climb through grassed area filled with picnic tables indicating just how busy it must get in summer.

We took a few photos then headed for home and the cooking of the artichokes.
I decided to google and you tube the ” how to ” and Margaret and I set about cleaning and preparing them. It w a bit of work but oh my the results were worth it. We loved them.
This was followed by risotto with Chanterelle mushrooms. Yum
To bed feeling happy and a little sad a tomorrow is my last day.

Cotignac

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The days are going so quickly. 

I’ll be home soon and I think I’m ready! 
We’re been busy exploring this village and others nearby. Today we went to several places around the district and stopped for lunch in Aups. Then Margaret and I wandered through Carces nearby before stopping at Carpe Diem winery for a small tasting. 
We got in the mood for tasting after a rather lovely on in the main street if Cotignac yesterday. All the locals turned out for a tasting supplied by the boys  at the Spar supermarket. They supplied wines – the new beaujolais and lots of little eats. The street was awash with people tasting and air kissing. We met some other Aussies so matched the locals with both drinks and laughter.

 
Jenny and Peter Smith left on Friday morning and Vaughan and Rose, a young couple from Switzerland and friends of John and Margaret’s, arrived on Friday afternoon. So it was housework and cooking – something I have lost touch with over the months. 
We had a lovely dinner and drank some of the new Rose from Carpe Diem and then a beaujolais from the boys! 
Off to bed. A day trip to the Aix en Provence markets is on tomorrow and I’m excited. 

Last stay of my trip- Cotignac

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Tuesday

Visiting the Brannocks in Cotignac

Today I moved to the Brannock’s house (owned by a group of Australians). It was just 12 steps down the road from the B&B. Margaret came to get me and help with bags and met Dany, the owner. Dany very kindly gave me some homemade quince jam and savoury quince for cooking.
Village Fountain
Arrived here at the new house which is right on the Place de Mairie. It’s a big house with 5 levels. Quite grand. 
The House (with brown shutters behind waitress
You enter at the street level and there is a “summer  room” which isn’t finished yet. Steps up around a white curved wall to bedroom 1 – a large room off one side of the steps and and a large bathroom off the other side. 
Up the steps again to the kitchen  on the back of the house and the main living dining on the front overlooking the Place de Mairie. Two large shuttered windows, a fireplace, two handsome white chandeliers, rugs, comfy white lounge, wine rack, pictures, dressed with white crockery and wineglasses all complete the look. 
Peter and Jenny Smith have been working hard to get the house ready. Margaret and John arrived Sunday and have been helping add things, do some shopping and generally dress the house. All the furnishings are lovely . Everything chosen carefully add to the comfortable feeling of the place. The owners will enjoy this place for many years to come. 
Yesterday Margaret and I went to Brignoles – about 1/2 hour away – to buy a wine rack they had seen. We managed to fit it in the car and also purchased 2 bowls for 3 & 2 euros each . It WAS  a second hand shop. 
The Wine Rack
In the evening we headed of to a very smart restaurant along with Sophie their real estate agent and Susana the lady who will look after the house for them in lots of little ways. She arranges the workmen, advises on places to shop and will look after any friends who come to stay. Both young women are interesting and fun to talk to. One is French, the other American Japanese married to a Frenchman.  The food was great and we walked home in 5 minutes at about 12.15am!!!!!
Slept well  in bedroom 3 and got up for breakfast around 8. Great start to my stay in Cotignac. Check out the Australians in Cotignac Facebook page and see the house.