Out and about

Out and about, but not very far.   That seems to be us.   So leisurely.    Doing nothing in particular, really.   Just cruising around, enjoying life.

This quiet street in Bormes les Mimosa, with the charming shops, was the scene fifteen months ago of a madman in a small car, who sped down this street, sending people running for the lives, including my brother, Brian.    The car actually hit a woman and a dog.   It was terrifying.   So I can no longer view this seemingly benign street in quite the same way.   

St Tropheme's church, with the small windows and no air circulating inside.   But a lovely church all the same, and I enjoy attending Mass there.  

The corner, very sharp, in Bormes les Mimosa.   It is important to watch out for mad cyclists, who think they are taking part in a local Tour de France.    The cafe/restaurant on the right is a favourite for coffee.

And the view across the road to the village of Bormes le Mimosa.   Such a picturesque village.

And Bormes les Mimosa wins the award for the narrowest carparking spaces.   There is just enough room to get the car in, with a bit of manouvring, but barely enough room to then get out of the car.   Very poor design, indeed.

Ice cream time!   In our opinion, this shop has the best ice creams.   So we have been indulging, often.   We also love to sit at a table in the shade, and watch people walk by.    

Looking over the harbour of Le Lavandou, to the fish restaurants in the background.  You need to like eating fish to appreciate these restaurants.  Not all our family do!

I love the colour scheme, an overall green theme.   Very cool.

Provencial colours, reddish tinged wash on the walls, and blue shutters and doors.

A side alley, in Le Lavandou, a lovely shady spot.

Our favourite cafe, Le Centre.   How many happy hours have we spent there, coffee or aperitif time, on our own, or with family or friends.   The chairs outside, face the sun, and the people walking past.    Time for people watching, and we do too.

Another side street, also very cool and shady.   We must try the restaurant sometime.

Our favourite little hillside village, Collobrieres, where the buildings are so Provence, so picturesque, and where you seem to step back fifty years.  

And a leisurely lunch of salad, in the shade.   It is where I discovered that Creme du Marron, is a desert, not something you might spread on your bread.    Delicious too, with soft white cheese (fromage blanc).   And where we saw a little French dog, enjoying the local beef stew (daube du boeuf), which his owners ordered for him.  

This restaurant is always busy, unlike the one next door.  But no wonder, when a French waiter decided to teach Margaret a lesson by spreading mustard thickly on her ham roll, when she asked for a little mustard.   Obviously we are not the only customers who refuse to go back there, by the look of the empty restaurant.

And so it goes on, at a leisurely pace, of course.