Our latest Adventure

Our latest wee trip away was to the Camargue on the Mediterranean coast. We travelled with our English friends Chris and Jay and had a great time. We even were lucky enough to be at a place called Le Grau du Roi when they were having a festival which included the running of the bulls through the streets, a fantastic fireworks display and a great band in the evening. There is a distinct Spanish flavour throughout this area, the buildings and some of the customs particularly are very Spanish in nature.

Our 'cheap and cheerful' hotel in Aigues Mortes. Right on the canal which had variety of barges of all shapes and sizes, many of which looked like permanent homes.

Aigues Mortes is famous for its walled city and tower which has had a chequered past including being a women's prison. Not a place you would want to be banged up in for sure! Chris and I walked around the top of the battlements which stretched for a good 2 or more kms right around the town. Inside the walls is a maze of little streets filled with shops, art galleries, bars, cafes and restaurants.

From Aigues Mortes we walked along the canal to the seaside town of Le Grau du Roi. A really lovely little town with a distinct Spanish influence both in the architecture and the customs. It was 30+ degrees so we were really ready for a drink and sit down when we got there!

The two amigos, Martin and Jay outside the Grau du Roi bullfighting ring. We were told that the difference between the bullfighting in France compared to Spain is that the French do not believe in hurting the bulls so it is more 'humane'?!

Martin's lunch at Grau du Roi...frogs legs, calamari and wonton tapas! There was a wonderful range of cafes and restaurants to choose from, especially fruit de la mer (seafood) and pizza, which the French seem to be crazy about!

Every year in Grau du Roi they have a festival which includes the running of bulls in the street and we just happened to be there on the weekend that it happened! It is extremely well organised and clearly the locals all look forward to it. Especially, it seems, the young boys and men whose 'job' it is to run after the bulls and try and catch and/or pull down the bull before letting it go. There was lots of testosterone and posturing present, especially in front of the young, rather attractive girls watching on the bridge!

We took to the top of the bridge to get a birds eye view (and to stay out of the way of the thundering four legged, two horned, wild eyed beasts and the crazy people chasing them!).

Number 15 (in the front) was particularly 'brave' (foolhardy?) and was frequently the one to hold on longest and several times was able to pull the bull down. Not, however, without a few bumps and knocks which seemed to be particularly dramatic whenever he was in front of those lovely young things on the side of the bridge who, concerned, would race out to see if he was alright!

You can't catch me I'm.....getting out of here!

And of course there is always the local band to start and finish the proceedings!

That night there was an amazing fireworks display that must have gone on for nearly half an hour. There must have been thousands of euros worth of firepower! Afterwards there was a band playing, guitars, violins, saxs, trumpets, drums, singers, the works, which was fantastic. Unfortunately the 'Mistral' winds, which are common in these parts, were blowing a gale and made standing around cold, blustery and not terribly pleasant. But a fantastic day and an experience to remember for sure! In another blog I'll post a couple of short movies of the bull running. It was quite a spectacle!