Ouch & moving North

Ouch that hurt!  30/05. Location - 'Salles-d'Armagnac'

Oh I am definitely into 'poor me' at present. My bump down the high Pyrenees has left me with a strained back muscle of the type that wherever you move it gives you a painful twinge. 

No problems thinks me cos we're 'truckin it' north serious serious like for the next couple of days. "Ouch!" Cries me every time brake has to be applied. Ahhh well! Could be worse. Waking up to a warm sunny morning and breakfast outside here at 'Salles d'Armagnac' makes up for it somewhat.

We just arrived here last night simply because it was there, right on the side of the road with a convenient, flat, surfaced area inviting us in. A walk into the village proper a little later revealed a delightful little church by a lake.

Moving on further North today. The usual has happened. We have not got far!

Location - 31/05 - About 20km up the road on a campsite at 'Lac de L'Uby' which is right next to a spa centre / village called 'Barbotan'.

We were doing OK then I spotted a Patissiere with someone coming out complete with Baguette. Stomachs always react quicker than brains so bread arrived on the lunch menu of the mind and quick as a flash Sadie was in there and parked. The place looked closed with the main shop entrance all shuttered up. Never mind, thinks I, it did look as though the guy with the baguette came from round the back. Off I goes and sure enough the backdoor is open. The place is big as though it produces wholesale as well as for its own retail shop. There was a line of baguettes on a big stainless steel table and three or four guys all dressed up in hygienic bakers gear behind a glass door doing, I presume, what bakers do.

I am spotted and out comes young French baker man all in white.
"Patissiere est ferme monsieur.""
"Ahhh! Oui, OK. Un baguette sil vous plais?" Says I.
"Monsieur, le patisserie est ferme." Says he.
Turning to go I say: "Ok, merci beaucoup, no problem."
"Ahh monsieur, voulez vous un baguette?"
"Errr oui, sil vous plais." I answer getting more confused by the minute and not quite knowing whether this guy was genuine or taking the French piss out of me.
"Un baguette 1.35 euro sil vous plais monsieur."
I paid said 1.35euro to young French baker then decided to have my own bit of fun. Putting both thumbs up in the 'yeah man' gesture I look him straight in the eye and say. "Magic!"
"No, no, no monsieur le patisserie est ferme."
I left at that point while still in possession of my own sanity and with one fresh baguette firmly grasped in one hand.

Tanya was by now needing a walk and the Michelin 1cm to 2km map was showing a nice lake just around the next corner. Using maps again is rendering the Co Pilot sat nav redundant. Especially as it is turning out to be a nightmare trying to re install it onto my phone in a format where it recognizes me as the legitimate user/owner rather than regarding me as some illegal hacker trying to use it for free.

Map was right. Sadie is duly parked and off we go for walkies. "Hey! this is nice Tan and would you just look at that, motorhomes in a campsite right by the lake."

Well I mean, what would you do? My back was giving me jip. My bedding was developing an odor, my wardrobe was nearly all in the black plastic washing bag, it was bloody hot, and it looked as though paradise was right there in front of my eyes.

So we walked round to the entrance and booked ourselves in for a couple of nights. At reception they handed me a site plan with the available pitches marked and off we went to choose the lakeside pitch we at present occupy.

While we were walking round Tanya had no lead on. Remember; the original intention was to give her a quick walk before driving on. So I'm ambling along slowly to be suddenly surprised by Tanya rushing at a duck perched on the lakeside. The duck of course skillfully launches itself out into the lake and out of trouble. Tanya never learns!

However: This time Tanya gets a shock. The duck was perched on the edge of a very steep sided, full of water culvert running at right angles from the lakeside. In her rush she had not seen this and no way could she stop. In fact she went head first into the ditch, completely immersed herself, and came up heading lake-wards with paws going like mad. She soon turned and headed back up the culvert to where she could scramble out onto dry ground.

I was curled up with laughter and likewise a French fisherman who had also witnessed this unexpected and sudden hilarious drenching. Tanya meanwhile was shaking herself off and looking round as if to say, "I was just testing y'know."

"Aye right Tanya. Course you were!"