We've been here a few days now and here are some general observations about being back:
- Céret is still gorgeous.
- We have already swung into low-key low-stress mode. The biggest decision of the day is which boulangerie's bread to buy for lunch.
- The coffees at Bar Pablo are extremely tasty, albeit different from NZ coffees. Prices have increased slightly. A ‘short black’ costs about NZ$2.50 and a ‘noisette’ (smallish flattish white) about NZ$2.70.
- The bread is wonderful and the pastries look as mouth-watering as ever.
- John just about swooned with delight when he tasted his first mouthful of Roquefort cheese.
- As with last year, the local council is still spending lots of money upgrading the cobbled streets and paving, and has now embarked on completely refurbishing a local town hall (possibly with a big auditorium judging by the look of it) and have just about completed installing another large fountain near one of the historic ‘gates’ to the town.
- It’s wonderful being surrounded by French people and giving and receiving lots of cheerful bonjours.
- The smell of freshly baked bread that hits us at about 6:30am when the baker across the square opens up his oven is amazing. We get another ‘hit’ at about 8am.
- The council is still fanatical about its street-cleaning regimes and the little sweeping machines buzz around every day. We even had the church square below us completely waterblasted yesterday.
- We love our little apartment. It is so small, uncluttered (trying hard to keep it that way) and very easy to live in in a very simple way. It is a complete contrast to Walters Bluff.
We went on our first run today, around the loop road that takes us up and just out of Céret, through the trees and back into town. It takes about 30 minutes and is a lovely route. There are always a number of groups of French people walking it in the cool of the morning. I received plenty of very cheery bonjours and bravo from a group of older people as they parted for me. No doubt we will see them again on many more occasions.
We have received warm ‘welcome-backs’ from our elderly neighbour on the other side of the square, our local baker, one of the real estate agents we had a few outings with and some Aussie and British friends. We haven’t seen many other people we know yet, except a couple of the waiters at Bar Pablo and we are not sure they all recognised us. Maybe because we don’t leave large tips compared to many of the ex-pats who go there and therefore we are not quite so noteworthy.
