Home from Pamplona, heat wave in Madrid, visitors from England, road trip to France - Las Campanas revisited, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, arrival in La Teillée, reunion with my cousins, a garden party and other stories.

France, Sunday 17th July, 2022. La Teillée (near Saint Sauvant in the Department of Vienne) and theNouvelle-Aquitaine region- basically in the centre of the country in the middle of nowhere and just how I like it. ) 

With my dear cousins from New Zeaand, Katty, Sam and Ruby

Good morning all from La Teilée where my cousin Zuka (Sophie) lives with her mother, my Aunty Valya, the wife of my late Uncle Nicolas. Known to me as Dyadya Kolya, he was my mother's youngest brother. My mother was one of 6 siblings and now none of them are alive, nor their spouses, except for Aunty Valya, known to me as "Tyotya Valya". In La Teillée I was to be reunited too  with Zuka's daughter Katty who lives in New Zealand and two of her wonderful kids, Sam and Ruby. I haven't been here since January 2020 just before the Pandemic started. So, imagine my delight when Katty and Zuka called me last week in Pamplona inviting me to come and stay. I did not hesitate. For the first time I have brought my husband Eladio here and he loves it as much as me or at least I hope he does. 

Before I tell you more about our trip to France let me rewind to last Sunday, the day I came home from a week in Pamplona or "Pam bloody Plona" as Oli and I called it as neither of us likes this awful bull run festival made famous by Hemingway. The population of Pamplona is 180.000 but during the "Sanfermines" it goes up 5 times. A million people, give or take a few, all dressed in red and white and many of them reveling and drinking themselves stupid is not my idea of fun.

That night baby Juliet who is only 10 months old had a temperature on top of her bronchitis. Oli gave her some baby paracetamol and left at 5.30 in the morning. I got up as soon as she left as I needed time to pack, shower and dress before Juliet woke up. When she did she still had a temperature and something of a crisis. She cried until she was red in the face. All I could do was change her and take her out for a walk. That did the trick for a while. For the umpteenth time I walked her around the tree lined boulevard opposite our concrete hotel which I was sick of. She slept on and off while I tried to read and play wordle.

Our concrete hotel in Pamplona, NH Iruña Park

When Oli was back from reporting, we had breakfast which was to be my last at the NH Iruña Park hotel. I must say although I did not like the hotel the breakfast buffet was outstanding.

All we could do afterwards was go to the park and sit on a blanket under the shade of a tree. It was hot with the temperature rising to 35ºc but would be even hotter in Madrid. At 9.30 am Oli's partner, Miguel, and her older son, Elliot - aged nearly 3 - set off for Pamplona. Miguel would be relieving me of my babysitting duties from Sunday until the Sanfermines finished on Thursday 14th July. We had a quick lunch at a not too bad restaurant - Asador Menchu and then headed back to the hotel to wait for Miguel and little Elliot.

It was wonderful to see them but sad also to see Elliot and then have to say goodbye to him. He looked rather downcast when I said I was going. He was happy though to see his mother and "Gigget" as he calls his sister. 

Elliot delighted to be reunited with his mother Olivia and sister Juliet

Miguel had come in my Mini so that I could drive back in it and so they would only have one car instead of 2. I had 450km ahead of me and I have to confess I do not like, nor am I used to long distance driving. But I had to grin and bear it. It wasn't too bad. I had music to listen to from Spotify (Classical and British hymns - that is my taste), air con and not too much traffic to contend with. Plus I knew my way. I took the A1 which comes from France and noticed lots of North African migrants returning home through Spain for the holidays. This is always the case every summer and you notice signs in Spanish, French and Arabic and very full cars. In the old days their cars were old and battered; not so today. I only encountered traffic approaching Madrid and I think that added about 30 minutes to my journey. I was home by 8 pm and oh how happy I was to be so. Most of all I wanted to be in my husband's arms and to hug and cuddle little Pippa. Lucy had looked after them both very well but we had missed each other. She made our dinner which we had in the dining room which has air conditioning as it was far too hot to eat outside even at 9 in the evening. 

I couldn't wait to unpack and then sleep in my own bed and in peace, not worrying about a baby crying or having to tip toe to the bathroom hahahahha. I did sleep like a baby that night.

On Monday morning I was up at 7 ish and delighted to have a kitchen to have my breakfast, my own space and alone time. I was actually able to watch Oli's programme that morning and was delighted to see her on top form. Here she is interviewing one of the few women who runs behind the bulls. Not that I like bull running as I keep telling you.

Watching Oli live on TV on Monday morning

It was a relief to be able to watch her from the comfort of our home. Eladio went for an early morning walk but I was too lazy to join him. I had lots of admin stuff to do for my little rental business but when I was done I had to go and do the shopping with Eladio as our cupboards were rather bare. 

We were back quite soon and when we had unpacked  I decided to spend the rest of the morning by the pool.  It was so hot there was not much alternative. I had it nearly to myself as the Italian ladies had gone out and so had Thomas, our Austrian guest. But I wasn't alone. The pool maintenance guy had come as he does on Monday and Friday mornings. As I lay on my deckchair I mused just what a wonderful life I have. There I was by my own pool with a book and my phone (important hahaha) and someone  else cleaning it. Wow it was a good feeling. 

Watching the pool being cleaned on Monday 

Eladio, meanwhile, was being more productive and he picked more greengages from our one greengage tree. He had to do so before the birds ate all the fruit. This was what he picked. Not bad eh?

Greengages from our garden 

Lunch was prepared by Lucy - another blessing to thank for and then we had a siesta. What a luxury to have my life back and be able to take a siesta. I could have gone down to the pool later but it was even too hot for that so I spent most of the afternoon in my room with the air conditioning on. Meanwhile in Pamplona, Oli and her family had gone to a local swimming pool where Elliot enjoyed himself immensely. Not so Juliet I think as she was still ill, poor mite.

Elliot enjoying the water at a pool in Pamplona on Monday

I had a long Skype call with my dear friend Amanda. She was talking about the so-called heat wave in the UK. I asked her what the temperature was where she is in Devon. She said it was 23ºc and I replied that was nothing compared to nearly 40ºc in Madrid. It really was too much. It had me feeling tired and all I wanted for dinner was a salad after which I fell asleep watching the news. This week there has been a tremendous heatwave in Spain and many countries in Europe. Temperatures rose to over 45ºc in some parts of Spain and it was unbearable. It's also very hot in La Teilée but not as bad as in Madrid. 

I fell asleep so early I was awake even earlier on Tuesday morning, at the unearthly hour of 5.45. Up too was Thomas, our Austrian guest who couldn't sleep because of the heat. That day I did join Eladio on an early morning walk at 7.30 am. Once home I had to have a second shower to cool off. 

On Tuesday we had visitors from England. An ex pupil of my father at Bradford Grammar School,  Barrie S, who also officiated at his Memorial Service in May at Bradford Cathedral, was in Madrid to see the opera with his friend Mary. I picked them up from the metro station Colonia Jardín in boiling hot sunshine at 5 pm.  Poor Mary fell on the steps and got a nasty bruise on her arm. As soon as we were home, the three of us were in the pool - the only place to be. There was lots to catch up on and lots to talk about and get to know each other better as there wasn't much time during the events for my father's memorial in May. We don't often have guests from England so it was a very special occasion. I had not met Mary before - a retired priest of the Church of England by the way, but I warmed to her immediately. 

It was so hot, dinner had to be in the dining room with the air conditioning on. A big thanks to Lucy, our wonderful housekeeper,  for making everything. I just had to make  the final touches. We had prepared a very Spanish summer menu: gazpacho, Spanish tortilla, ham and chorizo. Dessert was mangoes and raspberries with vanilla and mango ice cream - delicious. And here are our guests sitting down at the table about to start dinner. I always take photos before allowing anyone to dig in hahahahaha. 

Our lovely English guests, Barrie and Mary

I wasn't sure whether we should say grace as we were in the presence of 2 priests but was told blessing the table was only for special occasions. My faux pas I'm afraid. After dinner we went outside to the kitchen terrace for drinks, water and wine and had an interesting conversation about the origins of the Church of England. Eladio was forthcoming when he said that it came into being on the whim of King Henry VIII because of a woman, Anne Boleyn, when the Pope refused the annulment of his marriage. We all know the rest of the story. But it is interesting to note that the Church of England came into being not from some divine origin but because of the whim of a king, albeit a very powerful one. That got us talking about the differences between the Roman Catholic church and the Church of England. Religion is something that always interests me, especially because of my own origins; the granddaughter of a C of E vicar and Russian Orthodox Priest, two aunts who were nuns and of course having married an ex Catholic priest myself. I even went to a catholic school so I have always been  surrounded by both teachers - Barrie is one too - and people from the church and always have been. I am not a church goer but have huge respect for it. 

The evening had to end as all good things come to an end, don't they? I drove our English guests back to the metro station and was home before 11. I noticed as I drove back that the temperature at that time was 29ºc - too much.

It was 23ºc at 7 in the morning on Wednesday. This rose to 28ºc at 5.45 the next day. Really too much to bear. 

Wednesday came and it just got hotter and hotter. I joined Eladio on our morning walk and again had to come home for a second shower. There is not much to tell about Wednesday except that our new guests arrived; 2 French families from Le Mans and the Calais region. They were 3 adults and 4 small children. I was worried Pippa would be a bother but for once she didn't bark. They seemed lovely people but we would only see them until Friday when we left. 

Of note on Wednesday I watched a marvelous film on Amazon Prime. It's about the not famous to me before, Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramujan from Madras. Called "The man who knew infinity " I was mesmerized from the very beginning. It really is a fabulous ugly duck story about a young man from the humblest of origins who becomes a fellow at Trinity College Cambridge. If you like bio pics based on a true story and if you love India, then this is the film for you. Very, very sadly, he died aged just 32 but even so left his mark on this most difficult of subjects for ever, so much so that nearly 100 years after his death this film was made. 

What a man, what a story. I also loved Jeremy Irons in the role of his tutor, the famous mathematician Godfrey Harold Hardy. He was one of the few to realise that the young Indian's talent was of the level of the likes of Isaac Newton. If only Ramujan had lived longer. 

Soon it was Thursday, the day before our road trip here. Most of it was spent with preparations; a bit more shopping, packing, etc. It was another boiling day with the temperature reaching 41ºc; again unbearable. It was on  Thursday that Oli and family finally left Pamplona, on the last day of this awful festival which is so popular both here and abroad. Oli was keen to leave the small hotel room where she and her family had been squashed in for so long. On the bright side, Juliet was on the mend and thus they had an event free 4.5 hour journey back. As soon as they returned they made a beeline for their swimming pool. Knowing they would have no food at home and wanting to see our grandchildren, I prepared dinner to take - most of it was prepared by dear Lucy. We went at around 8 pm and found little Elliot talking 19 to the dozen in Spanish at the pool with his father. He was delighted to see me and "booboo". Oli was in their flat with little Juliet. Luckily they have full air conditioning there so we could enjoy a quiet and cool dinner together. It was wonderful to be reunited with our grandchildren who we will next see in Montrondo in the last week of this month. We left at around 9.30 as we wanted an early night before our road trip to France.

Friday 15th July came and I was up at the crack of dawn at 4.15 believe it or not.  I was excited to be leaving for France that day. If Eadio hadn't come with me I would have driven aone. If there had not been any form of transport I swear I would have walked the 1000 km to get here, I love it so much.

We left early for us at around 8.15. I soon needed a coffee and a piece of toast after having such an early breakfast. We stopped at a non descript place on the road to Burgos. When we approached it I coudn't beieve it was a bar, restaurant and hotel called Las Campanas. Why is that important you may ask? Well, it is a place I have never forgotten because I stayed there with my parents and a friend called Sophie T, in the summer of 1978. We stopped there on our way from Santander to Toledo and always remembered the wonderful night we stayed there. That was 44 years ago and my parents are no longer alive but I shall never forget that trip and Las Campanas. I was overjoyed to be back and had to have photos taken by the well, just where I posed with my parents for a photo taken so long ago. Here is that photo and the one Eladio took of me on Friday. Now do you understand what this meant to me?

With my parents at Las Campanas in 1978 (I waas 21!)

With Pippa at Las Campanaas 44 years later

By about 1.45 we were at the border that these days you hardly notice because we are in the EU, It's very different from when I traveled with my parents. We decided to have our picnic lunch in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, that very chic seaside town near Biarritz. I know Biarritz well from my childhood and teenage holiday years when we stayed at my Aunty Valya's flats there. We chose the smaller town which is so pretty. It has grown a lot since I was last there in the 80's and is stunning as most pretty French towns are. I love the old streets and Basque red and white houses with their shutters. We had lunch on the promenade on a bench in the shade and even got out our picnic tabe. What a wonderful place to have lunch.

Here are some photos of our stop in this pretty town. 

Beautiful Saint-Jean-de-Luz where we shall be back

We loved it so much we are seriously thinking of it as next year's anniversary get away destination. The shops are so attractive but oh so expensive. However, I could not resist a beautiful floral white linen dress. Eladio  had forgotten to bring one of his numerous market bought panama hats so we looked for one. But oh my the cheapest were going for about 30 euros when  they cost about 5 in Spain. Prices in France are easily double the prices in Spain.

From Saint-Jean-de-Luz, it was about a 4.5h drive to La Teillée. There was traffic, mostly lorries carrying fruit from Spain (like us hahaha) but not as much as we had anticipated in the middle of July. I can't believe either just how expensive the "autoroutes" here are either. I think we spent at least 50 euros at the different "peages" along the way and just on the way out. On the other hand the motorways are good.

This is Eladio's first trip to France for maybe 30 years but I have traveled many times here and to other parts of the country  so I know it quite well. My French is not as good as it should be but I get by and actually feel quite at home in this country, the country where I was baptised by the way. I was 2 and my mother took me by plane to be christened in the Russian Orthodox church in Paris. That was my first trip abroad. 

We reached La Teillée by 8.15. The last stretch of about 2km was on a track road as Google Maps doesn't know the better way through Saint Sauvant.

There waiting for us were Zuka and her daughter Katty and Katty's children, Ruby aged 13 and Sam aged 18; my lovely Kiwi family. It was my first time back since January 2020 just before Covid. Missing, of course, was my dear Aunty Valya who is staying in a nursing home nearby until Zuka finds a carer for her. She is now 97 and getting on and I miss seeing her here. It's not the same without her. We had the honour of being given her enormous ensuite double room but it feels strange sleeping in it. 

As soon as we had warmly greeted each other and unpacked our luggage and lots of fruit (like the lorries), we al settled down in the garden and had drinks and nibbles as we always do here before dinner.

Drinks in the garden here on the night we arrived and where it gets dark at 10 pm. Oh what a wonderful holiday

The temperature was much cooler than in Madrid and I have to say that was much appreciated. After a lovely dinner of home made ratatouille and cold cuts, Eladio and I retired to bed. It must have been 1.45 and I had  been up since 4.15 that day and I was bushed. So was my husband who drove all the way (round of applause). 

We slept really well but I was awake at  6 am on Saturday. I woke up feeling rested and peaceful. We all had breakfast together and then went for a walk.  While getting ready, Zuka showed some of her land to my husband. She has about 6000 m2 whiich is quite a lot. 

Zuka and Eladio yesterday

I wanted Eladio to see the lovely countryside here where you hardly see a soul. All the paths look the same to me but thankfully Katty and the children know their way. We stopped at the most important local landmark, "la chaire à Moïse" (Moses' pulpit) which is where protestants who were persecuted would gather to pray many years ago.We had to have photos there and I chose the one of me with Katty, Ruby and Sam for this week's feature photo. We always visit Moses' pulpit when we come here. I like it. I like history. Ah and here is one of my dear husband and me.

Eladio and I by Moses' pulpit on our walk yesterday

The other important landmark for me is a children's very old fashioned roundabout which I made a beeline for. Every year we come, we go on it and have a laugh and this year was not going to be different.

Having fun on the roundabout

I came home to write my blog while dear Zuka and Katty prepared loads of food to take to a party held by Zuka's friend Suzanne (from New Zelanad) at her lovely house nearby. I struggled with my pc which had worked perfectly at 7 in the morning but now would not connect to internet. I don't know what has gone wrong. So now I am using my husband's pc.

We left for the party at 3.30 whiich for Spaniards in the summer is siesta time, not fiesta time as it is far too hot at this time of year. But we went with the flow. There at the party were all Zuka's many neighbours and friends, mostly English but also from New Zealand and some locals. Most of the people were in their 70's and it felt like gate crashing an old people's party haha. It was hot but there were shady parts. I liked the party but as I hardly knew anyone it felt a bit like being at wedding where you don't know anyone and you feel like a fish out of water. But with the generous amounts of bubbly and Pims I soon got into the spirit of it. For the occasion I wore my new linen dress which I love. 

With my dear husband at the party yesterday

It was a proper garden party except that the food wasn't afternoon tea but a mixture of dishes made by alL the guests. I felt bad for not having contributed but really enjoyed the food, especially the delicious desserts; all of which were home made. 

Yesterday's spread of food 

Suzanne has a swimming pool in her lovely garden and there were costumes and towels to be borrowed and we could change at the "gite"  - a bed and breakfast place she no longer uses - which I loved. I wasn't going to go in until Katty encouraged me. The costume I got was all the wrong size which had me in stitches but who cares? Here we are in the pool yesterday.

In the pool at Suzanne's garden party yesterday

We had left Pippa behind in our room at Zuka's house and I was getting worried she had been there too long so at around 8 pm, Sam, Eladio, Ruby and I headed home to rescue her. I felt so guilty for having locked her in for so long. She was ecstatic to see us poor lamb.

We spent the rest of the evening lounging around in the garden. We took Eladio on a tour of the grounds which includes a private cemetery believe it or not. We then had a magnum called Ruby which Ruby had bought because of the name hahaha. When Zuka and Katty returned we sat drinking until quite late. Oh what a wonderful holiday we are having. I feel so at home here, rested and peaceful. This place means so much to me.

And today will be another pleasant day with my cousins here on holiday in the French countryside. I couldn't be happier.

On that note I shall sign off now and make my breakfast. Cheers everyone until next Sunday where we will probably be in Montrondo with the family in a very different sort of countryside. Oh how I love the countryside. I am not a town girl and neither is Eladio and that, I suppose, is why I am in my element here.

All the best, happy Sunday - until next week.

Masha

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