Why are they here?

Friday 11^th April

Planning!! Boy it takes a long time. I know why people use travel agents, but there is no way we would find one to take us where we are going. We have a time to be in Belgium (for a car race meeting) so we need to make sure we fill the time in between – and we need to get Easter sorted. That was the morning gone.

We headed out for lunch to a small village that the other Aussie couple had visited earlier in the week. I expected a bakery and a couple of shops and was worried as it approached 1.30 that we would be too late and everything would be closed for siesta. This village was 10k off the main road and up a winding road along one side of a valley. When we got there, no bakery, just one restaurant and it didn't look like it was open - but it was.

 

Cal Joan - in the village of Meranges

We were the only ones in the restaurant but by the time we left at 3 it was full. Why? This village is on a road that goes nowhere else, so you would only go there because that is where you wanted to be. Did all these people live there? Do they just go for lunch because the food is good? If I spoke more than 2 words of Spanish then I might have found out. There was only one very narrow street through the town - only wide enough for one car. As we sat at the restaurant we saw several large pieces of farm equipment pass the restaurant, and occasionally a car or tractor backing up to let an approaching vehicle pass.  We enjoyed our time there – it is these sorts of experiences that make for a great holiday.

 

Looking down the hill...

...and up the hill.

Have I mentioned parking before? Seems like in these small villages you can park anywhere as long as you are not blocking the road or a driveway - and it doesn't matter which way the car is facing. This town had designated parking areas at either end of town and when we saw just how wide the streets weren't, it made sense.

Siesta time this afternoon and dinner at the hotel as we prepare to leave here in the morning. We are travelling further west through the top of Spain and then heading back in to France on Sunday.