6th september 2016

so no russia, bought a new car instead; no alhambra, plumetting pound after brexshit.  but we live in a beautiful country with many, as yet, unexplored corners and own a shedload of camping gear so here we are at capestang on the canal du midi.

unfortunately our visit has coincided with the vendange.  all those endless vineyards we passed through need to be harvested and, it seems, this is the week to do it.  the problem for us is compounded by our proximity to the local ‘cave cooperative’.

all day the tractors bring trailerfulls of grapes, filling the air with a sickly sweet smell that, sadly, reminds me of particularly ripe dustcarts.  that would acceptable except for the fact that mechanical grape picking goes on well into the early hours of the morning.  so, in addition to the distant sound of the grape gathering machine there is the procession of tractors and trailors rattling down the road along the edge of the campsite for hours….and hours…  the harvester stopped about 2.30. (i knew the time because the abbey clock strikes every hour and half hour…twice! )

but the tractors were still at it when i dropped off, finally, around 3.30. however, the sun is shining, so onward, onward…yawn…..