Wednesday 17th August

It has been a crazy few days – and it isn’t over yet, of course.  We have some friends down, they usually come at Easter when things are a bit quieter but we persuaded them that August was the best time to visit.  They have only been here a few days but it has been night markets most nights.  Sunday we had a party in our garden; paella for 14, gratefully cooked by our good friend Graham.  But a late night and lots of alcohol consumed.  And I performed the unseen but essential task of smoothly removing and dishwasher stacking dirty plates and bringing out the desserts and keeping everyone’s glasses topped up.  Last night, actually all day yesterday, was the ‘White Wine and Oyster’ festival.

Even as I opened the café at 8.30 in the morning the tables and benches and stools were being placed around the square, vans were unloading fridges and barbecues and masses of oysters and moules and all varieties of seafood, chicken, duck, sausages, pizza, melons, crepes and every types of eatable imaginable.  Surely too much food.  But no, by 11.00 the square was heaving with early eaters.  Lunch stretched until about 4 in the afternoon when we closed the café, quite exhausted.  But I was back at 5.45 trying to reserve a table for the real feast in the evening.  And I was right as by 6.30 the square was packed and hundreds were searching for a spare seat or two.  Well, it was a hard job but we managed to eat and drink our way through until shortly before midnight.  Now, for the last two or three years there has been a euro-disco starting at 10.00 at night in the square, but (possibly thankfully) this year it was a French male choir who blasted out their tunes over the square.  I don’t think I could have managed the dancing this year (but you never know).

I fell into bed and up again this morning to open the Café.  And tonight of course we have the Tuesday night market again.  Where do all these people come from?  We have a break on Wednesday before more visitors arrive on Thursday…