miam-miam

Combourg has an excellent restaurant. Here is "Millefeuille de chair de crabe, Espuma de Saumon fumé...". Cuisine française! www.hotel-combourg.com/?lang=en

Noon time near the beach in Soulac-sur-Mer is serious business.

...... of a sudden, the door to the kitchen opened, and an eldery small man appeared, wearing a basque beret on his head and a big bottle in his hand. He started to sing and to fill all the glasses with an aperitif....

A very agreeable hotel - and probably the best restaurant in Pons. www.hotel-de-bordeaux.com/

Some time ago, a friend of mine had recommended this restaurant in Mirande. It was my third visit in Mirande, but just like the years before, I had no luck. This time the restaurant was closed for summer holidays from 01.08. - 24.08.2014.

Estella was founded in 1090 by King Sancho Ramírez to encourage frankish merchants, to settle here and so support the pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella. Recent excavations have proven, that early immigrants came from Le Puy ("Via Podensis") and Tour ("Via Turonensis"). The name "Estella" (= star) seems to be choosen by experienced marketing specialists to start the business, as this refers to the Magi´s Star of Bethlehem and as well to Charlemagne as he "saw in the heaven a pathway of stars" leading to Galicia (Pseudo Turpin). Aymeric Picaud, author the Codex Calixtinus, praises the food here and even mentions the "healthy water". Estella thrived, in 1354 there were six hospitals for pilgrims here. I do praise the "Café con leche" or "Café cortado" offered at the "Bar Estación"! The "Bar Estación" has a website! www.barlaestacion.com/

A winery was probably part of the Benedictian monastery "Santa María la Real de Irache" since the early times. The monastery was given up, but the winery was "refounded" in 1891. Following the old traditions of Benedictian hospitality and a great sense for marketing, the Bodega erected this fountain some years ago. There are two taps. The left tap gives fresh water to the thirsty pilgrims, the right tap tasty red wine! Upto 70 liters of red wine are distributed here to the pilgrims every day. There is even a webcam: www.irache.com/fuente-del-vino.php?idioma=1

The thunderstorm was back all of a sudden. Rain was pouring down. We rushed into a bar, sat down and ordered a café con leche. More people sheltered from the rain inside the bar. From an elderly gentleman, we learned that the sentence "Tomorrow, we will have coffee in Huesca" had a special meaning during the Spanish Civil War. A story in which George Orwell was involved. As the gentleman recommended Orwell´s "Homage to Catalonia", I wrote the title into my notebook, but the book is still on my list..

This is the counter of the only bar (and shop) I found near to the "Alberge" in Teo. It´s a really nice one - and delicious, hot coffee is served there in small cups.

Marciac, founded as a bastide in 1298, is a small, sleepy town, that in the month of August each year since 1978, changes into the "Capital of Jazz". A true metamorphosis. On the central square of Marciac stage is erected and free concerts are held here over the day. All around the square are many "temporary" restaurants and eateries, where visitors can get everything starting from gummy bears to foie gras. What can be seen on this sandwich are no gummy bears. The Gers area is known for fantastic food, but it is not veggie friendly at all. Even the "salade gersoise" comes with duck gizzard. The get a nice glass of chilled rosé is way easier here, than to get a decent cup of coffee.

That evening, we had a nice dinner at the restaurant "Alain Boutin". We started with "Fantaisie de vitelotte, asperges, écrevisses, crème citronnée" Vitelotte is a blue-violet potato, sometimes called Truffe de Chine".

I had hoped for better weather, when I left Lucca, but there was no sunshine in Florence, when I arrived at the station. At least the rain was not pouring down, when I crossed the river Arno. I had a nice cappuccino under an umbrella, before I checked into the hotel.

I had bruschetta con pomodoro as antipasto that night. Actually, I had dinner here three nights in a row and really recommend the Trattoria La Casalinga. www.trattorialacasalinga.it/

The food is delicious and the warm and cosy place is always busy. If you don´t want to wait outside for a table, you should arrive early. www.trattorialacasalinga.it/

An empty cup on a table in the the nicest cafeteria of any Ikea-store I found so far. Judging from the weather and the view. Behind the soundproof windows runs the heavy traffic of the motorway - and behind you can see the mountains.

During a festival in France the audience will sing and dance and eat and drink. A "barquette" with french fries with duck´s breast was the staple food in Cahors - and of course we had red wine with the duck. Cool rosé for dessert..

A great dinner in Le Lion D'Or. The Perigord Noir is known for - ducks. Merci beaucoup, Marion!

We had stayed in the "Hôtel de Bordeaux" already a couple of times. The restaurant run by Cornelia Mueller is one of the best in the region. We have always appreciated the dishes, created by the chef Bruno Foucher. Terrine aux légumes d'été - sorbet gaspacho www.hotel-de-bordeaux.com