Day 17 – Millau – Wednesday

When I was setting up camp yesterday I noticed a group of teenage yobs on the bank opposite smashing bottles. I was annoyed but didn’t write about it at the time. I shouted at them “oi!” but then I could remember the French for “buggar off”, “hang”, “scrawny neck” or “large knife”, so instead I gave them my most menacing Auvergnian stare. It seemed to do the trick. This morning on my way into town I took a bag and picked up the glass. I didn’t want my adoptive duck family getting glass in their little flippers. When I got there I also realised one of them did a ‘merde’ on the bank. Dirty blighters! I have to say this is normally the kind of behaviour I expect from English yobs but I have seen rarely in France.


I think I got the hang of the food thing (someone please correct me on facebook if I’m wrong). Now... a ‘cafe-bar’ doesn’t do food except for the odd bar snack eg. Sliced sausage. Often they proudly display a picture of their offering as it’s the only one they do. A ‘restaurant-bar’ neither does food except for very specific times of the day, mainly evening. The place your most likely to get fed is at a ‘bar-brasserie’ that does plat du jour and a la carte... provided you’re not too early! Simple Oui?


The town Millau (pronounced ‘Me-oo’ – a Brazilian girl in the market explained to me that they write 6 letters, but pronounce 3 – it is the French way) is yet another beautiful and very vibrant town. Not as ancient as some I have seen recently but very French. Lots of patisseries, chocolate shops, bars and cafes (hmmm...see previous paragraph) with tables and chairs outside. Very cosmopolitan.


I also noticed English people again for the first time in ages. It never really occurred to me that I saw loads when I first started this trip and haven’t seen any in ages.


After getting badly lost I visited the office du tourism, picked up a map of the town, stopped by a super-market to pick up some goodies and headed back to the campsite... easy when you have a map! On the way back a storm broke (a big one – it’s been scorching all day- then thunder again). Just across the river from the campsite was a ‘bar-something-or-other’ – they served beer anyway. I took refuge in there and had a beer. The rain came down so hard I’m surprised the pavement didn’t crack. ‘Fruit der mer!’ I exclaimed. The barman looked at me strangely. I don’t think ‘fruits of the sea’ is a common French exclamation. In fact I’m pretty sure it’s just me says it. It sounds right though. Better than ‘sacreau bleu’ anyway.


In this bar I began talking to the barman, his wife and another customer about the forthcoming football fixtures. I was a little drunk and not sure if what I was saying was what I thought I was saying. Suffice it to say if I was talking gibberish they were too polite to say anything. Behind me sat at a table was an attractive older lady reading the paper and occasionally laughing and talking out loud. Eventually she came over and joined in our conversation, although everyone seemed to ignore her. How rude I thought. Then I realised that the complete absence of a response from anyone else didn’t seem to dent her enthusiasm for the conversation. Obviously I didn’t understand what she, or anyone else was saying (I can ask for stuff but find it very difficult to interpret responses), but I began to realise that she was really in a conversation all of her own. Then the barman looked at me and did the universal sign for ‘loony’ by pretending he had a gun in his hands and shooting himself in the head. The lady seemed to understand this and left the bar quite upset. Poor lady, I would have followed her but I don’t think I could have been much comfort.

When I got back from town the ducks came over again. ‘Bonjour... Bonjour...’ they quacked... well they are French ducks. “Avez vous du pain?”, “Oui” I replied and got my bread. I have gained their trust now and they eat out of my hand. Unlike yesterday I observed a change of behaviour. There were many ducks yesterday and whichever one I threw the bread too would eat it. Today only two of them, the man duck let his girlfriend do all the eating even if I threw a piece straight at him... There you go see... A clear case of altruism being exhibited by animals. The mountain people of the Auvergne could learn something from these ducks!


So I just updated the blog and now I’m gonna cook me dinner. I was planning on going into town tonight but I think I spent enough money already. I will go tomorrow instead. There is really loud thunder close by but its not raining at the moment. Its not cold either.