So far away

Sometimes I regret the helplessness of distance.

We all make decisions about how and where we retire. We all have dreams to chase. Sometimes we end up on the other side of the world to where we used to live.

But it's a decision that carries a price.

News came this week of the death of a cameraman colleague and friend with whom I'd worked for 20 years at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Adelaide.

Peter was a good cameraman and a terrific bloke.

Rushing back, memories, details of some of the great stories and adventures I had with Peter all those years ago.

Now he's gone, at 72, of pulmonary fibrosis.

Peter's funeral is on Friday. There isn't even enough time to send a card, so I have asked some ex-ABC mates to convey my condolences to Peter's wife and family.

In February, I wrote about the regretful discovery that two old friends I knew in Morocco had died, and how I was so looking forward to re-connecting with them, after 40 years.

Now this.

The flight of the Hirondelles

Known in English as swifts or house martins, we observe a thousand or more of these small birds perched on the high voltage wire atop the electric pylons in the farmer’s adjacent  field.

Below them, the farmer is harvesting tonnes of plums from his orchard, soon to become the famous “pruneaux d’Agenais”.

These birds are preparing for their annual migration south, to sub-Saharan Africa.

the house martin, courtesy Google image

Apparently, on this long flight, they catch airborne insects and store them under their wings to feed on during their long journey.

Les Hirondelles will return to southern France next year.

Sunday lunch

La Commanderie at Temple sur Lot has always looked like a great spot to experience that wonderful feature of French life, the long Sunday lunch.

Nestled at the foot of ancient stone walls, La Commanderie  caters to the carefree and languid indulgence of locals and visitors.

We have often driven or cycled past it on a Sunday afternoon and noticed people sitting outside under parasols, by the cool, water jets of shallow pools.

The 13th century tower and ramparts once housed members of the legendary Knights Templar.

The setting is gorgeous. The food, attractively presented, had some room for improvement.

Brochette of duck

Dessert

Potted colour around the aqua pools enhanced the aesthetics. I was impressed with the cast iron, sundial footings for the parasols.

Bazas

This is a very pretty town about 40 minutes drive south-east of Bordeaux.

It's got a famous 13th century cathedral.

Bazas is renowned for a breed of beef cattle.

It is rare to see these advertising murals painted on walls. Most have faded away ...

We were a long way from Queensland's Sunshine Coast ... but there it was!

We were visiting Bazas after viewing a house near the village of Mazères. The house was disappointing but Chateau de Roquetaillade, the nearby castle wasn't.

this is what I always imagined a medieval castle would look like

complete with moat and drawbridges

and a portcullis

 We explored the grounds and I was thrilled to make this discovery.

A thirteenth century Citroen 2CV.