Portbou was lovely, great accommodation, friendly people and good food.
And now we are in France...
As the Flight of the Conchords so aptly put it: Je ne comprends pas.
?How can there be so many dog trinket, clothing, hairdressing and beautifying shops in Europe and yet the "products" of these beloved dogs are left partout with no regard to the surrounding humans? Je ne comprends pas. I am having issues with caca, as they call it here.
We arrived at our budget holiday park place in St Cyprien plage last night. We walked into our little gravel entrance area (no gate) and there is dog poo right there. I am phobic about dog poo, as many of you will know. Then, inexplicably, the man from the next door unit walks in and takes the sun loungers in the outside area of our unit - without so much as a by your leave. He just says "bon" when it is done - nothing else. It is a very odd start. I guess they had been using our garden for sunbathing.
In our unit there is no toilet paper, there are no no towels - nothing like that. Like a motel, but with less service (is that possible?) Not even the tiny little milk or coffee sachets, of which we would be sadly grateful at this sorry time...Had we known we could have been better prepared. Anyway, Conrad bravely went off to reception to beg some loo paper, only to be told "this is not a hotel" (really??!!). Well, we have been spoiled. Almost every time, wherever we have booked, our expectations have been exceeded. This place was very effectively oversold online, but I guess I should have been a little suspicious of the very low price.
On leaving, you can either clean the unit yourself (though there is nothing to clean it with - however I have now bought paper towels and cleaning liquid) - or pay 50 euros for it to be cleaned...needless to say we will be self-cleaning. There is not even anything to wash dishes with! I guess most of their guests are French people from near-ish by who drive here fully equipped. Mon dieu.
Anyway, most importantly the children are perfectly happy here, and it is for them we came here - close to the beach, pool onsite - that is pretty much all they need and want. The occasional croissant and orangina helps too, of course. And I have now rented towels (for a mere 12 euros!) so things will be a little more comfortable.
Last night we couldn't face finding a supermarket or cooking in our sad little environment, so we went in search of dinner, and wine. Lots of wine. We ended up at the port and the myriad of uncharming tourist-focused seafood places, chose one before chewing our own arms off and in fact had a good meal - none of the lovely and reasonably priced meals like we had in spain, but I had fish soup and salad nicoise, so felt all healthy. Conrad seemed somehow to order a salad (salad paysanne) with chops in it (!) plus a main course also of many meats - it was very funny. Needless to say Hen was very happy indeed.
We walked back full and happier, having a bit of an explore and finding the supermarket. Nothing is open at 10 at night here though, not even a drinks machine nearby - we are very, very off-season.
In the light of day today (Saturday) things are a little brighter: the sun is shining; I have procured some supplies, both for cleaning and nourishing; Hen and Conrad have cleaned the loo (a hazard of the self-cleaning thing - methinks people do just enough to get away without a fine - naughty); I found some horchata de valencia, which Belly and I really like (made of something called tiger nuts? Everyone drinks it around the middle of spain, where we mostly were); I am doing laundry and blogging offline to fill in the time (I quite like doing laundry - nice having all clean clothes for a couple of days) and I found my favourite cheese (La Rustique) for 2 euros 60 instead of 15 dollars at home. I knew there was a reason we were in France. Small mercies.
The others are in the pool and I will join them there soon. I am looking forward to exploring the real St Cyprien - the village, not the beach - later.
A bientot. : )
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3 comments:
Arr yes... French dog poo - I don't believe in giving it any fancy names, poo is poo! And like you have always wondered how they can tolerate it?
Hi Dale - I know, one doesn't mean to complain, but really - we watch, incredulous, as they let their dogs poo ON THE BEACH without so much as a shrug of the shoulders! Love to you btoh, W (and C, who is aleep like a log).
If you ever get to Paris and see a motorcycle with what looks like a vacuum cleaner on the bag-its a dogs poo sucker uper. Who says the french aren't innovative.
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