the Midi Canal: good times

At many points along the Canal, mostly at locks, there are places to have adventures and/or to shop.

This is First Mate L, attempting to purchase wine and preserves, both made from the vineyard out back.


Preserves:

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My toothbrush broke a few days ago. I should have predicted that and brought a spare. I can't remember the last time something didn't happen to my toothbrush.

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Once while walking through the land, First Mate L and I came to a place in the road where the path forked and we began to grow agitated and greatly concerned, but luckily both options were the same.


Unfortunately, both paths led to a restaurant which was not open.

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Which brings up a question which has been nagging at us for some time: When exactly do the French eat?

We have had many experiences of walking into restaurants which are apparently open, only to discover that they aren't serving any food, at least not right now.

For instance, a few days ago we walked into a restaurant in a little town off the main road.

Now, this restaurant was open, no doubt about it. There were even people inside, sitting around and looking at the road. But no one was eating anything. They were just sitting looking out at the road.

I naively asked if there was any food to be had and was told, rather bizarrely, "we close at eleven" which didn't make sense because it was five-thirty in the afternoon.

And so I have a growing concern that if we don't manage to discover when the French eat soon, we run the risk of starving to death after we run out of preserves.

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But good news! Our navigational problems are finally solved!