May 25, La Rochelle

A short post tonight, with no picture. I mishandled and probably deleted yesterday’s draft, instead of saving it. I have my doubts, but anyway, the text is gone. I write from memory. The pictures are hidden away in a folder and my bed is calling.

We spent a very pleasant day in La Rochelle. After breakfast - with French toast prepared, so as to be crispy, and French bread and jams - we went to the Vieux-Port (the old harbour). Roger wanted to photograph again some areas in La Rochelle who had captivated him on our first trip.

As for me, I walked along the docks. It was really nice and warm. We ate mussels and fries in a bar, sitting outside on the terrace.

Near the end of the meal, a woman takes a bad fall, right by us. She missed a step on the pavement. Diners, including Roger, rushed to help ger get up, pick up her handbag and the things that spilled out, someone picks up her ice cream cone to put it in the trash. She has a severely scraped knee and probably sprained her ankle. The waitress at the restaurant across the street comes out quickly with ice in a cloth and some salve, which leads me to think that she is not the step’s first victim. The lady is in shock, she’s shaky. We try to comfort her, Roger gently feels her ankle, I bring her water, Roger offers to pay for a taxi. After a while, she’s ready to leave, she thanks everyone profusely, but she’s still fighting tears. I so know the feeling so, similar things happened to me so often. Like everyone else, I guess. You’re just having yourself a good time, life is nice and suddenly poof! clumsiness, bad luck, bye bye good time, you’re hurt, you’re humiliated ... and you lost your ice cream cone.

We go back rather early, it's hot. Tonight we eat at our host’s.

Like many people in the B&B business, Ms. Gaspar prepares most of what she serves. The rate was somewhat lower than in other places where we went or will go but, except for being a little less showy, (no antique furniture, for example), it’s not a hardship. For dinner, we were treated to a generous serving of pineault (it’s a given since we are in the Charente, but a melon mix, wow!), As an appetizer, a plate of mixed cold vegetables, followed by a chicken cutlet in cream sauce flavored with cumin and zucchini fritters. All that with our choice of wine, then garden strawberries with homemade custard. No, really, can’t complain.