The last two weeks have been decidedly unpleasant, filled with disconcerting news from Costa Rica, compounded by upper respiratory trouble and a case of food poisoning, unpleasantness galore! More about some of the gory and at times frightening details sometime down the road. Today on the other hand was a beautifully sunny, warm and pleasant day in Saintes, which we greatly enjoyed.

After running some errands, we arrived back home in the early evening and decided to enjoy an aperitif on our veranda overlooking the Charente river. Pulling some olives and fresh sheep cheese out of the fridge and pouring a glass of chilled Colombard for me and a beer for my husband, we settled down for the ever entertaining people watching. Suddenly I heard a deep-belly-fog-horn blowing to our left – the unmistakable sound of a ship’s warning horn.

Yes! It was the Bernard Palissy II arriving from winter quarters for the upcoming 2015 tourist season of river cruising accompanied by assorted entertainment. For the next six months, she will be moored just across from us, in the shadow of the Arch of Germanicus, and provide delightful outings throughout the season.

The arrival of the Bernard Palissy II will make my ongoing project of twice daily ‘Arch’ snapshots more challenging because the darn boat bisects the continuum of the Roman arch and its shade. On the other hand she is part of the arches’ reality, therefore I have to integrate accidental marine accessories into my project. We’ll see, how it works out! For now it was simply fun to see her take her accustomed mooring spot across the river.

 Spring has arrived, folks: http://www.croisieres-palissy.fr/

Also, as long as I have your attention, let me introduce you to one of the outstanding restaurants in our little town, the Saveurs de l’Abbaye. Do you see the pine cone shaped church tower at the right/middle horizon in this picture? That a former nunnery, the Abbaye, now a (music) conservatory. We needed a Trostpflaster, a consolation, after receiving news of wildfire damage to our house in Costa Rica, so we dined at the Saveurs de l’Abbaye. Oh so pleasant, so good, so delicious.

My grandmother made sugar-coated Zwieback slices just like that …