Compare the Market

Concarneau's market is a little bit more picturesque than at Vannes a couple of days earlier. Sitting beside the water, looking out onto the 'Ville Close', the old ramparted town that sits on a little island in the middle of the harbour. The market itself proved successful again, giving us some nice looking clams and cheese, amongst other stuff, once more safely deposited in the car (I've discovered that once the car has been unlocked with the remote key thingy I can then remotely open one of the back doors with the fob - it's the small things, but it pleases me...) we had a wander round Ville Close, before grabbing a seafoody lunch in the town (well, given the reutation of the seafood around here it would be rude not to).

All done in another day of glorious, and hot, sunshine. Finally we're getting the summer we missed out on in Ecosse this year. And then we bought some sardines. No really, this is a big thing here, or was. There was a sardine boom years and years back, and the fishermen around here did well out of it, and the tradition continues. But. There's only one remaining cannery-seller in the city, so we had to make a visit there for some canned sardines, as well as fish soup, and canned confit of scallops. Fishy...

... to Arty. Down the coast to Pont-Aven, the claim to fame of which is that Paul Gauguin used to spend a lot of time here (staying in the Pension Cloanec). It's easy to see why, the place is gorgeous, with some rather cool shops, and gallery-shops everywhere (including an odd one with sperm on the wall...). I'd likely be more impressed if I liked Gauguin's work at all. But hey, the town is lovely.

Life's always good when the sun comes out, and despite being knackered, once back at the cottage I went out for a spin round the block on the bike with Mel having a snooze. Only ten miles or so, just around and about, but it's helluvahilly round these here parts. Great fun it was too, though I've been on the lookout for some Jays to get a better photo than last year, and despite the fact they're definitely around here, they've eluded the lens thus far.