Over the bridge

Go large to see the cyclist.

We cleared up after the photo exhibition and then decided we needed to get out and about, so we went to a concert of Eastern European music in Rieux-Minervois. On the way we made a considerable detour to call in on J and B in Narbonne. We haven't seen them since May, and it was nice to sit on their balcony for an hour or two for a chat and a catch-up on news.

When we got the concert we had to scrape all our pennies together because we didn't have much cash, and it was expensive -- 15 euros each! "I hope it's good," I muttered, as we squeezed in at the back of the barn attached to the chateau -- it was packed. Hmm, well they were good musicians but the music wasn't anything special. They played the sort of tunes you think you know, because they all sound very similar. They weren't very adventurous in their choices either, so we did know many of the pieces -- a couple of Brahms' Hungarian dances for example, and the eponymous Czardas. The kind of music that is enjoyable enough as background in a bar or restaurant, but you don't really want to sit and listen to it for an hour and a half.

Oh well, it was a beautiful afternoon for an outing. The concert finished at about half past six and we hurried out, skipping the offered aperitif. I haven't really explored Rieux before; it has some impressive ramparts, a medieval bridge, and as you can see the castle is quite imposing. So a few quick blips and home.

If you've read this far, a reminder: we are planning a blipmeet in Perpignan on 4 September to coincide with Visa pour l'Image, the annual photojournalism festival. If you're interested, the forum thread is here.