217. Knight

CARCASSONNE

Stock photo of the castle famed for its kilometres of double walls

Walking the walls

Three of the fifty six wall towers

Focus for the day was getting to Carcassonne Castle. The Phennah's unable to wait for the Royds'* headed off with Fyfe and Audrey with the balance of us catching up in due course.

We met Stephen and Lynda and headed out to a secluded spot within the walls to eat our pre-made baguettes. Unfortunately the spot was on the route the hotels within the walls used to ferry their guests in tiny cars from the main gate so it wasn't quite as secluded as we had hoped. 

3.5kg - I can still feel my neck

We wandered round like one does then it was suggested that we go to meet a real knight. On meeting Jean-François he put us off for an hour so that he could do a presentation in English. Turned out to be a very good session by an enthusiastic professional. He focused on the twelve hundreds being the age of chivalry.  

Jean-François clothing was authentic, right down to his underwear and had a collection of authentic reproduction armour and weapons. He regularly takes part in combat competitions with the associated injuries however his real focus was on the qualities of chivalry and what it took and meant to be a knight. Stephen & Lynda demonstrated basic sword and shield skills. It certainly demonstrated how physical and violent combat was. It was a very engaging process, for all with a very positive message. He finished by knighting us as knights of the realm. We were impressed by his dedication and focus.

Children returning with fuel

Bonfire face

After dinner another bonfire with the massive load of fuel that the children had collected from the island on the boat including a sawn log by Fyfe the size of a good fence post.

*completely understandable 

216. Rejection

CARCASSONNE

Lynda, Fyfe & Audrey out in Teasel

Lake beside our camp site

Decided to get a man to look at the Disco as it has started to hide water. Luckily it has a low coolant level sensor that alerted me in the first place. All workshops that I visited refused to look at it even though it has a Peugeot derived engine.

Roman & Edward 

While we were having lunch back at camp Matthew, Claire,  Edward (5) & Maisey (.9) arrived which was exciting. They came over for a look from Cazouls de Beziers where they have been with friends and are joining us tomorrow. Matthew left his socket set so that I can remove the sump guard and look for the offending leak in the Disco.

Escorted Roman and Edward to the playground and spent time yarning on the phone to mates. Children, particularly Audrey (keenest) and Fyfe spent time out in the boat, explored the island and then took Lynda across. At dinner time the youngest three went across for fuel for the bonfire and returned loaded.

215. Tired

CARCASSONNE

Tyre and jockey wheel failure yesterday had today's priorities sorted. Unfortunately, as the tyre departed it punched a hole in the plastic inner mudguard and damaged the plastic valence that runs along the bottom of the caravan. The rear bumper side trim stayed on by one screw so that is one less thing to purchase when I eventually purchase a new rear bumper bar and tail lights to replace what we lost on the Lisbon bridge. Still not sure how I will repair the jockey wheel as the assembly is welded on.

Rose in the morning to find a generous breakfast spread laid out by Stephen and Lynda. After breakfast I tackled the wheels. Attached the caravan to the Disco and removed both wheels only to find that with no jockey wheel and the jack employed I couldn't remove the Disco to take said wheels to town. After a comedy of errors I was ready to go except for Audrey pointing out that her needs to go boating on the lake were greater. Remembered that workshops would be shut, midday till fourish.

Attempted to repair the centre case leak in Teasel with five minute Araldite but found after launching that the leak was not quite where I remembered. After a month in Morocco the ply was beautifully dry.

Took photographic evidence
to convince them

Found a tyre shop online in Carcassonne and once there had quite a bit of difficulty convincing them that I needed a tyre capable of being inflated to four and a half bar (65 psi) as per the plaque on the Giantavan. The existing tyres were also rated to six hundred kilograms load per tyre. The first tyre they produced was rated to three hundred and fifty kilograms then the next, four hundred and fifty. Eventually I persuaded them to order in a tyre which will take two to three days. I hope it is suitable.

Bonfire admirers

The sailors, lead by Audrey, had a great time on the lake in Teasel while I was away and on our return  found Stephen had gathered firewood for an evening bonfire in the camp fire place after a BBQ.

We sat around listening to The Archers, much to Stephen's disgust.

214. Flat Jack

Carcassonne, France

Sad to be parting from the Slanwinski's today. The children were still desperate to play with their friends meaning that Jac and I had to do most of the pack up without help though we were able to get them to do a few key jobs like helping fold the annex.

Looking down through the
jockey wheel hole.

The clamp on the jockey wheel has been binding so last time we moved I unscrewed the lock bolt and siliconed it thinking that would solve the problem. Today the static nut tore off the bracket. Will be a bit of a challenge to fix as it is welded to the drawbar. Found a while ago that with Iris and Jacqueline sitting in the back of the Giantavan the drawbar lifts high so I can hold it in place with one of the caravan stabiliser jacks. Connecting to the Disco is a breeze with the air suspension.

Yup, its flat alright

Roman did the change

Smooth trip up the motorway catching up on The Archers (Cousin Linda is an avid follower*) till we were waved off by French Police. I knew we would be stopped at some stage so was resigned to a difficult negation. Turns out the right rear tyre on the Giantavan had gone flat without my noticing and shredded itself. Thanks lads.

Linda & Stephen Phennah

Arrived late at camp and met at the gate by Stephen who guided us by bike to a great spot lakeside and dinner ready. Wonderful.

Stephen and Lynda are cousins from Upton Snodsbury**. 

* Eddie Grundy's is in Lynda's Morris Dance troupe!

** Brilliant village name, had to squeeze it in

213. That's very Gaudi

Barcelona 

Fascinated by this bloke sailing
his tiny gaff rigged canoe
(snapped from the Giantavan)

Snap by Audrey

Beautiful day, the beach so tempting, but committed to a day in Barcelona.

Boys (Tjelle; Onno, Fyfe & Roman) elected to stay behind with Nikki & Jenny. MacKenzie joined me, Jacqueline, Iris & Audrey for the trip into Barcelona.

While driving in at two Jacqueline booked tickets to view the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. Tickets were running out and the earliest we could visit was quarter to seven. Tickets are expensive but it is the ticket sales that are totally funding the construction. 

We had not realised that there

Photo from today's Guardian Paper

was a protest today. (The Guardian. More than 300,000 people are estimated to have taken to the streets of Barcelona to call for the return of the 16 Catalan leaders who are in prison or have fled the country in the aftermath of last October’s unilateral independence referendum.)

The town was absolutely packed so we gave up on trying to follow the route of the open topped busses after about an hour of little progress and headed out a bit into the burbs to park for free near a Metro station.

We popped out at Las Ramblas and the wenches immediately fell into the markets. I passed the next hour yarning to mates in Blighty to pass the time.

Victorian cable car tower in background

Monument to Columbus

We walked up to the Quadrat d'Or, to view the Gaudi famous houses (commercial buildings). They really are fantastic and it is amazing how many have survived. I really like the way the each intersection the buildings were chamfered to allow the buildings to overlook the intersections - inspired city planning.

Gaudi

Gaudi

Gaudi

Gaudi's final commercial building
(note the chamfered corner)

We then took the Metro to the Sagrada Familia and went in. they certainly need the ticket system as the place wouldn't have been great had there been more people there. Without a doubt, it is one of the most wonderful and beautiful buildings I have ever visited. The interior is so light and airy quite unlike most cathedrals which are dark and foreboding Gothic structures. The columns soar like trees into the massive ceiling. The audio tour was very good but the building was visually overwhelming. I knew there was much more than I could take in. Totally wonderful - gush, gush.

Nativity Facade detail

Nativity Facade

Passion Facade

Christ 

Nativity Facade

Nativity Facade

Nativity Facade

Nativity Facade door

Left is five years old, the right one hundred.
Building 1880–2026

Nativity Facade oboe

Passion facade (sunset colours)

Gaudi as one of the characters in the Passion Facade

Interior snap from Wikipedia.
It really is this good

The columns are made of materials of different hardness. The longest and thickest columns are made of red porphyry, a very hard volcanic rock. They will support the Jesus spire, the largest, heaviest and tallest at 174 metres high, yet to be built. The dark, somewhat smaller pillars are made of basalt and granite columns supporting the lighter and the outermost row of pillars in the church building consist of a relatively soft sandstone.