From one lovely village to another; here we are at St Maximin, near the town of Uzes. We are smack-bang in the middle of wine country - Chateauneuf-du-pape is just up the road - and vineyards are all around us. St Maximin is a tiny village really - just one cafe - but it's here that a Kiwi woman, Hester Bullen, has converted a 14th-century stone farmhouse into three apartments, one of which is our home for the next week. It's very lovely; sunshine, quiet, charming surroundings, all tucked behind a huge, ancient gate. Our apartment has a large, airy bedroom (my aunties would like the large rosary over the bed!), bathroom, sunny balcony and best of all, we have our own kitchen so I can cook! I am unfeasibly excited about this. From the kitchen window I can look out on the hills and vines and cherry orchards down the valley. Below us is an enclosed courtyard and as there is no-one staying in the downstairs "cave" apartment, it's very private.
Last night, our first night here, Hester invited us down for an aperitif. After a champagne cocktail we had another, and before long it was clear we were into a bit of a session. We had a great yarn for several hours, over several bottles of wine, and also met the people who are staying in the apartment above ours, which is larger.
They are real sightseers; every day they're off to another local attraction. Since our main attraction is food and wine, our pace is somewhat slower. Also I don't really feel the need to go to every museum, castle, palace and historical site. I like to know about them, to see them, but for me (and for Sandy definitely) it's not about ticking things off a list. For us it's more simple: how do people live, what do they do, how do they eat. Which is the sort of thing you can get to know just by walking around a place for a while. For us it's also about reflection; thinking about what we're going to do next. What's the plan, as someone I know often says. And while it's true we could reflect anywhere, this is a pretty amazing place to be doing it. That's enough.... time for my afternoon nap.
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