Pyrenees 5 - Ceret

Leaving Amelie les Bains on a hot Sunday morning was made better by having a good breakfast in the buffet style.

However, we were soon wandering around, cursing the trees while trying to find the correct path. Familiar territory in unfamiliar territory. The promise of a village with a bar which was approximately half way and at which we would arrive around lunchtime was a clear fillip to our progress. The guide notes warned of dogs on the outskirts of the village, but each of us has a weapon to deal with most canine nuisances. We were primed for the worst. It didn’t happen. I mean both expectations. The dogs were big and noisy but well fenced. The bar was shut.

Madame, who appeared at an upstairs window, was not to be moved to open up for us.

To say we were downhearted would be absolutely on the mark. A picnic was taken in the shade and the Sunday papers were available. There was a little further track-searching in quite an open area. Tractors and caterpillar tracked vehicles had been re-arranging things, but the markers and the road were found and Ceret beckoned on a hot afternoon.

The bar of choice was spread out under big plane trees and the rugby on the wide screen was being enjoyed by the locals. Toulouse were winning their semi final much to everyone’s joy. It called for two grandes bieres. Bob had discovered un Monaco which is like a French equivalent to a lager and lime, with a lemonade top. It’s quite sweet and very pink to look at. The pink comes from some grenadine syrup, which will no doubt ensures its sweetness along with the added 7-up.

The hotel immediately upset the more carnivorous members as it was to be eaten away from the hotel at an Italian restaurant, which was in a busyish square. So we turned up with our voucher and we were fed quite well. There was wine of course.

Another rest day, except for the homme de fer. He was off after breakfast .


Now Dave had cracked the secrets of the technical tee- shirt there was no holding him. The shirt came with an instruction leaflet which he had lost or left. It could be worn cool side in side on hot days outside or alternatively warm side inside on cool days outside. We finally discovered that the labels were of different colours depending which way around it went.
With apologies to Longfellow, this summed up his quandary:

He had brought the shirt of Paramo.

On the walk he chose to wear it,

Wore it with the smooth side inside,

Wore it with the rough side outside.

He, to get the cool side inside,

Put the rough side warm side outside.

He, to get the cold side outside,

Put the warm side rough side inside.

That's why he put the smooth side inside,

Why he put the rough side outside,

Why, he’d turned it inside outside.

Dave eventually joined us for lunch in the place below where further technology was explained and tried.

Ceret has a history of being associated with artists. In particular Pablo Picasso, who lived there for a part of his life. The walls of the hotel were covered with prints and posters which reflected the artistic influences in the town. The museum had an exhibition of Hungarian fauvist paintings as well as featuring several of the ceramics of Picasso. Each of us in turn made our way around the cultural gem of Ceret. Art and modern art are challenges and I know little about it to feel safe when confronted by some of it. I suppose feeling insecure and challenged is a fair response to some of it. A common reaction that I am happy with is that I can find some art amusing. I enjoyed the use of colour and close examination of the surfces of the paintings showed greens and blues used in painting faces which on distance created blends in the eye. I enjoyed the simplicity and use of colour which being colour blind is some what ironic.

The next day would see us taken by taxi to begin the final stage and the walk to Banyuls sur Mer.