balinares: (Default)
Balinares ([personal profile] balinares) wrote2007-09-16 12:17 am

Back.

Back from vacation!

All in all, in a little over one week, we drove well over 3,000km, which is by far our current record and more than a little bit crazy. Thankfully I've got a bit under one more week off left, so I'll just sit around and chill and presumably sleep lots, but my poor girl resumes work on Monday so let's have a thought for her. :/

So we drove around lots. Got lost then found our way. Found ourselves stranded without a place to stay for the night on account of half of England staying in hotels in France at this time of year, apparently. Remained unfazed and resourceful, absorbed an unhealthy chunk of the ungodly good food that make southwestern France's worldwide reputation, for moral support, and then in a mere couple phone calls from a deserted parking lot at night, arranged ourselves a room in a very nice hotel close to the best sights.

Essentially, the region of Périgord is all about ancient limestone plateaus that rose between the volcanic chain of the Massif Central and the much younger Pyrénées, and subsequently got eroded, and gave way to a relatively dry but geologically rich landscape, making it one of the oldest known continuously inhabited areas since man got off the tree. In practice, this translates into tiny windy roads into remote places (although nothing on par with Saint Lucia, don't you worry), LOTS of prehistoric settlements such as the famous Lascaux caves, more medieval and Renaissance castles than you can shake a trebuchet at, and a very typical production of food centered on goose, duck, fattened goose liver, fattened duck liver, and goose and duck cooked in goose grease. With potatoes. Also cooked in goose grease.

And wine.

We ate, shall we say, fairly well.

That's about all I'm going to go into right now, but there's one more little thing I intend to post about. Coming up soon.

[identity profile] glashund.livejournal.com 2007-09-16 05:43 am (UTC)(link)
Apropos of nothing, sorry I haven't managed to catch up with you yet! Will manage as soon as timing permits.

[identity profile] balinares.livejournal.com 2007-09-17 12:33 am (UTC)(link)
Aw, s'okay dear, I'll see you soon enough when I'm back to both the keyboard and a more regular schedule. :) *hugs!*

[identity profile] kefen.livejournal.com 2007-09-16 08:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay for vacation! Glad to hear you still have a little time to recover, and many sympathetic smooches to your girl :/

Now I wanna crash at your place one of these evenings and hear EVERYTHING that happened at EF directly from you ;)

...

I'll bring booze, fair enough? 0:)

[identity profile] balinares.livejournal.com 2007-09-17 12:32 am (UTC)(link)
Aw, with pleasure! Any evening of the week that C. is not on duty would be okay (that means Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday), but since she and I will be in Paris on Saturday for the Lion King musical, perhaps we can pay you a visit rather than the other way around? How's that?

[identity profile] kefen.livejournal.com 2007-09-17 08:04 am (UTC)(link)
Oooh, musical on saturday? Coool!

I won't be around, though. Sister's birthday saturday afternoon, and my boss' housebreaking party in the evening.

That sucks, I'd have offered to stay at my place before/after the musical -- though if you need somewhere to crash/start from, I'll gladly give you my spare set of keys :)

[identity profile] balinares.livejournal.com 2007-09-17 11:34 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, I got us tickets for the avant-première for C.'s birthday. :D

Pity you won't be around though. If you want to come another evening of the week (tomorrow?) that's wonderful, but, uh, don't come too loaded, and... bring a bag. :P I've got Chartreuse left over from EF, too, no need to bring booze!

[identity profile] kefen.livejournal.com 2007-09-17 12:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Sweet!

Tomorrow's busy already -- got our newlywed G. staying home so we can play Guitar Hero with two guitars =)

Wednesday or Friday looks better, I'll email you so we can plan something :)

[identity profile] balinares.livejournal.com 2007-09-17 12:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJiipu019_c
Holy crap, they're really doing it. Somehow it's so hard to believe. c_c