10. Esperaza Market, Bike, and BBQ

Sunday is a lay back and relax day around here. NO stores or restaurants are open, with a couple of very limited exceptions. However, Esperaza (6.5 miles away), has a huge Sunday Market, with assorted weird and fantastic participants, like we experienced last week, but didn’t fully appreciate. Soooo…we biked back to Esperaza today for some more Market. Earl and Paulita are experienced cyclists, who showed me (again) the best backroad route to the Market site. It  runs along the River Aude, passes three amazing hydroelectric dams like I described in an earlier entry, is shady,  scenic, paved and only lightly used by cars. Tres bonne! 

Earl still laughing about giving me that leather man bag...

The first stop on our arrival at Esperaza was the ubiquitous Coffee Truck! This guy goes everywhere we go, it seems, and is the most friendly person one could hope for. We ordered our cafe cremes to drink, then got some crepes at the tent next door…fresh-made on the flat round crepe stove with batter properly spread around using the classic wood paddle thingy. I love to watch these artisans make the crepes. Folding the finished crepe into the usual flat triangle shape is also an artistic accomplishment. This guy was good! SO, with crepes and cafe cremes, we sat and enjoyed people watching for as long as necessary, no hurry. A guy dressed in medieval costume strolled through our coffee spot, playing a lute (?) and singing old French songs. Earlier, another guitarist played beautifully and sang some newer pop songs, near our parking space!

Paulita guarding her crepe caramel

Paulita seems to know almost everyone we  encounter in these market jaunts, so I met LOTS of new friends and acquaintances… from all over the western world. Lots of languages, life experiences, and appearances that are different from our daily experience in Florida or North Carolina! Fantastique! My French hasn’t improved, but I’ve been reminded yet again of the humanity all around us, even when they don’t look, sound, or act like us! 


We explored the Market deeply again, searching for Earl’s particular type of honey. Finding that, we heard some sitar music in the distance. Following the unique and unexpected sounds, we found a wonderful couple playing beautiful music on electric guitar and electric sitar. A first for me. I videoed part of a song, which featured guitar mostly, but you could hear the unique strains of the sitar too. Just a  surprise “Wow” moment, adding to the mystique of the Esperaza setting. Nothing would top that sound today, so we biked home! 


We’ve been invited to a BBQ this afternoon, at the home of friends of Paulita and Earl. Tomorrow, we plan a combination shopping trip to Mirepoix (girls), with a bike ride along the Voie Verte (boys). I’ll let ya know how all that goes!

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