Bongo Fury

The Toulouse sausage itself, of course, is only part of the story, it's what you do with it that counts - ooh matron

In his French Odyssey, Rick Stein did "Hot Toulouse sausages with a tomato, caper and shallot salad"

The recipe is HERE and if you're wanting something to whet your appetite, this is scanned out of the book...

Fabulous part of the world. Just back from staying near Narbonne, stunning scenery with the old Cathar castles. Go to L'espace in Narbonne (you must book) all you can Gourmet for 30eu, lobster, fillet steaks, roasts, cheeses, etc etc, just unreal..

Derek

I did see a Bongo driving through the centre of Marcorignan a week or so back, can't be many around there - was that you?

Sadly, no, I flew down just for a few days with old friends, but am seriously considering taking the old girl down there..(and the van )

I really enjoy our holiday's Paul and Alison, where are we all off to next?

Jo x

Not sure yet Jo - Of course Mrs Muz & Muzette are still out there so there may be more photos to come next week - I did leave them a camera

Just found a free day to wade through the latest travelogue. Amazing stuff - as usual Muz and crew have managed to make me feel as adventurous and well travelled as a barnacle

How are you getting around to all those amazing places if not by Bongo?

Aha, you've spotted the lack of Bongo in these photos - that's because, although we were taking four days to get to southern France, once there we would have a more-than-adequate house to live in so there seemed little point thrashing Bongy around the place unnecessarily. So for the four days it took to get there - we wild-camped - in the car - old habits don't you know. Park up somewhere quiet, doors locked, seats back, "Night night John-Boy" Of course, not having a bog in the car was a bit of a drag for the ladies but they soon got the hang of pretending they were on one of those dodgy squat-toilets your parents told you about, you know the kind of bogs they still do have in large swathes of mainland Europe. We tempered Muzette's consternation by assuring her that it's the anatomically correct position

Oh for the return trip this coming weekend, no wild-camping for the MiL - I've had to book them a hotel, so two rooms, each for three adults. I'm not convinced they'll be too impressed as the rooms, which are just north of Paris, cost me less than €30.00 each

Muzorewa wrote:Aha, you've spotted the lack of Bongo in these photos - that's because, although we were taking four days to get to southern France, once there we would have a more-than-adequate house to live in so there seemed little point thrashing Bongy around the place unnecessarily. So for the four days it took to get there - we wild-camped - in the car - old habits don't you know. Park up somewhere quiet, doors locked, seats back, "Night night John-Boy" Of course, not having a bog in the car was a bit of a drag for the ladies but they soon got the hang of pretending they were on one of those dodgy squat-toilets your parents told you about, you know the kind of bogs they still do have in large swathes of mainland Europe. We tempered Muzette's consternation by assuring her that it's the anatomically correct position

Ah! So its was the Muz's who taught Bear Grylls how to survive out there, or was it his brother Bongo Grylls

Muzorewa wrote:Oh for the return trip this coming weekend, no wild-camping for the MiL - I've had to book them a hotel, so two rooms, each for three adults. I'm not convinced they'll be too impressed as the rooms, which are just north of Paris, cost me less than €30.00 each

Probably a Wild-Campanile hotel then. So.....no wild-partying, but you may have to expect a wild-reception on their return.

Oddly enough it is part of the Campanile chain but more budget even that

Ah, they were suitably underwhelmed

This shot was taken from the doorway to the room, apparently you could only enter one at a time because the door stopped you getting past the bed. Grandma on the top bunk

Ok, the ladies have returned safely and Mrs Muz managed to pilot the car from the south of France without crashing or falling asleep at the wheel So the following photos are a brief summary of what they got up to while I was trying to pay all their bills...


The English section in the local supermarket


La collégiale Saint-Etienne, Capestang


La collégiale Saint-Etienne, Capestang


La collégiale Saint-Etienne, Capestang


La collégiale Saint-Etienne, Capestang


La collégiale Saint-Etienne, Capestang


Capestang, Hérault


Capestang


Carcassonne


Carcassonne


Carcassonne


Carcassonne


Carcassonne


Carcassonne


Carcassonne


Eglise Saint Gimer just outside the walls of the fortress, Carcassonne


Muzette & Grandma, Carcassonne


The painted murals in the castle's Roman keep...


...were uncovered after the removal of later coats of distemper


Carcassonne


Carcassonne


Carcassonne


Carcassonne


Carcassonne


Basilica of St. Nazaire & St. Celse, Carcassonne


Basilica of St. Nazaire & St. Celse, Carcassonne


Basilica of St. Nazaire & St. Celse, Carcassonne


Basilica of St. Nazaire & St. Celse, Carcassonne


Gargoyles, Carcassonne


Old-timers trying to take selfies


L’Esgargot, Carcassonne...


...Muzette played it safe and opted for the Croque Monsieur


Muzette, Saint Pierre-la-Mer


War Memorial, Narbonne...


...with the Gallic rooster, the unofficial national symbol of France


Market, Narbonne


Canal de la Robine, Narbonne, with the Archbishop’s Palace (centre) and Cathedral (centre right)


Canal de la Robine, Narbonne


Narbonne


Muppet alert - Canal de la Robine, Narbonne


Canal de la Robine, Narbonne


Canal de la Robine, Narbonne


Narbonne


Archbishop's Palace, Narbonne


Archbishop's Palace, Narbonne


Cathédrale Saint-Just-et-Saint-Pasteur de Narbonne


Cathédrale Saint-Just-et-Saint-Pasteur de Narbonne


Cathédrale Saint-Just-et-Saint-Pasteur de Narbonne


Cathédrale Saint-Just-et-Saint-Pasteur de Narbonne


Teatro Museo Dalí, Figueres, Spain


Interesting use of old tractor tyres...


...for several sculptures of Ernest Meissonier, one of Dalí’s favourite French artists


Figueres


Church of Saint Peter, Figueres


Sculpture in homage to Sir Isaac Newton, Figueres


Figueres


Coopérative Oléicole l'Oulibo, Hameau de Cabezac, Bize Minervois, Aude, France, where they teach you everything there is to know about...


...olives


Still in the pool...


...in the middle of the night...


...not sure the neighbours were too impressed


6-scoop ice-cream


Heading north – Millau viaduct


Bongo alert!!


Hôtel Première Classe Chantilly Sud – Luzarches. This was my responsibility to book them a couple of rooms, this is taken from the doorway into the room which is so small you have to enter one at a time because the door won’t open past the bed. Then again, what do you expect for less then €10.00 per person Grandma on the top bunk


One final thought – these French types haven’t quite got the hang of my avatar yet

The ladies will be putting you out of a job if you're not careful