After the Bordeaux area, we decide to head in an easterly direction to Toulouse. The reason we’re going to Toulouse is to meet with Jaci, who is the daughter of our lovely friend Maria, who lives in Emerald with her hubby Schwarto, aka Greg. Jaci is about 30 and has been living in Toulouse for 4 or 5 years now and loves it. Jaci teaches English in a foreign language school and also at a Jewish Highschool. In her spare time she is learning to be a pastry chef with the plan to open her own Boulangerie in Brisbane one day – oh the young people of today, so full verve!!
We spend a wonderful couple of days with Jaci, wandering the streets and laneways of Toulouse – and can understand why she fell in love with the little city. On Saturday evening we meet Jaci and go to a local wine bar and have tapas and some local Rose – oh so French and such a lovely evening,
Kerrie and Jaci - wine in Toulouse
On Sunday, we first go to some local food and produce markets in stalls along the street. There are fruit and vegies as well as flowers and then along a bit further there’s cheese and meat stalls. Jaci buys her weekly supplies there – and Bob and I stock up on camembert cheese and jambon – yummo! Oh and the mushrooms are the biggest we have ever seeen. Kerrie gets some guidance from a lovely old French lady who always buys her mushrooms at these markets! Here’s some photos of the market stalls:
Fresh produce markets
Kerrie looking at those mushrooms
Then we wander onto Jaci’s apartment (in the middle of town – so convenient) and unload our produce. Next onto another more formal wine, cheese and meat market where all the locals gather. The locals buy a glass or three of wine, pieces of cheese and slices of salami or jambon and stand around oak barrels and chat and eat away – fantastic!! We can’t decide whether to join the locals around an oak barrel or to go upstairs to a restaurant/café that serves the local produce from downstairs. Because we are so over-whelmed by the choice of the cheese and meat, we decide to go to the restaurant – oh and it is just wonderful up there. Joining all the French people enjoying lunch. Bob and Jaci choose the set menu whereas I decide to have the calarami and chorizo dish – all shared with a local wine. Delicieux!! What a wonderful way to spend an hour or two on Saturday afternoon. Here’s some photos of our meals:
Kerrie's calamari and chorizo in Wine, Cheese & Meat Market
Bob, Kerrie and Jaci's meals at restaurant at Wine Cheese and Meat Market
After lunch, we wander onto the local Town Hall which Jaci says we must see – and wow, fantastic. It’s still a working Town Hall where the local Council meet to discuss business (we were able to peak into the room where they sit and discuss formal business – on an old, very large oval timber table that seats about 20 councillors!). It also allows weddings and other functions in its wonderful main hall area. Here’s some photos of the town hall:
Jaci and Kerrie at entrance to Town Hall Toulouse
Main hall in Town Hall Toulouse 2
Then we wander the streets a little more and down to the river. There are markets and lots of people along the river enjoying the sunny Sunday afternoon – and down on the river is a temporary rugby field constructed on the river. They’re playing some sort of festive rugby games where the players have to jump in the water if the ball goes over the edge (which it does, many, many times!).
Rugby field on river 1
Oh what a wonderful couple of days we have – thanks Jaci!
Au Revior
This featured blog entry was written by Bob and Kerrie from the blog 10 year anniversary jaunt.
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