Bandol to Cannes

After two days of searching I finally found a bike hire shop so while Liz went off to get (another) haircut and looked at the shops (good grief) I hired a velo to see if I could find if L’Enclume (scene of the beginning and end of my rock star fame). I found it…at the end of a 2km ride straight up a hill. Last time I was there in 1971 there wasn’t a house to be seen. Now…. New road and pretty well built out. The club where we played for 6 weeks or so is now a huge shopping centre and car park.

Last complete day in Bandol and after the usual weird meal we decided to go and watch one of the soccer matches at a restaurant on the beach front. Cup of tea would be nice says Liz so down we sat. Surly waiter gave us two good pots of water and two teabags. Cost 8 euros or about 10 dollars so I got up and went inside and asked and received another teabag. Down chased the surly waiter and thumped another bill down for two euros ninety cents. You have to be kidding quoth me screwing up the bill and dumping it on the ground. Really unpleasant manager came down and told me to pay. No chance says mister righteousness; you’re a complete crook mate: right says he “get out of my bar you Ecosse” so we did with me gently telling him “I’M CALLING THE POLICIA MATE: YOU CROOKED GIT”. He didn’t look a happy chappy because he really thought I was going to do that (the French HATE the police). He would have been even less happy when he realised that I was laughing like a drain crossing the road. It probably took him a while to realise that we hadn’t even paid him the 8 euros for the original tea let alone the ruddy teabag. Quelle Prat.
Trying to get out of Bandol to Italy was tough as there was a huge flood from Toulon to Nice and a lot of trains were cancelled. We were told that 32 people died in the flood but surely that has to be an exaggeration? Did it make the international papers? Took us most of the day so we decided to stop at…

Cannes for two nights where we pretended to be famous people which is difficult when you look like two rats in a hat. Stayed at probably the best hotel so far and it only cost 130 euros a night: I think it beat the Roxburghe in Edinburgh which costed 430 quid for two nights but Liz doesn’t agree. Quelle surprise! Cannes is a pretty good wee town and we’d have loved to have stayed longer but….onwards and downwards.

Off to Florence again as we’re running out of time. Two nights in Rome where we’re hoping to take Prue out for a meal.