Evening all.

We’re back in our “My Name Is Earl” hotel for the night in Aigues Mortes, our last night to break up the journey onwards to Nice where we are headed tomorrow. I knew this one was going to be a bit of a wildcard. There are neon flamingos. Rooms are painted in what I would affectionately call Dysentry Apricot and there is one plug socket. Everywhere I look something looks back, from a wall mounted gecko (quite like him), to a large painting of white Carmargue horses above the bed. The bar of bathroom soap is the actual size, to full scale, of a single piece of Caramac. The air conditioning however is absolutely top notch and given the humidity and size of my hair right now, that is all that really matters.

Before we came to check in we went to see the flamingos at the Parc Ornathologique a few KM away, and they were delightful. So many of them and the little noises they make! They sound like little pigs grunting, like the pig squeaky toy we bought for our late dog Cleo that she chewed the arse and the snout off within 15 minutes. But when they’re feeding they make a noise like a snorkelling pig. Think grunting but with bubbles. Absolutely delightful. Plus when they fly, they are like little flying sticks. Love them, and they are the least threatening creatures I’ve ever had the pleasure of encountering. I don’t think wars would be waged if people sat for half an hour and listened to flamingos. Someone send some to Putin please.

The wildlife reserve was really pretty, but it wasn’t easy to find our way and we ended up doing the short loop, which was a few KM. Ordinarily fine but the temps were pushing 28 degrees and we were feeling it. Was very glad when we finally stumbled upon the exit.

No wonder we’re both knackered tonight, today was a 13,000 steps day!

After flamingos we drove back towards our hotel for tonight and went to see the salt flats. This region of France, the Carmargue is famous for many things. Here comes the list. Bulls and bull-fighting (bleaugh), flamingos, sea salt, rice, rose wine and beautiful white horses.

The salt marshes are impressive, although I was expecting them to be more pink, rather than pinkish grey, and the piles of salt are on a hugely industrial scale, like looking at a mining operation.

Just a couple of minutes drive from there is the walled citadel of Aigues Mortes which we came back to explore a little later.

This was absolutely lovely. I was honestly just expecting city walls and cobbles and empty spaces within, not a bustling shopping, and dining almost mini town. Cobbled streets ran under the ramparts, and large open squares were flanked with tables and chairs of the restaurants and hotels that were everywhere. In fact the entrance itself looks so much like the entrance to the Cite Nocturne at Puy Du Fou theme park, it looked so familiar.

We sat and had a drink in a tree lined square overlooking a large fountain and it was most pleasant. We got to eavesdrop on some Brits behind us, “ah yes when I got the contract for Costa Coffee drive throughs”, …..”and then I added it to my portfolio…” we were having a good old chuckle. Nothing more entertaining than middle aged men trying to outdo one another.

Hubs had stayed here before for work and he wanted to show me, so this is why we chose to stay here for a night. We set off to have a drink at the bar of the lovely hotel he had stayed at. Day beds and big sofas outside, nice view of the ramparts, ordered an Aperol Spritz. Then hubs went inside to the bathroom, and realised he hadn’t in fact stayed at this hotel and it must have been another one but he can’t remember….. Also all the restaurants and lovely bustle within the walls was also news to him as he visited the winter when everything was closed. Sigh….

He also surpassed himself with a restaurant he’s eaten at before, and after some initial confusion about the reservation he tried to make earlier and being told they were closed that night, we got a call back to say it was actually fine and it turns out she opened just for us.

I’m really glad she did! I had octopus for only the second time in my life, with aioli and excellent chips and it was fantastic. Dessert was Affogato, vanilla ice cream with a shot of hot espresso poured over the top. Also great!

With dinner nailed for the second night in a row we walked back to the hotel, past the tourist boats and over what I’m assuming is the Canal du Midi which would totally have the Leeds Liverpool canal in a bar fight. It literally continues to the horizon, it’s nuts!

So I bid you farewell for another night. I don’t think sleep will be hard to find, and Nice beckons tomorrow.

TTFN x V