Twingo touring

This weekend I was visited by Richard, Leigh and Andrew from Paris. As the september rains were predicted to fall on Montpellier we decided to head east and west in the trusty Twingo...

...and head off to the town of Arles, which manages to be roman, medieval, and modern. The amphitheatre is still used (but not for lion vs. man contests)...

Arles used to be closer to the sea than it is today, and was once a thriving port and HQ for roman emperors during military campaigns. These days, the HQ is the impressive Hotel de Ville...

We also ventured to Carcassonne, home to the 'world heritage site' walled city.

Though beware - as Richard commented - inside it is "the world's oldest shopping mall".
Heading Back from Carcassonne to Montpellier, we made the impulsive decision to stop at Narbonne - a place we knew nothing about. It turned out to be a very charming town.
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By the time we spotted the landmark church on the hill of Montferrier, the sun had returned and we enjoyed a well earned glass of pineaux!

Working (and eating) in Portugal

Last week I was at a conference in Lisbon with friends and colleagues from around the world. We spent many a good hour in the district of Belém, which is home to the impressive monastery built to commemorate the voyage to India by Vasco da Gama (whose tomb rests there).

While in Belém it is essential to try the local delicacies. Richard attempted the world record for pasteis consumption (beaten only by me!)...

...while Sam and Sylvain compared the sizes of their tentacles (a draw was declared).

Installé!

My new apartment has been IKEAed (thanks carpenter Richard) which means I can relax and enjoy the view from the arch window.

Montferrier-sur-Lez is a village on a hill, just north of Montpellier. The river Lez runs past the foot of the hill. On tuesdays and saturdays the village hosts a small market where you can buy fruit, vegetables, cheese, meats, fish, moules, honey and, as you can see, .... roast chicken ...mmmm.

Close by is the Camargue, famed for its wild white horses and flamingos (flamant rose). The pictures on this blog are taken with my camera phone (SEK800i) and by holding it up to Richard's binoculars, I was able to get this shot of flamingos with a lapwing in the foreground.