tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post1234175038749322047..comments2024-03-26T07:58:59.761+00:00Comments on I'll think of something later: La Chaise-Dieu: high and strangeDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-66598705920278573572015-11-01T19:41:10.758+00:002015-11-01T19:41:10.758+00:00How strange to find a Pope's tomb in such a pl...How strange to find a Pope's tomb in such a place so far away from Rome or Avignon? You do wonderful travels.<br />If we move to Charlottetown in PEI we will have to delight you with descriptions of the many great red sandstone buildings and churches covered in fine art work. And its connection to Prussia and Frederick the Great. No Popes buried here though.Laurenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03297393116796129135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-55984925113159027672015-10-30T01:08:58.860+00:002015-10-30T01:08:58.860+00:00And of course I don't remember (the actual cos...And of course I don't remember (the actual cost), though I think not a missing naught, or I would have collapsed. Your tale of Lisbon we must keep in mind as we head there next spring! As for Monbazillac, I have now read that it declined over time, but then quality improved markedly with a ban on mechanical harvesting. Ah, noble rot!Susan Scheidhttps://prufrocksdilemma.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-50767382407283711832015-10-29T16:47:29.166+00:002015-10-29T16:47:29.166+00:00I have nowhere near as refined or as expert a pala...I have nowhere near as refined or as expert a palate as you, Sir David, and very possibly I was seduced by a cheaper-end Monbazillac. But I like extremes of taste, and the name too.<br /><br />Ah, the cheapness of the Middle East! Falafels from stands in the Damascus souk - alas, alas - at 2p a wrap...Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-15393708732862049982015-10-29T15:41:55.487+00:002015-10-29T15:41:55.487+00:00Monbazillac comes in several qualities ( as do man...Monbazillac comes in several qualities ( as do many wines of course) The ones usually thrust forward can be a bit cloying, but go up the price ladder just a bit and one can understand David's view<br /><br />My experience in not realising the noughts was in Jordan. Regardless of expense we lashed out on an impressive scale at a famous restaurant, only to find that the prices were LESS by a factor of ten ( we having got muddled about the exchange rate ). David Damantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-21270221785326335542015-10-29T08:12:41.895+00:002015-10-29T08:12:41.895+00:00And the tantalising question is - WAS it exorbitan...And the tantalising question is - WAS it exorbitant? My own contribution on this front: a last evening in Lisbon, and we were eating at an unpretentious fish restaurant on the harbour. J chose giant prawns and couldn't eat them all. Come the bill, and he realised he'd not seen the final nought. Way the most expensive thing on the menu. And I think they were Dublin Bay prawns to boot. In those days it was cash only, and we barely had enough money left to get a taxi to the airport at dawn.<br /><br />J'adore Monbazillac.<br /><br />Re Le Fougaou, I assume it was reasonably priced but I don't know because, ahem, this was the only meal to which I was treated on the trip, in the lively company of La Equilbey and her nice orchestral/choral managers.<br /><br />Sorry for the ongoing grind of your jury service.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-75957852144262615712015-10-29T00:41:20.558+00:002015-10-29T00:41:20.558+00:00After another day of GJ duty, I am feeling miserab...After another day of GJ duty, I am feeling miserably earth-bound, so what a startling contrast to come to your post. I'm afraid I can offer only a silly little story, and really not about the region in which Le Puy sits, but close enough that I'll offer it. We long ago rented a place somewhere in the Dordogne where we "discovered" such delicacies as a salad that included walnuts and bleu d'Auvergne, as well as a sweet wine called (I think) Monbazillac. We thought at the time these were the greatest things ever (and still do love a salad with blue cheese and walnuts). On leaving, we headed to Rouen where we had dinner at a restaurant with a Michelin star--our first ever venture into such an establishment. After dinner we asked for Monbazillac, and the waiter, bemused (for I think it's not really a very fancy wine), suggested we might like Quarts-de-Chaume. Indeed we did, and partook as it was served . . . which, at least at that time in France was quite liberally. When it was time to pay the bill, I realized I had best get right out the door as soon as possible for some fresh air, so I plunked down a credit card and raced out with a wave of the hand and some ersatz French to the effect that I would return. A close call, but I kept it together and was able to come back to sign the bill. Of course, they could have written it for any amount, and I'm not so sure I would have been the wiser.Susan Scheidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09250142489341777926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-64062737074257791842015-10-28T09:23:39.347+00:002015-10-28T09:23:39.347+00:00I guess you know the fabulous ?coloured drawing? o...I guess you know the fabulous ?coloured drawing? of Louis as Apollo/Sun showing off his shapely legs? <br /><br />Cardinal Mazarin is a fascinating figure - it's him we have to thank for Rossi's Orfeo.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-18385153867141796932015-10-27T23:38:12.580+00:002015-10-27T23:38:12.580+00:00In 1653 Louis XIV was 15 - he was then and later e...In 1653 Louis XIV was 15 - he was then and later exceptionally proud of his legs<br /><br />As an add-on I might remark then when he was 25 Cardinal Mazarin died ( taking farewell of his pictures one by one)... so the court asked " To whom should we address questions of State?" To which question Louis replied " To me"David Damantnoreply@blogger.com