David in Spain

A little bit of everything

Girona Grapes revisited

Podcast 07

I quite enjoy heading into Girona on a Wednesday at the Cafe Pati Verd which is part of the Carlemany Hotel. The Girona Grapevine meets every week to have a chat about whatever in going on in the Girona area. it is great to be integrated and a part of the Catalan community but it is good sometimes to meet with English speakers and chill with it. Today I was in Girona again to meet with a group that is a splinter group of the Grapevine, the Writers group. The organiser of this is Sue Crampton and after our meeting of writers, or scribbling wannabee’s (that’s me) I interviewed Sue so she could tell us more about living in Catalonia and also about Girona Grapevine.

The interview with Sue was quite short and maybe I will be able to catch her again to pick her brains about other topics. There are other questions I could have asked but we were under the cosh as far as time was concerned. In any case I think you will find it interesting, have a listen.Sue Compton

The writing was interesting with six members present and all of the others had short pieces of writing to present and read to the group. I only decided that I would go to the group yesterday so was in listening mode. One of the group is a Catalana and was writing in English. I really do know how difficult it is to write in a second language however long you have been speaking it. Indeed being creative in written form in your mother tongue can be a bit of a challenge, Well done Eva.

Tony Tysoe wrote an interesting piece that was really challenging in terms of idea. Writing is one thing but getting creative and coming up with something that makes you rub a few brain cells together, that’s another level all together.

Languedoc Region in France

Just got back from a few days visiting the Pays Cathares which is kind of from Carcassonne down to the Pyrannees. This will qualify for this web site because it is a Catalan region. The road signs in many of the towns were in both French and Catalan.

This is a wine making region and just about which ever way you look there are vineyards. I don’t like wine myself so there was no wine tasting being done on the trip, but there were lots of Domaine de ….. wine tasting places where you can taste the stuff and buy it if you want to.

I am reading a book at the moment about the area called Labyrinth by Kate Mosse and it is one of those books that once you have started you can’t put down. In the book it is centred in Languedoc and in particular around Carcassone, Foix and the castles of the area like Chateau Montsegur. I can tell you it certainly looks impressive at the top of the mountain. Quite a climb to get to it.

Site News

I have a very short interview with a couple that were at the Girona human castles event. I didn’t have time to edit it before I went away for the few days in France. I have one more interview recorded but neither I not the interviewee is happy with it so we are going to re record it in the next few days.

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