The wine dinner was great fun- we already knew most of the group but met 2 new couples. One just moved to Tennessee and are in a lot of wine clubs, including several in Paso. The other couple has retired in Virginia. He was a marine and then a government contractor. He and Kelly, also a former marine, had a great time telling stories later.
So, as we walked into Alfredos, the pizza joint where you meet up before the wine dinner, we were the last couple to arrive. We sat down and this guy goes, “hey, are you the wine maker?” Apparently, word has spread all around the ship. They said some bar tenders told him there was a wine maker on the ship AND that his wife was very nice. (That’s me, in case you aren’t following!) HA! Now, Jason has been trying to always clarify his role- Nick is the winemaker at Nicora. Jason works in the cellar helping Nick make the wine. These people aren’t having it. Finally Jason said, ‘listen, I just don’t want anyone showing up at Nicora and saying hey! I met Jason the wine maker and having Nick say- oh really?” Hahaha!
So, the next morning, we woke up in France. This was originally the excursion we were most looking forward to. The first one we booked. Really, the only one we’d booked until the week before. We were going to have a private driver/ guide take us into the Chateauneuf du Pape wine region for tastings. It was going to be a long day because the drive there alone is at least 90 minutes each way. Anyway, the tour got cancelled. SO SAD! The reason that region was so alluring to us is they are the Rhone wine area- the same grapes Paso is known for. We know them well.
So, with the tour cancelled, we arrived in Marseille with no agenda other than to step foot in the south of France, eat some food and drink some wine. Of course. It was a very rainy day so we were all bundled in jackets with raincoats on top. We paid for the shuttle bus to take us to city center. Generally, you can walk out of port into town but they highly discouraged it this time because it was a 15 minute drive and not pedestrian friendly- so that would be a long, dangerous walk.
We get on the bus and head in. All was fine until the bus pulled over in an area with absolutely nothing around from what we could see in either direction. How could this be the drop off? Nothing was said. No maps. No directions. However, we happened to be sitting behind a Norwegian man who was speaking French and for that reason alone, we thought we’d follow him for awhile because at least he could read the signs. Never mind that we didn’t know where he was trying go. We didn’t know where we were trying to go either!
We found our way to a waterfront area full of bars and restaurants. It wasn’t the ‘old port’ or market area we were hoping to stumble upon, but if we didn’t find anything else, it would do! Of course, it was all of…maybe 10-10:30 so nothing was open. It was raining pretty good at this point so we just walked. We came upon a large cathedral that was beautiful.
Finally, the rain let up enough to where we could at least pull our hoods down which greatly helps when you are trying to look up at things! I never did find the fish market but I did later find Mike, the retired Marine, who said he found it and it wasn’t actually that cool.
About that time, we bumped into our English friends Maggie and Jack. I promise you every time Jack speaks, I die laughing. Here’s how it went, with the full language used, pardon our French.
We see each other.
Me: Hello!
Jack: Bon sua!
Maggie: No, it’s not nighttime. It’s bon jour.
Jack: Oh hell the French are such assholes. Everyone of them.
Maggie: No they aren’t.
Jack: take my word for it. The whole country. Assholes.
Laughter.
By this time, we’d wandered enough for the restaurants to be open so we went hunting for a good spot. We wanted to try the bouillabaisse (fish soup) that the area is known for. However, man! That is some expensive soup! One place wanted 69 euros for it. Imagine paying $80 bucks for a bowl of soup! That soup better have flakes of gold. It better change your life. Cure cancer. Enlighten you. Grant you three wishes. You get the point.
So, we picked a place after chatting a bit with one of the waiters who came to explain the sidewalk posted menu. Our table was outside facing the marina, but under cover in case it started to rain. We enjoyed a great bottle of French wine. It was still quite cheap, but definitely more than Spanish wine. I can hear what Jack would say about that.
We were trying to pick something to eat when this man walked up and sat behind us and started talking to us. Confession- we assumed he was a vagrant of some sort. Mostly based on his number of teeth. Which was quite minimum. 4, I believe. But anyway, we tried to listen for a moment and then turn away back to our table. He kept going. Our waiter came by and seemed to tell him to pipe down- but it in a very nice, respectful way. They both laughed.
And then something very interesting happened. We were probably there an hour or so. The entire time, every person who walked by, knew this man. They all talked to him. Some fist bumped. Some he called, “mon ami” which in all of my French knowing means my love. (Also, I don’t know any French) This toothless man was like the freakin mayor. Ok, not the real mayor, but that’s what the kids say when a person knows and is known by everyone.
Also, he kept talking to us. He “knew” that Jason was Irish because of his red beard. So he wanted to discuss whether he was from Belfast or Dublin. After a quick private consult, we decided Dublin was the safer bet so Jason became from Dublin. Then, he became Catholic. So, that was an interesting turn of events.
We found a Christmas ornament and some postcards- though we had to go to the tobacco shop for the stamps. Who knows why that would be. Then, we were ready to head on back to the bus.
I’m sad about our original tour and sad that I could have seen the lavender fields in Provence. I almost bought some lavender soap- that seemed to be the high in demand item from the area. But then I realized, I can make that myself! I’ve been wanting to plant lavender, which grows very well in our area. We are planning to come back to France and spend more time; we could see the rhone area, but also Bordeaux and Burgundy. That sounds pretty great.
Oh, I forgot! As we were walking, we came across a little shop that seemed to somehow be a chocolate and olive oil place. We went in to investigate and that’s exactly what it was! The lady working thankfully spoke pretty good English so she told us about the olive oil. We bought a little bottle. She asked if we wanted a sample of chocolate so we said why not! I am so glad we did!! Get this!! It is made with olive oil. No butter or cream. WHAT!!!! And it was absolutely delicious. So, now my enterprising brain is planning to make lavender soap and chocolate. See how this works?
Back on the boat, we ran into our New Mexico buddies Rich and Ginny whom we’ve been hanging out with since the first wine maker dinner. Our main man James saw us and brought us wine even though Vines wasn’t open yet. So, we accidentally sat there all day and drank 3 bottles of wine. This is mostly Rich and Ginny’s fault, of course, because they found a GSM they liked at the winery they visited and bought it to share with us. (This is a red blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre grapes- very common in Paso.) We all decided to go have a pizza up in Alfredos for an early dinner because you have to soak up the wine with something. However, we got delayed going up there because another couple we’d met, who have retired in Montana but originally from Texas, came by and we got distracted talking to them.
Oh, this reminds me. So, the previous sea day, we walked down to Vines before the art auction to turn in our coveted wine glasses from the night before. A couple at the bar lit up when they saw us and were like, “YEAH! There you are! We are bringing a wine we want to share with you.” At this point, I’m like- a) it’s 11 am b)who are these people? And c)ok.
Somehow, they’d heard of us. I have to say, we don’t have any need to be famous, but it is pretty cool to have random people want to share their wine with us. They’d opened a 2007 Silver Oak Cabernet. Who doesn’t like a Napa cab at 11 am before the art auction? Sign me up. It was pretty good! Aged well. Thanks, Laura and Bob!
We still have 5 of the original 8 bottles we brought to share. One of them we are planning to share with Rich and Ginny for sure. We’ll see what unfolds with the rest. I guess we could host a general Paso red tasting. The first Nicora tasting was a big hit, after all.
Anyway, back to the end of the day in France- we decided to take a chill night and stayed in the room and ordered some room service. Every once in awhile, you have to take it easy. And, Italy was coming!
No comments:
Post a Comment