Living In Montpellier: December 2011

December 19, 2011

Padlock incident

Once upon a time I had a padlock on my suitcase and I left the key inside the luggage... So when I arrived at St Pancras International I was sort of hoping they would search my luggage... They didn't ! I asked them if they could help me. They tried to open the lock with spare keys. I said "what would have happened if you had to search the luggage ?" No answer. I then added : "surely a crook could do it..." "Oh yes" the helpful officer said "you wouldn't have noticed anything" Anyway eventually they said all they could suggest was to call "maintenance" but that it always took ages for them to come.
I caught the Eurostar to Lille. At this station I asked for some help from the staff. They couldn't (or wouldn't ?) help me. At the end I sent a text message to my friend N. in Montpellier. She had one of her student bringing a saw for me.
Now I have a padlock with combination.

Sunday 11th December

I was at my parents' and we went for lunch at the "Relais de Sologne" (see : http://www.lerelaisdesologne.com/) which is a nice "provincial" restaurant in the pretty village of Minestrau en Villette 20 minutes away from Orléans.

Ménestrau en Villette nr La Ferté St Aubin, Sologne (3)

Ménestrau en Villette nr La Ferté St Aubin, Sologne (2)

Ménestrau en Villette nr La Ferté St Aubin, Sologne (1)

Birmingham

I was invited to a WRVS meeting in Birmingham on the 7th. It was to do with the major restructuring of the charity. Fairly interesting. Afterwards I met my colleagues who are volunteer's partner like me. It was my birthday so I treated myself to a concert at Symphony Hall : Bruckner's 7th. (See : http://www.thsh.co.uk/event/cbso-nelsons-conducts-bruckner-s-seventh/) The 1st piece was by a living composer. Mr Ruders was on stage at the end to be lapped up by the audience. Very good evening.
I enjoyed too going back to Birmingham. My last visit was in the late 80's and it has changed quite a lot since then !