Tuesday 22 April 2014

A Thoroughly Wet Day.

Easter is over - and with it the pleasant weather.   Today it is pouring with rain.   So when friend W and I went into our little market town, as we often do on a Tuesday morning, it was to find that the world and his wife had come into town.   This often happens up here when there is a wet day:  visitors to the area explore the countryside and walk the hills and then, when it rains, they come into town to have a look round.

Finding a Parking spot was rather more difficult than usual, but we did manage to get our favourite spot in the Coffee Shop - in the bay window, looking out over the Market Square so that we could watch The World and his Wife go past.

The area seems busier than usual already this year.  On July 5th, which is a Saturday, the Great Britain leg of the Tour de France comes straight through the middle of our town.   I understand that all available accommodation has been booked up for months - hotels, B and B's, Caravan Parks and the like - and all the shops are already full of memorabilia - mugs, stickers, fridge magnets, tea towels, wall posters - local businesses are going all out to make as much profit as possible from the Tour.   Good Luck to them I say.

I fully expect the whole thing to flash through the town and be gone, outriders, followers, tourists and the lot so there will be limited time to catch anybody to spend money in the town.

Most of the locals, certainly in our village which, rumour has it, is to be used as a Parking Spot, intend to spend the day closeted at home, missing it all.

I am now back home, the stove is lit and burning brightly, I am re-reading Vita Sackville-West's 'Twelve Days', which is about her trekking through the Persian Mountains on a mule in 1927.  She was certainly intrepid!

16 comments:

Gwil W said...

I like your Campari colored gate , or is it Bellini ? Hard to say. Thanks for looking at my Venice photos and glad they reminded you of some good times.

Sue in Suffolk said...

I watched the tour of Britain go down the A road locally a couple of years ago. The best bit was all the police motorcycles in relays holding up the traffic from the side roads, and then the support cars. |the cyclists including Bradley Wiggins were gone in a flash.

The Broad said...

I am a new follower of your blog and have been enjoying you posts very much. We live in southern France during the summer and it is not unusual for the Tour de France to pass through one of the nearby towns. I have the impression it is the celebratory atmosphere that is created before, during, and after the racers fly by that is important -- and the small chance that you might get you hands on one of the yellow shirts that get thrown out to the onlookers!

The Broad said...

I am a new follower of your blog and have been enjoying you posts very much. We live in southern France during the summer and it is not unusual for the Tour de France to pass through one of the nearby towns. I have the impression it is the celebratory atmosphere that is created before, during, and after the racers fly by that is important -- and the small chance that you might get you hands on one of the yellow shirts that get thrown out to the onlookers!

Reader Wil said...

We still have wonderful sunny weather, though I can't say that it is warm. Some of the trees are having so many flowers , so that no green leaves are to be seen.
It's so wonderful!

Jinksy said...

There was nothing to tempt me outside today, which is just as well, as I need to be 'in' for an Amazon delivery of 'Tis' by Frank McCourt and and a Tesco delivery of groceries to feed me during the coming week. Meanwhile, I spent the time wandering in Blogland... ♥

Dartford Warbler said...

It`s raining here and cold too.

Since the New Forest became a National Park, we seem to have had more cyclists rushing around the lanes than ever before. Not those having a leisurely pedal around to enjoy the peace of the Forest; more the Lycra brigade with heads down, furiously speeding past. I wish you joy of the Tour de France!

angryparsnip said...

No Tour de France here, Although we have a Tour de Tucson that many riders from all over the world come to.
Many teams train here. I remember one day I was driving home I live in the foothill, quiet roads, and a team engulfed my car and zoomed off to the left.
No fire lit here today, it is hot and the air-conditioner is on !

cheers, parsnip
Pets to Tess

MorningAJ said...

We have a fair in our village for four days every year and we go away to miss it! I'm not sure I'd like the Tour de France coming through.

Acornmoon said...

It must be more than annoying having so many visitors and their cars. We have taken to using our newly acquired Senior Rail Cards.

Em Parkinson said...

How exciting having the Tour coming through the town!
You left a comment a couple of hours ago which I think was meant for someone else. You were confirming something about Tess but it obviously wasn't from this post.... x

Arija said...

I find the lycra clad cyclists are a nuisance.No matter how the traders cash in, they certainly impede the flow of life for the other residents. It took me half an hour to get across the road to the post office and difficult to move along the footpath with bicycles blocking foot traffic.

Heather said...

I hope plenty of the spectators spend their money in your local shops and restaurants. The locals are wise to stay at home until all returns to normal. Your way of spending a wet and dismal afternoon appeals to me.

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

The scene in your header photo is beautiful. How wonderful it must be to be able to look over that beautiful, moss spattered rock wall with cattle grazing in the field just the other side of that little creek any time you like! That looks like a dream to me.

I always enjoy reading your blog. If I was you, I would just hope that all of the Tour de France cyclists and associated traffic would just keep on their way.

Cro Magnon said...

The best bit of the Tour is the advance guard 'Publicity Caravan'. It goes on for ages, and they throw out all sort of publicity items. Hats, key rings, yellow shirts, chewing gum, drinks, you name it they throw it! Get there early; it's fantastic.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for calling in. Do call again. IIt is always nice to see you.