St Gilles 6 May

Made the decision to stay in St Gilles for 3 nights. Have a number of errands to take care of and need to change oil on Lellebelle. Oil change every 150 hours. Last oil change in Ostia outside Rome. And we need a day to visit the Camargue. 

Getting used to this procedure. Also getting better at stopping oil spill. Carl hard at work.

So maybe it will be an after work with some wine from the Camargue. Beautiful labels.

Across the road from Lellebelle, this is La Taverna du port. Friday night and a notice on the door  that it is karaoke night. After Carl prepared a well cooked meal and served some Camarque wine, we decided to check out the Friday night culture in St Gilles with karaoke. And what fun! There were about 40 people, all ages, from 10 years old upwards. We found a place next to a guy who turned out to be a Canadian, Dave, who has been living in France for the past 10 years. He and his son, Remy, go to all the Karaoke evenings in the area.

Dave explained that the Karaoke operator goes round to all the villages and towns every weekend. The people take it very seriously and he has a faithful following.

Remy went on stage and sang the Beatles "Michele, my belle" and Dave sang the Rolling Stones number " Playing with fire". He told as he had been practising it all week,

After his song, he and Remy left to catch another Kareoke evening in  Nimes. By this time it was 23.00.

Then the dancing started, line dance, some sort of birdie dance and YMCA. We joined in of course, even if we were useless at the line dance and the birdie dance. But we know how to do the YMCA...young man.......I said young man......

It was great fun and even if we had we had quite a laugh, we admire these people that actually do something they enjoy on Friday evening instead of just drinking at an afterwork! (Like us!)

Carl: Leslie and I are going to train on a few duets like Jackson, It ain't me babe, and some more of Jonny Cash and June Carter top hits. 

Earlier in the afternoon did some shopping, oil for the oil change, water and food. At least a 4 km trek to the Super Marche.

I have read that this is the symbol of St Gilles. It is the hind (the female red deer) who was tamed by St Giles and shot by the King.