Catching the light

"We're losing the light! We're losing the light!" called Pete impatiently as we waited for the rest of the party to join us for the drive to the restaurant. It was a glorious evening, and in the end the photographers leapt into one vehicle and drove off, leaving the others to follow. We got to the Garonne with just a three-minute window before the sun dropped behind the trees, so we all leaned over the bridge parapet firing off shots.

Today we went to the lily nursery at Latour-Marliac. It was an overcast morning, although it cleared in the afternoon. But it was probably inevitable that I took all the good shots last year, and so I didn't take any that really pleased me today. I think also there weren't as many lilies in flower.

Afterwards we had a good-natured and rowdy pétanque match in which I performed miserably; in my defence I haven't thrown a boule in twenty years. Then we went to Quai 36, a rather smart restaurant in Tonneins, for our farewell dinner. The food was good, if not quite up to last year's standard, but the service was very slow, which dampened the atmosphere somewhat. The previous evening, we'd had a very noisy and enjoyable evening at Vétou's -- a highlight of the holiday. Vétou is a former professional chef who now cooks meals for PPF's guests in her own home -- she's a lovely lady and her duck in red wine is the best I've ever tasted.

It was a good week; I didn't learn as much as last year, but that was to be expected. It is so relaxing not having to plan or organise anything; just get driven around to beautiful venues, take photos all day, and stop periodically to eat delicious food and drink wine.