Day 14: Bordeaux to Marmande 104 km. Bring on the entertainment.

A good day off was had in Bordeaux. A very diverse city with terrific markets and an endless collection of Bistros to choose from for lunch. I pick a local place with a view of the Marche Des Capucins to watch the world go by. And it does. I'm just having some cheese, bread and wine as a starter when there's a loud yelp and shouting. Ah, that'll be the entertainment. A big man and a small dog were arguing loudly with a small man and a big dog. Well the dogs weren't arguing obviously but they were having a bit of a snarl off. The big dog had bitten the small dog on the bum and that led to the yelp. It started to calm down a bit but then the big dog had another go at the small dog's bum and it all kicked off.

The arguing escalated into pushy, shovey, handbags at dawn and then a bit further. Everyone in the Bistro was watching surreptitiously and I think a book might have been opened on the outcome. I moved from a soft cheese to a harder one. It seemed like the right thing to do. There was more pushing and then a Gallic shrug and eyebrow raising competition to see who could go the highest and then a full blown punch up broke out with the dogs having a bit of a go as well. I ordered more bread. This could take a while.

Then something pretty good happened. A very elderly and frail man, who was sipping a Ricard in the Bistro, got his walking stick and then slowly but surely stood up and somehow inserted himself in between all the combatants. He then proceeded to wag his finger at everyone and speak very softly whilst leaning precariously on his stick. Everyone calmed down and looked a bit sheepish. Everyone except, that is, the little dog who couldn't quite pull that look off because his nose was too long and was clearly still miffed about the bum biting thing. I think the final result was a score draw, with a busted lip equalling the bitten bum. 

Age and vulnerability proved to be a good combination to sort that little quarrel out. If a younger man had intervened (someone my age say) it is likely that the number of fat lips and bite marked bums would have been higher. That's my take on it. Besides I was moving systematically through the cheeses and I might have lost my place.

Lovely, sunny ride today. Once out of Bordeaux I was into the woods and vineyards. About midway there were signs to Duras where Liz and I spent some lovely days with Dave and Linda.

Joined the Garonne Canal again a bit later and stayed on it for the last 40 km. Highlight was this lovely bridge that was closed to traffic so I had it all to myself.

Off out now to see if I can find something to eat and some entertainment in Marmande.

I was just checking this, having written it earlier, and about to post it, when the entertainment started at the bar I was in. The owner and a staff member got into a car right outside the bar and another member of staff put two chairs in the road to reserve the parking spot. Wonderfully, two guys, who were swaying slightly in the breeze, sat in the chairs about six feet apart, in the road, with their beers. Priceless. The staff came out and and tried to get them out of the chairs. I've ordered three types of cheese and bread and my money is on the barmaid.