Wednesday August 24, 2016

Wednesday August 24, 2016 was much cooler than yesterday.  Our predicted high temperature is 22 C while Paris should be 36 C again today and for the next 3 days. We watched the news around 19:00 and heard that Paris set an all time record for heat.  Very few of the hotels, homes, and apartments there are air-conditioned so it must have been miserable.  We spent two hours with Christine for tutoring.  She told us she had been swimming twice this year and she usually doesn’t swim at all because the sea is so cool.  The water temperature is always in the 60’s F this time of year.  We haven’t been swimming yet, although we’ve been in up to our knees many times.

Thursday August 25, 2016

Thursday August 25, 2016  has seen fog rolling in from the sea.  There is a little breeze from the north and the temperature is 17 C. Very pleasant when Sandy purchased our baguette for breakfast. We walked in the ocean in the morning before high tide.  The co-efficient was only 70 so there was plenty of beach.

At low tide, thousands of little sea creatures seek refuge by digging in the wet sand.

Today is the day for our hair cuts.  We found out today that the owner (proprietrice) sold her building.  She will work for another coiffure but also cut our hair in her home.  She lives very close to us.

Friday August 26, 2016

Friday August 26, 2016 was nice and cool when we walked to catch the bus.  We shopped at Intermarche grocery store.  It wasn’t crowded because the Rocabey marché wasn’t open.  We did some housekeeping chores and Sandy worked on homework.  In the afternoon we walked to the harbor and watched the Corsair ferry come and go, the Condor ferry arrive, and a few individuals row out in dinghies to their boats.  It was much warmer in the sun than in our apartment.  Paris continued their horrible heat of 36 C while we reached a high temperature of 23 C.  We enjoyed dinner at Diver’s Cite.

Sandy spotted these noisettes (hazelnuts) in the marche.

Saturday August 27, 2016

Saturday August 27, 2016.  The predicted high temperature today is 31 C.  That’s hot, but not as hot as Paris.  We wore our bathing suits and headed for the beach around 10 am.  The tide was out and there was a lot of beach before we reached the water.  There was more seaweed on the beach than we’ve ever seen.  We had to walk quite a way before we even reached clean water.  However, once we reached clean water it was the warmest we’ve ever felt it and was crystal clear.  There was very little wind so it was quite hazy when looking towards the horizon.  We could hear the “rumbling” of the Condor Ferry and it took a few minutes before we could see it.  The waves were very gentle as the tide began to come in.  It was a very hot day!

Sunday August 28, 2016

Sunday August 28, 2016 was much cooler.  After breakfast we walked to Saint-Servan to the Solidor Métiers d’Art to look at an exhibition-sale of 50 professional artists and artisans crafts (wood designers, glassblowers, sculptors on metal, earth, stone, jewelry designer, ceramists, mosaic artists, textile designers, leather goods, miniaturist, etc.) each having a range of their personal work. We didn’t purchase anything, but the exhibits were interesting to look at.  It was low tide and we could see how sailboat owners had to tie up/prop up their boats so they weren’t damaged between high and low tide.  The wind increased while we were away from our apartment and it was very blustery on our return walk.  Total distance for walking this morning was 5.6 km or 3 miles.

Us in Saint-Servan, yes it is a selfie.

Solidor Tower in the Saint-Servan part of Saint-Malo.

Solidor beach (plage) at low tide.

The small black shape in the middle is a cormorant.

We watched several families packing and loading their cars on their return to work this week.

Monday August 29, 2016

Monday August 29, 2016 we took the bus to the Rochebonne beach and walked back, this time on the dike/digue instead of in the water.  Sandy almost needed a jacket since the wind was blowing at 25 kph.  The sun was shining and we noticed a cruise ship moored in the basin.  It came in around 5 am at high tide.  We took care of some household chores and homework after lunch then walked to the harbor at 17:00.  The cruise ship was inline to go through the ecluse/lock. We watched it pass through and the “pilot boat” was waiting to escort it to the English channel.  Very interesting to watch.

Cruise ship BERLIN in the basin Saint-Louis.

Cruise ship BERLIN in the basin Saint-Louis.

The BERLIN leaving the lock (ecluse) to go to its next destination.

The BERLIN getting up to speed as it leaves the harbor.

Sail racing on the beach (plage).

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Tuesday August 30, 2016  is 13 C — in the 50’s!!  We took care of some household chores, and Phil met our neighbor Jean for coffee.  They are returning to Paris next week having been here longer than ever before, since April. After lunch we walked to the Mediatheque to return library books and stopped in at the Gare to buy our bus pass for the month of September.  We waited in line for 20 minutes.  We’d forgotten that school resumes in France next week, and there were several students waiting to buy their school bus pass.

Austria license plate seen in the parking lot.

Wednesday August 31, 2016

Wednesday August 31, 2016 and the last day of August.  Sandy wore a jacket this morning when she walked to the boulangerie to purchase our baguette and croissant for breakfast.  The sun was shining and the air is fresh. After lunch we walked to the closest beach, Plage du Mole where a few weeks ago we had walked around the mole.  Today there was a cruise ship moored in the harbor.  The tide was just beginning to come in and there was a lot of beach to walk on.  There were less than half the amount of people today compared to last week since the majority of weekly/seasonal tourists had left. Very pleasant and not too hot!

Condor Ferry entering the harbor.

Walk in the water at low tide.

Sandy in her supervisor pose.

Unknown cruise ship in the harbor

View of Petit Be and Grand Be from the Plage Du Bon Secours.

Thursday September 1, 2016

Thursday September 1, 2016 we took the bus to the Intermarche grocery store for a few items, stopped at the butcher in the Rocabey marché and found out they will be on vacation from this coming Saturday until September 22nd.  They’ve earned it, I’m sure after all of the tourists have left.  Even so, we waited in line at least 15 minutes today.  Sandy bought black olives from the olive (tapinade) vendor and two slices of pizza from the caterer (traiteur) while Phil waited in the butcher line. Our lunch  with the pizza slices tasted delicious and dinner with pork brochettes was a real treat!  All  well worth standing in line to buy. The sun sets at 20:40, much earlier than July.  Each day has at least 5 minutes less daylight.

Seriba license plate in the parking lot

Friday September 2, 2016

Friday September 2, 2016.  We spent two hours with Christine for tutoring today.  It was exhausting!!    We’re working on two different past tenses of verb conjugation.  A drain on our brains. Our neighbor Denise turns 84 years old today.  We left a birthday card for her in her mailbox on our way to Christine’s house for tutoring. The sun doesn’t rise until almost 7:30 now.  Our neighbor upstairs, returned to work after her vacation during the month of August and leaves  for work each morning before the sun is up each day.  Delicious steak for dinner!

Saturday September 3, 2016

Saturday September 3, 2016 and it’s sunny and nice when Sandy shops for our breakfast.  Simon Macaron Bouglangerie has the best Croissant almonds of any bouglangerie in Sandy’s opinion.  She usually is early enough to bring back a baguette still warm from the oven.  Can’t beat that type of breakfast.  Today we took the #2 bus to the Decouverte stop near the Intermarche hypermarket and walked about 10 minutes to a fabulous  flea market (braderie).  It was held at the site of the Banque Alimentaire or Food Pantry/thrift store warehouse.  We had been here in 2014 to donate our set of pots and pans.  When our kitchen was remodeled in 2014 we chose an induction cooktop and bought new flat-bottomed pans specifically for induction cooking.  Our old pots and pans were only 2 years old and had been used less than a total of 8 months.  They were a good donation.  The sale today was huge and very interesting.  There were many pieces of furniture priced to sell.  Huge “french country” style dining room tables, 6 chairs, and large hutch/buffets were priced at 60 – 80 euros. We also saw beds, dressers, 6 foot long chests with a lift top lid so heavy, Phil had trouble opening it.  We also saw a lot of household goods, linen, and many items for children.We purchased a metal, two piece decorated chicken for one euro.  It was very heavy and Sandy thought it was a mold for chocolate.  Very cute!  It was at 5 rue de General Ferrie and we don’t want to miss it in future years.  When you found an item you wanted to buy, you gave the item to a worker who then “tagged” the item and gave you a matching tag with price listed.  You took the price tag to the cashier and paid.  The cashier stamped your item paid and you returned the ticket to the original worker.  You were then given your item and ticket and could either leave or continue shopping.  Very efficient!

Our big purchase from the flea-markets.

Unknown flower near the flea-market.

Sunday September 4, 2016

Sunday September 4, 2016 was fairly quiet.  Several of the nearby merchants and restaurants were closed.  We went to the Mediatheque so Sandy could check out a few books.  Later in the afternoon we went upstairs to our neighbor’s apartment for an aperitif.  A tranquil day for us.

Monday September 5, 2016

Monday September 5, 2016 is Labor Day in the US and many people there had a 3 day holiday.  It is a normal working day in France.  High tide was at 10:15 so at 11:00 we took the bus to the end of the digue to walk back towards Intra-Muros in our beach shoes.  While waiting for the bus the wind picked up, the temperature dropped and it began to rain lightly.  We took the bus to our stop, walked to the sea, saw where the tide was too high to even see any beach, and waited 15 minutes for the same bus to take us back home.  We need to think about the height of the tide or the co-efficient.  It was scheduled for 80 meters, too high only 45 minutes after high tide, to walk on the beach.

Late in the afternoon we took a walk to the harbor.  It was low tide and not much was happening.  The sun was now out and was blazing down on us.  We could only stay about 15 minutes before it got too hot.  Quite a mixed bag of weather today.

The harbor at low tide late in the afternoon.

The harbor at low tide late in the afternoon.