The Fig

Twenty-four hours ago I didn't know the difference between a fig and a Russian weather balloon. My only experience with them was either dried and dusted in sulphates, or as a fig cookie in a plastic wrapper. Getting into the car yesterday, I noticed this little purple purse of flesh sitting on the hood where it had fallen out of the tree under which we park. At this point I noticed the tree was full of this little purple fruit and decided to investigate. Thirty minutes on the internet and now I'm a leading expert on the fig.
This amazing little fruit is on par with the mango and peach for flavour and richness when eaten fresh. I quartered these ones, spread on little local artisan goat cheese and finished it with a dab of honey....Wham! Tastes like the tears of joy from the angels of heaven. Coupled with a steaming cappuccino on the terrace in the first light of a beautiful morning and you can actually hear the angels whisper your name as they shed those tears of joy.

LE CIRQUE

The circus by Kali and Blaire
Just like the olden times...like when you were kids right?
Right Kali...Just like when we (Warren and I ) were kids.

This is my family at the circus in Quissac.  I have never been to the circus before!

Are there really hippos in there?

I hope they  have clowns.

Rock Star Seating

This pony was fast.  They ran around the ring really really fast and then  one got on the stool.
It was sooooo cool!

Look at this pony on the stool....wow!

She can pick up a ribbon on the rope.

It is a big white horse.  It's a momma horse and she stood on a stool.
She got onn the gate and she stared at us.

Have you ever seen a cow on a stool?
He scared me a lot, but I forgot that he is a circus cow and he is good.
Ha Ha Ha

Dad said that bad kids are given to the circus....I don't believe him.

So I made the whoopi bird sign.  Nana started that in Turkey a long time ago,

when she thought Daddy was telling a story!  

The goat is cute and this little boy brought him out and the goat got away.
He is sooo cute.

This girl was juggling rings.  She had on high heels, a skirt and a tanktop.  They were all sparkly.  I loved it.

This girl climbed the rope, really high, and grabbed on.  The guy twirled her super fast.
I thought she was going to be sick.  No, really I did!

Look at the guy.  He has a blindfold.  When the 
Clown whistles he jumps because he thinks the
clown is turning the rope, but he wasn't.  It was 
really funny.

This boy was juggling fire.  He kept dropping things  before....Daddy said he was scared!!!!

Festival D'Abrivado Day 6

Today was the sixth day of the Festival and the highlight was the Abrivado (delivering the bulls from the fields to the arena) being staged in the river that runs through the town. It started out pretty normal however, as you will see as the videos progress, it soon dissolves into something out of a European soccer match.

Here you can hear the spectators react when the riders lose control of the bulls and Trevor makes a break for freedom.

Here is Trevor being brought back .

Then the French Duck Hunters show up with the cap guns and fire extinguisher.

Here is Pierre with the magnesium flare.

One more day to go.

Concours D'Abrivado Quissac 2011

I was checking out the festivities here in town on Saturday and stumbled across this event. It is a competition based on the traditional Abrivado (running the bulls from the fields to the ring before the bull fight) and Bandido (running the bulls back through the streets to the field after the fight). The teams all met at the town square (see video one) then paraded through town to the starting point (video 2). I found a window ledge I could hang from and take some shots with one hand as the teams crashed their way by in the narrow cobblestone streets (video 3).

The traditional cattle prod. A popular symbol in the area.

Waiting for the competition to start.

More Dawinism in action.

The clattering of the shod horses echoing in the narrow streets is unforgettable.

These guys try to get in the way (?) I havn't figured this part out yet. Something about Darwin.

Coming through the town square.

This team is loosing control of the bulls and then the bystanders (Darwins subjects) can get in and really mess things up.

This team placed second. The rules were beyond me but they  have a tight formation and great control of the  bulls. The horses are trained to lean in like this.

Look close to see the bulls hooves.

Basket stirrups

Awards ceremony with all the team leaders.

Roussataio sous les arches du pont

Today was day four of the Feria de Quissac festival and we were down by the ancient stone bridge watching a traditional Roussataio. It original purpose was to gather the horses part way through the summer and check them over as they were left out to pasture for most of the summer. Now they run the mares through the village more for the tourists than for any functional purpose. Really quite the site to see, regardless of the purpose. I think the horses are Andalusians.