A Very Warm December 2006

We got away to Port Vendres the first week of December 2006, and it was a balmy 70 degrees and sunny. All the roses were in bloom on the upper terraces and we ate outside most days. Dan started weeding and watering the terraces, starting with the bottom one with the Oleanders and fledgling Olive tree. Its quiet at night along the coast in winter, but Port Vendres is a busy working port and still buzzes by day. At 6pm most evenings we'd head down to the fish port to the wet bar for oysters, shrimp, chilled white wine. Leaving Perpignan airport to return to the madness of Christmas preparations in London, we caught a spectacular sunset over Canigou mountain (above) - living up to its name as the spiritual heartland of Catalonia. The family were waiting for the treats we bought back: Banjuls appertif wine, anchovies, chestnut spread, chocolate covered nougat, and homemade hazelnut- embedded salami from the saturday morning market in Port Vendres.