The week has gone quickly immersed in rural France at the Sport Nature complex. There are a mixture of people doing all sorts of activities .This morning we were talking to policemen who were there on a course to learn to teach outdoor activities. We are really being exposed to some basic French customs- types of food, language etc. My French has improved heaps as have been trying to practice with basic conversations. We drive along through lots of small villages and some that look very desserted. Many fantastic old stonehouses with creepers, all manner of shutters and pots of geraniums. As we are driving I talk to Jonathan, who wants to practice English and then I get him to correct my French. He was supposed to take an English class at Uni but that time was devoted to kayaking instead.His English is much better than my French and it will take a long time but some basic sentences seem reasonably engrained.
Last night dinner included moules (mussels) and salmon steaks as well as quiche, salad and frites, which went down well with the boys. The mussels were cooked in a creamy garlic sauce and were tres petite compared to NZ, but kids said sweet and delicious, and a Bretagne speciality- the region Jonathan is from. After dinner we talked training plans with Jonathan and received an insight into the French programme and the different training blocks they do. All of the canoe clubs in France follow the same plan but adjust the aerobic sessions to suit their lifestyles eg in winter they do cross country skiing for 3 hours as a club.
We woke up to rain and then travelled about an hour to a new course – Orthez. It took awhile to find but when we arrived it was really nice and the rain had subsided. Orthez course is a narrow chanel off a bigger river with lots of trees around and has some good features at the beginning, with a flat patch in the middle before a tricky feature- a curl off the wall at the bottom. There were two groups of Spanish training also. Some were really young, ten and eleven and paddling all manner of slalom boats from old 4m boats to Galaport, Dinos , specially built for young kids and had traveled from San Sebastian down the coast from Biarritz. The other group were the Spanish junior team who are in training for European U23’s and Spanish championships. Bradyn was not feeling great so he took the day off and Ben paddled Jonathan’s C1.
We had a picnic lunch provided- pretty substantial by NZ standards- bread, ham, cheese- 3 types, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs all wrapped, chips, muesli bars, fruit bars, packet prunes, chocolate mousse dessert. Even the starving boys couldn’t eat it all…
Last night dinner included moules (mussels) and salmon steaks as well as quiche, salad and frites, which went down well with the boys. The mussels were cooked in a creamy garlic sauce and were tres petite compared to NZ, but kids said sweet and delicious, and a Bretagne speciality- the region Jonathan is from. After dinner we talked training plans with Jonathan and received an insight into the French programme and the different training blocks they do. All of the canoe clubs in France follow the same plan but adjust the aerobic sessions to suit their lifestyles eg in winter they do cross country skiing for 3 hours as a club.
We woke up to rain and then travelled about an hour to a new course – Orthez. It took awhile to find but when we arrived it was really nice and the rain had subsided. Orthez course is a narrow chanel off a bigger river with lots of trees around and has some good features at the beginning, with a flat patch in the middle before a tricky feature- a curl off the wall at the bottom. There were two groups of Spanish training also. Some were really young, ten and eleven and paddling all manner of slalom boats from old 4m boats to Galaport, Dinos , specially built for young kids and had traveled from San Sebastian down the coast from Biarritz. The other group were the Spanish junior team who are in training for European U23’s and Spanish championships. Bradyn was not feeling great so he took the day off and Ben paddled Jonathan’s C1.
We had a picnic lunch provided- pretty substantial by NZ standards- bread, ham, cheese- 3 types, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs all wrapped, chips, muesli bars, fruit bars, packet prunes, chocolate mousse dessert. Even the starving boys couldn’t eat it all…
Back at accommodation now after a drive through gorgeous countryside with fields of sunflowers all nodding to the sun. Another session in Pau and kids now in sauna to recover.
2 comments:
Hey Sue, really enjoying all the photos... when you get a chance could you also include one of the kids all doing their homework... for them to take to school with them next term. Cheers, Phil.
yeah right!!!
Post a Comment