Ceret - walk behind Chateau D'Aubiry.

The third butcher in town is now open after his winter holiday. We have been buying
pate alternately from each of the other 2 but noticed that this one has a lot of awards
posted in the  window for pate.

There was also a stuffed piglet (taxidermy "stuffed" not apple and sage "stuffed") that was a little off putting. Certainly didn't make me want to order pork.

The one in the boat shaped container on the right was the pate champagne that we got.
The individual ones in front are labeled to indicate they have cherries in as well as pork.

It was a lovely sunny day, no wind, no jacket needed. Mum and Joan and I sat at Le Pablo for a morning coffee and I sketched (a sketch I had started there before, I seem to have a lot of half finished sketches). I sat there for about an hour and a half. The waiter never bothered me, standing by the entrance, smoking a cigarette  (but he comes if you look around for him and make eye contact). Most people were there for as long as I was and still there when I left: A group of English people chatting and laughing over coffee, a young woman nursing an espresso and texting, a man drinking a beer and reading the newspaper, a couple of couples, some with coffee some with a drink. A very relaxed and relaxing atmosphere, I love the French café approach.
After lunch I decided to go into the vineyards next to the Chateau D'Aubiry to sketch.

The herd of goats that was in the grounds of the Chateau were in the field next to it. Chris asked if they are
just kept for their milk or meat too. I haven't seen any goat meat for sale and there is a great deal of goat
cheese. There is an amazing variety of goat cheese and I wish Canadian producers would get more ambitious
than just putting things like cranberries or blueberries with the same cheese.

I parked next to this little "shed". Most fields have these, though this is a large one,
and I assume they are to hold the equipment needed in the vineyard.

A couple of cyclist went up the road beside me and so I figured it would be OK to walk up there. Further along I found a yellow flash on the tree that indicated it was a walking trail. Later I was passed by a large group of hikers (small back packs, walking sticks).

After a while, as I was climbing, I started to see Canigou peaking up over the vineyards.

Higher.

and higher. (Chris, this is where I sat and talked to you on the phone for 20 minutes)

I turned around, though the track continued, and made my way back down. I realized I had actually been higher than the Ermitage that we had sketched at a couple of days back and I had hiked down from.

Zoomed in on the Ermitage below.

After walking back down I was actually hot!!

Quick sketch of the Chateau beyond the vineyards.