Prynees

Leaving Barcelona, we stopped for some juice and fruit at La Boqueria, and then got out of town.  We drove north towards France.  We'd heard tales of the beautiful Costa Brava, north of Barcelona, and wanted to check it out.  We drove through quite a few fishing towns, brilliant blue water and rocky cliffs.  We had lunch in one of these towns. Fish and seafood.  My starter was a salad with goat cheese and pear jam on top, and it was really very good. Salads have been weird here.  One we had was covered in fruit cocktail from the can!

Driving north again, we came up a town with ceramics outside every door front.  We read later that it was the ceramic capital of northern Spain.  Thomas humors me by letting me walk through shops like these (but I really think he likes them and is happy to look and see what people are making... at least I tell myself that:-))  The only problem is going to be getting all this crap we have home!

North again.  It was actually only 275km total between Barcelona and our bed and breakfast in Sonnac sur l'hers France, but we made the most of it.  We finally crossed into France.  It suddenly changed into having road signs and easy to see markings.  Little stone cottages with brightly colored flowers and patissierres instead of panaderias.

We began our climb into the mountains.  Huge mountains, with signs for rafting all over and cyclists in the streets.  We knew that the Tour de France went by 3 km from our bed and breakfast last week.

It was extremely picturesque and we kept winding up and down these little sharp turns across each mountain.

We arrived, amazingly without having gotten lost, at our stop.  A small village of maybe 15 little houses, a pear and apple orchard, a stone church and a little town square, with a fountain in the center, and surrounded by stone buildings and a church.  Ours was the one with the bright blue shutters.

Carolyn and Nick were out to meet us when we pulled up.  They were so happy to have us and busied us immediately with a glass of wine on the terrace.  Part of why this was the place we booked was because Nick is a Cordon Blue trained chef and does 4 course meals if guests choose. We chose.  We started with mussels.  I was so excited, because as you probably have learned on the blog already, mussels are one of my favorite things and we've been eating them as often as possible.  Then came lamb with a red wine reduction, haricot verts and potatoes.  Cheese was next.  I told Thomas I was done with Spain and we were moving to France. I would choose cheese as my dessert over anything sweet anytime, and it was delicious.  4 local cheeses and bread.  Last was peaches sauteed with butter and homemade creme fraiche and homeade butterscotch.  It was incredible.  We finished our wine in the front looking out on the square. 

Nick had suggested earlier that we go on a walk up past the cow pasture next door on top of the hill to see over the village because it was lit well at night.  We thought that would be great and headed up.  It was really dark once we stepped out of the square.  Like really dark.  We headed up a hill, cows grazing in the field to our left, and a cemetary to our right.  The cows were all wearnig bells and sounded like a windchime as they moved about.  We had a flashlight, but I wasn't sure this was what sounded like a great idea.  Thomas told me to shut it and keep walking so we could see the moon.  I did.

All if the sudden, we stumbled upon a mirage in the darkness.  A blanket, pillows and a bucket chilling champagne.  I looked at Thomas and he was like, "Oh man, who did this, how did this get here?"  Yeah.  We sat on the blanket, lit by moonlight and the lights of the village below, serenaded by cowbells, and Thomas told me what an amazing time he was having on this trip and how he was so happy to be doing this and seeing the world, and wanted to do it with me for the rest of our lives.  I was shaking at this point and when he pulled out a box and asked me to marry him, I started to cry.  I spared you all some of the really sappy details, but if you want them I'll tell you:-)  I had no idea how he had pulled off this lovely and perfect surprise, but it all made sense; the mussels and cheese, the walk, the excitement from our hosts and now real Champagne!  He put a ring on my hand and I told him I loved him and if course I would marry him.  The fact that this was going to happen wasn't a surprise, and won't be to any of you, but the sweet and thoughtful way that he did this was perfect and made it something so very special.  He had been talking to them for days organizing food and plans and they were honored to be a part of this for us.  It was totally Thomas. 

It was an amazing end to the day and as we walked back to the house Nick was nervously waiting for us to make sure that we found it and I said yes!  He gave us both big hugs and said how they had loved being a part of this special time for us.  The Chez Maison Blue will always be a memory of ours and a place to visit again.