Wednesday 8/7/2020
2 Concordes on display. What a fine machine and what a shame that this fantastic aircraft is not flying any more. So we grab the chance to touch this holy piece of aluminium.
Badass tail. 4 engines. Still can remember the noise of these turbines when I had the chance to do a roundtrip Paris - NY - Paris in 2003, just after refitting of the new fuel tanks.
No aircraft will ever match the elegance of that bird.
Next to one of these massive A 400 props.
And finally a A380 parked on the tarmac open for visits. Much less spectacular except for its size.
We get a few good old fashioned M10 bolts, screws and washers at the Castorama DIY shop down the road. Engine is back locked to the frame as it should and we continue our ride along the Canal du Midi.
Beautiful riding through the "Allées de Platanes" on the road along the canal.
Stop at one of the many typical locks. Peaceful and beautiful places to observe the houseboats going by.
We are heading further south passing Castelnaudary and finally Carcassonne. You can already see the Pyrenées mountains at the horizon ...
100 km from Toulouse, arrival at Carcassonne camping next to the Old Cité. We've been there already 10 years ago and the Cité is still as impressive. Big size version of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Survived many attacks over time. Saying goes that one of the intelligent ways to defend the city was throwing a well-fed pig over the walls to make the invaders believe the city has still food for a long time. In reality they sacrificed their last pig before starving themselves .. good bluff (mostly) pays off.
We let the heat wave (33°C) calm down and walk up the Cité for dinner in a small restaurant. Regional cassoulet for me and steak for Nicolas. (Half) a bottle rosé wine goes very well with that ... Loved the food.
Recipe for the homemade version once we are back to Belgium.
