You can now pass the salt cedar

The Dreaded Tamarisk (aka salt-cedar, a vigorous weed of a tree) has been trimmed down so that it is no longer a danger to traffic in the lane.

M'neighbour Denis cut the branches with an enormous evil-looking machete, and he did much of it by climbing into the tree and hacking from the inside. I couldn't watch and am very relieved that it is over. He's a tough old bird, but I'm nervous about watching people climbing around with sharp implements even if they aren't in their late 80s. Anyway, he did a lovely job.

Tunnels

I wonder if Timeteam would come to France?

The limestone of this area has many natural caves, some of which were inhabited millennia ago. In medieval times they were extended for storage, or refuge during times of war, but a few were used as tunnels connecting the big houses and châteaux.

Ginette has been to look at the "souterrain" (cavern or tunnel) which runs under the south-east of Le Rivalard. There is an opening into it from the Magisters' house (now uninhabited); it's very deep and in poor condition, but one can see into it when the sun is setting. I would love to see it but she says it's full of, and surrounded by, rubbish and there's no path for Chariot. She was told about the souterrain many years ago by her sister-in-law, but there was no way of getting to it while the house was lived in. Now that it's empty and some of the old agricultural junk has been removed, the opening is visible: she is very excited that the story is true. It appears to be a genuine tunnel, with straight walls heading directly under her house.

She thinks that the tunnel connected the Château Bardine (now a ruin) and the Château de Beaulon or perhaps the mansion at Les Justices, and possibly went as far as Château du Tirac. However, both Beaulon and Bardine are well to the north of Le Rivalard, so perhaps there is a whole network of tunnels like those under St-Fort-sur-Gironde, 6 miles away, and Floirac.

There doesn't seem to be much written history of this area, apart from the records of the Château de Beaulon, and the people who know are dying out. Hm, a project...

Lizards and replantings

The geckos are out! I'm not sure how many because they appear one at a time, running from left to right across the windowsill. Perhaps it is finally summer.

I've been cutting roses from the big bush in the pot by the door, to reduce it: it's so top-heavy that it might fall over - twice as big as it was last year. It really should be in the ground rather than a pot, but I don't know if it's possible to replant it.

Another thing which needs replanting is the cotoneaster between the Alexandra roses and the eastern wall. It's in an awkward place, not even against the wall but stuck out in the route from the summer kitchen to the garage. I don't like cotoneasters much anyway - I wonder if someone would like to give it a home?

Two days and nights in Prague

Prague was alternately very pretty and rather depressing. The touristy areas are lovely; around them are banks and offices which are much the same as banks and offices anywhere, but between those are scruffy narrow streets inhabited by depressed-looking people smoking cheap cigarettes. Typical city, I suppose.

Easter celebrations were over and the market was being taken down when I arrived, so all I saw was the ribbon-decorated tree. It wasn't full tourist season but there were quite a few, and school groups everywhere.

The hotel was comfortable and the staff very friendly and helpful. Broomstick picked up a drawing-pin and lost all the air from one tyre; I asked at reception if there was a bike-repair place nearby and was told not to worry: the hotel technician would fix it. He did a perfect job, and it's still going.

I saw a direction sign for a museum and followed it, but couldn't find the museum, though I did see plenty of trams and made a surreptitious detour through the archway of interesting old building which looked like an art centre: I was shooed out of it before I could find out what it was (to my shame I hadn't learned more than two words of Czech before getting into the country!). So I went window-shopping and didn't buy anything, mainly because the most interesting things in the shops were crystal and garnets and amber. I love all of those, but the crystal might not have survived the journey and I really don't need any jewellery. Really. Anyway, this trip was already expensive enough, but if/when I go back to Prague I'll get some crystal for my daughter.

There are many small concerts all over the city, and I was slightly tempted, but having spent a week making music I didn't feel a need to sit and listen to other people doing it (of course, if I'd found a session, that would have been different). The jazz band playing next to the vintage cars (for tourist-trips) was too good to pass, though.

As well as vintage cars, there are horse-carriages in which to ride around the city. All those cobbles must be dreadful for the horses: they slip even though they wear special clogs over their shoes. I've never seen horses in high heels before.

Old Prague is beautifully looked after and very full of camera-clicking: I didn't bother taking my camera out, thinking there will be better photos on the web, so the snaps are from the less-good mobile phone. As well as the hordes of young students on school-trips, mainly from Germany, there were some Brits who had planned around the school holidays, and quite a few others, enough to fill the night market. A troupe of football supporters passed by, waving scarves and shouting rather aggressively, followed by an almost equal number of police who were looking relaxed and chatting happily.

My favourite construction was the old Charles Bridge (well of course, it's a bridge!)

I had lunch in the Orloje (clock) cafe which is right next to the clock so it has a good view of what happens on the hour. Not quite as impressive as Rouen, I think, but amusing all the same. And of course there was Cake.