Tara

Sign for Ecce Homo with outline drawing of the restored version

You too can be a Ecce Homo by putting your face in a picture hole 😅

Museum dedicated to Ecce Homo

Some Ecce Homo interpretations

To the church's credit, they fully embraced the media attention and have raised 000s of Euros to self-fund, donate to local charities, and support local pensioners (and 'restorer' Cecilia Giménez receiving 49% of merch sales)

The 'restored' versions of Ecce Homo which received worldwide notoriety in 2012.

Well, this was an unexpected encounter - Ecce Homo 🙂

(I'm staying at the campsite 5 mins away and had no idea 😅)

Upside down town sign for Uharte Mixed

Have been seeing lots of upside down signs.

Apparently it started in 2023 near to Toulouse as a protest by farmers to draw attention to the number of contradictory things they're asked to do.

Upside down town sign for Uharte Mixed

Have been seeing lots of upside down signs.

Apparently it started in 2023 near to Toulouse as a protest by farmers to draw attention to the number of contradictory things they're asked to do.

Turns out they all slept in bivvy bags 🙃

I feel like there's a dictionary in the making with these...

A group of school kids arrived at the camp site this afternoon which is heart warming to see them embrace the outdoors :) But it's 8.30pm and they still haven't set up their tents yet and I am squirming - what is the guardian doing?!

*shudders*

Fake wood round clock with picture of a ferret dressed like Henry VIII and the words 'time to get frisky!' hand written in Sharpie. Scissors and duct tape are next to it.

How do you spend your time while traveling, Tara?

Well tonight I am making a shoddy branded clock for the pretend tiny British pub I'll be running in the Spanish desert for a week... You?

Trunk, branches, and foliage of a tree against a blue sky

I'm lying down looking up at the underside of an unknown tree that seems popular at campsites here (dense foliage = good shade?). Je t'apprécie, mon arbre chéri x

How to ingratiate yourself into the local community - drive straight through their community flea market... Once I started I was kind of committed 😬 Lots of sheepish looks and "je suis très desolée"

France seems to be just catching up with Lola Young's Messy...

Battered blue camping cup with peeling stickers in foreground. Background is interior of car with legs belonging to account holder.

Drinking not quite cold rosé out of a battered camping cup while listening to Skyrock FM. Happy Saturday, y'all ✌️

And perhaps I'm feeling a bit melancholy because I'm noticing the changes (which I'm not used to because usually I have no recollection 🤷)

I'm wondering if I'm remembering more than usual here because it was the only time I saw the things and the people

Graffiti of a dog on a french street

Ouaf ouaf...

2 segways have just passed me. Have I actually been transported back to the 90s?!

Ex-Pierre et Vacances aparthotel building. Arrow pointing to my old room.

The triangular building of the former Aquarium

Further down memory lane... I lived in the Pierre et Vacances aparthotel for two semesters overlooking the Aquarium. Unsurprisingly, neither of these still exist (P et V is called something else, and the Aquarium has moved closer to town and the old venue is now restaurants, cafes, and a night club)

Bar front obscured by fence.

And this place used to be called Le Lou-Foc where I used to drink yesterday's aforementioned Monaco.

And I used to take the Eurolines coach back home (which took 24 hours door to door).

And I hired a tiny electric car to move my belongings to new accommodation.

Memories like I went to a listening party for (What's the Story) Morning Glory on the day of release.

Two towers of La Rochelle in the background. Marina boats in foreground.

Back in La Rochelle, 30 years after studying here. Feeling a wee bit emotional with the random memories that have popped up, which is a surprise.

Pretty good Monaco TBF...

A beer glass with red liquid in it, sitting on a table overlooking a square.

I'm in France, drinking a Monaco like it's 1996.

If you want to live in the UK, you should speak English. That's common sense. So we're raising English language requirements across every main immigration route.

Spain, you could do the funniest thing right now...

If you want some light hearted chuckling, the Handsome podcast with Tig Notaro, Mae Martin, and Fortune Feimster should see you right...

Very cool first single... Mine was System Addict by Five Star. I remember feeling cheated that the B side was an instrumental of the same song 😅

Oh hey, BlueSky... Apologies, I put you down and then forgot that I had done so... But now I've refound you, I can chew your ear off again!

Best thing about my phone? Call screening.