Perpignan - a Cultural Mix

Here's a theory... a country's social ills are more concentrated in towns near borders... where citizens wanting to escape authorities in one jurisdiction can quickly jump across the border causing bureaucratic delays for authorities wanting to pursue them. (This is not an original theory... I think the Count of Monte Christo may have applied it a little while ago.)

Tonight, we are in Perpignan... practically on the border between France and Spain... with many people of Arab and Romany origins. We have noticed that since entering France at the Swiss border, the proportion of people looking like they need help has increased as we have progressed towards the coast... and as we have progressed towards the Spanish border. Practically the first two people we talked to in Perpignan gave us advice on how to organise better defence against street crime. On the street are teenagers who seem to have time on their hands... being Sunday, they were probably hanging around waiting for the next Church service. Still, it's a great opportunity to try some Arabic coffee and north African food.

We drove from Carcassonne, 120 klms through some foothills and gorges of the Pyrenees... beautiful country... every square foot of fertile soil being planted with grape vines. The bunches of grapes are looking ripe and heavy... the leaves on the vine have lost their summer glow and now reflect the early shades of autumn. Harvesting must start soon. These valleys were the stronghold of the Cathar religion... the one that brought Carcassonne so much grief. We saw Cathar monastery ruins... but could not find museums providing more details of this interesting historic religion. 

We have noticed that the number of tourists has reduced... perhaps we are speaking too soon... Barcelona awaits. Today, there was very little cause for road rage... hardly a bicycle in site... and we were not queued behind a mobile home at any time. It's too soon for them to disappear... the daily maximum is still in excess of 25... and the nights are still warm. Perhaps they are all heading south... let's hope so.