I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the
sky
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
It's that time again. We've packed our cabbages and limes and we're off to Plymouth to catch the high tide on Sunday. I've brushed up on my irregular verb endings, checked the date on the passports and double-checked that we don't sail from Portsmouth.
I won't make that mistake again. Tommy's had a hair cut and can't wait to be banged up in a cage up on deck 10 with 49 other old lags for 21 hours on the high seas.
Mrs. Sanchez is already filling bags and boxes which she will produce just as the car is loaded fuller than a bull in Hull.
The MV Pont Aven is 'probably the most luxurious ferry in operation'. It is also a floating art gallery. It was named after the town in Brittany which became an artists' colony during the second half of the 19th. century. It's most famous resident was Paul Gaugin who arrived in 1886 and was joined by Emile Bernard. All the painters loved painting the locals in their traditional Breton costume.
Vision After the Sermon by Paul Gaugin 1888
By the end of the century it was impossible to go to the shops in Pont Aven without bumping into a bearded bohemian wanting to paint you for a couple of francs. Eventually everybody got fed up with dressing up in such ridiculous clothes so the painters started to paint themselves and each other.
Breton Women in the Meadow by Emile Bernard.
Gaugin and Bernard invented 'Synthesism' but Bernard said that Gaugin pinched his ideas. Synthesism meant that you didn't have to paint what you saw, like the Impressionists, but you could make it up from what you remembered. They liked to be called 'post impressionists' Gaugin eventually got fed up with Bernard going on at him about pinching his ideas and went off in a huff to Tahiti where he played a major part in spreading Synthesism and Syphyllis.(allegedly).
Paul Gaugin
The MV Pont Aven is crammed with paintings, posters, sculptures and ceramics which Brittany Ferries commissioned from Breton artists. The carpets, furniture and even the lifts are original works of art. You can borrow an audio guide (free) from reception.
The food is good on the boat too, especially in the Le Flora restaurant. If you order the buffet of hor d'oeuvres you can keep going back and eat as much as you like and you don't get all those fat professional eaters pushing and grunting and dribbling like you do in those Chinese places in Brum. Far too classy.
Tip: Check the weather forecast first or you may be wasting your money.
Everybody is really nice to you too. The crew are French and smile a lot, even when they kick you out of your cabin an hour before you arrive at Santander or Plymouth or Portsmouth. Then you have to queue up on the stairs like refugees until they open the doors on the car decks. Some people with dogs sneak into their cars and hide there until the ship docks which must be fun. ( You know who I mean, Sarah and Jimmy).
Roll on Sunday (and roll off).
March 22nd. 2014
