Sadorn/Sadwrn/Saturday/Samedi

The alarm rang at 6.30 a.m., I dressed, ate breakfast, ablutions done, had a look around to see that nothing was being left behind, stuck a few bottles of non-alcoholic beer into a bag in case of thirst, my being diabetic I am often thirsty, then went to fetch my hand truck so that I needn't leave my photos at morning's end to fetch my car, unfortunately a tyre was punctured, I took it anyway; once there I set up my tables, and as soon as this was done I sold three to an artist who bought them with the intention of sketching copies to sell on his market stall. Mid morning I had to go to a nearby bar for a large café au lait to ward off the cold, I also took photos of an adjacent narrow uphill alley with steps and old fashioned lamps. At mid-day I packed up, folded everything and placed them on the truck to try it but they were too heavy and risked ripping the tyre, so I left them, got the car, drove back and put everything inside in the normal way and headed towards Landerne)au where concerts were to take place beginning at 2.30am. These were to be a foretaste of the popular 'Kann al Loar' festival held every July. I thought they might be taking place in the centre, but as they weren't I enquired at the local tourist office who directed me to the 'Espace Culturel' at the Landerne)au branch of 'Centre Leclerc,' a large supermarket chain and the first in France to take on the concept. Another concept unusual for supermarkets is to put on concerts, one walks in as though a normal customer to buy goods, it is an autonomous branch within a branch, there's no fruit & veg, it's media centred, look for the concert and sit down in a corner of the store. After one false turn I found the venue and a very comfortable leather armchair from which I enjoyed a harp recital by Ysa Harpiste from Saint Thegonnec. At one time she sold music and then decided to step up and play it, the fact that she doesn't read what she plays, she very successfully does it by ear, didn't put her off, nor the Beatles, she turned to Olga Bystram from Brest to teach her how to sing & play with surprising results. I was glad that she came and had a chat with me. Towards the end of her recital I espied Lleuwen & Vincent bringing in their instruments ready for the second concert, we greeted each other, friends as we are, Katell & Maelwen came along, as did Tangi & Klervi, then Lan before they went on stage, Vincent with his revolutionary double bass contributing to a one off blues style. After each concert the musicians were interviewed, Katell translated into French what Lleuwen said in Breton. I said hello to Nolwenn Korbell before she went on stage, I've known her for years and she's a big friend of Lleuwen's, deservingly very popular in Brittany as she went on to prove to us. Her mother is the famous Breton singer Andrea ar Gouilh. Besides her musicians she was with a tall slim youth who I took to be her son from his resemblance to the Prifardd Twm Morys, he has a hard road to follow, his music & writing genes are formidable, his paternal grandmother; alpinist, travel writer, journalist - Jan Morris -  one of the best prose writers in the English language, his father a poet of the highest level in Cymraeg/Welsh, both his mother & maternal grandmother forces in the survival of Breton culture. Concerts, interviews and photoshoots terminated we left, another false turn and Lleuwen Steffan, Vincent Guerin and myself met at the Keltia bar, our favourite pub in Landerne)au situated on one of the only 4 bridges in Europe supporting inhabited housing, with us were Lleuwen's partner Lan Tangi, Tangi Thomin and Klervi N'Intañvez;  after 2 drinks we separated and about 8 o'clock we drove back to our respective houses. Getting into my car I switched on the radio only having missed 8 minutes of the Man Utd v Barcelona match, arrived in Plouie/Plouye at half time, switched on the telly to watch some mesmerizing football, unfortunately it was the other team, not that it matters, I've been a Barcelona fan for longer than I've supported Man Utd, but Utd have Giggs. After the match I turned the telly around on its turntable facing my bed and with the Mabinogion in hand I climbed into bed and read the source stories of medieval romantic literature untill I fell asleep.