A Celebratory Lunch High in The Pyrenees

Along with the talking, the laughing, ease of communication, connections with possible new friends, there was the food. Nan Ping is a top class cook and with her vast knowledge of Chinese ingredients and her international background, lunch was quite simply stunning. She gets her authentic ingredients from our nearest city, Toulouse, a ninety minute drive away. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, she sometimes has specialities sent down from the Chinese quarter in Paris, remarking that some of the Chinese restaurants there do food as good as Beijing.

That fabulous, uplifting lunch jumped me out of myself and made me realise how wrong I was not to have planned something to mark this important day. But if I had planned something, I would not have been available for that five hour lunch.

Perhaps the Universe had left me alone to wallow for those few weeks, knowing that this meeting of women would kick start me more than all my lists, all my notes, all the 'me' thoughts. It seems to me that when the focus is turned in on ourselves, we are full of melancholy and despair. Throw it off, open out to others and life lights up.

I can see this light in the face of Nan Ping, who has a definite radiance about her. Is it because she gives, all the time, to others? Yet in her busy world, there seems to be time to create. Her home, her personal style, her amazing food; it all happens and comes together in a seemingly effortless, natural way.

Up in the mountains that day, some spark that had eluded me for a while seemed to resurface. I don’t think it is too far fetched to use the words of Pablo Neruda, 'and something ignited in my soul, fever or forgotten wings, and I went my own way.'

At that most uplifting of lunches, some spark ignited and when I came down from the high mountains that evening I knew I had found something of my old spirit. Could it have been the Feng Shui in the air, the exquisite feast, the green tea? Whatever it was, I’m going back for more.

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A Celebratory Lunch High in The Pyrenees

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