In the morning, we went up to the Saturday market for a little shopping and browsing. Around noon, Sea Wolf departed from Moissac to return to Castelsarrasin (with the help of many friends) where Jane will see out the remainder of the season, before deciding what next to do.

They say that bad news comes in threes, and so soon after the departure of Sea Wolf we learned of another death in the port. This time it was not one of the boaters, but the wife of the old man who I had seen last week about buying his catamaran. Hopefully, that will be the end of that run of bad news.

In the afternoon, Rita and I drove over to Castelmoron-sur-Lot to attend the Folklorica concert that evening. Last year it took us a week to barge from Moissac to Castelmoron; this year it took 90 minutes to drive across. We spent the late afternoon on the plage, where Rita did her laps and sunbathing and I caught up on some reading.

Later in the day, we went to find the Rugby Club to see where we would be playing in September. Access for the pan-truck would be good, and there was good shade on the eastern side of the clubhouse. Should be fun.

Finally, as the sun started to fade, we made our way across to the other side of the river to the festival site. Entry was only 10euro, and a good meal (confit de canard) with lots of extras cost only 14euro. Sangria and red wine were laid on for free, and we met an interesting couple from Mezin (near Nerac) with whom we chatted over dinner. After a warm-up performance from a group from Guadalupe in the market square where the meals were being eaten, the first two acts in the main tent were a philharmonic orchestra and two opera singers from Longia, Italy, followed by a dance troupe from Mexico. During these performances, the Burkina Faso dancers arrived and set up a small stall selling various items from their country. We picked up a shaker that we can use in our band for just 10euro - a steal!

Unfortunately, while very good, the Mexican group went a bit over time, and it was 11pm by the time the final act from Burkina Faso got to the stage. As they were setting up, a few spots of rain appeared, prompting some of the more timid to seek shelter in the tent. Within a minute it was pouring down. Rita had already gone over to the Market Square shelter to get some coffees, and she phoned soon thereafter to say that she was under shelter with the coffees, so I did a runner from the dryness of the tent through the rain to the dryness of the Market Square shelter. It then started to really rain. Thunderbolts and lightning, very very frightening. On one flash of lightning, all the lights went out in the main tent and on the stage. Oh well, we thought, that’s the end of the show. As the rain intensified and everyone moved towards the centre of the Market Square shelter, to avoid the rain being blown in from the sides, the singers and band members from Longio started up an impromptu concert under the shelter. Then we heard music from the main tent, even though there was only one light on in the tent. But the Burkina Fasosians had decided that was enough and had started their show, so Rita and I sprinted through the rain to the back of the main tent. From there, it was difficult to see the bodies of the dancers in the dark, but their bright costumes seemed to have a life of their own as they danced across the stage. We gradually worked our way towards the front of the tent, where we filmed one of their drum and dance routines. Pure energy!!