France/Portugal 09

Ive just returned to Australia after a 6 week shaping stint in Europe.The first week I was in France and scored some pretty good waves,5 feet classic French beach breaks are a treat for anyone. After catching up with friends and enjoying some very fine cusine I hit the road to portugal.The drive there is pretty cool with some crazy scenery,you dont see much doing 180 km's but the odd pit stop allows for some reflection.8 hrs later and im in Santa Cruz,a classic Portuguse seaside village that Ive spent a lot of time at over the years,and have a lot of great friends there who go out of their way to show me a good time.The 2 weeks I was their just happend to be in the middle the of the ''Crab festivel'',where at allmost every restaurant in town you pay just 10 euros and eat as much crab as you can,pretty awsome stuff,and with the fish prawns lobster and wine that go with it, a simple dinner can turn into 5 hr fest very easy.I shape for a brand in Portugal called SPO,Ive been shaping there since 2001 and have a great relationship with the guys,their workmanship is second to none and im always stoked to see the finished product.I practicly lived in the shape room but managed a few surfs here and there.While there I shaped a lot of boards for
Portuguse guys and also a lot of French and Portuguse pro's,and some guys on the WCT which I had to get boards back to them in France during the Quik pro in Hossagor.Some of the guys I shape for on the CT are good friends aswell and its great to catch up with them,so after 2 weeks in Portugal shaping and catching up with friends it was back to France in a car loaded with 23 boards.France didnt live up to her reputation af barreling beach breaks in the second half of September into October,with unusualy hot weather and summer like flat conditions making the bars and resturents the place to be.Anyway ,still managed a few surfs,a lot of good wine tasting and eating, and some socializing which is pretty fun in this part of the world.