We had a fairly miserable weekend weather-wise, freezing overnight and thick ice on the car. I was painting a spare bedroom while Jack went to a football match. It began to snow just a few minutes after he had left the house.

Paint roller in hand, my mind went back to that cruise we went on in the autumn. I realised that I hadn’t mentioned that we were assailed by bagpipe music on the wharf at Lorient.

At first I thought I might be hearing things but as we got closer to the ship, after having visited the town on foot, it was definitely bagpipe music, but not as WE know it.

Bagpipes are popular in various parts of the world but it has to be said that it’s the Scottish bagpipes that are full strength, the type of noise that was a good weapon in many a battle, terrifying the enemy before a sword was drawn. Other bagpipes are pale imitations, but I must admit, much easier on the ears at close quarters!

If you want to hear what the Breton bagpipes sound like – hop over to Jack at A Son of the Rock and click on the photo of the bagpiper, and that’ll take you to his Flickr for the wee video. It has to be said that a Scottish bagpiper’s traditional outfit is far superior to the Breton attire though!