Do These Pains Aux Chocolates Make Me Look Fat?

Find more francoise hardy songs at Myspace Music

POSTING  # 7 -- JULY 27

Does This Pain Au Chocolate Make Me Look Fat?

How About This?

OK -- Be honest -- THIS makes me look fat, right?

It has been a while since I've checked in. This is partly due to the fact that I could not recharge my computer, partly due to having too much fun and not enough time, and partly because I spent some time being stationary and in a more reflective state of mind. I have come to some interesting conclusions during this time and am excited to share my thoughts with you all.

But first, I want you to see how La Petite Grise and I celebrated her "birthday" -- when her odometer began once again at zero. Don't worry. I did not allow her to drive and drink.

Foie Gras

After leaving Cahors, we took our time driving through small villages, sampling the food, listening to the language and the music, and staying in some beautiful places.

My favorite hotel -- so far!

My favorite room in my favorite hotel

One day, we were detained by road blocks -- Le Tour de France passed by in a flash of colors and beautiful legs!

Because we were held up by the bike race, we stayed the night at Castelnau-de-Montmiral, a medieval city on top of a hill -- and I enjoyed an amazing 5-course meal in a tiny restaurant next to the hotel.



All in all, I believe we traveled just over 1,000 kilometers in our two weeks together.

I love this photo -- it reminds me of all the photos I have taken from the back of a horse, through its ears!

Alas, I have had to return her to her owner, Deux Chevaux Peter, a very charming man upon whom I admit I have a tiny crush! And I will miss my new Dutch friend, Marianne, who not only arranged the car for me, but took me to her house and made me feel much more like a friend than a client. Merci, Marianne! By the way, I found out that Marianne is something of a movie star. She appears in a French soap opera, playing the part of -- of all things -- a Dutch woman!

Marianne, Deux Chevaux Peter, and a petite Petite Grise they gave me as a gift!

After returning La Petite Grise, I stayed three days in her hometown of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, where I met so many nice people, enjoyed their Farmers' Market and a great concert on the patio of my hotel. During that time, I got a sense of what life in a small French village would be like, and I have to say, I loved it! Every time I left my hotel, I saw people I had met, and was always greeted with a smile and an offer to join them. There is something gentle about the way of life here that is hard to imagine -- people taking their time over coffee -- and actually having the time to chat (gossip) with their neighbors. At the end of the day, they all get together for a drink which frequently turns into dinner and more conversation. The square is full of the sound of tinkling glasses and laughter -- lovely!

Which brings me to letting you in on my new plan. I have decided I NEED a Deux Chevaux, and I hope to convince Peter to find me one and rebuild it for me. 

And because a Deux Chevaux really needs to live in France, I have decided I need to find a converted barn to buy where I hope to live part-time. 

For those of you who have trouble picturing me living in a barn -- THIS is a converted barn!

But first, I've GOT to learn how to speak French. I've already signed up for a 4-week immersion program next May. Once I get settled, you will all know someone in France with a guest room! With any luck, this wonderful artist, Lindsay Temple, will be my neighbor. I bought this painting from her:

Lindsay and Unnamed Gentleman Who Insisted On Being in the Photo

France has really taken hold of me, in case you can't tell. I'm wanting to wear French clothes, eat French food, drink French wine, and be able to speak the language. I want to look out my living room window and see fields of sunflowers. I want to cook French food for my family and friends when they come visit. And I want to play tour guide for all of you to show you what it is I love about this place and to watch you fall in love with it, too.

So, now I am in Bordeaux, which is lovely -- kind of a mini-Paris, so I can only sort of get lost. Actually, I am never lost, but sometimes, my hotel doesn't seem to be where I left it. I try to remember that it's next to the really big, beautiful stone building and that I have to turn on the street with the groovy sidewalk cafe next to the beautiful wine store and across the street from the chocolate store and right in front of the plaza with the fountain -- but there are about 50 buildings here that fit that description, so I just wander around until I find it -- this happens every time I go out, by the way! Friday, I leave for Paris. Maybe I should invest in a tracking device before I go!

I think that catches you up. I'm going to go run along the Garonne River and find a nice Confit de Canard for dinner.

Love to all,

Mom/Sissy/Gaylie

Wine, Women & Song

Find more artists like Ziggy Marley at Myspace Music

POST  #  6  --  July 15

THE WINE!

THE WOMEN!

THE SONG!

Ziggy

He's Got Hair . . . Down . . . Below . . . His Knees

Joe Co-kerrrrrrrrrhh

Kezia Jones

I've been driving from music festival to music festival -- Joe Cocker in Albi, Ziggy Marley in Montauban, and last night the Cahors Blues Festival where I heard Keziah Jones from Nigeria (along with opening acts The Cheesemakers and Mellow Blues Duo, and closing act, The Hamsters.) I'm sure you're all going, "Oh -- I LOVE The Hamsters!" 

I had planned to go back to Albi for an organ concert in the cathedral, but the roads were full of a bunch of crazy cyclists who were in a very big hurry, and I was detained for three hours and missed the concert. Le Tour de France finished six kilometers from where I had planned to stay for the night -- so I got to see part of a 6 kilometer sprint after they had ridden about 125 miles! It was very exciting when the six leaders came blasting through, but even more so, 4 or 5 minutes later, to see the rest of the pack all bunched together. Beautiful colors, legs -- WAY better than a concert!

My new travel companion, La Petite Grise, and I are in Cahors, France, home of a most amazing -- nearly black it's so red -- malbec wine. We are finding the long way to get places because driving is SO MUCH FUN! She's cute, reliable, and steady. Unlike the rest of the drivers on the road, she and I are not in a hurry, stopping to photograph cows, chateaux, walls, farmhouses -- there is so much beauty here. And because Grise is so cute, and because so many French people have fond memories of the Deux Chevaux -- their first car -- or the car their dad drove -- they don't seem to mind too much that we just put along (by the way, Deux Chevaux is two -- TWO horsepower!!). I'm very happy that she does not like to go fast and that others do not expect it of her. And she's very photogenic!

Her Gearshift comes straight out from the dash and she shifts with various combinations of halfway or all the way out. Tricky at first!

The Dashboard -- She's almost ready to start over! (I don't think it's the first time, nor will it be the last) -- We plan to celebrate.

I will confess that my car and I have had a couple of issues -- all of them my fault. Once, I left the lights on while I visited a beautiful medieval city, Conques. I came back to a dead car -- how very sad. Fortunately, she is so light, a young boy in the parking lot was able to push her backwards so I could get turned around. I coasted down the hill and she came back to life and we were on our way. Secondly, same day -- a Sunday -- we were getting low on gas. That is when I found out that gas stations are closed on Sundays, and that the self-service pumps don't like American credit cards. We found a likely station, waited until a nice man came by, and gave him cash in exchange for him using his credit card to fill the tank. And he even filled it for me! Grise likes an additive, which he knew about and put in for me as well. I suspect unleaded gas, for her, is like me drinking decaf. And the third issue -- still the same day -- the turn signal came off in my hand. Fortunately, La Grise's owner had told me how to put it back on!

I happen to think France is an amazingly beautiful country. Everywhere I look are sunflowers and haystacks waiting to be made famous by the next vanGogh or Monet.

The music festivals are in every little village this time of year and it's impossible to hit them all, but I've gotten a good mix of music from old rock 'n' roll to Reggae to Blues. The "facilities" at last night's event were a bit rough. The bathroom was unisex, with the men standing behind a half wall to do their thing, while we ladies had to walk past them to get to our own private room with this:

At least the two foot thingies are raised a bit so we don't end up with wet shoes!

Speaking of toilets -- I now have the BEST bathroom EVER! 

I have so much more to say -- I miss you all and I miss not being able to talk and laugh with you. However, they're about to throw a little blues festival in my hotel and having someone pounding away at a computer is not conducive to the mood they are trying to set. 

So, au revoir!

Love, Mom/Sissy/Gaylie

Trains, Planes and Automobiles

Find more artists like emsss at Myspace Music

POSTING  # 5 -- July 9 - 10

FROM THIS . . .

. . . TO THIS!!

It seems like I have been away from home a very long time -- several lifetimes even. Ireland and Marseille are fading from my mind's eye, as will Albi soon, each segment of this trip seeming like its own, separate journey. I look forward to the road ahead, especially now that I have wheels!

And what wheels! La Petite Grise (gray) is beautiful, and she and I have bonded over the course of this, our first day together. Peter, who breathes fresh life into these groovy cars, gave me a lesson in how to drive a Deux Cheveaux and has entrusted La Petite Grise to me for the next two weeks. And to be sure that I find my way back to return the car, I have "Ken", the Australian navigator, who very patiently guides me through roundabouts and almost always the correct way up one-way streets. I am thinking of switching to "Jacques" tomorrow, however, because he sounds better looking.

Marianne (holding her dog) has handled all of the car's arrangements for me and was most generous with her time. She also introduced me to the nicest people -- an enclave of friendly Dutch who welcomed me into their lives for an evening. The man in the photo below is her husband, Peter  (I told you she was generous!) -- though not the Deux Chevaux Peter. I think all the men in Aubeterre are named Peter. Jom, Melody and Nico have a vacation home in Aubeterre, built in the Middle Ages, which I hope to see when I return the car, and I will also spend more time with Gina, the Irish Cloirvoyant who seems to channel Monet when she paints!

The Dutch Are Very Friendly!

You would all be very proud of me. As you can see, I am managing to meet some fun, interesting people. I have had my share of times on this trip when I wished I wasn't alone -- when it seems everyone is in pairs -- like Noah's ark -- everyone but me. But for the most part, I am reveling in being on my own schedule, "going where the weather suits my clothes" (now that I have jettisoned all my wool turtlenecks!), and having the time and the peace of mind to let all these experiences become a part of me.

The music scene has also been a good way for me to meet people. I got to see two nights of the Pause Guitare Festival. The first was an international gathering of musicians -- Arabic electro-jazz funk, Cuban hip hop, African reggae, and a French crooner. I had fun with these cute boys who seemed to like hanging out with the oldest person there!

The two villages where I will be spending the next week are also having music festivals, and one of those nights it will be Ziggy Marley, so the music scene continues!

I had passed by this shop several times, wishing I would be invited to a Royal Wedding so I'd have a reason to buy a hat.

But when I was driving around in my little car with the roof rolled back and the sun beating down, I came up with a reason! I ended up buying it on my way to the concert, so there I was, this big bag with this big hat, wondering if I should run it back to the hotel. I'm glad I didn't! This is Matthew, trying to get me to trade hats with him. His mom and I ended up having drinks during last night's concert. And when Joe Cocker sang "You Can Leave Your Hat On," I put it on and danced, danced, danced!  Marianne -- I think the pink will  go quite well with La Petite Grise, don't you?

The streets last night were crazy -- full of old people thoroughly enjoying Zhoe Co-keeeerrrrhhhhh. To hear old rock 'n' roll with the Cathedral of Sainte Cecile in the background, and the moon overhead -- it was unforgettable. 

Concert lights reflected on the Cathedral Sainte Cecile

It turns out the telephoto lens on my camera makes a great flirtation tool. This cutie (who was watching the concert from the third floor of a building above where I was sitting) and I had some fun from afar.

I will leave you all with this quote from Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence. An older woman is giving the young Lady Chatterley some advice:

"A woman has to live her life, or live to repent not having lived it." 

I love you all.

Mom/Sissy/Gaylie

Happy Independence Day!

Find more Pink Martini songs at Myspace Music

POSTING # 4 -- JULY 4


I'm in Albi, France, about halfway through my stay here. The 4th of July is coming to a close for me, but all y'all are just getting started. I'll have to wait 'til the 14th to celebrate Bastille Day.

DISCLAIMER: Today, I seem to be fasting, accidentally. I had my usual breakfast, then got busy rearranging my itinerary, and finally went out to forage for food, only to find out the restaurants are all closed on Mondays. Two glasses of Gaillac vin blanc, a dish of olives from the waiter who had to be the one to break it to me there's nowhere to eat in Albi on Mondays, and 3 scoops of gelato later, I am back in my room somewhat tipsy.

The reason for my need to rearrange my itinerary was purely cultural. After all, I am in Europe, in a city inhabited "since prehistoric times", although I'm not sure how they know that if it was "pre-history" -- a city which lives in the shadow of the largest brick cathedral in the world -- Cathedral Sainte-Cecile;

Cathedral Sainte-Cecile

Yes, It's VERY big!

(By the way, the truck is unloading stuff for the concert which will take place in this square on Saturday!)

A city which was the birthplace of Toulouse Lautrec.

Illegal photo!

And because, as you know, I am nothing if I'm not cultured, when I found out about an amazing musical event, I HAD to arrange to be here for one more day. Yes, I spent most of today changing train and hotel reservations, making sure I could attend a Joe Cocker concert. He'll be here Saturday, and so will I. Suzie & Shirley -- I wish you were gonna be here too (we have a history of hanging' with the band -- actually, ANY band!)

Getting Ready for Joe

So, things are good. This city is beautiful, though a bit overrun with tourists who are easy to spot because they are generally dressed badly. Here are a few of my favorite photos. Enjoy!

Farmer's Market

Where I would live if I lived in Albi

Where I would hang my laundry

HAPPY 4TH!!

Love, Mom/Sissy/Gaylie