I’ve just spent my first week in Annecy, with another week to go. What a place! I’d heard it was beautiful, and seen pictures as proof, but I wasn’t prepared for the one-two punch. The lake, in its mountain setting, with some of the purest water in Europe, would be plenty to attract hordes of …
After a lot of travel in a short amount of time, I felt the need to be in one place for a couple of weeks to sort out what I had seen, heard, and learned. So, I came back to Vence, stayed in the Airbnb without A/C for two nights, then moved to the one …
As it’s actually quite a ways from the southeast of France to the northwest, I flew from Nice to Nantes on a Saturday, where I spent the night. The next morning, I took the train to St. Malo, where I met my fellow cyclists at 2 pm. Having read All the Light We Cannot See, …
After my immersion course, I decided to spend a few days in Mougins. Why there? I wanted to meet a person with whom I had been corresponding (on Facebook) who lives there. Since she is also a single, retired, American, I wanted to see where she had decided to make her home. After five years …
Having just completed my first time in an immersion course, I am looking back on the experience and realizing I’m very glad it’s over — for a number of reasons! On the positive side, my fellow students were a fascinating lot. Most of them were either diplomats or employees of the European Union, UNESCO, and UNHCR. The only non-governmental types …
Cannes There are two kinds of people here: those who wish to be seen, and those who wish to see. I am of the latter group, snapping photos right and left of the local color. This town is certainly front and center for those who crave recognition as a member of that elite group, the …
Above: An Iconic, Salade Niçoise, found everywhere on the French Riviera (this one in Cannes). First, let me say that this post will be different, for its lack of photos. The internet in my hotel is uploading-challenged, unfortunately, such that I have been able to only add a couple of photos to my site. Otherwise, …
VENCE An excellent petit déjeuner in Vence (above)! On my way out of Vence, I stopped to get a few more things from my Airbnb, which, at this point, is acting as a (costly) storage unit. Sigh… At any rate, here are a few observations from my couple of hours there. First, more proof that …
[From here on, I shall try to make a blog entry a week, as I did earlier this year.] Not to put too fine a point on it, but the last few days have been spent mainly in survival mode. I arrived in Vence, by taxi, last Tuesday, on one of those 90+ degree days. …
As it has been a while since I’ve posted, this one will be exceptionally long. So, apologies in advance… Day of Arrival After surmounting a few obstacles stateside, I arrived in Nice, where it’s pleasantly warm and humid. I hear that my old stomping ground, Montpellier, is sweltering in the heat wave that has been …