Sainte Maxime July 25 - August 6 2011

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At the Airport of Nice we meet Bruno, my brother and Lien, my sister in law. We just came from Madrid with aircompany Iberia. We did not see eachother since more than a year. Together we drive along the Mediterranean coast in one hour to their villa in Sainte Maxime.
The low round schistic mountains are covered with cork oaks, pines with parasollike canopees, bougainvillea´s and oleanders. In between you see rich villa´s. Some are from famous people. At the other side of the bay lives Ms B. Bardot and at this side Mr. J. Depp. Also some criminals have or had their properties here -see the Endstra tapes-. But most houses belong to normal people. Like my brother.
When we arrive almost all family of my brother is there: Jos, Marieke, Chris, Jolien, Jaap and Samantha. We love to be here. It is the best place to unwind after a strenuous one year trip over the world. And we love the French food, the fromages, the paté s, the foie gras, the huitres, the escargots, the coquilles, the grenouilles and so on. France is famous for its food and that is right. Though we have eaten often deliciously on our trip, France is still the best. For the first time since a year we eat ice again. We did not take the risk in Africa and South America. We play a little around the swimmingpool, read, walk to the charming village, make a hike along the coast, swim in the Mediterranean Sea and drink wine, a lot of wine.

Unfortunately it comes all to an end after ten days. Together we drive over the Route du Soleil to the North. In Langres we sleep in the excellent Hotel de l´Europe. Langres is a beautiful city full of history. Here Diderot was born, the philosopher, who was the man behind the Encyclopédie, which contained the knowledge on science, art and craft halfway the 18th century, clearly a product of the Enlightment.
Next day we drive to the Netherlands, where we say goodbye to my brother and sister in law, to take the train to Rotterdam, our last destination.

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