http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , France , Provence Alpes C te d Azur en-us Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:48:20 UTC Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:48:20 UTC I have died and gone to French Country Paradise.There is no other way to describe my visit to the home of the Meuniers in the teeny tiny village of Orange 700 residents I think in the Provence region of Southern France.My new friend Antoine of Beijing Olympic Games fame invited me here to meet his family see his home and get to know their gigantic dog Slovane the true king of this French http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/blog-351274.html A long train trip to Nice yeilded great results An awesome hostel in a former monastery where we got upgraded to a private room with ensuite and had views over the ocean This made up for Alice tripping over the curb while running for the tram with her pack on and not being able to get back up because of the weight of her pack and all the Frenchies laughing at her... Next day after gorging oursel http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Nice/blog-351252.html I went to a brunch celebrating the release of the ballet Blanche Neige. I really just went because it was free CEA payed for us to go and to have something to do on a lazy Saturday. I didnrsquot really know what was going to be there or what was going to happen so I didnrsquot really have expectations except for the food of course They interviewed the choreographer of the ballet for a http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Aix-en-Provence/blog-350874.html It was really interesting to be an American abroad during the election. Here in France and in other places in Europe that I traveled politics is an open and friendly discussion which caught me off guard. In America it is rude to ask a person you literally just met who they are voting for why and then have a discussion with them about their choice especially if you are against it. In Americ http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Aix-en-Provence/blog-350873.html So I have noticed that French people loooove PDA I wonder if they have a word for it. Maybe not because it is just so normal and accepted. In America it happens but it isnrsquot quite so intense and everywhere A peck holding hands even maybe a little more serious kisshellipbut rarely do you see people just straight up making out on the streets. And in very open and public places on the http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Aix-en-Provence/blog-350867.html The latest lecture in my social issues in france culture class was on the government funding of arts in France. Overall I was impressed with their system it seems to work really well to make the arts affordable and available to everyone who wants to see them. I am personally a fan of the arts studio art dance theatre opera orchestra music visual arts etc so I really envy French people http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Aix-en-Provence/blog-350866.html I already take Margauxrsquos conversation and culture class and we have been doing music lately so I thought I would be bored with her presentation but I wasnrsquot I also take the education class so the two lectures we had on education were really boring and COMPLETELY overlap for me She added in a lot of other bands that we havenrsquot done in her class and organized it better. I f http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Aix-en-Provence/blog-350864.html I went with the IAU class to Marseille to see the play lsquole Cidrdquo. My hostmom told me it was a classic in France and that she had seen the play on tv one time she watches sooo much tv..Irsquom not shocked. So I thought that it would be nice to see a play that was really traditional and classic French for a nice theatre experience. ButhelliphellipI did not really appreciate it http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Aix-en-Provence/blog-350862.html Now in Nice and it is by far the nicest place i have been in France. The people seem nicer there is significantly less dog shit on the streets in Marseilles it was like a doodoo mine field. We made it out to the bar last night and were very pleasantly surprised to find that there were women there. Every other place that we have been the bars are filled with men and nary a woman in site. http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Nice/blog-350715.html Listen upmdashare you paying attention We have just two words for you Cinque Terra. If you like rugged beautiful seacoast and you want to go back several hundred years in time then you MUST include the Cinque Terra five lands on your list for visiting Italy. The Cinque Terra is comprised of five little Italian coastal villages on the northwestern Mediterranean coast. We Janet Johns http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Marseille/blog-349685.html I am now in Marseille France it is a rainy day I just bought an umbrella...So to those thinking my life is all sunshine and lollypops....Yes even into my currently cushy existence sometimes a little rain does fallAfter Carcassonne I spent a couple nights in Nimes. There is an old Roman Collisseum there that is in excellent condition...they still use it for bullfights...yes bullfights in Fra http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Marseille/blog-349353.html September 13 MondayFrom Russia we flew to Paris for the last leg of our adventure. Taking the Air France shuttle bus to Etoile then taking a taxi to 24 Avenue Gabriel we were so warmly welcomed by Cynthia. It was good to be ldquohomerdquo again. We told Cynthia that we will spend the night there but need to leave early the following morning for Orly airport for our separate flights to Lou http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/blog-348838.html Breakfast this morning was a double espresso and a chocolate croissant. Dinner tonight will be a hunk of aged cheese a bar of dark chocolate and a bottle of red wine. Why Because I am in France. I often ask myself why we pick up certain habits and do certain things while traveling that we would never ever do at home. I can buy cheese chocolate croissants crusty baguettes and red wine on any http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Cannes/blog-347271.html When a girl finds herself far away from home in a foreign land without a car facing a long bus ride into town and laden with nearly 500 euro and many heavy pounds worth of bedspreads sheets towels and bath mats what is she to do Simple call upon the most contentious yet quintessential of all lessons garnered from her favorite childhood stories. Quickly set out to find herself a Knight in http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Cannes/blog-346933.html Well it is blogger time.Our latest pioneering visitor who has managed to survive Marseille for the past week is our close friend Janet Johnson who also serves as Kathyrsquos walking partner when in Lincoln and while here in Marseille. Janet and Kathy have been making walking sorties each day in Marseillemdashwhile Garry labors away at the lab. Garry picks up the baguette from the patisseri http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Marseille/blog-346654.html I am thinking that the reason the French eat so much bread is because they need something to soak up all the red wine they are drinking. At least this has become my excuse.After two days of racing the 45minute walk at a ridiculous pace to get to class every morning arriving all sweaty and veryfrizzyhaired I finally got smart today and discovered that I could actually take the bus. For a mere http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Cannes/blog-346641.html I'm so happy these past few weeks I hope it keeps up. Today I took pictures all day some near a cemetery and most of small streets. A few are good but most are shit. I'll post some soon.Just know I'm happy and that's why I'm not writing as much. Can't wait to see you all in a month exactly http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Aix-en-Provence/blog-346243.html Today was my first day of school. Last night I carefully laid out just the right outfit set aside my school supplies and packed my bag with the days essentials.OK not quite. But it was kind of fun to get up and go to school again after all these years.I signed on for a French Intensive class at the College International de Cannes. The price is exorbitant 300 euros for one week of class and the http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Cannes/blog-345925.html They are a kind and generous family no doubt about that. This fabulously stylish woman her gentle guitarplaying husband and their 30something liveathome son all welcomed me into their home and their life without a momentrsquos pause. I arrived into town placed a call to these otherwise strangers friends of a friend and without hesitation they invited me to dine with them. How could http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Cannes/blog-345687.html The sun came out today. Not the timid sun that peered through the clouds yesterday tempting and teasing worshipers with just the slightest hint of its rays. Today the morning sun blazed through the night sky releasing a bright new day here along the Cote drsquoAzur. Today the morning sun broke through the glass window where I slept spreading light and warmth into an otherwise cold and lonel http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Cannes/blog-345268.html Salut on est encore vivant jai perduoublier la camera a Mymi oui vous nous laver dit on le sait bla bla bla merci bonsoir cest ma fete alors bonne fete simonon vous aimes mymi et on sennuion est a Arles en provences et puis desoler chantale pas de photo.....Simon http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Arles/blog-345073.html Decided to head south to Avignon today. It was a gorgeous 2 hr train ride. The pictures you see of the French countryside were taken from a very fast train You go Fujifilm F30 I picked the Hotel de l'Atelier out of the guidebook. I called from the Avignon train station to see if they had a room. But of course I asked if they needed my name and cc info. No just show up he said. It woul http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Avignon/blog-344783.html the little cuties and their accents incidentally i do not know this kid. http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Aix-en-Provence/blog-343972.html This blog is due for a bit of positivity nrsquoestce pas The title is a quote from my student. We were discussing the importance of proverbs and idioms and she enthusiastically wanted to share some French ones with me. I loved this the most and to be honest Irsquom not exactly sure I understand the meaning but I THINK it means you have to really search for happiness in life and help bring http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Aix-en-Provence/blog-343946.html If you ever have the opportunity to travel in Italy as we did last week and Rome is on your itinerary do it last not first as we did. Rome far exceeded our expectations. It was the super thick frosting while the rest of Italy was a wonderful cake.ROAMED ROME During our 2.5 days of roaming Rome we were able to see many of the major sites of the city. Just as you have to do at the airport http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Marseille/blog-343236.html Hey guys SO SORRY I have been majorly slacking on my journals I think its been like 3 or 4 weeks maybe Well thigns are MUCH better I guess I haven't been writing as much becasue well 1. it slips my mind but moreso because I've been much busier with lots of trips and social time etc. So much better There is so much to update you on I guess I'll break it down my sectionHOMESTAYI changed http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Aix-en-Provence/blog-343186.html Can you believe it's been 2 months yeah me neither The season is officially over here. Summer has come and gone on the French Riviera. November has brought the rain clouds in. For a place that has 340 days of sunshine a year we have definitely been in the rainy season for the past couple of weeks. That means our Sunday ritual of spending the day on the beach is over. I've been to beaches up an http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Cape-d--Ail/blog-342707.html We drove to Turin through a gigantic rainstorm and didn't see much except our windshield wipers. The rain has continued guess it's time to buy umbrellas Turin has a zillion cafes and we are attempting to visit all of them. There is a local specialty drink called a bicerin that comes in a big clear coffee cup. It's about 2 of rich chocolate topped by about 12 of espresso topped by abo http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/blog-342638.html