South of France, Cote d Azur

really, where should one begin?
Have spent the last few days pottering on the island of Porquerolles, by bicycle even - must be 35 years nearly since I rode a bike, but it is still possible :)
A couple of days on the c Cote d dAzur with my niece Steph - we looked at millionaire boats and their owners in St tropez but really they were not our type - not nearly literate enough. But seriously, the amount of obvious wealth is staggering; and the fact that all the lovelies have to hang out on the decks of their boats so that the hoi polloi passing by can see them is almost too much! discretion is not a term which I imagine to have much currency in this area........

We cruised through Monaco in the mercedes ( always nice to be in a good car, evidemment!) but also found it not to our taste! However Menton, another story, very pretty place. Alas through poor preparation _- or perhaps just lack of time on our parts - we had failed to look up the address of the Katherine Mansfield villa; what was really interesting was that no-one we asked knew anything about her, despite my perfectly fluent explanations; Not even the Kiwis we found by the beach knew about it.........;I should have phone JoEllen or Lloyd, but alas.......

We dined in italy, in ventimiglia - I realise that sounds wonderful but in truth it,s half an hour from Menton! still, it was pretty nice: there was a duo playing songs, and they specially played Hava Nagila for a visiting diner from - wait for it - Libya! alas, they realised that it was not Libya; nor a libyan song even; but Lebanese! when the realised their mistake they quickly compensated by playing an Arabic melody§ Steph and I were tempted to request Bella Ciao but it was already 11 pm and we were sleeping in Nice..................

Nice is lovely, particularly the old part ( see pictures on Picasa please, ask David for the link) and we also went to the Chagall museum which was fabulous;, literally;

I have learned some great French expressions - hope I can find ways in include them in conversation when home, but I am not sure - it is not every day that you find the need to say that something "pue de fric" ( st Tropez) or that someone farts higher than his bum, meaning has ideas above his station!
Anyway, enough! off to Casablanca tomorrow, will be intersting to see how one deals with Ramadan and tourism§

More from Porquerolles

Zhat caan I say? or, indeed, what can I say? damned French keyboards!
however, it is amazing to be able to walk on the island and pick figs, almonds, and those round orange things whose name has temporarily escaped me - NOT oranges, persimmons - and swim in the Mediterranean ( although i have not yet done that, only dipped the feet........) - it really is a very beautiful place, this island; am trying without success to upload photos, will work it out before I come home - where are my tech experts when necessary?

Bonjour de Porquerolles

Arrived here Sunday by the train: saturday in Paris I finally located the internet cafe which was - amazingly - not far from where I was staying::........... of course, it closed at 5 on Sat and did not open on Sunday - ah; la belle France!

However, managed to send some emails, then found a huge outdoor market selling everything including halal meat; Later caught some of the match between the ABs and Portugal - a walkover even in the early stages so I gqve up in favour of more cultural pursuits, found a very very beautiful old house on ile saint louis; open for les jours du patrimoine (closest I can translate is cultural heritage), which had been built by some fellow named Cgarles Gruyn for his second, young; wife. Beautifully preserved or restored, more likely, as in later years it was a hangout for the poetic fraternity including de Nerval among others, who worked there but also famously smoked weird substances and wrote about the experience of eating a green cake made almost entirely of drugs and absinthe!

After that, wandered along the island and came across a swedish juggler, very good and taking advantage of le rugby to demonstrate the national juggling characteristics of each country - including those who, like the Swiss, do not tqke pqrt. It zas very funny but really you had to be there..............

Then there was a trio playing on the bridge, very old-time early jazz/swing, who were really good:

Then decided to take a look at why there were dowzens of police and vans around - there is a huge screen in front of the hotel de Ville, for le rugby, of course; no doubt the fact that there was a match to be screened live shortly meant therer might be trouble; so the cops were well prepared - mostly it seems to manage the crowds of drunken Scotsmen.

More Paris

Staying in the 12e is really very easy - Gare de lyon a few minutes stroll, and lots to see and do:
coffee has improved considerably since last in Paris; dogs everywhere, not very friendly but neither are the owners - no, thatWAS a blague:

pleased to say that my French is doing well - fotunate; as very few people seem to speak English; so i have had to push myself; am contemlating watching the All Blacks this afternoon - well, you have to shw interest, and besides i must have walked hundreds of kms in the last few days:
there,s a beautiful area here called the promenade plantee which goes for a long way on the top of old ramparts - its full of roses, trees; grassed areas and seats for old people and young ( and not so young) couples in clinches! snogging, if you prefer! very beautiful to walk through in the early evening.

Okay, that,s all for now, next one from South of France at some time.

Paris update _ Saint maclou la briere trip

On Thursday I bravely set out to parts unknown - that is, towards le havre, on a rather long train trip (although a very fast train)? to a very small village (1000) called Breauté. Having previously arranged for the only taxi in Bréauté to meet me, we worked out that he would take me, collect me an hour or so after, and return me to the gare at bréauté; So far, so good: i found the mairie but not the mayor; the secretary gave me a map of the village -600 inhabitants - and i set off. Have several photos of the memorial, and the village: the madame who runs the epicerie (only shop in the village, doubles as bar, infomation centre and everything else) made me welcome, made me coffee, and in short order m le maire arrived to find me. We had a good talk about james stellin, and it is quite apparent that they regard him as a "fils de France" and are hugely proud of him. (The secretary at the mairie had located the mayor - it,s a small place, what can I say??) The taxi arrived as promised, took me back to Bréauté for a really good lunch - omelette fromqge, salade vert, petit verre de vin rose, un noir) and then took me back to the gare, thus saving me a 3km uphill slog, and increasing his daily takings - he did well!

Ah, Paris!

t Frqnkfurt, so no time to explore the doubtless expensive shops on the way (i hear David saying thank god!);
Found my way toute seule to the hotel, which is tiny, friendly; comfoprtqble and budget. this moorning I move to Maison Zen, looking forward to thqt. Sorry about the random letters, am using a french keyboard,
yesterday got myself all over the place, and am constantly amazed by the numbers of drunken scotsmen, all wearing kilts, our tutors would fell quite at ho,me. So far have avoided the excessive tourist traps, but have just tzaken in so many sights; sounds; tastes etc. it,s great fun, even coming home from synagogue late on wed night on the bus which was delayed "service perturbé _ manifestation" - i wondered if the drunken scotsmen had got out iof hand after winning the football!

Ah, Paris!

HongKong airport

is in fact all it is cracked up to be, thank you NickM! used the lovely lounge (expensive but worth it with 6 hours to kill) - shower, massage, ongoing food and drink, option to take a2 hours nap, but passed on that one.
Found the LokFook jewellery store, I kid you not, but refrained from taking a photo of it. About to go and walk a hundred miles to the gate for Lufthansa. More from Paris.

en route

First stop HongKong for a few hours, then Paris via Frankfurt. Quite exciting, and I am nervous, as it's a while since I travelled on my own..............fortitude, I believe! the kids on the I team gave me chocolate, which will come in handy to reduce nervousness. (so nice of them to do that ).

2 days to go!

Finally, getting there.
Leave NZ on 10 September, arrive Paris 11 september. My mobile phone will not work in France, Spain or Morocco........go, Telecom!! contact me on gmail (shoshannashira@gmail.com) or via this blog.
From France, to Morocco on 24 September or so, then to Madrid on 2 October, then to NY on 5 October. In NY until 16th, then via San Fran (alas no stopover) to Seattle. My phone will work in the US, so that's something.

6 days counting down

Today was nuts - Mikado (school production) dress rehearsal. Took most of the day and all the energy.However it looks and sounds great and the kids, as usual, pulled out all the stops for performance.
Still things to finalise for trip, such as visits to NY schools, but other things mostly sorted, which is a relief.
Now, if I could just find time to think about clothes..........................