In Provence

A day ago: Standing at an old fashioned French railway siding by the station house, next to a mom, her daughters, and their suitcases, she has dark thick curly hair like maybe from French Algeria, the girls and mom modern, stylish, long hair sleek. Maybe they are headed to a connecting train, then again, maybe to the airport. Meanwhile our local commuter train is a little late. At least two sleek sure fast TGV trains flash by, as we wait.

On the train: Watching the sun on the mediterranean and the high white cliffs and the modern suburban world of contemporary France. Being disappointed with Aix en Provence when our train finally got there: yes lovely, boulevards with plane trees, wrought iron; fancy food stores, handsome waiters; but too many stores targeted at vacationers looking for fancy outfits and among the tourists, too many Americans looking for "authentic" souvenirs... Perhaps too much soap and lavender... Spent a bunch on tablecloths to replace our stained ones...

By contrast, Marseille was feisty and vibrant, every one much more focused on their own community of Algerians or Tunisians or fellow teenagers or their friend with whom they are getting a quick meal of steamed mussels on a break from their workday. A fun city to keep walking in. Fascinating souvenir shops with fake crickets and lotsa Provençal whatnots but even more fascinating stalls selling color-drenched baggy dresses and headscarves for the Muslim ladies...

Today hiked a trail, sentier, into glowing red and yellow ochre in the cliff sides next to the town, Rousillion. The eroded soft formations were beautiful. Somewhat like Bryce, but there were nightingales and cuckoos singing in the woods which had chestnuts, Sylvester pines, money plant flowers, french "acacia"trees which is a sweet smelling white legume ... Along the roads were light blue bearded iris planted along terrace wall tops and fields absolutely thick with red poppies, "cocoliquos" and some yellow asters and lots of wildflowers of all types.

Some of the roads taken from Bandol through Aubagne past Aix up into the Luberon massif had parallel lines of tall ancient plane trees. Later we went up a narrow nearly gorge like river valley... At the top was a stone house ruin like an igloo in the shape of a bread loaf called a br.....

Wandering in ancient Menerbes.... Menerbes had a very nice old fortress of pale pastel amber stone, well, all houses are the same tone al built with the local stone, and even high on a crag it had a well.... Most buildings are way restored but a few turrets remain to be claimed. The countryside below is being ploughed,a mix of olives and wine and row cros, right now so green and springy and the faraway tall white craggy massifs look very nice with green on, not stark but certainly very steep, particularly if you are a biker.

At LaVerande we had salad, duck confit, and a glass each of Gigondas. followed for Craig by a wine fom Menerbes, Cote de Luberon. What I liked most was the view, the colored water glasses which turn out to be old mustard glasses, and the gentleman next to us slipping tidbits to his dog under the table, what else, a tiny white French poodle.