Provence
Corey, and her husband, Yann are the nicest, funniest people. I felt right at home with them. I was as comfortable with them as I am with my own family. She told me stories about friends and neighbors that belong in books and/or movies, they showed me the French ways of eating meals. They live in a small, very old town in Provence. It's picturesque. It belongs in a movie. I loved it there. There are no take out places other than pizzerias (they live about 2 hours away from Italy) and bakeries. TONS of bakeries...one or two or three on practically every street.
There are a lot of motorbikes on the roads and they're all insane in the membrane. On three lane highways, they drive IN BETWEEN cars to pass them.
Drivers have no regard for pedestrians. If you're crossing the street, it seems they speed up! If the pedestrian has the right of way to cross, the cars inch up to make their turns and practically side swipe people to get through.
About 99% of the vehicles I saw were compact. It could have something to do with the fact that gasoline is about $9 per gallon....
The pace is slow and easy and simple. No TV. I didn't hop on her computer to check emails or blogs. I didn't even miss it! (But I missed all of you).
Corey is an amazing guide. She knows all sorts of facts and history about the area where she lives. She brought me to Aix en Provence to experience an open air market.
Here are pictures of Aix (pronounced "X"):
On our way home from Aix, Corey brought me to a famous site where Cezanne painted a famous painting of a mountain. Here is the painting and below it, the actual scene he painted:
On another day, Corey brought me to see a cave where Mary Magdalene is said to have lived. "Saint Mary Magdalen lived the whole rest of her life in France, as a contemplative in a cave known as Sainte-Baume.... Every day the angels carried her up into the air to hear their choirs singing. Every day she was given the Blessed Eucharist to be her only Food. Saint Mary Magdalen died when she was seventy-two years old. This was the same age as was Our Blessed Lady when she died" (text was taken from here). As we were driving up a very narrow road that leads to the hiking trail to the cave, she stopped and showed me an ancient Roman road that was in the woods. My camera ran out of batteries, so I couldn't get a shot of it. Here are pics of our hike (it took more than 30 minutes to hike) and the cave:
There are a lot of motorbikes on the roads and they're all insane in the membrane. On three lane highways, they drive IN BETWEEN cars to pass them.
Drivers have no regard for pedestrians. If you're crossing the street, it seems they speed up! If the pedestrian has the right of way to cross, the cars inch up to make their turns and practically side swipe people to get through.
About 99% of the vehicles I saw were compact. It could have something to do with the fact that gasoline is about $9 per gallon....
The pace is slow and easy and simple. No TV. I didn't hop on her computer to check emails or blogs. I didn't even miss it! (But I missed all of you).
Corey is an amazing guide. She knows all sorts of facts and history about the area where she lives. She brought me to Aix en Provence to experience an open air market.
Here are pictures of Aix (pronounced "X"):
On our way home from Aix, Corey brought me to a famous site where Cezanne painted a famous painting of a mountain. Here is the painting and below it, the actual scene he painted:
On another day, Corey brought me to see a cave where Mary Magdalene is said to have lived. "Saint Mary Magdalen lived the whole rest of her life in France, as a contemplative in a cave known as Sainte-Baume.... Every day the angels carried her up into the air to hear their choirs singing. Every day she was given the Blessed Eucharist to be her only Food. Saint Mary Magdalen died when she was seventy-two years old. This was the same age as was Our Blessed Lady when she died" (text was taken from here). As we were driving up a very narrow road that leads to the hiking trail to the cave, she stopped and showed me an ancient Roman road that was in the woods. My camera ran out of batteries, so I couldn't get a shot of it. Here are pics of our hike (it took more than 30 minutes to hike) and the cave:
posted by Shannon at
1:02 PM
5 Comments:
Incredible photographs! Sounds like a great trip!
By
Anonymous, at 11/18/2007 3:28 PM
Shannon when are you coming back?
I am so glad you took pictures, I look at these and feel like you are standing right here, giggling again.
The roman road, I'll have to send you a photo so you can show your children.
By
Anonymous, at 11/18/2007 6:27 PM
Awesome! (Even with the travel headaches, I am so jealous.)
By
If not a mother..., at 11/18/2007 9:06 PM
yay! great picutures and sounds liek a great trip. i'm so happy for you!
By
Unknown, at 11/18/2007 9:17 PM
Beautiful! Great photos.
By
Shannon, at 11/19/2007 3:09 AM
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