Somewhere in the South of France

We are just about to leave Vaisson la Romaine to head to points further south;

Not sure where I left off in the last blog. On Saturday morning we went to the Champs Elysee 5sp?). Still cold and drizzly but lots of people out for a walk--and not just tourists. Biggest sidewalks I have ever seen--and full of life! We then hopped the Metro over to Montmarte--the tallest hill in Paris--but couldn't see much because of the rain. But what a neighborhood--jam packe with people. They were there for local flea markets, for artists, for souvenirs, you name it. So again--a touristy neighborhood to be sure, but also full of locals going about their visit. Lots of winding streets, and lots of little parks and plazas. A delightful place. A 300 sqft loft will cost you 500k! As in the Marais, it is not just the rich who live there, so must be lots of renters and perhaps people who have held their property for a long time. Gentrification must be an issue.

We then packed up and heqded to Avignon on the TGV, which I described in the last post. We spent two nights there. Avignon as you may remember was the seat of the Papacy for a while in the middle ages. It is sort of like a medieval Antigua--but with a more modern and sprawiling city outside the ancient walls. Real estate is sold is intra or extramuros. Obviously very tight and walkable inside the walls. After the fall of the Romans, things went south in this part of the world and people basically lived in forts, with walls around their cities. Avignon is on a plain, and was a fairly large city. Yesterday we visited several of the so-called hill towns; The smaller cities in this period took refuge on hill tops--often with walls as well. Very tight and quant streets of cobble stone--but very little usable public space versus Avignon on the plain. Would be interesting to see how that pattern has played out over time in terms of town character (or social capital to use the technical term).

I need to describe the market--but I am running out of time. The Avignon sunday covered market was wonderful, but even better was the market here. Anybody and everybody was here. This is definitely not just a tourist market. Think of it as a fancified Guatemalan altiplano market---just way way more expensive. People hauled in stuff from all over to sell, but there was also an abundance of local and regional produce and foodstuffs. We bought way to much stuff, so we had to forgo a few meals so we could eqt qll the great stuff we bought!). What would happen if a Walmart went in here??? Most of the food we are buying here, at the outdoor markets or supermarkets (super is a relative term) is more expensive than what were are used to paying in the US. Perhaps it would be better to pay a bit more in return for vibrant towns and cities. Vaisson is just 5k people--and it is alive!!! Not sure how many towns of that size in Texas could say that. Most of them are in decline.

I will try to post some pictures of the markets etc in the next post. On to Marseille!

Provence no Problem

We have been in Provence since Saturday. We came down on the super fast TGV express from Paris. The cold drizzly weather was getting to us--although it looks like it might have warmed up there by now. We woke up to a glorius mediterranean morning--and we are going to stay in this area probably the rest of this week. I stopped in the Tourist Office this morning to pick up some info. I had kind of scouted out some ideas of places to go--really wanting to go everywhere. A few places in this are then maybe over to the Cannes area. The tourist agent rolled her eyes and said something about you americans wanting to see everything but take in nothing--or words to that effect. She was absolutely right of course! Maybe she was my buddhist guru for the day! So we slowed right down--and I will bring you up to date on where we are now, but first need to pick up the story from where we left off. These french keyboard have just a few letters different than ours--so there may be typos or I just hit a Q where the a is supposed to be; (or a ; insteqd of a .)

I am really taken with the Paris transit system. I believe it is likely the best in the world. It is actuqlly severql different systems layered together. There is the Paris Metro itself--just q short walk from most places to a stop, and then there is the suburban RER which you can ride with the same ticket inside Paris. And integrated right into this is the national rail system, including the super sleek high speed TGV.

This is the regular Paris metro. All are very clean--this is one of the older models. And they are always full of people. Even on Saturdays! (or maybe all of Paris was on their way to the Champs Eysee with us).

This is the suburban RER system. We rode this particular one down to Versaille. The regular metro is 1.3 euro or so per ride. A longer trip on the RER is about 6E.

One Thursday (I think) we went to the famed Luxembourg gardens (must have been the say day we did St Chapell--and yes, Chris, we did note the music and were tempted to go back, but that drizzly cold put a damper on that!). As you all know, I am very interested in civic space, and on this trip I am beginning to form something like an 'ecology of civic space'. These folks over here don't get everything right, but there is so much to learn here about hoz w spaces can be put together that maxize human ecology--i.e., interaction;

The sun came out the pm this picture was taken--but look at all the people out! Note the moveable chairs. They are everywhere! (that lqdy in the brown beret keeps showing up in my photos).

For awhile I was thinking that Paris had it all just about right except for parks and green space. But the more I looked around, the more parks I started to notice--they fill every little nook and cranny. And notice that in this picture the ground is all gravel--a park doesn't necessarily have to have grass to be a good park (but it helps, and this park has lots of great grass elsewhere). I will post some more pictures of great urban spaces next--but I better get up to bed now. This is about the best hotel so far. We are in the small town of Vaisson la Romaine--supposed to be on of the better open air markets in Provence, so gotta get enough sleep to enjoy that. And we are slowing down. We will stay here tomorrow night as well. First place we hqve had internet service right in the hotel.

A quick note

This cyber cafe is about to close--so just a quick note. The weather took a turn for the better on Thursday. We went to Saint Chappell in the AM and Luxembourg Gardens in the PM--the sun was out and it was glorius! Definitely one of the best urban parks in the world. More on that later.
We knew there was rain forecast for today but thought it wouldn't be that bad. We took the train to Versaille--cold and rainy all day. So didn't take in the gardens at all--was what I really wanted to see! THe palace was a real palace, however, so interesting to see. One very interesting thing about Paris is that all the monuments and old buildings are all ancien regime! There is not much at all about the Revolution, at least not in any of the guidebooks we have.

I'll post more details and photos in a day or two. This is turning out to be a fun way to keep in touch. As Jen said--way better that postcards!

Equinox in Paris--but no spring yet!

Might be about time for an update--there may actually be folks hanging on our every word! (maybe not...).

Sunday we went to a local ward of our church. A good chance to meet some authentic locals. The ward was quite diverse--the Bishop an African. We met members from Peru, Bolivia, Pakistan, the Congo--and maybe even a few frenchies as well.

Later in the day we packed up and left the 19eme Arrondisment (you should hear me pronounce that now!). We moved to the much trendier Le Marais neighborhood--much closer to everything. Our hotel in the 19eme was ok--quite clean. And it was great to be able to compare a neighborhood much farther out. But it was going to take me an hour to get where I needed to be for my presentation--only 1/2 hr from LeMarais.

We found a great little hotel--Hotel Sully--only 55E, right on Rue St. Antoine--the Marais main drag. That is pretty cheap for this neighborhood! It is not super fancy by any means, but it is clean and does the job. Oh--and did I mention the free exercise room? (well, ok--its 5 flights of stairs--but think of what we are getting for free!). Our room is toward the back, so we are not bothered by the street noise at all.

The Hotel Sully, while a little dive of sorts, is right next to a 16th century structure called the HOtel Sully, which is adjacent to Place de Voges, a very wonderful square--which also has the house of Victor Hugo. We hung around there Sunday PM, enjoying all kinds of live street music--from Texas Swing to Chamber. We capped off the night with a fance dinner at Ma Borgogne--a burgundian restaurant. Some good hearty frech fare.

Monday morning turned WAY colder. I had to buy a hat and a scarf (see photo below). My presentation was at the International Energy Agency (but the meeting was run by the OECD, the people who contracted me). It was a UN kind of meeting, with delegates from the participating countries sitting around a very large oval table, with their hangers on behind them. I was one of about 4 presenters. I problably should have been a little more staid in my presentation, but you know me! Mostly this was people reading bullets, or the delegates making very long very boring statements. I really had to stay alert to see if they were asking my a question (and I did get a few).

Tuesday we wandered around several neighborhoods (see photos below). Tuesday night we hooked up with my niece Amy, who lives here, and her brother Tim, who just happened to be in town visiting. We had a great meal at a small Le Marais restaurant--8-12! Paris restaruants just make you want to talk, I guess!

Today was still pretty doggone cold! So we spent the day in the Lourve. I am definitely not a big museum hound--if its 2 dimensional, I might rather see it in a book! We actually did just over 5 hours there. Quite a bit for me. The sculptures are something else--you can't see that in a book. We saw very little of the whole museum--that would take days!

Looks like tomorrow we might start to get a break in the weather. I keep thinking I am just about ready to head south, but Paris beckons. It is great to be under no pressure, and just be able to walk around and soak things up. I am really starting to get a feel for the city.

Everyone walks of course. Not very many obese people in evidence here. I can assure you that these folks eat enough to get obese! They burn it all off. I wish we had brought a pedometer--I am sure we are well over 10k steps a day--maybe even 20. I am not worried about gaining any weight on this trip.
Amy told me that she spends only 55E a month for an unlimited pass on the Metro (and that includes the busses)! Wow! Could you imagine only spending that much a month on transporation! I know we spend over 1k/month in Houston. If we didn't have to spend that--we could afford a lot more house.

LeMarais is very much a tourist district--you see tourists everywhere. But you see everybody else as well. Schoolkinds, workaday folks etc. This is a very very dense neighborhood. I would wager not many places in the US come close--maybe some areas in Manhattan. One thing about density is that it doesn't seem to matter where you go--its all interesting (properly designed of course). The 18eme is not a tourist area --but very interesting anyway: a commercial district at just about every corner, with lots of quaint restaraurants.



This is Rue de Cler, a pretty upscale area not far from the Eiffle Tower. Great restaurants and stores everywhere. There are folks living in the floors above the ground floor.



This is Rue St. Antoine--our neighborhood! Le Marais was once a marsh--and thats what Marais means. It is a very old neighborhood with lots of very small and fascinating streets. Our place is just a block from here.

Yeah--its cold! Last night at Chez Janou. Check my hat out. This morning a fellow walked up and started asking me directions in French--guess I look like a local with my hat and scarf!

Here is Leticia with Amy and Tim. A great time at a great restaurant! And how wild is that running into family in Paris?

We appreciate all the comments--keep em coming!

First full day in Paris (fully awake, that is)

Our first real full day in Paris. Only half jet lagged now. We are changing to another hotel--right in the hip section of Marais.
A lot of walking today. The Notre Dame is all it is cracked up to be. We will try to post more of the wondeful places we see as we have time.

We are in PARIS!!

After a long and at times uncomfortable flight--we have arrived in Paris. This picture, which I don't know it if will be righted, shows us at the IAH dropoff. This is ALL our luggage. As light as we have travelled--at least since we were very young! No checked bags.

We hqven't done much except recover and scouted out the place I need to be Monday AM for my presentation--very close to the Eifle Tower but waiting lines were very long for cold evening (high 40s)--but it is Friday so maybe that explains it.

The Metro system of Paris is incredible!! Very fast--very efficient!

Tomorrow we hook up with my niece Amy who is living here, and her brother Tim who will be visiting this weekend;

Its a bit cold--but gets into the high 50s in the day--not bqd qt qll; Big problem with this blog zwill be getting use to French keyboard--q and a are reversed--abnd just one or two others--enough to cause some serious grief!!!

First Trial Posting

This is going to be a trial blog--an occasional blogging from our travels in France and Spain (and ??) during March and April 2007. We will post some pictures and notes every few days. We know where we are starting (Paris) and where we end (Barcelona). We will make up the rest as we go along!

Stay tuned!