Art, Bocce...and Rose’

It has been a quiet week in the South of France…despite the celebration of two major holidays…well at least quiet for Dad and I…except for the annual “the world is ending…crawl under the couch” fireworks extravaganza in France last night/early this morning.

Ryane and Ian arrived in Nice mid-day Christmas without a lot of fanfare. Dad picked them up at the airport and when they first came through the gate, I did not recognize them…tried to hide in the room and barked at these two strangers threatening Dad. Then, in a moment, I recognized Ryane…joy! So excited to see friends from Annapolis. Jumping and barking…they were none to impressed with my enthusiasm but I was so thrilled to see them.

Both Ryane and Ian contracted the flu just before the trip and it hit them HARD…walking zombies. Dad helped them get their luggage into the main house, set up their internet and TV and gave them a quick lay of the land and they disappeared for 48 hours…I mean disappeared. Here it is, 7 days later, and they are still recovering. Dad was able to cancel the Christmas Day lunch he had reserved. We hung around the house in case they needed anything and walked up to town, in the early evening, for a quiet Christmas Dinner…in candor, I cant even remember where we ate. I enjoyed the quiet, reflective day with Dad…just very special. It’s still interesting to me how low key the French are about Christmas…such a historic heavy Catholic presence, so many beautiful and historic churches…yet you get the feeling that Christianity and spirituality are not part of their everyday lives. Maybe it’s the part of the Country we are living in. This area has a heavy Italian influence…I understand that it was actually part of Italy for many years…and Italy is VERY Catholic (maybe the proximity to Rome and Vatican City are the reason). Dad needs to do some more reading and let me know.

Several highlights of the week.

First, I had a Spa Day on the day after Christmas at Aristo Pets in Mougins. Dad and I walked to town and he dropped me off for my appointment…Emily took over. Cut, shampoo and blow dry. Nails. Thankfully she did a “sanitary trim” so I don’t need to “scootch” along the grass to wipe my hinney. Dad was very please with the cut…actually somewhat relieved since he has been using Stephanie at Annapolis BarkNBean forever. In secret, I was glad to get this over with. I don’t like Spa Days nearly as much as Dad’s female friends do. I’m just as happy just to roll in the grass and mud.

On Saturday, Dad and I drove to St Paul de. Vence, the earliest medieval settlement in the area. Narrow walkways, stone parapets overlooking the valley, the mountains and the sea. Cobblestone walkways reconditioned in the early 50s along the ancient traditions. The place was beautiful…full of extremely talented artists working is small shops throughout the village. We could not find a date that the village was initially built, but it was prior to the Middle Ages (https://www.saint-pauldevence.com/en/history/moments-in-time/). I asked Dad to include a link the the St Paul website. We parked our car in the garage and walked up the hill to the castle and surrounding village…stopping to watch old men and tourists playing Bocce Ball. It think it is the national pastime here. Dad has watched the men (and women) in Baltimore’s Little Italy play…but the skill level isn’t even close to what you see here. The national professional tournament is even on local TV. Dad just enjoyed standing and watching the old men cajoling each other with respect…and the young families enjoying playing together. Much like curling on hard packed sand, players toss a small ball into the playing field and then try to toss their larger metal balls closest to the target. Team with the closest to the target wins and they take great pleasure in whacking their opponents balls…knocking them from close proximity to the target to the other side of the court. Dad and I stood and watched…it gave us a real sense of community…locals, drinking wine, laughing and playing a game. The older men were much looser and more jovial…as if they had been winning at this game for years. The younger men, talented and intense, trying to one up the status quo. Dad smiled and told me about playing ping pong on the back porch with his Dad in his youth…his Dad had been a tournament ping pong player in his twenties. No matter how much he practiced…no matter how he tried…he could not dethrone his Father. And his Dad was true to the game…not gloating but never throwing the game.

We continued our climb up, through the massive, ancient stone archways and into the ancient city of Saint Paul. The streets were crowded…but not overly so…and the structures were awe inspiring. We proceeded deep into the village, passing little shops displaying beautiful, museum quality artwork…impressionist paintings, modern paintings and sculpture. Dad loves art and enjoyed gazing into each gallery as we walked along. At the center of the village was a round stone fountain that had stood since the inception of the village…as if the water flowing into the fountain was a constant passage of time…glinting in silver…noisy yet constant. Always there…always moving.

On New Years Eve, we went deep into the wine regions of Provence. At a Christmas reception in the village, Dad met new friends who lived on a hill in Seillance just outside Fayence. Not fifteen miles outside of the downtown and suburban area of Cannes, Fayence took us back in time. We left the A8…the toll road that runs the length of the Med from Genoa to Marseilles and beyond…taking the exit for Fayence. The road, while well maintained, narrowed. We found ourselves driving beside a beautiful lake...in the countryside of France. We drove for 15 minutes up into the hills and countryside…passing though small villages with the blend of civilization…small shops and large supermarkets built along side restaurants, pubs and vineyards. Nothing here is pre-fab. All stone structures built from the ground by hand. As usual, we encountered a number of round-about’s but no traffic lights. Dad has warmed to the traffic circle concept…it keeps traffic balanced and flowing…well except when a Brit drinks too much or just forgets that they drive on the right side here. More than once, we have seen a car veer left in the traffic circle against the grain. Very dicey…we are both grateful that the French drive on the right side instead of the left.

We met our new friends in Fayence for lunch. As it turns out, the restaurant they picked was closed in preparation for New Years Eve…a HUGE celebration in France. We drove to a number of restaurants in the countryside…all closed…including the country club which is a host site for the European Golf Tour. Beautiful golf course…beautiful club house…but closed. As we drove back to town, we found a small “strip shopping center” with a small restaurant that was open for lunch...restaurant l'escale tourettes. We walked in and asked the older woman who was waiting tables if we could eat…she finally relented and we sat down. Old structure, ceramic tiles, linoleum tables and straight back chairs…and a 5 star meal. The woman turned out to be lovely …if absent minded…and she took a real liking to me. Local Rose’, oysters…Dad had the fillet…it was massive with a red wine mushroom sauce…tender tasty…with a potato casserole. Our hosts had lamb shank…again massive and beautiful. It was as though we went to Denny’s…and got food from a 5 star restaurant. Dad relished his meal…but true to form, I got nothing…I mean NOTHING. On the way out, we engaged with an older Scottish couple living in the area. He was 90..bright and spry…he served in the paratroopers in WW2. Lovely conversation…they had lived all over the world (well, except for the States). Sparkle in their eyes when they spoke of places past…

After lunch, we drove back through town and down the road a few miles to Seillance. We found ourselves amidst the vineyards...this is Rose’ country…and trees with rolling hills in the background. Just beautiful…we drove up the narrow roads to our friend’s home…a palatial estate overlooking the mountains and the valley. We gathered their dogs…and took off for a walk in the vineyards. Finally I was able to run and play again…it was just glorious. According to our host, this area had once been home to massive olive groves but the area experience a massive and rare deep freeze and the crops were lost. The area froze again the next year…the poor farmers chopped down the trees and sold the wood just to sustain life…and then sold their land. As we walked, we encountered one of the local wine makers…old driving an ancient tractor. He stopped and came over…scratched my ears…so nice. Very unpretentious. Our host told us that his wine was fabulous…very successful. Glorious walk, lovely conversation…our hosts originated from Britain so they spoke English…beautiful view…great wine and food. What’s not to like. This is really the first place that Dad has visited in France where he could see staying for a while…love the small simple life of rural France.

Our hosts were heading up the mountain that evening for a New Years Eve celebration…we were invited…but Dad considered the drive up…and the drive home and politely declined…

So we headed back home. Ryane and Ian were headed to the Cannes waterfront to watch fireworks. Ryane had learned that they have a fireworks competition…the winner gets to put on the show at the New Year. Ryane took a video…spectacular…but Dad and I were happy to stay home and read…watch Netflix. Ryane and Ian must be running on empty…they took the train to Monaco the night before and were up all hours…ate at Nobu, the famous sushi restaurant and gambled a little in the casino…winning enough to Uber home. The local trains are spotty because of the strike…and the holiday.

So…Happy New Year…New Decade to all. Our adventure continues into the New Year. Dad and I are beginning to make our plans for departure from Mougins…probably take the train to Italy…Lake Como area to Florence to Rome to Sicily. Then ferry to Sardinia and Corsica…then ferry to Barcelona for several days. Dad has heard great things about Seville so we will head south, across Spain to Seville…then Lisbon…back across Spain to the Bordeaux area. Finally, we will spend time in Paris, Prague and Berlin before heading back to the states…or not. As Dad used to say in the Air Force…”Semper Gumby. Always Flexible.

Till next time…au revoir.

Maggie (and Doug)

Dad...at the Paris train station...