Luberon

“Slowly in the morning, not too quickly in the afternoon”. Such is the pace of life in the Luberon region, the true heart of Provence. My journey began in Lourmarin, one of the most charming villages in this part of the world. There I found a small Provencal market filled with local lavender and handicrafts, a not so small castle, and winding streets in which to lose yourself, which of course I did.


From there I entered Roussillon, a landscape of ochre cliffs in brilliant hues of reds and oranges, illuminated most majestically by the late morning light.


After lunch my tour continued to the 12th-century Cistercian Abbey of Senanque, where a community of monks live in present day.

The final stop was the hilltop village of Gordes where I had a last look at this magestic landscape.



Aix-en-Provence


I arrived to Aix-en-Provence in the midst of the rugby chaos, as France was playing against New Zealand in nearby Marseilles. I thought I would be safe in the charming little city of Aix, but it seemed to be most densely populated with fans of this sport I was mildly intrigued with. Had it been tennis I would have most fervently joined in the revelry! It took a few days to settle and find a home, (I will spare the details in between) but soon I was living within this maze of fountains and history, walking the streets of a city where Cézanne spent so many years of his life, drinking cafe au lait in his local haunt, a place where he, Emile Zola and the many artists of their time would disect their ponderings for hours. My mornings were spent in the sunshine, walking through the fruit and vegetable market, followed by the flower market…followed by a stop at a boulangerie for a pain au chocolat…slowly my French was improving as I met locals and found most creative ways to express my thoughts in a language that I am determined to master.


Cézanne’s atelier where he would sit for hours and paint his most revered still life compositions…

Sainte-Victoire mountain in the distance…a place Cézanne would often seek refuge and inspiration.

an afternoon in Nice

I was eager to reach Aix-en-Provence, a place I would call home, at least for a week. This is where my french lessons would commence. On the way I stopped in Nice, on the Cote d’Azur, for a visit to the museum of a most revered artist of the South of France, Marc Chagall. A lunch of fine art and french wine, two things I value dearly in life.

Monaco


I once met the Prince of Monaco (true). He invited me to tea at his palace (not true), but why not stop off in this royal city-state enroute from Italy to France. In all honesty, I was eager to gamble and where better than in Monte Carlo? That is also not entirely true, though I did find my way to the Paris Casino where I made a little money….which soon afterwards I lost (those damn machines!). I must admit it was a night well spent!

Cinque Terre

As Lisa returned to the normalcy of life in NYC and Sooji ventured to Barcelona, time was now my own and I decided to remain on the Italian Riviera. A short stop away from Santa Margherita I embarked on the village of Monterosso, one of the five villages of Cinque Terre. Hidden in the mountains overlooking the Mediterranean, I had discovered paradise. A day on the beach with my thoughts and a myriad of fond recollections…followed by a day of hiking through the most breathtaking vistas my eyes have seen (at least in this part of the world), followed by another day of the beach. A sunset upon the calm of a turquoise sea in a land far removed from anything that resembles reality is not easy to part with.



Camogli



My newly adopted Italian family, (aka Lele’s family), with whom Lisa and I became a natural extension, took us to the nearby town of Camogli for a day trip, and a grand feast. Another dream lived upon the Italian Riviera.

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