Novotel - Aix-En-Provence (Beaumanoir)

... was treated to a surprise tea party chez moi (complete with Disney napkins and cups...and wine) and I bought her a kettle, tea, and biscuits, what every British girl on her year abroad needs (well, apart from myself, being a strange and rare non-tea-drinking creature)! She had a fantastic time and all were home by 10:30 (the buses don't run late here), but then again we had started relatively early! For Louise we had a film night and then a night out. I think her ...

... yesterday, Saturday, and it is cooler but still nice. The trip here was spectacular with many olive groves and big mountains. Today we went on a tour to Les Beax - another medieval town with a castle - poor Graham and on his birthday too. Then we went winetasting and to the premier olive oil producers in France. The Mistrql was blowing on the tour and it was very cold but warmer back here in the camp. Tomorrow we explore Aix on foot then we go to Avignon.

... s how. From there I simply validate my account and I’m part of a network which allows me free access from many different parts of France. But I don’t understand; I still need a router and signal coming from this hotel. Why do I even need this network? And where’s my little blue ball down there? I ask too many questions. Sometimes it’s better just to take what’s given and be grateful. That ...

It was quite a study in contrasts moving from the bright, festive colors of Roussillon to the severely plain, unadorned walls of this medieval Cistercian Abbey. We originally sought out the Abbey, in part, because in most of the pictures of it, it is surrounded by lavender fields which the monks tend to support their order. Alas, it is too late for lavender! Still, the building is very majestic and sits alone in the bottom ...

Lucy and I thought the impressionist paintings of Provence were just stylized to have those eye-popping ochre colors. Not true in Roussillon! Ochre from the red soil and rocks has been used in the stucco on the buildings in this village to gorgeous effect. They use contrasting paint colors on shutters, doors and other fixtures to gorgeous affect. If I come back, I ...

... particularly in the old part of town, where we've sat for breakfast and lunch for the past couple of days (like most of my trips abroad, most of my excitement will revolve around food). The atmosphere is very relaxed and there's a real sense that the people here are easily able to separate their work and personal lives, preferring to go out in town after work instead of slumping at home!

Have also got a french mobile! Next, a bank account...

à bientôt

... see it!), some attempted and pretty much failed sleep, and a couple surprisingly delicious meals, we touched down in Munich, Germany at 7AM. I was very intimidated by the huge lines at immigration and the stern looking guards but apparently I do have a real passport because they let me through. Walking to my connecting flight I was like a kid in a candy store and VERY touristy as I took pictures of random funny German advertisements, etc. I'm still working on ...

... We mainly enjoyed the perks of big city livin. On our first night, we saw our first English movies since Ireland. First we saw Hancock, and were so entrance by the English theater experience that we were soon in line again to buy tickets to another movie-The Happening. When we walked outside of the theater, we had almost forgotten that we were still in a Spanish-speaking country. On our second day in the city, we explored Madrid's botanical gardens ...

On Revisiting Aix-en-Provence, France Spending a semester abroad in southern France in 1984 had a significant impact on me when I was 20. Looking back it was probably when I really got the serious travel bug--wanting to learn languages and visiting other cultures. Back then the experience was like a new world was opening up. So I have continued opening up that world with this trip. Just being in different countries makes one see things ...

Can't remember what compelled us to go to Aix, but whatever it was, we're thankful. All the glamour and class of Paris, with none of the schmucks and 10X the charm. It was raining, so we did laundry and ate pizza. The highlight was scoring reservations at Les Deux Garcons, an institution in Aix for dining. It was good, but I can't remember what we ate. Maybe more wine would have helped...