4 days in balmy, fragrant, blissfully uncrowded, joyfully vibrant, delightfully rustic and alluringly cultured Provence - our first European vacation after moving to London together. Basking in the bright sun. Short drives along winding roads and rolling hills framed by plane trees and cypresses, listening to Edith Piaf and random French hip-hop playlists. Falling in love with vineyards, olive groves, lavender fields, and the fresh, romantic, lively, effortlessly elegant, intensely creative vibe of Aix, Gardenne, Cassis, Marseille, Sant-Remy, Arles and Goudes. Roaming around adorable village markets and streets with shutters covering all the pastel nuances of the rainbow. Alfresco dining only. Indulging in flavourful ripe apricots, peaches, tomatoes, raspberries and figs. And sublimely prepared local seafood specials. Swimming in the luminous azure blue ocean. Sailing along giant coastal cliffs. Hiking across white rocks. Drinking cool rosé. And hot cafe doubles. And more of the cool rosé. Reading A Year in Provence, and talking, laughing and sharing fun observations as if we ourselves were spending a year here.
When they were 1 and 3 years of age, Kayan and Ava (with their parents in tow) travelled around the world for a year with the goal of calling 10 countries, including Turkey, Zimbabwe, India and Hong Kong, home. So glad I've had the opportunity to feel af home with these fun, smart kids in as diverse places as Goa, Kerala, New York and, now also, various boroughs of London over the past couple of years of knowing them — and watch them grow older and so perceptive and respectful of different cultures and natural and urban spaces. Today, they're off to @edfringe, while we get to recuperate and look forward to the next family adventures :)
Pond or Lido? Appealing in each their way, but it's definitely easier for me to jump in the latter rather than trying to ignore thoughts and sensations of fish and mud in the former, however wonderfully natural it might be, and the community seems to be equally vibrant around both, with women of all ages singing and dancing in the Lido showers and talking about going for coffee after their swim and how much better the water made them feel. I'd never been before this morning, but feel so invigorated now that I immediately got a pass for the year -- was too embarrassed to ask if it's heated in (autumn) winter, but I guess I'll find out.
