Lost in Provence

Bandol

After resolving to update this blog more frequently, I find myself behind already. A few weeks ago we enjoyed a lovely weekend on the coast. We stayed in La Cadière d'Azur, which isn't technically on the Mediterranean, but is just close enough to the beachfront town of Bandol to count in my book.

Bandol is known for its exceptional rosés and the beauty of its beach, which has two beach clubs to choose from. Beach clubs are the way to go, in my book. For around fifteen euros or so, you can park yourself on a comfy sun lounger with a little table and a parasol all day long. There's a restaurant where you can have a bite to eat without worrying about losing your spot or someone making off with your towel when you're not looking, and no fretting about finding a bathroom or a shower.

It's so civilized. No lying on the hot sand. No kids diving for their frisbees just inches from your face. And at the nicer beach clubs, they'll even bring drinks or a sandwich right out to you. Most important for me, though, is the shade. Even with SPF 100 and a floppy hat and a linen cover-up, my skin just isn't made for the sun. I freckle up like an over-ripe banana in a matter of minutes. So that parasol is well worth the rental fee in what I save in dermatologist bills.

Now some of you (the male ones) are probably thinking to yourself right now, "Hey, didn't I hear that there are topless beaches in France? Let's hear about that." Yes. But it's not just that there are certain beaches where toplessness is tolerated, toplessness is okay AT ANY BEACH AT ALL. Anywhere. Everywhere. No exceptions. No wonder France is the most visited country in the world.

As for what we did during our weekend on the coast, the list of activities is short. We walked around Bandol. We browsed at a boat show. We had lunch. We got ice cream. We bought Johann some flip-flops. We read books by the pool at our hotel. That's it. And I have to say, it was pretty great. There were all kinds of other things to do there, like a zoo, a botanical garden, boat tours, winery visits... 

Maybe next time.

Le Retour

I've really been neglecting my blog for quite some time, now. There are a lot of reasons for this. First of all, this blog used to be located at Vox, where there was a cute little wine theme at the top and unlimited space for photos and I could actually figure out how to change the font on the template. I mean, come on. A serif font? Who would choose this? So I don't love it here at Typepad.

Secondly, it seems like everyone and their dog has a blog these days, and I wondered how much interest anyone really has in one more self-indulgent thing to read. And "everyone and their dog" may sound like hyperbole, but I'm aware of at least one cat that has a Twitter account (status: clean butt) and how likely am I to write anything that's more interesting than a cat who can type? Not very.

And lastly, I just feel a little guilty about it. I have it pretty good here in France and I know there are a lot of people who are having relationship problems or money trouble or who have sick children. Do those people really want to read about our meal at a two-star restaurant or see photos of our sunset sailboat cruise or weekend in Paris? It appears that the answer to this question is a mixed bag. I've gotten some varied feedback from people who've read my blog. So, you live in a mansion? Um, no. Does this blog make my house look fat? Or are you thinking of the castle we visited? Must be rough having servants. Servants? What servants? Where are they? And why is it always such a mess in here? A blog? How 2006 of you. Hey, thanks for telling me something that's sort of true but with a really mean-spirited spin. You're like FOX News.

But on the other hand, some people have told me that they enjoy reading about our life here in France. They say they like seeing our trip photos. They're amused by the idiosyncrasies of the French and my utter inability to fit in here. And I guess when it comes right down to it, Johann and I have to admit that we fall into this latter category. We like being able to look back on stories and photos of trips we took five years ago. We love re-living last summer's staycation. Re-reading this blog is like watching the highlight reel to our life and we want to keep doing it, even if we're the only members of the audience. 

So if you care to join us for the show, stick around. I'll try to make it worth your while. And if not, no hard feelings. There are a lot more compelling ways to waste one's time on the internet. That cat is bound to get ahold of a ball of yarn one of these days, and I predict mayhem.

Thanks, friends. Hope to see you soon.