cala

anise green

the sensualist

My French mother wrinkles her nose when she describes her compatriots and call them" des raleurs et des jouissseurs" which means complainers and pleasure seakers. I guess I fit the profile quite nicely.You cannot reject your inherited DNA. Reading a historical time line of France during the 19th century, I was horrified by the constant struggles, wars, unrests.But I have to say that I love to see people march down the boulevards and protest,voicing their disgust or their support.Last year, in the bitter cold of a parisian winter, I was carried by the enormous crowds ,wanting justice for a young jewish man kidnapped and tortured and killed brutally. When do people here manifest their displeasure, and complain about injustices and violence ? there is a voice, but it remains low.On the other hand, I saw a lot of people out last week end shopping, seemingly on a very important mission for the quickness of their steps out of the parking lot.
Now about the pleasure seekers.Yes, the French have 6 weeks vacations, and the country seems to be running O.K.Vacations and travels are indeed a big topic, but honestly what can be better: it is life as it should be lived: a feast for the senses, a pace we should acquire, a discovery of new tastes and horizons, meals that go on the way they should,a litttle wine to enhance the pleasure , friends to visit and new ones to link with.
Next week I return to the land of my dear raleurs and jouisseurs.

spring stroll

yes, the air is soft and fragrant, and we had our first lunch out on the deck, cats sprawled around with paws in the sun.went up the street the other day for a walk and found a mix of pastoral beauty, confusing and humorous business combinations and unmarked storefront( must be and is a medicinal marijuana outpost!),and friendly organic beermeisters doing their work, door open to the ocean breeze. The little country path meanders through the gardens of the famous People's Park, where a long time ago, berkeleyans fought for their piece of the land.a garden was established and is still cultivated to this day....It has been the sheltering sky to homeless junkies for decades though and there were a few sleeping heads poking out of bags under the blooming trees. daffodils were from a neighbour front yard.It is difficult to imagine that we live in an busy active uran area !