The Wind-down

Finally, after a week away I am just starting to wind down and relax. We have arrived in Provence and found a few changes. It is much quieter than past years, in part, due to the great recession. Some stores have closed or been sold. Our closest large grocery store, Le Clerc, is now an Intermarche, a much lesser store, which means we are driving farther to purchase basic supplies. At least the gas prices are not as high as last summer. Between the prices and exchange rates, it was almost $10 per gallon. This year it is closer to $7.00.

This summer we are driving a new black Mercedes C wagon - a CDI, with a six-speed. Douglas was not feeling well when we left Paris and half-way South we stopped and he actually let me drive for over an hour - another first in our nine-year relationship. I truly love to drive a manual transmission car, so much more control over the vehicle and the road, rather than an automatic which is more a point and steer effect for me.

In our shopping efforts, we ended up at Carrefour in Avignon, not in the best location but an excellent store with great prices, similar to Costco in the U.S. One purchase was Speedo bathing suits for both D. and my son S. Last year, we found in Salon de Provence, a public pool that was quite nice. D. and S. went for a swim one day and were informed that they were permitted there only in regulation swim suits - Speedo - which the staff loaned them for the day. No toys allowed, no games. Very rigid, but clean pool and location. They will be going back this year.

As usual, I have begun my summer cooking, now that we are properly supplied, including our journey to the weekly market in St. Remy where I obtained my spices, and fresh unfiltered olive oil. I looked for the woman who usually sells small but amazing goat cheese in the square but she was missing as were a few other regular vendors. Perhaps next week they will return. We spent yesterday relaxing for our anniversary and had dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants, Bistro des Alpilles in St. Remy. Each year the menu is a little different, evolving from classic Mediterranean to now with Indian and African flavors.

Today our journey included a drive to Eygaleres, and to the factory shop for Biscuits Mistral de Provence in St. Andiol. Eygaleres is an interesting town outside St. Remy where those who want more quiet, anonymity and discretion than St. Remy can provide are found. Princess Caroline of Monaco has a home there as do many in the movie industry. Biscuits Mistral is a fun shopping and eating experience. We had driven by it for several years and kept noticing the cars pulling up, the parking lot was always busy. Finally, last year we ventured in and discovered the boxes of cookies and biscuits lined up, with free samples of each variety for the tasting. Plus other local delicacies. Next door is a factory store for a local fruit juice manufacturer.

We continue to use SKYPE to conduct business while we are away. I do not know how we survived without it. This year's twist is the new iphone for which you can download and use SKYPE via the internet.