It's true - the French hate to sweat.

Check it out - great article about the French and gym culture.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100927/lf_nm_life/us_fitness_france

Of course, their rates of obesity are much lower than here. Do they know something we don't about unprocessed foods? Mass transit and walking?

Beaucaire/Tarascon and Moules

We made it back to Beaucaire for moules three times during our trip. Once was excellent at our usual spot, Nord/Sud but then we deviated which is always a mistake. We had D's father with us and his lovely girlfriend and we knew that they would not eat mussels but would enjoy the location and the view. So we ventured to another restaurant down the street but with the canal view. The food was very mediocre, but the view wonderful, and it was the spot that night for anyone with a dog.

So on one of our last nights we tried again for moules but drove into a parade grounds. It turns out that each year Beaucaire has a famous provence parade each year during July and we had driven into the traffic and people gathering for the parade, and the route would go just in front of our restaurant. D. parked and we walked back to the restaurant, parking ourselves along the street to watch the people watching the parade, and for us to watch the parade participants from very young to very old, people proud to walk, ride or dance in the event and having a wonderful time.

After it was over, we were finally able to get seated and eat a quick dinner. In all the crowd was quite well-behaved except a few young people, with the police chasing down one young man and his friends actually tried to intervene and physically touch the police officer. In the US that would provoke a very strong response, but in France, the police stayed amazingly calm but forceful in affecting their arrest. No weapons pulled, and the crowd certainly supported their actions.

The parade had everything, singers, dancers, horses, floats, but all provencal style with a theme of dancers from around the world. Of course the US was portrayed with country-western style dancers and music. We couldn't have hip-hop or jazz? or even Elvis? Oh well.

It was the end of our trip and we truly enjoyed the unexpected parade.

Cultural Differences part 2

Another experience we shared this summer was with our German host and friends, watching the World Cup competition as Germany rose to the semi-finals. Whenever a world cup game was being played, it was on the television in the bars, stores, restaurants, people gathering around the television wherever they were to watch. It reminded me of how we used to pay attending to the World Series years ago, with boys sneaking radios into school to listen during class.

Of course we also shared the despair when France lost in the early round, and then Germany did not win their semi-final game. It is almost a national depression as each country pours so much of their national identity and pride into their teams. It is way beyond our devotion to the Olympics or any of our national sports.

Another cultural difference - money, how we spend it, how we view it. Europeans seem to be so used to living with less, being so much more careful about how they spend their money. They are taxed heavily, but have the security regarding their homes, their health care and pensions that we don't have. They truly watch what they spend on utilities, while we merely complain about it. They drive smaller cars and really use mass transit (it exists there) while we talk big about big oil, but don't have the political will to do anything about it. Look at the mass strikes happening in France and Spain today about proposed changes to the pension systems.

We need to learn.

Other food finds of 2010

In addition to the bio coop outside Cavaillon, we also found near the gare (the former train station area) in St. Remy a nice bio store (i.e. a health food store with organic products).

I learned that BIO is really pronounced Bee-Oh, which just reminds we Americans of body odor.

And again we purchased the best olive oil we have ever had from La Fabresse. It can be bought in a store in St. Remy or at the market on Fridays in Eygallieres. It is hard to describe what makes it so wonderful. It has a fresh, unprocessed taste of green. Like D. says, it is liquid gold.

Bread Quest 2010

During our time in France we continued the annual bread quest. We tried from local boullangeries in St. Remy, Molleges, St. Andiol and other towns, but always came back to Javaud my find from last summer. Fortunately after a little research on le web, I found that Javoud has a store in the Cap Sud mall on the road into Avignon, it was lovely with fresh everything. But we found it important to get there before lunch otherwise there are no baguettes left.

The crumble (like a muffin-top with fruit) was some very worthwhile calories.

Smoking up a storm

Smoking is like the plague in the US. It is becoming increasingly rare and socially unacceptable. At least in NYC, LA, NJ, you can't smoke in a restaurant or bar. I remember smoking in the cafeteria and dorms in college which would never be allowed today.

So, when we travel to Europe it is always culture shock when it comes to the amount of smoking (and drinking) going on. It is truly amazing to watch our German friends and acquaintances talk so much about healthy eating and digestion (but grill their meat to a crunchy burnt crisp), and exercise but then light up and down the booze.

It is a true dichotomy that makes no sense. I suppose they view the drinking and smoking as a social requirement, but it is overpowering and expensive.

I remember when smoking in the office was allowed and cigarettes could be found in the vending machines in every restaurant and gas station for 50 cents per pack. Now, I don't even know what a pack costs, vending machines have been banned, and a carton costs over $100. It is surprising to see that smoking is more common in poorer communities when it is so expensive and has such significant health consequences.

Even in Europe they do try to segregate smokers, but without success. There really is not possible to avoid smoking especially when sitting outside on the terrace of the restaurants, and at any public event.

Europe is ahead of us in so many ways in health care, and energy conservation, but so far behind in this area. At least they are trying to catch up, while we lag so far behind them in the other areas with no interest in even trying to match them.