August 28, 2005
Eating our way through France
A trip to France (or more specifically, Paris) is always a foodie's delight. There's the endless research through the Michelin Red Book, there's the exercise of trying to get a reservation. Plus the money saving so we can afford these darlings of the culinary world. All that build up of anticipation further enhances the experience when the food actually hit the palate (or on one occasion major disappointment at Lucas Carton, I'll leave that to another entry).
This time we did none of that. Instead we are just going to hang out with our host, and just eat at unassuming places through the countryside.
Boy aren't glad we did it this way!
Food in the French countryside is incredibly cheap, and incredibly good quality for the price you pay. We ate through Perigord (home of Foi gras & duck comfit) just walking into restaurants that piqued our fancy. Getting a table is never a problem, and the service is always good (no rude waiter stereotype here). One about service though: A typical French lunch runs at least one and a half hour, and dinner is a three hour affair. If you are used to dining Californian speed it might be a problem, but once you let go and just flow with it, you quickly get used to the pace of life there.
Quality of produce: American farm produce are optimized for shelf life, so that a tomato can stay red and pretty for days (weeks?) on end. In France they go bad in about two days after you buy them, but they TASTE good. They have more intense flavors (and I am talking about run of the mill produce, not "organic", called "Biologique" there). Everything from fruit, veggie, and meat all fall into the same pattern. Plus they are cheaper.
Gourmet goods: I am talking about artizan cheese, sausages (Saucisson), foi gra, duck comfit, etc. In the US these are special treats that's only available at expensive restaurants. Here in the French country side (especially in Perigord), these are almost everyday food with everyday prices. Other fav include duck gizzard, rabbit kidney, and eel. All good stuff.
Downside: Linda and I both fantasised about retiring in Perigord, but there are downside. Half way throught he trip Linda had a craving for spicy food (i.e. Indian or Thai), and of course in French countryside there ain't no such thing. We hit a Thai restaurant in Paris (in the touristy Latin quarter), and it must be the vilest Thai food I have ever had. I think staying in the Bay Area has its merits...
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August 03, 2005
Aix
The town of Aix was a sleepy little place when Francois first bought it about 3 years ago. Then there was a housing boon (caused by the arrival of the TGV trains), so now a lot of Parisians are buying here as a vacation home, or even commuting to work (it's about a 3 hour train ride).
With all that said, it's still kinda a sleep town even by Aug vacation season standard. The tourists is nowhere as crazy as say Napa during the weekend. It's not the kinda town where vacationers go "do stuff" (since there aren't really "famous sites" for onlookers), but more of a place to go "chill" (sipping a drink along the tree lined boulevard next to the fountain (Aix is a city of fountains, you can see them everywhere).
The downtown is small and picturesque (really have no equivelent in the States, since towns like Carmel have a "too moneyed" feel, and Los Gatos, which might be the closest, is still too formal in comparison). People are all very relaxed, and I hardly see fights, arguments, or even people running/walking fast. It's a kind of place to unwind.
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A Typical Day in Provence
I think I have never been so relaxed on a vacation in my entire life. Maybe I am overcompensating for the stress back home, but here's my usual routine for the last three days...
Between 6:00AM ~ 9:00AM: Wake up without an alarm clock. Get dressed, walk to the local boulangerie through the tree lined driveway to buy some fresh Croissant (1.70 Euro per).
Between 10:00AM ~ 11:00AM: Waiting for all the people to get ready for the day's outing (whatever that is, we do not have a regid schedule).
Around 11:00AM: Arriving at the first destination (local down town, or another town in Provence), some low level sight seeing (and pulling Linda out of shops).
Around 12:00PM ~ 12:30PM: Find a lunch spot. Park there for two to two and a half hours. Usually consume about 1 bottle of Rose/Champaign (among 4 of us).
The Afternoon: Stagger through other sites in a very happy state of mind. Pulling Linda out of shops.
Somewhere around 5:00PM: Stop for a drink (usually either an Orangina or a Panaché (50% Beer & 50% Sprite).
Somewhere around 8:00AM: Find a place for dinner (or eat at home). Eat for about 3 hours. Usual consumes 2 bottles plus spirits after dessert.
Somewhere around midnight: Falls asleep.
A very nice routine to keep up, and if I have any brain cell left over I'll go into more specifics about the trips we've taken...
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August 02, 2005
Arriving in Aix
After an uneventful flight to the CDG airport, and then a 3 hour(!) long wait for the TGV train to Aix-en-Provence, we safely arrived at Aix station to be picked up by our buddy Francois and Mary.
Now Francois is a retired silicon valley exec who decided to retire in South of France and open a Bed & Breakfast. They are still going through the construction process to renovate their 17th century manor house (that's in a prime location, situated in the middle of Aix but has that contry feel). Now all of their story about dealing with French contractors are reminicent of the stories told in "A Year in Provence" (I keep telling Mary to write a novel about this).
Most of the difficulties/misunderstandings comes due to the different perception if "Work" between Anglo-Saxon construction workers and their Gallic counterpart. Detailed instructions are treated as "suggestions", and the fact that nearly all communications are not written down is just a manifestation of this. Construction cost is also not cheap, with good quality material costing same or higher cost than that in California (now they are usually of a quality not available in the state, plus the labot part of the equation is generally cheaper).
Despite living in midst of on-going construction (masonry worker shows up at the door every day at 7:00AM sharp), the manorhouse is a beautiful site to behold. Imaging entering from the busy street, going down about a 300 yard long "driveway" lined by large mature five story tall trees on both side to arrive at a classical three story tall French Manor house. It contains a beautiful living room, bedrooms on the 2nd and 3rd floor, completed with a nice cellar (and a connected DUNGEON(!) that dates back to the 13th century. Life in the French country side doesn't get better than this.
(will upload pictures once I get back to the States).
Next, the town of Aix...
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July 29, 2005
Two Weeks in Provence
I'll be taking the next two weeks off, onto the sunny land of Southern France. Our buddies are retiring in Aix, opening a B&B to keep themselves entertained, so we'll be the first guest to try out the place.
We'll fly into Paris, take the TGV to Aix-en-provence, spend about a week in Provence and environment, then it's into the car with Francoise and Marie for a tour of Perigord followed by Bordeaux. Then if I haven't collapsed from high cholesterol, we'll be back in Paris for two nights, and then back home on the 15th.
My biggest headache now is actually trying to figure out what reading material to pack (I'm in the middle of a hefty sci-fi Olympos, but it's a big thick to carry around). I finally settled on A Year in the Merde, and The Three Edwards.
If I can get to a cybercafe there then I plan to post my travel writeups there, else I'll be seeing you all after I get back!
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February 15, 2005
London
Linda found some cheap tickets to Europe for the weekend, and I get to pick either Paris or London. Since we've been to Paris over the winter and knows first hand how depressing it is (Gay Paris over rain and cold is just wrong.) I picked London instead (afterall, bad weather is expected there so nothing's lost right?)
We had a packed schedule: We basically landed in Heathgrow around noon, we have a lunch appointment with denizens of Perfidious Albion (a online discussion group dealing mainly with historical simulations).
PA'er John and Mike met up with us and took us out to Fish and Chips at Fryer's Delight (Who'd know that one can order different types of fish for Fish & Chips?) My Skate was very tender. Linda gets to try the Saveloy sausage, after repeated warning from the locals (must be a local joke or something...) After that it's a drink at the pub near the High Courts (I didn't get the name). The pub is dated 1602 I think and it's got the character to prove it. Some good conversation is had by all.
After that we went back to the hotel and Linda crashed, while I was too jazzed so I ventured out to get tickets for the night's show (we want to catch as much theater as we can). The Half Price Ticket booth is about 20 steps from my hotel (Thistle Trafalgar Square) and we got some cheap tix to the controversial "Jerry Springer- the Opera". (it made the Yahoo news headline based on protests from UK Christian Fundamentalists, and I wouldn't have heard of it if not for them..) It's a musical that starts out with some cheap shocks (the chorus is cussing, oooh!) but then the 2nd half contains some pretty clever religious spoofs (and yes I can see why the Xtian Fundies are up in arms about it). Do catch it in London if you get the chance, since I doubt it's gonna make it to US (only if you have high tolerance for bad language, sex, and blasphemy).
Saturday is basically Coutauld Institute of Art in the morning (a small but good selection of impressionist and post impressionist painting, too bad Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère is out on loan) Since the Couttauld is not that well known, it's not all that crowded and we can spend some time alone with the artworks, which is hard to beat in major European nowadays.
We got tickets to two shows on Saturday, A matinee performance of National Anthem (with Kevin Spacey, Steven Webb (wings), and Mary Stuart Masterson). This show is the highlight of the trip, since it's my favorite genre of theater (dark comedy with a bite), and extremely well acted. I was not really a big fan of Kevin's movie career (I've always thought he "winks to the camera" and a bit too self aware and smarmy at times), but on stage he's just right. He definitely went up a notch in my eyes. Mr Webb and Ms Masterson was also very good. I think the show is limited to ten weeks so if you are going to London in the near future, do NOT miss this!
Saturday night is Tate Modern (one of the major new museum of London that wasn't there when I visited last time). I liked how they arranged all the pieces by Theme instead of artistic genre (themes such as "nature", "geometry and form", or "Nudes"), gives one a different perspective on how art can be viewed.
Sunday dinner is another meetup of PA'er, where we met Lee, his wife Mokoto, Peter, and Mark over Indian food (Kerela cookie if I am not mistaken). Conversation went all over the map (wher else can you talk about Battle of Britain and Captain Scarlet in the same evening!?)
Monday morning we actually got 2 hours free before we have to check out, and since we are about 10 steps from the National Gallery that's where we ended up. They have upgraded the lighting since our last visit, and the art work are shown much better (Linda is actually impressed with the collection this time). After that it's a quick tube ride to Heathgrow and back to the states (believe it or not, weather in California is worse...)
Overall a wonderful trip where everything gone right (despite the $1.88 to 1 pd. exchange rate). Will definitely try to more of these weekend gateaway in the future.
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November 26, 2004
Cancun
After a tense year at work for the both of us, we decided on Cancun for the Thanksgiving week this year. It's a long waited vacation since we skipped our usual summer trip, and Linda and I can really use the down time.
Normally a "Relaxing vacation" for us is a trip to Maui (as oppose to a "Cultured vacation" which normally took us to NYC or Europe), but this year we wanted something different. Linda found a good package on Orbitz, where we got 10 nights at Le Meridian Hotel (one of the best on the Island) for about $90 a night, can't beat that.
The first impression of Cancun's water is HOW BLUE IT IS. All these years when I look at travel posters of the Caribbian I's always thought that the water is just a little TOO blue, something not found in nature (Must be a Photoshop touchup or something...) But let me tell you, if really is that blue!
The vacation is filled with alternate days of activities )i.e day trips to the ruins, cave adventures, etc.) and nothingness (sit by the beach, hit the spa). The highlight of the trip must be the day trip to Chichen Itza.
The rest of the time is spent on catching up on my reading. More details (and book review) to follow...
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