Latest posts
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Santana
After a quiet weekend wandering around local markets, Monday was a step up in pace. In the morning, we drove to the Saint-Paul de Mausole, the (still working) asylum where Dr Theopile Peyrone treated Vincent Van Gough during his 12 month period of internment. I have added pictures of his office, and Van Gogh’s room…
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Cassis
Today we decided to drive to the seaside town of Cassis, just south of Marseille, and have lunch at a little place that we have been to before and love. We sat under the red awnings you can see on the right in the photograph. Took “the road less travelled” on the way home, via…
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Cherry Clafoutis
I’m not a great fan of deserts; however, cherry clafoutis is an exception. We look forward to buying fresh cherries and making this delicious tart which is just cherries steeped in Kirsch (a cherry liqueur) and baked in a dense custard with almond meal. Yesterday we caught up with one of the local truffle farmers…
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The Pace of Provence
It hasn’t taken us long to settle into the relaxed pace of Provence. An early start in the morning to the nearest market (the picture is from Gordes), home by late morning, a swim, a glass of wine, and some cooking in the afternoon. It’s very hard to take! Meals have very much been guided…
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Catchup
We spent our last evening in Paris just wandering and ended up at a restaurant we had been to once before – Le Vent D’Armor – and managed to get a table without a reservation. Pretty lucky, since there are only eight. Sunday morning, we were up early to catch our train to Montpellier and…
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Last Day in Paris
It’s Friday, and our last day in Paris. Yesterday we walked through the very classy Montparnasse district and found a restaurant for lunch that is famous for being one of Ernest Hemmingway’s favourite watering holes (there’s a brass plaque at the bar where he used to sit and write). The picture is of a different…
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Notre Dame
After the devastating fire in 2019, the restoration of the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral is now nearly complete. Walking inside again was something we never imagined would be possible in our lifetime. It was a profoundly moving and unforgettable experience. Monday and Tuesday were wet and cool, but Wednesday was perfect, and we walked all…
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The Last Supper
Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper is remarkable not only for its artistry but for its survival against all odds. Painted directly onto the wall of a convent dining hall, it endured centuries of decay, a doorway cut through its centre (visible as the square section beneath Christ), and even WWII bombings that destroyed the roof…
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Milan
The train from Rome to Milan was fantastic. It’s still very hot, but that didn’t deter us from visiting the Duomo (the incredible church in the picture) before finding an air-conditioned restaurant for a couple of reviving cocktails. Tomorrow, Da Vinci’s masterpiece The Last Supper (the real deal!). In the gallery I have added a…
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Parking in Rome
Bill Bryson’s quote about parking in Italy, which appears in his book Neither Here Nor There, humorously describes the chaotic nature of Italian parking. He says, “I love the way the Italians park. You turn any street corner in Rome and it looks as if you’ve just missed a parking competition for blind people. Cars are…