We are now in Morocco where drinking alcohol is forbidden by the Qur’an, so Muslims don’t drink and we are abstaining as well. But 3 weeks ago, we were in Champagne country… Champagne is the drink of choice for Kings, Emperors and soldiers toasting victory. It’s the drink of brides and grooms, new parents, graduations and…
View MoreI’ve just had The Best Meal of My Life… is a very strong statement and something I’ve never said before. Well, maybe when I was 16 and stayed out all night, then had breakfast at Brennan’s in NOLA. Just to clarify, Douglas does not necessarily agree with this statement. We’ve eaten at some amazing restaurants…
View MoreThere is so much to do in the City of Light and just not enough time or energy to see and experience all of the interesting sites in just one week and a half. It would take months to explore all of the museums, shops, gardens, architecture and restaurants (there are 15k). There is truly…
View MoreWe are back in Paris after 2 months of travel in France. There is no other city in the world quite like Paris. The art, the food, the architecture, the ambiance, the energy from tourists from all over the world create a cultural melting pot … a playful zone of continuous aliveness. ‘A playful zone…
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Reims used to be a quaint medieval village until the city and its cathedral were bombed on September 4, 1914 by Germans during WWI. The bombing went on for almost 3.5 years destroying 80% of the buildings and badly damaging the Cathedral. That’s Reims Cathedral as a backdrop for this US army recruiting poster from…
View MoreIs the village of Belfort German or French? In the past 350 years the territory has changed hands several times. The architecture looks German but the food is French with a bunch of ethnic restaurants thrown in for a nice change of pallet. It is also very close to Switzerland so it is common to…
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“Giant steps are what you take Walking on the moon I hope my legs don’t break Walking on the moon We could walk forever Walking on the moon We could live together Walking on, walking on the moon” Music group – The Police Christo and his wife, the late, Jeanne-Claude have been creating…
View MoreIf France is the gastronomical capital of the world, then Lyon is the gastronomical capital of France. It is also the third largest city in France. It is known as ground zero of French Nouvelle cuisine invented in the 60’s by Paul Bocuse- one of the greatest chefs in the world. Nouvelle cuisine was the…
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Our time in beautiful Aix en Provence is moving too quickly. Bourgeois-bohemian chic is how Aix is often described. The honey colored buildings, beautiful architecture, amazing art museums, and vibrant markets are images that will stay with us forever…plus seeing a Virgin Mary statue on the corner of so many buildings. [Ed. Plus wall to…
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The French take their food seriously! Meals are treated like a theatrical production served with proper wine for the food/season and numerous courses. It is not uncommon to spend 3-4 hours eating a leisurely dinner. If you want to really piss off someone who is French- try interrupting them in the middle of a meal/repas…it…
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Cezanne changed forever the way we think and see. He painted his mountain, Mont Sainte-Victoire, located outside of Aix en Provence, sixty times. A painting of it was the last painting he was working on when he died. He is probably best known for his series of Bathers paintings and still-lifes or the Card Players (he…
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Marseille is an amazing city. You can call it Marseille or Marseilles, but always call it amazing. In the 4th century BC, it was one of the major trading ports in the world and has been France’s primary port since the late 1400’s. There was a time when Marseille had the worst reputation of any…
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The year 1978 brought the Talking Heads’ album “More Songs About Buildings and Food.” This blog post is about more stories of city-harbors, beaches, art and food. St. Tropez is part of the French Riviera and has been immortalized in film and books– Brigitte Bardot, beach clubs, seafood, yachts and money (although of late, we…
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Sometimes you travel to a place because you read something about it, and sometimes you travel to a place because someone you met told you about it, and sometimes you travel to a place because you are damn lost. Alas, being ‘damned lost’ is getting harder and harder these days with road signs, tourist information…
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Our journey continues to another pilgrimage site in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, the ‘Saint Marys of the Sea’, which is a small fishing village located on the French Mediterranean coast. Once every year, it transforms into a cult centre, as people come here in the belief that Mary Magdalene and her closest friends and family came to France….
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