1st impressions

My first full day in France was St Valentine’s. Aix was decked out in Yayoi Kusama’s charming polka-dotted trees to open the 2013 Marseille/Provence Cultural Festivities. I look forward to seeing more from this festival.

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I am getting my bearings downtown, and started at the centre, where the flower market assembles every day, along with the more prosaic gifts from the earth (right now we’ve got a lot of root vegetables, and plenty of salad). Had a relaxing lunch and went home to unpack.

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My sister organized a welcome party for me, and all the guests made traditional French/Provençale fare, sang some corny local songs, and read me passages from Marcel Pagnol. It made me happy to have such a warm welcome in my new country!

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I am happy living in land of such rich history and culture. As a visual person, I delight in all the details, and though I’ll miss the natural beauty of California, and, of course, family & friends left behind, I draw a lot of pleasure from what I see all around me.

 

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For the moment, I am staying at my sister’s, in St Cannat, a village about 1/2 hour west of Aix. So I am enjoying village life….

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going to the boulangerie for the daily bread…

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Fantastic fresh fresh every Wednesday morning…

And now I will need to attend to getting my life officially French: applying for the Sécurité Sociale. The forms were a bit intimidating, but the fonctionnaire was kind and patient.

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I get a kick out of going to the banquet, with its rococo decor and no bullet-proof glass (tellers handle no cash):

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  • cat

    WELCOME TO FRANCE my dear sister!

  • admin

    I’m loving it! Thank you for all the physical, moral & emotional support!

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