Most specific use of the Wu Wei theme yet: http://gayguyswithiphones.com. Could there be any competition for such a niche?
1 year, 5 months ago
UK Detour: Day 10, Chartres to London
5
On my last day in Rochefort-en-Terre, I receive an e-mail asking for support for my Wu Wei theme. This isn’t uncommon; earlier this year, Wu Wei was chosen to be part of the official WordPress.com repository, and I’ve been flooded with such e-mails since. What stood out about this one, from a Michael Harvey, was the fact that he was in London, read from my blog that I was in France, and offered to show me around if I happened to be stopping by.
I told him it’d be lovely if I could go, but I’ve no place to stay, as I’d only planned on going to France. On a whim of his own, he offers to let me stay with him, and tells me I’d feel at home as they have two cats.
For a while I turn this idea over in my head, as there’s most certainly a risk involved in living with someone you’ve never met, least of all whether or not you’d even get along. Eventually, I decide that I couldn’t give up on the chance to see more of Europe. Fate opened a door, and I only had to step through. I couldn’t say no.
And so, armed with a ticket for the EuroStar and a box of assorted macaroons (one of the specialties in Chartres) for my new host, I set off for London.
In Chartres, waiting for the train to Paris — Gare Montparnasse.
This bottle of Nyquil says I shouldn’t use it to put a child to sleep, but I’m not a child, so…
1 year, 5 months ago
Just watched Basia Bulat screw up the chords in a live session of Heart of my Own. #cutestthingever
1 year, 5 months ago
France: Day 9, Rochefort-en-Terre
It’s so nice to be accepted into another family, and to be able to live the way they do for a bit. You get a taste of someone else’s life and habits. That’s when a trip is more than just a visit to a different place, and becomes an experience.
And on our last day in Rochefort-en-Terre, there were still things to do and dishes to eat.
Cleaning the mussels for steaming in white wine and onions. This is how Frédéric won Misun’s heart.
A Canadian breakfast. Mike would be so proud. http://twitpic.com/3cu1p7
1 year, 5 months ago
I’m never washing my face again. #audrawashere http://twitpic.com/3cpyb5
1 year, 5 months ago
France, Day 8: La Roche-Bernard
La Roche-Bernard is a small commune 30km due south of Rochefort en Terre, with about the same population. It’s said that the town has more boats than people; the rich leave their vessels in the port until they have a few weeks of vacation, and take off from here after arriving by car or train.
It was originally a viking colony, taken up as a fort because it controls access to the river that runs through it. The hills above are still pockmarked with stone walls and canons on the hills above.
La Vilaine is the main river running through La Roche-Bernard, flowing out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Somehow I put on two pairs of boxers. Can’t figure out what’s worse: the fact that I did it, or the fact that I didn’t notice for 10 hours.
1 year, 5 months ago
France: Day 7, Rochefort-en-Terre
We drove nearly 400km into Brittany along the west coast of France to Rochefort en Terre, a small town of only about 600 people.
Normally this would take about four hours, but the highways have a 130km/h limit (offset by a toll to access the highway), and this cut an hour off our travel time. Not that it mattered, as the French countryside is wonderful to watch, populated with hills and a variety of colourful foliage. There are also endless cows roaming the pastures; I finally understood why cheese, butter, chocolate, and cream are so prominent in French cuisine.
It’s strange to be in a place that’s so remote. To go for organized sports, you have to drive to the nearest city, which is 30 minutes away. At the same time, all the amenities are a 5-minute stroll away. There’s no traffic here, no light pollution, and no noise save for a barking dog or two. In this part of the world, the culture is rich in history, but the life is relatively untouched by the complications of urban living.
The first cat I’ve seen in a week. He’s grown old and docile, and luckily, this means you can pick him up, put him in your lap, and he’ll be just as happy as by the wood burning stove.
I predict I’ll be eating a lot of ice cream. http://twitpic.com/3bhv3m
1 year, 5 months ago
Sam Beam (aka Iron And Wine) has changed labels from SubPop to Warner Bros. This worries me. #pleasedontsellout
1 year, 5 months ago
“Damn, she’s destroying all these songs”
1 year, 5 months ago
30
I turned 30 in France. This wasn’t planned. It wasn’t even an excuse to buy the ticket, when I made the decision to fly there so many months ago.
But when I was at a dinner party that day, speaking with a woman who polished her English from a year of doing her degree in London (and had an appropriately posh British accent mixed in with her French), she guessed I was 30.
“Amazing”, I said, “To the day.” She had to confirm, “Aujourd’hui?”, and I couldn’t stop her from hushing the other conversations so she could announce it to the table.
Kisses from the babies, the girls, and the babygurls.
They lit a thin candle in my banana split sundae, sang me Happy Birthday in two languages, and plied me with expensive alcohols. Earlier that day, Darren sent me an e-mail, telling me to get drunk. I didn’t let him down.
It was a far bigger deal than I was used to, but it wasn’t hard to appreciate the attention, from people I had only known for an evening or two. I thought they must have been happier than me, just to have an excuse to celebrate something, and talk, and drink, and cheer.
No wonder people like their birthdays. No wonder people love France.
There’s no way for me to deny how significant the last year has been. At one point, I finally felt like I was the person I’d be for the rest of my life. Then things changed, and I fell to my lowest point. But I picked myself up, and here I am now. Still human. Still alive.
This project was a way for me to document my evolving life and aging skin as it is now. I never knew how much I’d go through, and how much would change between each interval.
I turned 30, and I wonder who I’ll be in another day, another month, another year, another decade.
The Turning 30 Series
You know you love your home when you’re welcomed from a 21 day trip with 5mm of freezing rain and all you can think of is how comfy you are.
1 year, 5 months ago