NEW BLOG

Ouzo to Uzès has come to an end along with our European adventure. For those of you interested in following my new Toronto adventures, visit my new blog, The Local TO Tourist at:

http://localtotourist.blogspot.com

Why Uzès?

This question, or some variation of it has been asked of me many times here the past three months. People want to know how I ended up choosing this place in all of France. Why here? Why their town? My answer? Par hasard. By chance, luck, fate. In fact, before I had seen the listing for the apartment, I had never heard of Uzès and didn't even pronounce it correctly until about a month or two after I booked it. I was calling it "Ooze"! Of course, now I know that the final 's' is pronounced as it is for many words here in the south of France.

And now with two days left, I still can't believe how fortunate we have been to have chosen Uzès. Gus' first impression when he arrived..."it's like you're living in a fairytale, or a really big movie set." It's true, sometimes I do feel like I've been living in a fairytale. When I walk the cobblestone streets, through vaulted archways, past the castle walls, or shop at the outdoor market, I can almost picture the 15th century citizens walking alongside me. (trivia tidbit: some of the scenes for Cyrano de Bergerac were filmed here in 1990)

After three months of being an Uzètienne, this town holds a special place in my heart and I can't imagine not coming back. I have always felt myself torn between two places, Canada and Greece. Now a third will pull on me too-Uzès.

I will miss my charmed life, but most of all I will miss the people I have met and the friends I have made for they are what have made this an unforgettable experience. They welcomed us into their lives and their homes as if we were old friends. We drank wine, sang songs, burned Guy Fawkes, drank more wine, trimmed a Christmas tree, drank more wine, discussed, ate, listened to Rammstein, drank more wine, and simply enjoyed each others' company. Our weekends especially, would have been long and lonely without them. Rachel, Patrice, Garance...merci pour tout. Vous êtes des amis pour la vie.

So now if someone asks me, "Why Uzès?" I can tell them because it's a beautiful medieval town with lots to see and do, it has an amazing outdoor market every Saturday, but most importantly, because we have good friends there to see.

On Saturday, we say goodbye to our fairytale town. Paris awaits and then we're homeward bound for Christmas.

Au revoir Uzès...for now.

Dente delicato infirmus resistentia

WARNING: Sufferers of dente delicato infirmus resistentia, (DDIR) otherwise known as 'a sweet tooth lacking willpower' should avoid prolonged exposure to Uzès. The following items, listed alphabetically, are just some of the culprits found here, able to cause extreme euphoria in said sufferers: biscuits, calissons, candied fruit, caramels, chocolates, cookies, creme brulee, creme glacee, crepes, gummy bears, jelly candy, licorice, lollipops, marshmallows, meringues, macarons, mousse au chocolat, nougat, pain au chocolat, sacristains, tarte tatin, and so on.

We have discovered these dastardly treats lurking in the following places:

La Cure Gourmande, 3 Place aux Herbes, is a biscuiterie confiserie chocolaterie that blatently targets and attracts sufferers of DDIR by returning them "beyond the quality taste to the emotional attachment of the traditional old fashioned product. Created in 1989 'La Cure Gourmande' now has various products in its name, hand made biscuits, Berlandises (fruit jam filled sweets), choupettes (old fashioned South of France lollipop), chocolates, toffees, calissons." Products are presented and sold in quaint little metal boxes and tins harking back to bygone times to further entice its customers. From their website: www.la-cure-gourmande.com

La Patisserie Deschamps Philippe, 6 Boulevard Alliés. This small, seemingly inconspicuous patisserie lures DDIR sufferers in with their mouth-watering display of colourful gateaux in the window and giant slabs of chocolate. Once inside, the DDIR sufferer is overwhelmed and confused by the assault on his/her senses. Unable to think clearly, s/he will torment him/herself with the possibilities. Will it be crème brûlée (they sweeten the deal further by letting you keep the ceramic dish it was baked in), a raspberry macaron (it melts in your mouth), or a dozen handmade chocolates? It is strongly advised that all DDIR sufferers enter this store with a DDIR immune friend who will be able to pry you away, if your inability to think clearly causes you to ask for one of everything in the store.

Haribo Museum, Pont des Charettes, Uzès. The mecca of candy. It is here where they implant DDIR into new generations of sufferers and fortify it in seasoned ones. This is confirmed by a visit to the museum/factory, where long queues of mostly young children wait eagerly to get inside. Once through the doors, they are given bags of FREE candy, along with tokens to be used in the candy vending machines, for more FREE candy. A tour through the museum then explains how Haribo came to be Europe's largest candy manufacturer and shows how their sweets are made. There are interactive games, large colourful gummy bears, endless displays of jellies, licorice, marshmallows, and even clothing made of candy. Then, to make sure DDIR has firmly been established, visitors end up in a giant boutique filled with all Haribo has to offer...in bulk sizes! If by this point, children have not sworn their undying loyalty and love for Haribo candy, one last pitch is made...they are given 50 % off tickets for the amusement games outside. Hopped up on sugar, new DDIR converts can take a spin around the go-cart track, jump on the trampolines, or practice flips on the bungee/trampoline. With this, Haribo is assured they will leave screaming, "Haribo...je t'aime!" Back at home, where they come down from their sugar high, they can open the FREE packs of candy bulging in their pockets, log on to Haribo.com and continue to feed their addiction.

Having grown up with a mother who has struggled with DDIR for years and whose favourite line is "the diet starts tomorrow" I know first hand the effects of this troublesome addiction. While in Uzès, said mother had to be monitored carefully, with gentle reminders from Yanni, "Grandma, what did we say?" or "Grandma, you already had dessert today."

So, you have been warned. DDIR sufferers: travel to Uzès at your own risk. Now, I need to go pick up three more crème brûlée. What? My mother needs a few more dishes to complete her set!

Viva Valencia!

Valencia is probably most well known for its oranges, and during the three hour drive there from Barcelona we certainly did see a lot of them. But did you also know that Valencia is also home to the largest aquarium in Europe?

The Romans founded Valencia in 138 BC along the banks of the Turia River that flowed (and often flooded) through the city until 1957 when flooding had such a huge economic consequence that they decided to reroute the river. They carved out a new riverbed for the Turia on the outskirts of town, and used its waters to irrigate the fertile plains for agriculture.

Now, all along the banks of the former riverbed you find many of Valencia's museums. Some of them had been former convents that had been damaged in the floods and were later refurbished into museums. They include the La Beneficencia Arts Centre, the Sala Parpallo and the Valencian Institute of Modern Art, none of which we had time to visit, unfortunately.

Also on the banks of the old riverbed is the Saint Pius V Fine Arts Museum, whose sparkling blue dome can't be missed, and next to it, the Real Gardens, which are the oldest, largest, most popular gardens in Valencia. In the late 14th century, King John I created a zoo here with lions, bears, and other exotic animals. Now it is most often used in summer for open air concerts and plays.

In the 80's though was when the largest transformation took place. The former riverbed was landscaped and developed into a swath of greenspace, kilometres long, with bike trails, walking trails, parks, and gardens that runs through the entire city. This is where you also find the Palacio de la Musica auditorium, Gulliver Park, the Urban Wood, and the Monforte Gardens. We would have needed weeks to explore and truly enjoy all it has to offer!

We did manage to spend an entire day however in what I believe is the crowning glory of the transformed riverbed, 'The City of Arts and Sciences'. When you first arrive at this stunning complex, you feel like you've entered another world, somewhere in the distant future. The sleek, futuristic buildings were designed by the architect, Santiago Calatrava and include the Prince Philip Museum of the Sciences, whose exhibits reminded me of the Science Centre back home, the Reina Sofia Art Museum, which looks like a giant helmet, the Hemispheric, designed to look like a giant eyeball (it houses a planetarium, an IMAX theatre and a Laserium), and the Oceanografic, the largest aquarium in Europe. We spent most of our time here, marvelling at all of the fabulous marine life, walking through tunnels with sharks and stingrays gliding all around and schools of fish passing by from all sides. You feel like you're walking through the middle of the ocean. It was phenomenal!

We also spent a day wandering through the oldest part of the city and the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, and I could go on and on about the architecture there, the Cathedral, the Basilica of our Lady of the Forsaken, or about Valencia's most popular stretch of beaches, the Playa Malva Rossa, but I won't. You'll just have to visit this beautiful Mediterranean city and see for yourself! Viva Valencia!

2 months here, 1 more to go.

I've been here about 2 months now, and I have to say, I am in love with Uzès. When I first arrived, I didn't know what to think of it. Now, I feel like I've lived here for years. I would definitely love to come back some day. I've made so many amazing friends that I will never forget! This experience overall is an unforgettable one.

School is somewhat challenging, with the subjects being a little more advanced than the ones in Canada. My favourite subjects have to be Spanish and History/Geography, but I love Euro English and French class too. French has been very interesting this term. We have been studying Molière's play, L'Avare (The Miser). I am enjoying this class more than I enjoy it in Canada!

Our trip to Spain was short but sweet. Barcelona and Valencia are beautiful cities, and I would like to go back there too, someday.

Overall, my experience has exceeded my expectations! We have 4 more weeks in Uzès, and I'm going to try to enjoy it to the fullest.

Tomée

A letter to Barcelona

"Barcelona - it was the first time that we met
Barcelona - how can I forget
The moment that you stepped into the room you took my breath away
Barcelona - la musica vibros
Barcelona - y ella nos unio
And if God willing we will meet again someday" Freddie Mercury & Mike Moran

Dear Barcelona,

Why did I ever think that spending one entire day with you would be enough? From the moment we entered your labyrinth of one way streets, I knew we were doomed. For two hours we searched for our hotel, round and round your phallic Tour Abracsas.

You would not reveal your glorious complex self to us in such a short time! You would only tease us with a glimpse of what we could have known, what we should have experienced together.

We tried to pay homage to your native son, Antonio Gaudi. We really did! Please let me explain...the only reason we didn't get off the bus to see Casa Batllo and Casa Mila was so that we could spend our precious minutes touring his still unfinished masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia and stroll through his most amazing Park Guell. But our plans were foiled! The two hour lineup that wrapped around Gaudi's love left us standing in the cold, admiring its brilliant intricacies from the outside. Not to worry, we thought, we still had Park Guell to enjoy. But that too, was not to be. We missed the stop for Park Guell and could not return. Instead we strolled along Avenida Tibidabo, the street of the fictional Aldaya mansion in Shadow of the Wind and then through the gardens of the Royal Palace. We walked along Las Ramblas and explored your historic centre, the Barrio Gotico. We laughed at the snow white geese bathing in the lush inner courtyard of the 13th century Cathedral and reveled in your beauty with a 360 degree view from its roof.

But it was not enough. Not enough time for museums or Montjuic, el Pueblo Espanol or the waterfront. They will have to be for another time.

Oh Barcelona, forgive me for thinking it could be done...for thinking I could penetrate into your modernista soul in such a short time!

Until we meet again...

Pique-nique, musique, vin et amis

"It'll be fun," I said, "a picnic at a winery with live music, and you'll get to meet my new friends." That's what I told my mom and sister we would be doing on their first Sunday in Uzès. I had no idea what kind of music it would be, where the winery was, what we would be eating or how many people would be there. In fact, I had no idea what to expect. We had arranged to meet Patrice, Rachel, and Garance in town and follow them to the winery in a tiny village called Donnat, about a half hour away. Sunday afternoon came...along with the cold pouring rain. As we huddled in the car waiting for our friends to arrive we couldn't help but wonder what we were getting ourselves into.

When they showed up, Patrice jumped out of the car and handed us a CD to listen to on the way. The musicians at the winery (friends of theirs) would be playing these songs as a tribute to the famous French singer, Nougaro. I had never heard of him before but after listening to the first few songs I wished I had. (stay tuned for more about him)

Because of the rain, the winemakers had move the picnic into their garage/wine storage room. Five or six rows of tables had been lined up and the four musicians had set up their instruments in front of the giant wine vats. There were probably about 60-70 of us crammed into the space, backs touching backs, elbows bumping elbows. Wine glasses were filled, everyone pulled out the food they had brought and shared around the table. A sheet of Nougaro lyrics were passed out and the music started.

It was magnifique! The musicians were extremely talented. They each played 2 or 3 different intruments and all four sang. In fact, I almost liked their versions of the songs better than the originals we had listened to in the car. Once the wine started flowing and the body heat warmed us up, everybody in the room began to sing along, except us of course. We were the Nougaro newbies so we just followed the lyrics, mouthed the words, and enjoyed the atmosphere. And though a light rain continued outside for most of the afternoon, I couldn't keep the smile off my face. We were cozy and warm, enjoying a French afternoon.

"La pluie fait des claquettes

sur le trottoir à minuit

Parfois je m'y arrête

Je l'admire, j'applaudi

Je suis son chapeau claque

Son queue de pie vertical

Son sourire de nacre

Sa pointure de cristal

La pluie..." Nougaro