Day 4 Provence

Hello everyone! Bon Soir! Yesterday was the day the "exercise" began, which is funny really, because those first two days in Paris contained more exercise than I ever expected. By day 3, my hamstrings were still in bad shape and my lower back was spasming. Great.

However, all is well! I decided on the 8 mile walk option instead of the 32 mile ride option. I loved it! There were about ten of us walking all over Arles. This region is all about olives. We ate wild blackberries and apples. Our guide Denis (pronounce Denee) is seriously the coolest guide. He walked with us, talked to locals for us, showed us things, etc. We talked to Jean Claude who was an olive tree farmer and he explained the business of making olive oil to us. We also toured an olive oil press.

We ate lunch at a place that raises the bulls who fight in Spain? They were in a field next to the restaurant. It was random, but ok, why not? The food...

So a word about the food here. I've been noticing that the French EAT. They are eating all of the time. I see young teenage girls walking around with long baguettes and just ripping off bread and eating it. Lots of patisseries everywhere. But they are all thin. I don't think I've seen an overweight French person. Here's the thing. They are eating fresh food all of the time. Fresh from farmers markets. They walk. A lot. They eat small portions. The cereal bowls are little. The gelato portions are little. I love it. The food has been a major highlight.

Final highlight yesterday was touring the hospital where Van Gogh painted most of his paintings. Since I saw his apartment in Paris as well, I am feeling a kinship with him this trip. Hard to explain since he was "crazy", but I am learning that he was just passionate which drove him to the edge many times. That hospital is still in St. Remy and is a hospital that treats depressed women. They come for a month and paint. They are required to paint and to sell their artwork to help pay for their stay. Some of it was great, some very average.

Today I decided it was time to cowboy up and RIDE!! I did it. 22 miles today. It was surreal. I was riding through sunflower and lavender fields. We rode up hills into stone villages and back down again. The smells, the wind, the sun. I just kept shaking my head. I was so appreciative in seeing the country this way. Again, Dennis rode by us and vans checked up on us, stopping us once in a while for fruit, nuts, drinks and bites of chocolate. FINALLY, I think I've gotten over this mental block I have had where I assume I can't do hard physical things. My friend Kimi understands this about me the most. She knows what I'm talking about. But I passed a hurdle today. Tomorrow I am riding 15 miles, then relaxing in the afternoon. I will continue riding when I get home to California. Not afraid anymore.

Brett is a biking maniac. If there's a short ride/long ride option, he and about 4 other guys always take the long ride option. He cruises and never seems to get tired! Tomorrow is a 60 km ride for him which is about 40 miles? When I think about where he was physically 2 years ago, I can't believe it. Anyway, cool thing happened today. I was riding with my girl peeps and it was the end of the ride and we were going up a long hill. I was a little tired. Ok I was really really tired. I was going really slow. All of a sudden, I hear what I thought was my husband behind me, which I thought was odd, because he went on the long ride. Sure enough, Brett pulled up next to me, put his hand on my back and pushed us both up the hill. He was like an angel for me. I thought how many times has he done this for me in our marriage. Hopefully I've done it for him too. Cue Bette Midler singing "did you ever know that you're my heeeeerooooooo."

Well, it's past midnight and the ride starts early tomorrow.

Oh one more thing. Riding in the back of a bus when you are turning up hilly roads is NOT GOOD if you are prone to car sickness. Just an FYI. And if you are riding in a bus, don't read your Van Gogh book until it's too late and you're already sick. Also, French people like stripes and blue shutters. And soap. And tablecloths.

oh oh oh how could I forget this?! Tonight at dinner, oh I'm getting so excited to write about this, there was a BAND playing right next to my table. I kept thinking- I feel like I'm in a movie. But not sure why. And it kind of felt like a 1940's movie, but I didn't know why. Then the girl next to me said, "I feel like I'm in a movie." Finally I realized it's because this band which consisted of a drummer, two guitar players and a saxophone player were playing songs straight out of a Woody Allen movie. I was in a Woody Allen movie. I don't know how else to explain it. What music is that? Jazz, yes, but a certain kind of jazz. The Woody Allen kind. Anyway, oh man, I kept smiling at them and clapping at the end of their solos. They loved me. They were cute old men and they were so appreciative of the applause. I got a picture taken with them. I tried to tell them that I was in a band and I think they understood as I mimed playing the piano, pointed to me, to them, smiled. I don't know but they were so so so good. Really good musicians and just the kind of music I would expect to hear here. I felt like I was in Midnight in Paris with the Fitzgeralds. (and if you haven't seen that movie, DO)

SORRY SO LONG!!! Kate is loving Darcy. I don't think I'll ever get her back. Girls at EFY. Spence about to leave for Russia. I miss my Sydney. Elle est super chouette!