We see what we want to see; we tell ourselves the stories that comfort what we think we know.
I don’t take the beauty of Provence for granted. It can be wide and sweeping or minuscule and intimate. An endless variation of songs to light up the dance floor. And how I do love it when I am asked to dance.
But, but after ten years of living here, I can be a snob about certain things, as unattractive as that is to admit.
For example, I don’t like crowds and feel foolish when caught in the midst of them in full on “ooh” mode.
Fanning women who have “A Year in Provence” poking out of their bag and agressive baseball cappers extending a selfie stick towards the sky make me grumpy.
See? Right on time. Snobby.
And certainly no place tends to prickle my skin more than Les Baux-de-Provence.
While I have a healthy respect for its fame, I see its potential and shake my head in dismay at the endless line of identical tourist shops lining the cobblestone streets, those selling fake savon du Marseille and polyester napkins imprinted with bees.
And yet, here we go, the entry to the humbling part…
…of course I wanted my Mom and her husband Leonard to see it while they were visiting in September.
And they were enchanted.
So how could I not be? Wonder is delightfully contagious.
All of those veils of ideas, judgements and expectations fell away. The crowds pushed around me and yet it didn’t matter. Of course, they have the right to stop and point and rave.
By giving in, I found myself back in Les Baux, the one that I know to love in my heart, even when my head tells me otherwise. Stories silenced, vision cleared. In seeing it through the eyes of loved ones, I discovered it anew for myself, Provence plus one.
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Eh oui, I seem to have written quite a few times about this enigmatic village (and I am not done yet as there will be a post on the main church there in the future). It is fun to look back at them now…especially in seeing how certain places have changed or not over time.
If you would like to understand the history of the village, click here.
Another shift in perspective, this time via a camera trick. To read, click here.
I love everything about this post (save that the photos are so small!): here.
And for my friends in the other hemisphere, you must believe in spring, so please click here.
Oh! And thank you all for your lovely responses on my previous post. For those of you that have been wondering, yes, Ellie arrived safely and is already making her new house a home…
Another reason to come back to Provence then? 😉
Heather, how did you manage to shoot these photos without even one person on it?
It was so crowded when we were there in May. Et je n'aime pas la foule.
The one place which is really worse in terms of crowds is la Cité de Carcassonne… (;
Les Baux! Would you believe, after all these years, I've only seen it on TV? Thanks for another glimpse of this beautiful place! xo
You know I've never been to any fair! maybe I'll go to the Delaware County fair next year. I know damn well I can't handle the state fair. Too many tube tops.
Eeeexactly. Or go in the summer but after 8pm when it is still light out and all of the shops are closed!
Ahhh…Les Beaux…..I love it. We all want to be there…off season. Very few people around…
Then it is perfect…..Thanks so much Heather.
Ali
Wow…Gretel! That is a crazy story! I am so glad that everyone was ok!!
I agree with you heartliy about how important it is to travel and connect with people in different cultures. I honestly think it is the most eye-opening thing that I have done in my life and I have learned so much from those experiences. It makes me happy that we are on the same page… 🙂
Also…talking about cameras…I did a travel sketchbook for the first time. Great fun and made you look much more closely at your surroundings!
(PS ok… I did take photos too…)
South America was wonderful…I love exploring different cultures and people… we are all so amazing and creative in interrupting our world which is fascinating! We were also caught up in the earthquake that happened in Chile as we were flying down to Santiago. We had to stop off at Iquique Airport to go through customs and as we were reboarding the plane there was a bit of commotion amongst the staff and we were told that everyone was to evacuate the airport building to the carpark as there were three very big tsunami waves were about to come though! We were wishing we could have pinched the lifejackets off the plane…luckily we didn't have to swim for it after all! The joys of travelling!! 🙂
Oh my gosh! I have never been there but of course I know where it is! How fun! Maybe next summer…
(ps. Can you tell just a wee bit that I am looking forward to meeting you in person?)