No Lack of Music and Elegance in France

We went to a music concert last night and it was a violin and piano ensemble by two young good musicians. They came because they were summoned by the priest of the church of Saorge, a secluded village just ten minutes away from where we live.

The church building itself was done in the Baroque style but because of its age, the old drawings on the ceiling were already falling off. On the columns were faded but beautiful designs that made the whole structure a grand work of art.

When it came to the performance itself, the features were sample songs from classical composers like Mozart, Hummel, Loewe, and Bach. They all made me giggle in delight because, as always, a classical concert is a simple bit of heaven for me and I felt like I was transported to paradise. What was good was that the show is entirely free since the parish usually organizes public concerts where everyone can attend.

The practice of performing and holding concerts probably stems from the Age of Beauty, a phase when pleasure reigned and daily life is an exercise in cultural cultivation. Many places of pleasure sprouted in Paris and among them, Montmarte was known as the most indulgent.

Seeing France Through A Mobile Home

Each year, there is a special spell when a majority of the French take a trip for their holidays. The event occurs on the first day of August when nearly all roads lead to the south of France, so a enormous traffic jam extends at the toll gates, which start to look like parking lots. When the clock strikes noon, the place turns into picnic spots, where slices of dried sausages and bottles of wine are shared among several families who become instant buddies. So, despite the aforementioned problem, the spectacle is really intriguing. You can see each car and examine the groups with the children sitting at the back and the parents sitting in front.

I recall when I toured France with a friend a long time ago by caravan. We used a trailer, equipped with all of life's daily facilities and pulled by a big vehicle. We started from Dover to Marseille then traveled to Avignon, staying in a small town called Barjac near Orange. The week after we visited Bordeaux, we passed through small roads, then back to Dover driving through Orleans. It was one of the top holidays I've had and I really adored it because we got to pass by France's beautiful countryside; next time, though, I would like to drive and experience maneuvering a caravan.