france

Being with them this afternoon made me want to leave this country even more .Travel ,not for work purposes the way i usually do but for leisure.I had a trip planned involving sea and sun but now ,while i was telling them about our trips to france i wanted to go back there.How often did i drive up the hill from Taulignan to les corps neuf in the late afternoon entre chien et loup between dog and wolf as they say, and greeted the mountains and the wide open view with a smile,singing.Then down through the vinyards and apricottrees towards the farm with it’s turret fromthe thirteenth century .The children naked in the river a couple of writers and artists friends dealing with the aperitif ,the saucisson in slices on the board ,strong mustard,caviar d’aubergine and wit ,sometimes poems,on the tip of their tongues.My skin warm from the sun,hardly any clothes on ,my feet bare and free,i like to drive barefoot.But that’s not what i told them about this afternoon,it was about he driving down from holland to menton with my sister and my parents.I would be accuses of acute snobism if i mentioned my sister and i singing parts of the magic flute at the back of our 2cv.First we had a grey one then it turned red.Yes,we were small and we sang mozart for fun until my father had had enough and we stopped along the road so he could smoke a cigar.Then ,at lunchtime, we drove around looking for he perfect spot to have our picnic.The tarpauling was spread on the grass the napkins were out,cheeses and pates and fresh baguettes on plates and boards,butter in a glass and aluminium container,glasses for milk and juice.We had time ,lots of time apparently.Towards five o’clock we would look for a rural hotel ,eat a large rural dinner and we would stroll around the village and join the local kids watching the train come in and then leave the station again;the event of the day.We drove for four days while the mountains grew higher at the horizon and then around us,and our final hotel before our destination would serve muscat.My parents were merry, sang and drank, and i slept by an open window ,breathing in the smells of the provence , my favoured smells.Thyme and lavender.Thats what it still smells like in my favoured dreams of travel.