En Vacance

In a couple of hours time I'll be driving down to stop with an aunt and uncle in the French Dordogne for two weeks holiday. I've post-dated a couple of posts so you'll get those while I'll away but I'm not too sure when I'll be able to get online personally.  So it may be that I do any 'replying' on my return.

The last time I stayed in France was in the Provence region and I loved it. Rural French people have such a civilised, laissez-faire way of living. The village had a daily outdoor market where the locals would stop off to have a coffee and perhaps a croissant, for half an hour before travelling on to work.  I would trundle on over there on my bike to join them every morning at 7, long before the family awoke. Bankers, railway workers, teachers, building labourers - all would join in this 'coffee and welcome-in-the-day' ritual at the outdoor cafe tables. As a Brit speaking little French I stood out like sore thumb, but I was made more than welcome.  What a lovely way to start the day.

I usually have to be persuaded forced to put away the books and the laptop and just chill, but this time I'm looking forward to having a break from the human 'race' for a while.  Hopefully I'll do less thinking and a lot more listening.  Just a lately I feel myself kind of getting addicted to this 'receptive mode'.  Don't know where it will lead... truth be told, I don't really care!

I look forward to seeing you all (you know what I mean) when I get back.

I know a quiet sanctuary
Where I go to be alone
Nothing disturbs the silence there
No planes, no cars, no phone

It's somewhere no one knows about
No heavy footsteps there you'll find
Because that lovely tranquil place
Exists within my mind