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French Travel Life Country Dreamtime
French Country Travel Life Country Dreamtime is really the best phrase to sum up my attraction to, and apprecation for, life in the French Countryside. True, as a title, it is a little long. But, nonetheless complete. All the essential elements are included. And one leads naturally to the other.
French leads you dreaming. Dreaming finally leads you to France. Once there, you travel. Through the countryside, bien sur. And so it glows. Rapidly the majority of your dream becomes a reality.Especially if your attitude is positive and your mind open.
To share these travel dreams that morphed into reality, some folks write a book. been there. done that. Others will make a film. And then, there are some crazed Francophiles who will do all three. Like, DA BG for instance.
I guess it’s because DA BG be a “free soul.” (and who would want to be the opposite? “Chained soul” doesn’t really inspire -n’est ce pas?)
Alors, whatever the condition of my soul, I have managed to share my French Country Life Travel Dreams in print, image and film. And, as you would expect, I do have my favorites in each category. Truth be told, the video here is not on my absolute personal favs list – but it does (as accurately as the moving image can) give the French Country “Vibe.”
So, like..you know….like……DIG IT!
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
DSK’s Worst Nightmare – Anne Sinclair Wakes Up!
DSK’s Worst Nightmare – Anne Sinclair Wakes Up! – and leaves him. To anyone who is even vaguely aware of the “adventures” of Dominique Strauss Kahn, the question is not “Why?” – but – “Anne – what took you so long?” Why did it take an intelligent, cultivated Woman this long to to see what the world already knew? Surely her friends must have been giving her updates and advice? It’s one thing to “stand by your man.” It’s another to bury your head in the sand.
When the news of the “Great Seducers” first (publicized) “consensual love moment “(uh….that would be Sofitel Hotel, New York?) made headlines, and wifey not only stood the bail, paid the lawyers, and , bien sur, flew to the big apple to “stand by her man” – some French were proposing her as the new “Marianne”, the Female symbol of French liberty, reason, strength and all things good and proper.
My immediate reaction to that was to recall the old(but still accurate) tee-shirt that proclaimed: “de Nile is more than just a river in Egypt.” Amen.
Alors,DSK’s Worst Nightmare is now a reality. Anne Sinclair has shaken off the deep, comforting sleep of denial and has woken up. And CAN smell the coffee .Glory gee to beezus! (or someone just like him)
So, where does this leave Big Chief “he-who-cannot-keep-it-in-his-pants?” Easy question: it leaves him “Without.” With a capital “W.” Without (real come -to- your -aid- no -matter- what) friends.Without a snowball’s chance in hell of “re-animating” his political career. And most sweat-producingly – without a billionairess footing his substantial legal bills.
Ok, DSK still has has 300K or so per year from his (first) departure from the IMF, and maybe even a luxury car or two to auction off. But that’s not enough to keep his “dream team” in sushi for more than a week. And then what?
Jail – not an generator of warm fuzzies at any age – especially in your 60’s – is one possibility. Not only is M. Strauss Kahn facing a civil suit in New York from his former “consensual love partner” – here in France there is “Le Affaire Carlton.” That being a luxury hotel where it’s alleged DSK was involved in “procuring” women for businessmen’s pleasure in said hotel. (as we would say back where DA BG comes from – “a pimp.”)
But wait – there’s more! Although the “Great Seducer” did escape a previous rape charge by a young French Journalist, as I related in THIS POST, his “troubles” then encouraged other Women who had been involved in “escapades” with DSK to come out of the closet. Impossible to imagine that won’t continue. N’est ce pas?
So – Dominique Strauss Kahn clearly will not need shades for his future. Whatever it brings – the appropriate adjective will not be “bright.”
But , don’t count DSK out just yet. Remember two things:
1. He is “The Great Seducer.” Perhaps another billionairess (or millionairess, sniff, sniff) will fall under his spell. Perhaps he will CON – vince his legal team to take their several tons of flesh sometime in the future.
2. There is, as far as we know, no “Fat Lady.” And we all know: “It’s not over ’til the Fat Lady Sings.”
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
French Country Life Music Party
The French Country Life Music Party goes down every June 21st. And, why not? After all it IS the first day of Summer. (Regardless of whether the weather agrees)
It’s offical name is : “Le Fete de la Musique.” Which translates to “Music Party” in any language, n’est ce pas? “Le Fete” was the brainchild of a Jack Lang. A former Minister of Culture, so “pro-USA” that he insisted on the American spelling of his name.
Atypically, a great idea from someone “in government.” One that could not possibly raise objections, threaten political careers, or infringe on the right to libertie, egalitie, and the pursuit of stronger cheese.
The French Country Life Music Party however, is not , as you may have anticipated, just for country folk. While it’s celebrated Nationally, the Country celebrations for me(pun intended) “ring most true” with Mr. Lang’s intentions.
Why? Because in the country, although the town/village/hameau(that’s “am -oh” – a collection of houses with no bakery, post office or 7-11) may mount an “offical” celebration, it’s the grass-roots groove of locals spilling out into the street that is really the essence of “Le Fete de la Musique.”
It does what music does best, and is supposed to do. Bring people together. In a positive participatory, and, at it’s best, informal and spontaneous way.
That said – there is a “middle-ground” between the grass roots pickin’ n’ grinnin’ and the big city blowout – the BIG French Country Life Music BLOWOUT –
staged in a huge historic chateau(and aren’t those the best kind?) or a huge historic city. Preferably one with walls to enclose all the exuberant celebrants.
Carcassone,in the SouthWest covers all the bases. First of all, it’s huge. Not to mention Historic. It was here, as my scholarly devotees will recall from THIS POST, that several thousand Men, Women and Children with the “wrong” religious ideas were “terminated with extreme prejudice” by God’s representative on earth. (uh…that would be…Pope Innocent 2?) Thus saving them from a life of sin.
And so it is within these same walls on each June 21st that thousands of (happily) LIVE men, Women and Children writhe and jive to a Houston Astrodome Rock Concert style version of the French Country Life Music Party.
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
