Saturday, August 20, 2011

Grattitude! Made it to Croatia!

Up at stupid o'clock but I made it. Of all the things that could have gone wrong, I am so grateful that I have made it and am sitting here in the waiting area getting ready to board my flight to Split.

I had an unusual encounter with a security screener today worth noting because it caught me by surprise and I came away with warm fuzzies. There I was on the other side of the scanner and all of my things were still in the screening box but the conveyor belt wasn't moving. Somehow it had stopped moving as I went through and the orignal girl had disappeared. At 6:15AM it was time for a shift change? Odd. I stood there looking around, admittedly annoyed a bit though I'll blame it on the early morning haze.

Moments later the new new security guy arrived. His first words were to his colleague and he said that he was sorry that he hadn't said good morning to him yet. I broke out into an instant grin and caught his eye to say good morning too. I was struck with his incredibly positive attitude and energy...moreso because it was in a place that it was SO unexpected.

He kept smiling back at me and told me that I had a nice smile. Guffaw!!! But while he was rather handsome, and if I wanted I could have called it flirting, I was mostly just grateful to have started the day with such a positive interaction with another person. And for that I have "grattitude"!

I was a bit worried about the connection time at Chrles de Gaulle but everything went swimmingly...well, except that I was flying with Easy Jet. Mental note...never fly with EasyJet again if you can help it. It's not just second class you feel with these guys, it's about twelfth - and it's not always cheaper. Today, however, it's the day they fly direct from Paris so you pick your battles.

I really don't understand why they don't assign seats on EasyJet. The typical Easy-Jet-elbows-up battle ensued once they were ready for boarding. But it was so funny as we went down the gangplank to board a bus! Ah the great equalizer! Speedy Boarders, you've just wasted your money. Ha! But what was funnier is that we then drove down 9 gates to our plane and went back up the stairs to board. It was odd but the lady said something about customs. In any case I got a window seat near the front.

I sat next to two teenaged girls who were so addicted to their phones that they checked their mail until moments before take-off and were actually reprimanded for talking on the phone during the safety briefing. Groan! They have ADDICTIONS! This will be an interesting generation coming of age now!

The flight was only two hours and we deplaned onto the tarmac that was just radiating heat. Oh it was oppressive but at least there was a breeze. We walked into the customs hall which, when I first saw it, caused my jaw to drop. It was PACKED and to make it worse, there were no line markers so it was elbows-up again. Grrr. I'm just too Canadian in those situations and am not aggressive enough. Several people passed me!

Once through it took a bit of time to get the car sorted but in time, I pulled away with a cute little, black VW Polo. There is one main highway in the country running north-south and once I found that the GPS was useless...particularly since it hadn't been updated with all the new roads. There was lots of 'recalculating' (translation: WTF?! Where are you going?!).

I was going so well until I got caught in a MAJOR traffic jam. I think I moved about 2km in 45mins. I had no choice but to wait it out. It was a challenge, espcecially with the heat but when I saw the two ambulances go by and then the smooshed cars, well, what's 45mins?!?! I get to keep going. Someone else's day just got ruined!

I met Michael at Galop restaurant in Medusici. He is the very friendly owner of the Villa we're staying at. After my long drive and after having read "Tales of a Female Nomad", I was grateful and receptive for his offer to join him for a beer. In the end there was a coffee too and a brief language lesson so I can mind my Croatian P's and Q's (molen's and walla's...or something like that!)

After Micheal got me sorted at the mini market with some provisions, I followed him down one of the steepest roads I've ever driven. In fact, I have NO idea how I'm going to get out of here tomorrow!

He lugged my bag all the way up to the top condo and I dropped my stuff before getting the rest of the tour of the place. It's either up-up or down-down here. Kari will have no problems keeping fit around here!

The pool is part way down the hill and the beach is a two minute, calf-burning walk down more stairs. It's absolutely gorgeous here. I did good. I don't even want to leave tomorrow but I should be able to get in a swim tomorrow (tonight was a reconaissance trip...it's too rocky to go in in bare feet!) and be nice and lazy before heading all the way to Split.

Dinner for me was bread, cheese, yogurt, a nectarine, and...Nutella...lekker! Dinner for the mosquitoes was ankles, ear, arm and toes! Damn...I hate deet but I had to get it. Wah! Next will be a glass of wine, a shower and likely lights out before 22h. Ooh, ooh! Party on!

So I'm almost all caught up with my travel journal now. It's nice. I'm eager to add this to my sgosplore blog with a few pictures. Next I think I should create "www.grattitude.com"! a site where people post the little things about their days they're grateful for, similar to that TED talk on awesomeness or Elizabeth Gilbert's 'grateful journal', and with stories not unlike the nice security guy from this morning story. It CAN help steer the course of a day!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Pictures from my trip into La Roque Gageac and Belves.

This region is still as beautiful as I remember it to be!

  












Pilates rocks!

Still loving the pilates. I simply must follow up on this when I get back. Rejoin some of Betty's classes if I can? Try the studio on Frederickstraat again? Do the Shape Pilates app exercises? Certainly when I get back to Calgary I need to find a nearby studio, preferably with some of the equipment.

For the first day, I had a private lesson. I instantly got called out on all sorts of cheats that I didn't know I was doing and what muscles are permanently tight, which aren't working enough. All good.

The last two classes I've had with Natalie which has been good. Mealanie easily goes back and forth between the two of us tailoring our exercises for my tight quads and her sore back. They're an hour long in the room overlooking the pool and the rolling hills in the distance. You couldn't ask for a more inspiring place to do something good for your body.

I'd only ever done mat classes before but I've done quite a few new exercises with the reformers. Those I can't easily do upstairs on my exercise mat at home but I'm trying to take notes on new exercises I can bring back with me.

I'm always eagerly awaiting instructions for the next exercise, even if they are killers and I end up shaking as i complete the last rep. My brain often starts to overwork: lats engaged, core strong, shoulders down, quads OFF. The hour goes by quickly and then as the day progresses certain muscles start to make their presence known. I went to shoo a fly off my back yesterday and could hardly reach back. Ah, but it's such a good kind of sore and I'm furthering my goal of popping the bubble wrap covering my six-pack...if only I could stop eating those gorgeous French pastries Melanie picks up for us and the bread and wine which is in endless supply here.




When I went to town yesterday I asked how much I owed Melanie for the extra night and was surprised to hear 200€ until I remembered that I'd made the original transfers in sterling. Hmm...200€? It sounds steep but when you consider a (semi-) private pilates lesson at what? 50€? Three meals, with at least a 4 course dinner, and limitless wine, coffee, fruit and snack that might run you another 40-60€. Then there are the incredibly cozy and large rooms with everything you'd need plus the pool, the scenery, the tranquility? Yep, that is worth the money and it's been such a find that I'm thrilled that no one else's is coming tonight so I could extend my stay by one extra night.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

My definition of a retreat.

Hmmm...where did those muscles comes from?! I do believe I feel sore from yesterday's pilates session. Excellent. Bring on the next one.

Debate over term 'retreat'. Melanie doesn't like it. She worries that implies something it's not. Interesting. I think when she hears that word she's thinking more of a monastic retreat, perhaps even a silent one, with limited food or alcohol, meditation or prayer time, that kind of thing. I use the term to mean escape from my real world where I can disconnect, focus on myself and my thoughts, do something healthy be it pilates, hiking or swimming. It's great to be in the country where I can recharge my batteries and disappear from the noise and bustle of a city. I want to observe what phase the moon is in, not just read about it. Can I find Cassiopeia? Can I spot a deer? Can I find time to sit and read a book? This is what I mean by retreat.

It's also interesting that there are women who come here to get some time alone. Ladies with the demands of a family and a job looking to check-out and do something they want to do. This place is perfect for them. And yet here I am, with all the time in the world to myself, always doing what I want, still looking for the same kind of escape.  It's a bit of a contrast and yet I think that in both cases it has to do with what you have and what you don't.

I'm reading this book called "Tales of a Female Nomad". After twenty some years of marriage, as it starts falling apart, she goes on a trip and discovers who she really is. That she can explore the world and go and do things without a man. Ironically, I have been doing that for the last fifteen years or so and have been looking for a man to share these adventures with the whole time. A variation of her story in reverse?

Here at the non-retreat I am as alone or social as I want to be. There aren't very many people here. Liz, the new arrival, has gone walking today...in 38'C heat. Yikes. Natalie and I just had pilates together and are chilling separately with our books. Melanie is doing work. But still, should I choose to go and chat, I could. I don't. Not now. Maybe later. This down time is brilliant and moreso because it's a choice. I can see, however, that this place isn't for everyone. Those who want complete solidude can't really get it because the meals are communal...and that is so nice, even if the conversation is occasionally stilted. Those who want people, people, people, won't get it either. There are only 4 rooms therefore, at max, this place will only accommodate 8 people. I feel like Golidlocks, for me this is just right!

An afternoon car trip to Cenac and Domme was a good escape from my 'escape'. I was excited to come back to the Dordogne after all, why not see some of the scenery? I'd been a sloth for pretty much 48 hours by then, time to stretch my legs.

It was a pretty meander through all the hamlets in the area as I took the back roads there. I thought I might get some 'intel' about canoeing tomorrow but couldn't really be bothered. Unplanned is the flavor of the holiday thanks very much. Instead I tested my stick shift driving skills, the clenched jaw was unavoidable, and drove up, up, up from Cenac to Domme through an old stone archway barely wide enough for a car and through an adorable little town. I didn't get to really enjoy it the first time through as I was scanning for a parking spot - as was everyone else. I didn't want to stop lest I need to make a hill start and roll back into the Mercedes behind me but before I knew it I was again pointing downhill, out through another gate and down to the main, larger parking area.

I walked back up the hill which suited me fine only I was roasting. I had a hat, my sunnies, and my paschmina wrapped around me in lieu of sunscreen. I'd put out my MEC thermometer in the shade and it read 36'C. A time & temperature sign in the sun in Cenac read 43'C. An average of 39'C was still more than double the average temperatures of the Netherlands in all of July! Good thing I had a water bottle with me.


Domme is a cute town with typical touristy shops which I quite like poking into. Jewelery, ceramics, clothing and food speacialties like foie gras (no thanks!) were everywhere. The ice cream shops were making a killing. There was a church I popped into to look at, they're always fascinating to go into, and briefly escape the heat. There was a cave that I opted to skip and instead went to a restaurant with a cafe on the town's cliff edge and ordered a glass of white wine (2.50€). I was dripping with sweat by the end of it but it was shaded so I could take off the paschmina and hat. The view was spectacular and I was quite content.

I arrived back at Les Tilleuls in time for the tail end of happy hour with our new arrival, Margaret - a teacher from London. I think we'd reached critical mass with English ladies and I let them discuss the English school system and TV shows I'd never heard of. They're all lovely but I think the heat had taken a lot out of me and I ended up excusing myslef and going to bed right after dessert was served.


For the record, tonight I tried duck for the first time. It was okay but I doubt I'd seek it out again on purpose. This place does seem to be playing up to my food dislikes. Melanie has commented more than once that she wished I'd been more specific on my food-form. Maybe I shouldn't move to France after all!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Bliss...

Just had my first pilates class with Melanie. It was so good! If seeing the farmhouse and countryside where Les Tilleuls is located didn't give me that frisson saying "Oh yes!", today's class locked in the feeling that I have come to the right place.



It's obvious that I've been able to cheat in Betty's classes. One-on-one means no cheating! I had no idea I used my hip flexors and quads so much when engaging my 'power-house'. We used the machines which I'd only ever tried once. I like them. Yep, I feel good. I feel like I've earned my day.


It also strikes me that this is a classic case of me liking what I'm good at. Okay, I'm no great pilates star but I'm far more capable of doing pilates than yoga. I'm drawn to what I'm good at. That makes sense but I'm aware of how limiting that can be. You can't instantly be good at everything. Many things need work and practice and then they become more rewarding. Am I really a instant gratification kind of person? Or am I just never going to like yoga?! And why am I trying to force it?
     
True, I need to stretch more and work on my flexibility. Running forces that issue. If i don't stretch, i don't walk properly the next day. The added bonus with running is that it burns the calories I eat in Haribo gummies!

True, yoga allows the mind to relax and helps you disconnect from the outside world. I can get that with massage. In a good massage session I can have an almost out of body experience. My breathing slows, my mind wanders and I'm present, I feel all the muscles being worked, and yet I'm elsewhere. I say I go to 'la-la land'. That is the zen I seek.

So we can get our bliss in many places. For a vast number of people, yoga seems to be that one-stop-shop for flexibility, strength, relaxation and an inner journey. For me, I seem to prefer mixing and matching several activities to get that benefit. I'm okay with that!

Monday, August 15, 2011

En route to Les Tilleuls...


The walls were thin in the hotel. Turns out I wasn't the only one staying there. They must have gotten in late. At some point after I'd turned off the light and gone to sleep I could hear them talking, turning on taps, walking around. Bah!

I woke without any alarms. I lay there for ages awake but not thinking of anything in particular. It was a lovely way to welcome the day. My first day of holiday on my own. My first day of me not being at the office when everyone else was. Didn't miss it a bit!

I handed my key in to a real person in the morning although they were just wrapping up from breakfast and getting ready to leave again. I've never seen such a automated hotel system before. It's interesting. It's efficient, but it's somewhat cold and soulless. I wonder if they have one of those robotic maids that they advertise in Skymall?!?!

I set out to look for breakfast and it proved to be no trouble whatsoever. Overnight, the quiet town centre had transformed into a huge market. I only discovered later that Monday the 15th was a bank holiday. Ah ha!

There was the usual clothing shops (from bohemian to old-lady styles), butchers, bakers, (no candle stick makers!), cheese, fruits and vegetables, olives, spices, toys, jewelry and hat vendors (apparently Caussade is the hat capital of the area). Hundreds of locals and tourists pushed their way through the crowds buying their wares on this gorgeous sunny day.

     
I bought 3 peaches, 3 nectarines and 1 pear for 2.60€. I bought a small wedge of Brie for 0.60€. I bought a baguette and and pain au raisins for 1.50€. I bought a sunhat for 5€. I already had a bottle of water so that was all I needed for the road. I made sure to stop for a cafe au lait at a cafe in the middle of the market and had a large for 2.20€. We saw grand cafe au laits going for upwards of 5€ in Paris. Ridicule!!!! And on my way back to the car, sucker that I am for picking up pieces of jewelry as I travel, I bought a funky bracelet for 18€.

And then I hit the road. I was plugging in towns into the GPS as I worked my way to Les Tilleuls. Turns out there are several towns in France with the same name! When it said the journey would be 5 hours, I figured I might have chosen the wrong one. When I chose one that appeared nearby and drove out of town in the opposite direction I'd come, my spidey-senses kicked in and I tried another town that took me in a more sensible direction. GPS's are great but they can make you stupid, reliant on them and can cause you to forget to look at signs. As someone once said, they're GPS's, not auto-pilots!!!

I went up and down many hills, past gorgeous forests and fields and through several quaint villages. It was a pretty drive and I didn't mind taking the scenic (read:long) route. I stopped and had a bite to eat in this small town that was nearly deserted save for a group of young hikers nearing the end of what looked like a pilgrimage of sorts as they stopped and gathered at the town church. I ate my fruits, bread and cheese and watched them for a while feeling a bit guilty that I had food as they searched in vain for a store that was open so they could buy something to eat or drink.

As I approached the last town on the map I'd studying and pre-loaded in my iPad Map app, I figured it was time to look at Melanie's written instructions for the fine tuning of my route. Hmmm...no mention of the town of Cazals on my route. The GPS told me it was 20mins in a direction I didn't expect to go. The next hour took me down roads I wasn't supposed to go down beacuse I'd misread the next line of the instructions. My spparent lack of common sense and the heat were making me frustrated. I wished I'd plunked her instructios into Google Earth prior to arriving. I'm so much more of a visual navigator and without a co-pilot to read the instructions to me, it took twice as long as it should have. Still...it was pretty countryside....it's the journey, not the destination...can I be done driving now, please?!?!?

I initially felt frustrated at the lack of signs. Come on? How hard is it to put up a few breadcrumbs? Then I got here. I was greeted by Melanie and shown around. I saw this place and got it. There is no need for signs. There is no place for signs. This is a retreat. Somehow even advertising it on the road seems to take away from how special a find it is.

I settled in to my gorgeous room, did a little happy dance at my luck in finding this place and joined Melanie and Natalie, the only other guest tonight, up on the balcony at the pigeonerie for a welcome drink. It was so warm in the sun and I didn't last long before feeling drawn in by the lure of the swimming pool.










A swim, the cracking open of a new book, a happy-hour drinks/nibblies and a 4 course dinner outside from sunset to the twinkling of the first stars made me a happy girl.
     
There's no internet here. There's only going to be about 4 other guests. There's inspiring scenery and peace and quiet. This is even better than I'd thought it would be. The words 'score!', 'unplug' and 'bliss' went through my mind. I'm going to be very happy here for the next several days!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Technologie!

Our last day in Paris was short as I flew to Toulouse and Andrew and Sherrin had a mid-afternoon train to catch. We started the day with the obligatory french breakfast complete with pastries and coffee. We then wandered around and went exploring and found parts of the city we'd never heard of but enjoyed very much.

We only managed to check out of the hotel then check our bags in to left luggage at Gare du Nord. We grabbed some fuel in the form of coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice and one of the best croissants any of us had had in a long time! Instead of Sacre Coeur or a mouche boat trip we opted to keep it simple a walk around near the Gare du Nord. In the end we wandered down a lovely canal and over to check out the Stalingrad memorial and the city canal which proved to be a great find, even before the sun came out which made it even better.

One glass of wine later and I had to get moving back to la Gare to hop a train to the airport. I was a bit ancy about it for some reason but I lucked out and caught a direct train to Charles de Gaulle. There are 2 terminals there and it didn't say which I needed on my ticket so I gambled and chose wrong but there's a free shuttle between the two terminals. The only problem was that my back teeth were floating and I was SO uncomfortable. Not a fun feeling. But...I made it and once I got checked in I had some time to make enquiries for Saturday's 'no-time-for-mistakes' trip from Toulouse to Split with 1 checked bag, 2 different airlines and 3 hours (in theory) between the flights.

Landing in Toulouse necessitated me shaking off the fatigue induced stupor I was in from 2 late nights and all that walking in Paris. Right...time to get behind the wheel of a car. Remember how to drive?!? Have I ever mentioned how glad I am that I know how to drive a stick shift?! Yeah - pretty much all cars here are sticks. Well, it has been a while but it came back very easily and I did well except for one flash of a speed camera. CRAP! Busted!

This is pretty country. I passes a couple of fields of sunflowers which I hope to find another one or two of to photograph tomorrow. I've seen several apple orchards and vinyards and signs for cherries. I'll be on the lookout for more tomorrow!

For now, I am content to have an early night. Two late nights in a row and I'm pooped. I have just settled in to my hotel in Caussade. It appeared to be about halfway between Toulouse and the pilates place. I didn't have a reservation for a hotel though, I decided to play it by ear...and what an odd tune it turned out to be.

I pulled into town and spotted the main hotel right away. When I walked up to the reception I dutifully noted the "tirer" sign and did not push the door. But it didn't budge. I tried again. I peered through the glass. All closed up. Nobody home. But the sign that said they were open 24h/7d. Huh? And they had signs out on the sidewalk.


Looking a little closer I noticed that it said that on Sundays the office was closed but you could use 'the machine' to pick up your keys. This was new so I looked more closely and discovered that I could use this machine in the front foyer of this hotel to make a reservation on the spot. It was just like checking in to my flight today.

How many adults? Kids? Nights? What kind of room? Breakfast? What kind of credit card? Please stand back while we print your receipt and drop your key...and not a credit cardy type key, but rather a small silver grooved key. I wasn't sure if there wasn't a hidden camera there...it was so unusual and I was shaking my head and grinning the whole time.

Checking out the room I'd have to say, 'well, at least it's clean'. And quiet...because there's NO ONE here. How odd it was to walk into this big hotel and not see a soul. How odd to be the only car in the parking lot out back. How odd to just show myself in. And if I'd planned ahead, I never would have had this odd experience. That's serendipity twice in the same day!!!

Quote of the day: I am thankful for many things in my life. Today I am particularly thankful that I don't have a gluten allergy!