Uno due

My Eurotrip in ten photos:

Trets-en-Provence, France; my home for 17 days

Nice, France

Florence, Italy

Corniglia, Italia

Manorola, Italy

Strasbourg, France

Bern, Switzerland

Antwerp, Belgium

Lille, France

Europa, I miss you so.

BONJOUR

Hello from Provence!

I am toasting away to golden perfection in the sun here. My tan has never looked better. Currently I'm inhabiting La ferme de Noé, where it takes 50 minutes to walk to the nearest town. I look after potatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis, tomatoes, beans, and herbs among other plants, and some chickens, ducks and turkey. I know, right? And some crazy cats and dogs, too. I'm going to kidnap one of the wee little chatons and put him in a tea cup, because I can.

I want to show you my photos of the spectacular landscapes here, but computer use is limited (although Kitty is being very patient). I'm also speaking a lot more French than I would've ever thought, and I think I could survive here if I had to, despite the stifling language barrier.

So far, I've seen a day of Paris, two days of Marseille, some Aix and of course, Trets, the only town we can get to on foot before passing out in the Provence sun. Marseille, I was told, is dangerous and harsh, but my experience there was filled with kindness. Maybe it was my first view of the Mediterranean that rendered me blind, but I loved it there. Aix was also so, so amazing: Home to Cézanne's beautiful landscapes, and much of the subjects of his glowing portraiture. I wish I had more time in both cities, but it won't be my last time in Europe so there is always next time...

Among other things so far, I've sat in the back of a cop car (and spoke some fantastic franglais), and let some harmless but strange foreigners at a bar buy a round of Panaché (beer mixed with pop) for me and my colleagues at a tobacco shop (alcohol at a tabac is quite common here)... More adventures to come!

ps. Some of the best shows happen in Toronto when I'm not there: Ohbijou and Sunparlour Players at Soundscapes, Black Hat Brigade at NxNE... GET ON IT, TORONTO FOLKS.

Itinerary

Fourteen days left between me and Europe. I think it's time to reveal my itinerary and ask for pardon for the upcoming absence (although I have been very MIA this month anyway).

I'm being super ambitious, hitting at least 14 cities in a 48-day span. 17 of those days, I'll be on La ferme de Noé to the north of Marseille and Aix-de-Provence, building housing for animals and farming and harvesting and cooking and engaging in other earth-friendly shenanigans (and hopefully also those not very friendly to my liver). The not-so-secret hippie in me is basking in the glory of the thought. Marseille, Aix and Arles are all within the arm's reach of the farm.

From then on I'm heading off to Genoa, Cinque Terre, Florence and Venice in Italy. Reading cautionary tales of Venice has made me wary, but I'm open to falling in love with the sinking city. So we'll see. Bern and Lucerne, Switzerland: Lucerne is my dad's favourite place in Europe, so I know I'll be captivated by its charm. Belgium will be housing my amazing twin sister (yeah, really) for three months, so I'll be visiting there on my way back to Paris! I hope to hit Antwerp (yay for wool), Brussels and Bruges (In Bruges being one of my favourite scripts ever). Then I'll head back to Paris before hitting home base in Toronto.

I know, right?

Time to go buy a travel case for my ukulele.

ps. I may or may not have been playing Hot 'n Cold by Katy Perry on my ukulele. Whatever.
pps. I have a lot to say about the suicide of the former president of Korea, and even more to say about the exhausting trial of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Then there's the North Korean tests, the UN response. There's just so much around me and far from me, and my head is turning in every which direction. I want to gather my thoughts and understand what they want, and still not make excuses.

some absence

For the past few days I was realizing that I haven't posted anything at all in May, and so here I am. Toronto, student living and music seems to be the constant muses in my life so that's the path we shall travel once more.

I have moved into my temporary residence for the month of May, a lovely old house in the Annex with a confused landlady on the first floor and two sweet roommates. After living a year in a basement--the epitome of student living: white walls, tile floors, creeper looking through my window from the backyard (yes, indeed it's true)--it's strange to wake up to sunlight in the morning. Even on the cloudiest days I'm waking up thinking it's naught but sunshine outside. I imagine getting sunburnt, and it's an exciting notion, and there's definitely a deck on the third floor to do this on. I can see the CN Tower to the south and Casa Loma to the north.

I have 21 (!!!) big days left until I leave for Europe--I will also have to write about that one, and how planning the trip is the second best part after actually being there. I have lots that I'm leaving in Toronto though: Beirut, and a sunny house (despite its lack of a living room my roommates and I do fine in our common sitting nook) least of all; but I'm holding my breath. I do wish Toronto would stop in its tracks until I come back. I want to miss nothing.

It's definitely spring.

Albums that I've been listening to: Horn of Plenty, by Grizzly Bear; Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, by Wilco; For Emma, Forever ago, courtesy of Bon Iver (sounds of Wisconsin); Boxer, The National (I will be sorry to miss them this Thursday! But Timber Timbre at Over the Top Fest is no less of a substitute); Actor, the new one by St. Vincent (even better than the last). My ukulele wants to learn a song or two.

So I'll go do that. See you soon.

Record store day.

Consider this a punch in the face for the interwebz.

Tomorrow - Saturday April 18th - is Record Store Day, with vinyl-only releases from my lovechildren some amazing musicians such as Andrew Bird, The Gaslight Anthem, Iron and Wine, Flight of the Conchords (yes, I know), Talking Heads, GRIZZLY BEAR (note the all-caps), and even a split from Sonic Youth and Beck. Since I'm not the coolest or the hippest of all music fans, as evidenced by my lack of a record player, I won't be taking advantage of much else other than the magical 10% off pretty much everything but the tickets at Soundscapes.

If you're in Toronto, go drop by at Soundscapes, Penguin Music, Criminal Records or Sonic Boom. I heard from a little birdie that Sonic Boom is also hosting a show in honour of such a day.

And speaking of records, here's a sweet little track written by Jens Lekman...



Are you sick of me swooning over Jens yet?

ps. May go to Vancouver for the first week of June, right before Europe. May do a show in Muskoka in August. May go to Koreatown for lunch tomorrow with my awesome sister. Stay tuned!

les poulets couvent souvent au couvent

I got an e-mail last night from CADIP confirming that my application to do volunteer work in France in June was approved. I had just transferred the right amount of money in my banking account for the application fee the night before, so phew! But I am super excited! Summer is happening for real. My roommate Kitty is joining me, and it will be her fourth (!) summer in France in a row!

We're going to a little town called Trets near Aix-en-Provence in the south...

I long for summer already.