So, since most of you are…well, okay, both of you (hi mom, hi sis) know what has happened to my family in the last month, I won’t go into details. Suffice it to say D-man and I got to go on an unexpected trip to Paris. The above sketches show some of what we experienced. While the first half was scary, unsure, anxiety ridden, hospital overload…the second half of the week was the Pi not allowed to fly, and us stuck in Paris. What a place to be stuck. We made the best of it. We are planning on visiting Paris on our way home so Dunc and I just didn’t want to do all the things we would be doing with Daddy and J-Bear. Instead, we figured out the metro (easy!), ate lots of good food, fed lots of birds, and enjoyed the café scene.

Actually, the end of school has come upon us, and as we say farewell to all those wonderful friends we have made here, we get ready to embark on yet another adventure. A little time in Paris again, then another surgery for Pi’s arm. We will then be traveling onto the NW, while K gets ready to head off to Hawaii again. J and D are coming with me to Hawaii to meet Dad’s boat as he lands. Then, before we come back to Lagos for one last final year, we will stop off in Firenza for a week to recharge our batteries for that long hard Nigerian winter.

I am not sure how much I can post this summer, depends on family and their willingness to let me use their computer. If not…then a fond farewell till fall.

More Les Baux sketches. The top is the little pizza place we stopped and had some of the best pizza outside of Italy. The second was the view I did as I was waiting to find Ken, meanwhile, he was waiting to find me just down the hill and around a corner. We were both frustrated, but at least I had my pen and paper to keep myself busy!!

I had heard that the little hill town of Les Beaux in Provence was a "tourist nightmare". Crowded with ooglers, no real residents of the town, high priced trinkets littering the streets. "Best to avoid it" we were told. I am glad we ignored their advice. The fact that we went in April, before the real tourist season begins probably helped tremendously. There is a ruin of an old castle above the town which allowed the kids to run around, searching for hidden treasure, while Ken and I had the opportunity to take time to read the sign posts telling of the history and significance of the castle, or . . . do a little sketching. I chose the latter. The result is above. This is the view from the ruins, looking down on the little town. Red roofs huddled together against the cold drizzle as the smell of lavender and roasting meats drifted up to my perch. I was in heaven.

Here is another one from Arles. I don't really love it, but it shows the lighting...somewhat.

This is the way up to our hotel. Winding cobblestone streets. As I was drawing this, I thought to myself “how cool this little alley is, I can just imagine horses trotting up.” No sooner had I said this, I kid you not, a horse sauntered past with a young boy on the back, dresses in 17th century clothing. Had I imagined the whole thing?

Saturday is Market Day in Arles. We stumbled upon this market after our long journey to France. Got of the plane in Marseilles around 9am, drove for almost 3 hours, and bam, it was Market Day. Let’s park and see what is there! So off we go, down the aisle of the fresh food stands. What an experience. If you think going to a supermarket in American when you are hungry is bad, imagine, if you please, going to the food capital of the world from a third world country in West Africa! First stall, bam! The most amazing strawberries just screamed at us to pick them up. So, we got a basket of raspberries for Jesse and a basket of strawberries for Duncan, then off to the cheese cart and the sausage cart for Mommy and Daddy. We were in heaven!! Tired and happy, this was our welcome into the good life of France!