Pesaro and Milano and Charlotte. Oh my!
When I first encountered the big sculpture in the center of the waterfront circle in Pesaro, I immediately knew who the artist was -- Arnaldo Pomodoro.
Because not only has he created a sculpture I've seen in Milan, but he's the artist of the large wheel found in the square in uptown Charlotte.
Pesaro
Milano
Charlotte
Pesaro 5
My room at Des Bains came with breakfast. It was sparse, compared to other breakfasts I've had in Italian hotels, but that may have been because there were so few people staying there. But what was there was good, and the waitress made me caffe Americano special.
Checkout was 10, which is a little early in the off-season.
I strolled over to the waterfront circle, and sat in the sun again, enjoying the sound of the water and watching the people until it was time for my train. The sun was warm and everyone was happy, and it couldn't have been a better morning!
There were all manner of people doing all manner of things along the boardwalk, welcoming spring to Pesaro. Rail thin women in black pencil pants and 4 inch heels strolled with Soprano-esque boyfriends; sporty girls ran in groups; old people shuffled to church; men biked while their dogs ran alongside; parents pushed strollers; one grandfather came along operating a radio controlled Audi which a tiny girl was steering.
There seems to have been a promiscuous Labrador retriever making the rounds in Pesaro, as there were Dachshund-shaped dogs with Labrador heads and Spaniel-shaped dogs with Labrador heads trotting the boardwalk
My intention was to have a gelato-lunch on my stroll back to the train, but I was saved from myself by late openings. And then I was back at the station and on my way back to Milano. .
Pesaro 4
I am such a shit. Seriously. Such a shit.
It's not only that I let down Semone, which I'm sure I did.... But this is typical behavior for me! I pay hard-earned money to travel someplace, take the time to go there, and then do the same shit as if I was at home.
I did it in India... I did it in Viareggio... And now I've done it in Pesaro.
After my beer and sunshine induced marathon nap, I stayed in my room and read my book all night.
I didn't venture out to eat the special foods of the region... to eat seafood...
I laid up in my bed reading my Kindle.
I'm such a shit.
Pesaro 3
The Pesaro Wine Festival is being held at Villa Cattani Stuart, which is actually in another town, and the bus only comes once per hour. Since I haven't eaten since breakfast, I take a stroll around the beachfront circle, intending to grab a quick bite before heading out.
When, oh when, will I finally give up my American expectations!!??
The boardwalk is hopping. There are half a dozen places open, with different price points and food selections. I find a restaurant with a decent menu and an open table on the water, and I have a seat in the sun. I wait 15 minutes before the waiter comes to clean the dishes from the previous customers, and I quickly give him my order so as to not waste any time and get to the wine festival -- salmon salad, medium beer, water naturale.
The beer and the water came quickly... along with breadsticks which I chowed into immediately while waiting for my salad.
and waiting... and waiting... and waiting.....
Don't get me wrong, the beer was nice and cold, and it was fun watching the activities on the beach. People in leather jackets had pulled their jeans up above their knees and were wading in the surf. A backhoe was replenishing the beach, spreading and packing off-color sand up against concrete pilings and walkways while little kids stood on fence rails watching. Dogs were walking their masters.
While sitting there I was able to see that the city has constructed several rectangular breakwaters around the sandy beach areas. Some walls of riprap rose two meters above the surface of the water, but the walls running parallel to the shore were even with the surface or just a couple of centimeters above, allowing gentle waves to lap the shore. I got the impression that swimming at those beaches would be more like swimming in a calm lake, than in a sea.
All around me in the restaurant people were living their lives. A group of hoods with shaved heads and white tee shirts slammed beer after beer. Four 30-something women drank spritzes and laughed.
My salad finally came. It was a nice selection of iceberg lettuce, some red cabbage and some rocket, cantelope, a mild, cruchy veg I didn't recognize, and thin slices of salmon which I assume had been poached or smoked. (The menu didn't mention sushi, so I'm not allowing my mind to go there.)
All-in-all it was a nice two hours with food, beer and sun, after which I had no inclination to walk the 4600 feet to the train/bus station, catch a rarely scheduled bus, for a ride who knows how long, to a wine festival where I may be totally under dressed and incapable of making myself understood in a language I don't speak.
So I went to my room and took a marathon nap.
Pesaro 2
I used booking.com to reserve a room at Hotel Des Bains, which is 1 block from the beach and "4600 ft from Train Station". From the station it's a nice walk through the quaint historic/commercial area to the mare and hotel, limited to foot traffic and complete with a large square playing classical music (as Pesaro is the birthplace of the opera composer Gioachino Rossini).. Many people are enjoying the sunshine and warm temperatures - sitting outside with a spritz or gelato.
After the commercial area I pass through a residential area with large villas each having its own style, typically reminiscent of an Art Nouveau/Art Deco fusion, with matching wrought iron fences surrounding. Perhaps this is some European style I've never seen -- note to self: research!
Gardens are big, streets are lined with large shade trees, and there's lots of street parking. This town definitely has a laid back feel to it.
There was actually one very cool Art Deco house in a fabulous location right at the waterfront circle!
Hotel Des Bains has a bar and a large restaurant attached, and all the exterior doorways are flanked by red enamled sphinxes -- not sure why, just sayin. The room is clean, the bathroom is huge and newly refitted, and a flock of pigeons live on my window sill, who I disturb when I open the shutters. And (score!) though I booked a Single, I've been given a Matrimonial bed. Both people I deal with at the desk speak excellent English, and they're really helpful giving recommendations.
Pesaro, Here I Come!
This weekend I'm taking the train to the Adriatic coast, to a beach town called Pesaro (PAYZ eh roe). This is my first ever trip to the Adriatic, and actually I've never been farther east than Bologna. My friend Semone from the blog Gastronomer wanted photos from the Pesaro Wine Festival, so she sent me her press pass and here I am.
I started around 9am on a train cutting across the north of Italy to Bologna where I'll change trains. Then we'll head south and to the coast.
Out the dirty windows of the regional train it's a beautiful spring day. We stop at almost every station on our trip through farmland where the grass is full-on green. Early spring forsythia and flowering cherries dot the landscape. Oh god, I'm so glad the winter is over.
I had a great chat with an Architecture student from Mexico City who's studying in Milan. He's been hiding from the weather since arriving in February, and now he's busting loose. Watch out Italy, JM is on the move!
Primavera!
After fighting back to the surface from hibernation, lumbering squinty-eyed out of the cave into the bright pollen-filled air, and giving my back a good satisfying scrub against a big tree, I’m ready to take on the Italian primavera.
Easter weekend I met some friends from Charlotte in my longtime fave beach town Monterosso al Mare. On Saturday night we experienced a hellacious thunderstorm complete with house-shaking thunder and riso-sized hail. Sunday dawned crystal clear and warm. Fabulous weekend with old friends (very old!!) :-)
I stay at Hotel Villa Adriana — highly recommended. Comfy mattress, terrific breakfast, beautiful grounds with pool and lemon trees, good WiFi.
We had fantastic calamari and pesto at Ristorante Belvedere, right on the waterfront. Reservations are suggested.
Palm blossoms?
Beautiful water view
The hillside
The grounds seen from my balcony
Last view of the sea from the train station
Pesto and spritz al fresco before I leave
Vive la......
On the meandering scenic drive back to Milano, through Provence and into Cannes, and later through the driving rain on the autostrada, I thought about my observations of the south of France.
First, pants are much looser in France than in Italy -- not as loose as in the US, but definitely not spray painted on like you will see in Milano.
Next, many, many French speak at least some amount of English. And they are happy to use it.
The products are the same as Italy, though specialized to each region -- such as wine, olive oil, bread, pastries, meats.
Another, in France, unless it is Vin Chaud, wine is served in a glass with a stem. (This was emphasized by our host V, when I tried to give him wine in a rocks glass.)
Pizza is the fast(-ish) food of choice for the French -- as it is in the US. (Though I didn't have the courage to try it.)
In Italy they kiss twice... In France it’s THREE times!
US citizens believe (have been led to believe...?) that the French hate us... and perhaps Parisians or French politicians do. Yet my experience in Provence was only of being welcomed. Smiling, laughing. People went out of their way to help us. In the grocery store a man (with excellent colloquial English) spent ten minutes helping us pick out local wines -- and after we said "Thank you thank you!" he said "It's a pleasure." The butcher said "I love Americans!" A waiter had spent some time in Boca Raton and laughed with us about the old ladies driving their golf carts to dinner.
Overall, my belief has been reaffirmed that we are all the same. People the world over are all the same. Once we look past our differences, we're exactly the same. Vive la difference? Vive la similitude!
Winding down
After the Palais, we hit a ginormous Taget-style grocery store for things we can't get in Italy. I bought a pseudo-Crock Pot and some A1 Sauce. And Uncle Ben's Boil in Bag. And peanut butter (though I had to get Skippy, which is my least fave.)
And then we headed home to roast a small turkey to welcome M and V home from their travels.
Palais des Papes
The day after Christmas we went back into Avignon to hit the Palais des Papes, and I'm really glad we did! I can honestly say this was the most interesting thing we did on the trip.
First the background. There were two palaces built in Avignon while the Popes resided there -- 1309 to 1376. (Maybe there were seven Popes during this time, maybe counting the "antipopes" there were nine... church historian I am not!) These are creatively known as The Old Palace and The New Palace, and they are adjoined around a large square.
The visit comes with a tablet and headset, but this is hardly your generic museum guided tour! For in the Palais des Papes the administration has gone way beyond expectations!
As you're following the numbers posted, you will come upon pedestals labeled "Time Portal". Your tablet will alert you to the proximity of the Time Portal with a distinctive riff. Hovering your tablet over a Medallion on the pedestal, your tablet will scroll through years until it stops on the year to be discussed (1334 for example).
Then the tablet shows you 3D representation of the room you're in as it was at that time, with commentary to tell the story, and sound effects for color. Raise your tablet, and you can see the decorations on the walls, paintings on the ceiling beams, the fire in the enormous fireplace, the feast being enjoyed by the Pope and his guests. Hear the cracking of the fire, wine being poured, doors closing, horses clopping. This was a very cool experience!
And this is in addition to the usual museum type information posted on walls beside artifacts.
Also, museum management has decided to juxtapose modern art with ancient wonders throughout the entire space.
A fascinating and informative use of two hours! Fabulous! Do not miss this one!
9:31 Sunday morning
... Old guy playing video poker and drinking prosecco in a caffè.
Christmas Day
Traditional meals were in order for my Christmas from France.
Jacques Dean breakfast casserole
Nachos
Nougat
Tree number 1
Tree number 2
Santa in the window
Carpentras Un
On Christmas Even we went to Carpentras, which is a little northeast of Avignon and which is apparently known for its black truffle market.
Ignoring the challenge of finding our way there and parking, this was hands down the best excursion of the trip so far.
First there was a little area with local foods and drinks, so we got a vin chaud to keep us warm while we strolled. After these booths we popped into the tourist center where there was a little shop of Provencal goods -- including wine, beer, olive oil, truffle oil, lavender, essential oils, and nougat. I got beer in a way cool bottle, olive oil in a way cool can, and nougat because the lady there said it's a Provencal tradition to eat nougat on Christmas.
Then we continued our stroll.
can’t really see this star covered in pine cones and flowers and moss (oh my!)
Santa
Not sure...
Olives
Moving vignette
Why is Jesus in a cage?
Are these Clydesdales?
Petting zoo
I am your father.
Cool building
Oh no! They’ve spotted us!
We live in Dublin
Carpentras Deux
We immediately happened upon a fantastic giant marionnette show with an elephant and zebra and antelope. They had great music and danced off down the street and through the ville.
Eventually they ended up at the church where a woman and the lion did an aerial silk pas de deux.
(Apparently loads of fun things were scheduled in Carpentras during Christmas.)
Oscar Cafe
In Avignon we got off the main streets in search of a nice lunch, where we found Oscar Cafe.
The food in Oscar was good, hoping to be American-esque.
And the proprietor was clearly an Ameri-phile, wearing Old Gringo boots and talking about her upcoming trip to San Francisco.
Mexican panino with chicken and mayo
Chicken cordon bleu taco with cheddar and mayo
St Remy De Provence
The next excursion was to Chateaurenard (which sounds better than it is) and St Remy de Provence.
This trip was out into the countryside and oddly had lots of roundabouts which seemed to all be pointing to the same destinations. Thankfully I've given up trying to make sense of the signs, and simply enjoyed the journey.
And what a journey it was. We went through a wine and olive microcosm with big beautiful chateaus and large fields. We were heading toward Arles, which you've heard from tales of Vincent Van Gogh, and along the side of the road were piles of clippings which could easily be painted into the Haystacks series.
In St Remy we had our first experience with (super intuitive!) French parking lot meters. We were given the first 45 minutes free, with the option to add more time now or later. We decided to take a quick stroll first, because the advertised big mercato (marche?) hadn't made parking too difficult... so either it was a total bust or we were in the wrong place (... France... signs... yada yada).
It was a cute little town but as we chatted with a shopkeeper we learned that Christmas doesn't really bring in lots of tourists or shoppers. So, ever the capitalist bahgain shopper, I was able to score not only some cool "d'arte" postcards, but a killer sweaterdress for a rockbottom price!
And it was about this time that I discovered I couldn't find my phone.
Wha?
So after panicking and searching my backpack three times we rushed back to the car (5 minutes free left!) and headed through the roundabouts and back home to Barbentane.
(Yes, found my phone.)
Check out le chat
Le Jardin Des Pin Up
Dutch butter cookies!
A Christmas treat found in every CVS in the US
.... and every Coop in Italia
Ebenezer Scroooooooge
Avignon
Our first excursion was into Avignon proper, which actually has lots of things to do.
It has a long history, including a period in the 14th century when seven popes lived here due to the election of Frenchman Clement V as Pope, who refused to move to Rome. ... and then there's the famous bridge.
After running the guantlet of roundabouts we finally arrived at a parking lot proporting to be at the Papal Palais and Pont Saint-Benezet, and we came out of the parking to find ourselves on a huge wind-swept piazza filled with about 10 other people.
We walked over to a vista where we could see the bridge, up to a beautiful garden, and then down into the town to eat before tackling the Papal Palais.
After lunch we strolled through the windy, windy little streets trying to find the Papal Palais and ducked into a bar for a warm drink... which became a vin chaud and a great hour talking to a fun Canadian couple (they're so nice, and thanks for the drinks!)
And then we wandered the Avignon Champs Elysees before dissing the palais and heading (through the roundabouts) home to the kids.
A golden Maria
Barr and The Bridge
Papal Garden
... and again
... and again
The Rhone
Pont d'Avignon
... again
Barr at the Opera
Lonely Santa
Magenta flocked tree
shoppers