Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Cannes
Well I suppose this is where it starts. The splurge and desire to write come to me in unexpected moments, like in the metro, or... in a modern art museum (le centre pompidue let me be clear...) while turning my head trying to decipher a painting by Man Ray.
It has been a while... as a matter of fact, almost a month, since I left Madrid. It was then that I stopped writing... not sure why. Maybe because I got a diary, you know, those dangerously exposing little things that can become a mesh of feelings simply because they are private. So a blog seems better to write more objective, worth-while experiences, more than the whole feeling splurging situation.
Anyways, je suis a Paris! and let me say.... in complete awe.
But the French adventure didn't start at its capital but rather in its beautiful Mediterranean coast.
The French Riviera... oh my. I am from the tropic, I know. I have seem quite some beaches in my lifetime. But there was something about this beach in particular, actually something about the city of Cannes, that just seemed dreamlike, rustic yet with a modern touch. Maybe it had to do with the Regatta that was going on... the many sailboats cruising over the silver water at dusk. The scene seemed pulled out of an old romantic movie and the feeling of wanting to pull out and grab one of the sailboats so it would continue navigating on the palm of your hand made the delirious scene quite more dreamlike.
But ok... forget the beach. Let's go back to how on earth can I justify my sojourn in Cannes. I was studying French.... studying! I promise! Although the nights out where not bad either... but! the pure revision of the basic grammar I had basically forgotten during summer were just what I needed.
The College International de Cannes.... what can I say? perfect... but for two weeks. There is no way on earth I could stay there for a semester! The ambiance is wonderful I mean... most of its students live in the dorms which are in the same college... it is practically on the beach... the campus is full of palm trees and a friendly staff.... what else could you ask for?
Cannes is quite the vacationing city I must say. The streets are magnificent, the beach well... I already talked about that. The restaurants, the nightlife, the boats!!! All of it... dreamlike and fantastic. But at the end I was already craving Paris... the whole college international situation, eating three meals a day in the cafeteria, only socializing with other international students... well.. that just catalyzes the whole cycle of isolation and lack of immersion in the French culture. Not something I enjoy particularly.
Anyways... I met great people, had a great time, and saw the town I am going to live in when I take my year off to write my novel.
Dont laugh; it will happen.
It is Mougin... and gosh did I fall in love with it. It's little streets barely able to squeeze in two people at a time, hiding antique stores and painting shops behind its grey-stoned walls. It is where Picasso lived during most of his life, when Franco was either killing or expatriating every artist in Spain. I could see why he chose this as a retreat. To reach it is quite a climb... not so long but oh so steep! And it seems like one is going nowhere, since the road has no sidewalk and eveything is purely residential... where the elite of the Cote d'Azur live I must say, since the view of the sea, and Cannes, is just magnificent.
Anyways.... it was inspiring and I know I will return. It is just one of those things....
I will leave the Paris blog for tomorrow... since I am tired and there are oh so many things to see and do!!!
It has been a while... as a matter of fact, almost a month, since I left Madrid. It was then that I stopped writing... not sure why. Maybe because I got a diary, you know, those dangerously exposing little things that can become a mesh of feelings simply because they are private. So a blog seems better to write more objective, worth-while experiences, more than the whole feeling splurging situation.
Anyways, je suis a Paris! and let me say.... in complete awe.
But the French adventure didn't start at its capital but rather in its beautiful Mediterranean coast.
The French Riviera... oh my. I am from the tropic, I know. I have seem quite some beaches in my lifetime. But there was something about this beach in particular, actually something about the city of Cannes, that just seemed dreamlike, rustic yet with a modern touch. Maybe it had to do with the Regatta that was going on... the many sailboats cruising over the silver water at dusk. The scene seemed pulled out of an old romantic movie and the feeling of wanting to pull out and grab one of the sailboats so it would continue navigating on the palm of your hand made the delirious scene quite more dreamlike.
But ok... forget the beach. Let's go back to how on earth can I justify my sojourn in Cannes. I was studying French.... studying! I promise! Although the nights out where not bad either... but! the pure revision of the basic grammar I had basically forgotten during summer were just what I needed.
The College International de Cannes.... what can I say? perfect... but for two weeks. There is no way on earth I could stay there for a semester! The ambiance is wonderful I mean... most of its students live in the dorms which are in the same college... it is practically on the beach... the campus is full of palm trees and a friendly staff.... what else could you ask for?
Cannes is quite the vacationing city I must say. The streets are magnificent, the beach well... I already talked about that. The restaurants, the nightlife, the boats!!! All of it... dreamlike and fantastic. But at the end I was already craving Paris... the whole college international situation, eating three meals a day in the cafeteria, only socializing with other international students... well.. that just catalyzes the whole cycle of isolation and lack of immersion in the French culture. Not something I enjoy particularly.
Anyways... I met great people, had a great time, and saw the town I am going to live in when I take my year off to write my novel.
Dont laugh; it will happen.
It is Mougin... and gosh did I fall in love with it. It's little streets barely able to squeeze in two people at a time, hiding antique stores and painting shops behind its grey-stoned walls. It is where Picasso lived during most of his life, when Franco was either killing or expatriating every artist in Spain. I could see why he chose this as a retreat. To reach it is quite a climb... not so long but oh so steep! And it seems like one is going nowhere, since the road has no sidewalk and eveything is purely residential... where the elite of the Cote d'Azur live I must say, since the view of the sea, and Cannes, is just magnificent.
Anyways.... it was inspiring and I know I will return. It is just one of those things....
I will leave the Paris blog for tomorrow... since I am tired and there are oh so many things to see and do!!!
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