Bordeaux weather has been very welcoming since we arrived, blue skies and moderate to warm temperatures, perfect for a bit of flânerie.
Apologies to those who have already seen some of these photos on Instagram. But I couldn’t deprive the rest of you of this cutie! Especially stationed as he is in this oh-so-French blue shop doorway…
Architectural charms abound, large (above) and small (below)
So many of these wonderful mascarons decorate Bordeaux architecture, begging one to speculate on the models. A stunning range of physiognomy.
Faces decorate lampposts as well….
So far, we’re still finding our rhythm, but we’re settling into something like a run or a long walk in the morning, then a lunch out, with wine, necessitating a short nap for me afterward. . .
Generally, we manage some marketing in the morning
so that we’re quite happy to make dinner at home in the evening. We’re going to have to introduce some concert or movie-going one of these nights, though, as we are perhaps getting a bit too comfortable settling in with our books. I suppose we didn’t travel all this way just to be cosy nesters together. But my, it’s rather pleasant…. And we’ve set some plans in motion for a few French lessons, have started organizing for a few day or two-day trips by train, and this weekend, the Roman branch of the family arrives! Can’t wait! Our granddaughter is just newly a walker, and that little girl is going to get an intense dose of grandparents!
Before I sign off, a few What I Wore shots just to show you how that Carry-on Capsule Wardrobe is working, and I’m curious to know: do you generally fill the hours of your trips away with activities, morning through evening, wanting to get full value from the travel? Or do you schedule the same kind of “down time” you need or enjoy at home? I often get home from vacation exhausted, my determination to get the most out of my visit having wrung me right out. Now, with the luxury of retirement and a temporary place of our own, I’m loving the chance to recharge after dinner. But the very fact that I’m focusing on this question might signal that I’m getting just a bit anxious about “wasting time” … I think I need to let that anxiety go… What do you think?
I do wear shoes, you’ll be relieved to know…
And generally,not my runners, although I dared to combine those with my jeans and blazer on the train day from Paris, for a combinatiion of practical reasons, and honestly, no one looked askance…
We’re off for a bike ride now, as soon as I change out of my ‘jammies. So glad I made room for those in my case! But there will be no What I Wore photo featuring them…
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The Protestant work ethic plays havoc with the holiday…temptation to stuff time with activities….versus being a flaneur. Flaneur wins hands down for. Just pottering about somewhere different, perhaps with an ice cream, then a sit with beer or coffee is the best way to be somewhere. I tend towards activity-based day countered with prolonged sun worship with book the following day. I like a bit of a framework for my holidays but loathe a schedule. Also just started reading The Seasons by Nick Groom which I gave to my husband for his birthday and we took with us to Rhodes. V interesting about the tussle between work and play over the centuries. BTW excellent work on the capsule wardrobe. It always works.
I missed out on Protestant work ethic but we Catholics make up for that with all our guilt…I'm letting the discomfort go, though, as we settle into our routine here. I'll make a note of that book title. It's definitely an issue that interests me.
Great pictures! The dog one is perfect, I'm glad you shared it.
I must schedule down time during my holidays or I burn out.
You're looking relaxed and fabulous!
Thanks, Jennifer! Loved seeing that photo of you at he blogger meet-up!
Enjoy dear Frances,without remorse,you are on vacation 🙂
I agree with Annie,I like to play a game that I live in the city I am visiting ( but without any work :-)),take a break,read local news,go for a coffee,tea or a glass of wine,have a lunch or dinner and make plan to visit only one art gallery or a museum for a day. I go to theatre or cinema,maybe concert,take a walk,and maybe half a day shopping( for the whole trip,not every day :-)). And this is real pleasure. When I travelled with my son before,he was a slave driver,it was a whirlwind!
Bordoaux looks beautiful,I've never been there
And what a joy is waiting for you this weekend!
Dottoressa
I like your travel game! I've travelled before with friends who seem to have endless things to see and do and boundless energy for seeing and doing, I have to beg off and go back to my room for a nap!
We play the "this is our home town" game (minus employment…..) with a house of some sort in a neighborhood, marketing (vs shopping…..), sightseeing in moderation, non-tourist theater/concert events……
Travel is tiring enough without downtime it would exhaust me. And I need my time to read!
Ceci
You sound like me, Ceri. I know those who, normally readers, don't find time to read on holiday. For me, it's one of he main ways that I unwind and recharge (is that too much mixing of metaphors?)
Whoops! Ceci! Ceri is below. Sorry for the mix-up.
Love the white jeans and zig zag top. Very French, it looks to me, especially with your hair and earrings. I say, we are all learning to drop the shoulds, although it may take longer than we expect.
Thank you! The top is J Crew and I am surprised how much I love the print and find it rather classic, somehow, despite the liveliness of the graphic. And yes, I don't let go of shoulds easily, but some have been given notice, at least
I so agree about all the 'shoulds' that creep in when we've travelled a long way. This has had me enduring dull must-see sights, about which I can remember little, when an hour or so watching the world go by would have been more memorable. Not to say enjoyable. I once found myself thinking, in advance of a trip to a city I had already 'done', that as I had seen all I had to see last time now I could just relax and do whatever I liked to enjoy the place.
Sounds like you've got the balance about right in Bordeaux. Enjoy it all
Exactly! It's part of why my husband and I love Paris so much, and now Bordeaux as well. We've seen the shoulds, for the most part, and now we can just be here. In funny ways, I think we can learn the city better by not doing all the shoulds, perhaps….
That French blue on the shop made my heart leap a little. Perfection! It takes a few vacations of go-go-go to make one realize that that isn't the way to relax and enjoy a different culture. Better to cultivate a balanced routine as you are doing. Every time I see a photo of you with your shorter hair I like it more – it frames your face without overwhelming it.
Isn't that such a perfect blue, Lorrie?
I know there are vacations that demand the go-go-go but I'm so glad we don't have to do that this time
I love that chevron-striped top! And your hair, how are you liking the shorter cut? I think it looks very sassy and fetching. We've learned to build in some unstructured time when we travel, as it's one of the few times in our lives these days when we are truly "off the clock." I imagine one of the perks of a longer trip is not feeling as though you have to cram so much into every day.
Thanks, Sue! I seem to remember you modelling another top in this print. I love it!
As for the hair, I'm preferring having more volume as the curls get just that bit longer.
Yes, that's the biggest perk for me of the longer stay, just being able to "waste" time.
I like that rhythm to traveling. To me, the best way to visit a place is to live in it, which it sounds like you're doing. What a lovely feeling!
Sometimes there are locations/trips, though, where I feel compelled to pack a lot into each day. It varies.