Monday, May 07, 2007

from France: beaches, families and crepes

Having myself lived in two countries where the political leadership has been, at numerous points, tremendously unpopular among those within and those outside the particular nation, I am sympathetic to the sizable minority who voted for the losing candidate in yesterday’s election in France. And even more sympathetic to those who felt the choice was less than perfect on all counts. Oh, politics.

For us, the day was only mildly touched by the presidential fever here (with nearly 85% of the French voting, you have to think that it was a feverish event). On the Brittany coast, all was calm, the tide was again low, the rocks and cliffs were dramatically positioned at every turn, the flowers were at their spring best.


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We spent a while watching the occasional person try windskating on this beach. And the small, dads only, soccer game, with kids playing in the sand and moms chatting. And the two swimmers who thought nothing of the cold water. Scenes from nearly empty beaches are mesmerizing. Three photos for Ocean – of the tall firs protectively looking down on the cove below, of the biker who chose not to bike across, and of the solo walker.


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At the local creperie -- one of only two places selling food here, Madame Louisette was taking a break from the kitchen duties. Monsieur Fernand was in back showing off how “award winning” crepes are made, granddaughters were helping out. A Sunday in Brittany.


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