Wine Country

 It is no surprise that when people think of France they think of wine. France had been producing wine for 2000 years and produces 20% of wine worldwide.  Of all the places in France, the most popular for wine production is the Bordeaux region. Most of the world's most expensive wines come from France, and of those nearly all are from the Bordeaux region. Of the wines in the Bordeaux regions the wines of St Emilion are among the top. 

We stayed for a week in Libourne which is one train stop from St Emilion. Libourne is a small city or a large town that has a cute historic core with a long, less cute, semi-circle of suburby feeling housing and buildings around it. The town felt like it has once been of great importance and was trying hard to once again feel important. Libourne had a surprisingly large population of asylum seekers. I tried to read up on why this was the case and to the best of my new knowledge it is due to the city of Bordeaux attracting an unsupportable number of asylum seekers and to appease angry residents the responsibility was shifted outwards. While eventually things will reach a new equilibrium this influx of residents seemed to give the community an off kilter sense of unity. The situation of asylum seekers against the background of the extreme wine wealth was somehow unsettling. All my reading on France and their approach to asylum seekers was a little sad. I have no miracle answer but somehow still feel like there surely are better solutions. 

 In contrast, St. Emilion, one train stop over, felt like a town whose wealth has never stopped rolling in since the moments vineyards were first planted. The town is postcard perfect with its immaculate quaint core and its undulating hills of highly cultivated and tended to vineyards and chateaux. We took a few walks around the hills of St Emilion and could not get over the grandiosity of the vineyard chateaux. Who knew that to live in a palace you have to be a viticulturist? 

One of the humbler vineyards

Tova in Bordeaux. We thought of going to the wine museum but neither of us drinks wine so we went to the climbing gym.

Pretty sure these roof beams have never been used in this way before

This is how we sightsee

Nice place to walk

St Emilion as seen from the vineyards

Springtime in Paris

When Aurora was four and we lived in Fontainebleau, we were within commuting distance to Paris. While Aurora loved our life in Fontainebleau, she was entirely unimpressed with Paris. I ended up going a few times on school days because her enthusiasm for the city was so low. She claimed it was too loud and it smelled bad. And it was loud and often did smell bad! Still, it is Paris. But I have since learned that Aurora was not alone in her feelings, and an entire syndrome - Paris Syndrome -  has been named after the let down of real Paris compared to mythical Paris. 

When the cheapest flight to Europe took us through Paris, I felt it would be a shame not to spend a few days in the iconic city. Time for Aurora to see Paris as more than a noisy smelly city. I am glad to report that 17 year old Aurora was much more able to enjoy Paris for the great things it has to offer. After weeks of winter it was a real pleasure to join Parisians in the springtime parks hangout. We played, lounged and ate in various sunny grassy parks. We basked in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, we explored the Louvre, we wandered the gardens of the Rodin museum, we slept in late (mostly due to jetlag though rather than late nights out), we saw the rebuilt Notre Dame, we explored the undercity sewage system, and of course we walked and walked. I liked that on the same day my children could marvel enthusiastically at both the rats we found underground and the Mona Lisa. Paris is just that - the marvel of the utterly mundane juxtaposed with the impressive. 

Eating in Paris

This was built to be easily dismantled. Initially many Parisians found it offensive. After its 20 years was up the city decided to keep it standing as it served a role in radio telegraphy. And now its still here. 

The seine 

Paris in the the Springtime

How people move houses in Parisian flats

Sewer system - I think 4 year old Aurora would not have liked the smells down here

We thought she would get bored at the Louvre so I took her to a different art museum?

I like a city where you can still find private detectives

                     

We made it outdoors after dark!

Sugaring off

Some cultural traditions are definitely winners. I doubt anyone would argue that sugaring off is anything but the best of springtime. Who doesn't like pouring maple syrup all over their meal? And having just visited Canada at the special in between winter and spring time I can vouch for the fact that there is not much competition. Though the air is still bitterly cold, the snow is largely melting, the flowers have not yet arrived, and the trees linger naked, wet, and colourless. This is the time of year when many Canadians get the real winter blues and with the resolve of the recently sober start purchasing one week all inclusive packages to anywhere else. But not all of winter's demise is grim. Before there is any sign of spring there is an invisible awakening happening within the trees and Canadians are gifted the possibility of shimmering gold and wealth. Of course, you have to work fairly hard to harvest the liquid gold, but, it turns out this kind of work is rather enjoyable. 

We didn't plan on traveling to Canada to sugar off but still we are thankful that we got to go back to Canada (for reasons aside from syrup) and thankful to have been taught this quintessentially Canadian skill set. No matter how far we travel, I am sure my children will feel more Canadian for having created syrup from whispers of spring. Even I feel more Canadian for it. Sure we could just go buy maple syrup for far less time and energy, but then we would have missed out on the process, which was just as enjoyable as the outcome. Sitting in the brisk air continually stoking a fire while your cauldron of sugar brew bubbles and boils just doesn't seem to get dull. Thanks Peter for passing on your knowledge and walking us through that magical process. 

                                                  

Jet lag always hits her hard

                     

Kristin should take all my photos

The tapped tree

Got in a few skates before the canal shut

A bit of greenery

The big seasonal jump meant Levana was still in summer dresses

Should be the one of the stock photos for the tourism industry

The melt before the spring

Another sign of Spring

Family time

Has a more smokey flavour that what you buy in shops 

Safe Harbour

Ulladulla was everything a coastal Australian town should be. Quiet and peaceful but also lively. Jakob especially took to the town and took full advantage of the beaches within walking distance of our house and the headland trail out our door. We liked having a huge surf beach as well as a harbour and numerous other less accessible wilder beacher within striking distance. It suited our family to have a library within walking distance where the girls could escape to when they wanted a quieter space to study. The town was full of children, many who seemed to be homeschooled, and all of whom have wind-swept sun bleached hair. There were equally as many teens roaming about town all of whom seemed to have electric dirt bikes. It looked like lots of fun for the teenagers but overwhelming for everyone else as they whipped back and forth around town showing off their freedom. It might just be the kind of town where the school decided it is the best interested of teens to be issued an electric dirt bike in place of a laptop. Maybe a great idea but I do wish the teens would have to pedal for their freedom. Sophia joined a group of local teenagers twice a week to do crossfit - it suited her and she enjoyed it. Tova went to a couple of crossfit sessions but unless she was doing bar work she found it dull. More interesting for Tova was joining the local volunteer run gymnastics group. And most interesting to Tova and Zadie was letting the waves crash over them over and over. The kids all really enjoyed getting to spend a morning at Bendalong in the water with all the sting rays. We all enjoyed getting to summit Pigeon house again. We used the quiet beach weeks to push hard on potty training but Levana seems to be very hit and miss - sometimes she uses the toilet four times in an hour and then will be allergic to it for the next few hours. We were lucky to get to climb outdoors for a day with friends. This is something I haven't been able to offer to my children and they all loved it. Tova and Zadie got to do another climbing competition in Sydney that involved speed, rope and bouldering. We all got very into watching the Olympics and for the first time in a long while we actually used and enjoyed the television provided for us in our accommodation. And so we had a very wonderful peaceful few weeks. And now the beach is long behind and we've replaced our sunblock with winterwear. 

Sisters in Ulladulla

Bogey hole - Levi's favourite

Levi - our favourite

The Bendalong sting rays let you pet them and brush up against you like a cat

Pigeon house 

Carrying Levi up pigeon house was way better than any fitness class

Happy at the competition

Tova looking impressive on the wall

Going for gold in Canberra

Our stay in Canberra was largely dominated by our quiet pet sitting existence and social catch ups. But on top of that the girls were still immersed in their school work and we encouraged all of them to set physical goals and challenge themselves in ways we don't always have the chance to. 

The first weekend we were in town we took advantage of participating in a local climbing competition. Tova and Zadie had never competed in climbing before and it was an activity of discovery into a part of the sport we largely ignore. 

Tova has wanted to learn to dive for a while now. She practices every chance she gets and is determined to go to Carleton University solely based on its pool having diving towers. She got to do three weeks of a diving workshop. The coaches were the perfect blend of upbeat, laid back and skilled. The workshop is open to all ages and it was great to get to learn in a group with humans between the ages of 6 and 65. There were even two visitors from South Korea that were part of the group. Aurora joined for the last week of the classes. They both made amazing progress and Tova enthusiastically joined her first diving competition. She is ready to move to Canberra to keep diving but that is not in the cards for us right now. 

Zadie has always been skeptical of group classes that don't include her sisters. When we first arrived in Australia I insisted she take swim lessons anyhow so she could learn to swim properly. Turned out that she loved the swim lessons. We took advantage of the intensive summer swim courses and for four weeks Zadie had a swim class every day. She had such a great time and I am astounded at the progress she has made. She went from a doggy paddler to a graceful looking lap swimmer. 

Sophia decided she wanted to run every day in Canberra. Unfortunately, a bad fall in the first week meant that she couldn't meet her goal to her own personal expectation. Nonetheless, she got some great experience with trail running on her own. 

Jakob wanted to continue to improve his movement and ability after his back issues flared up. He set out to be the main dog walker and met his goal with very good cheer. Three walks a day turned out to be just what he needed. 

Tova decided she wanted to bicycle 100 kilometres. Her plan was to just do it. We convinced her that it was best to build up to goals. Sophia was eager to accompany her on the goal so the two built up distance. One kind of hot morning they bicycled 50 kilometers. It was very successful but Tova decided she could not handle the monotony of 100 kilometers. Turns out it is too hard to talk while bicycling. 

All the girls agreed to try a small biathlon. They were not as well trained up for it as they could have been but they all completed the event and felt good about it. Aurora did her first long open water swim (1.2 kilometers). She decided she was not doing it for the glory so she would use her stroke of choice - breast stroke. She says she is glad she did it but that she would not jump up to do it again. Sophia has a swim, run, swim that turned into a swim run due to lightning. She learned that it is much harder to run after a long swim. Tova had a shorter kids event. The organisers, however, changed the swim distance from 100 m to 180 without updating their website. That was a surprise right before starting but she was unfazed and finished smiling. Zadie had a 100 meter swim that was much longer than that as her backstroke took her all sorts of interesting places. Not bad going from doggy paddle to 100 metre lake swim!. 

I set the goal of emptying out our storage unit. It was a much larger task than I expected and there were no prizes at the finish line. Still, it was a goal achieved and now we are impossibly more homeless than before. 

Thanks Canberra for helping us crush some goals we never knew we had. And now on to the next place and new goals. 

I give Aurora first place for this photo she took of Tova in a museum

Lots of climbing in Canberra

Dont think I was meant to take this photo but as Zadie is the only one in the pool here it is

Tower life

Race ready

Go Zadie!

Look at that final sprint smile

Was a fun but cold experience to dive in Orange

Back to Canberra

When you leave a place it keeps going without you. The cafes and parks stay busy, new social alliances are quickly formed to fill the gap you left, businesses shut and new ones open, and the trees and grass keep growing. Ten years ago we first came to Canberra. The arboretum had just opened a few years before and felt as fragile as my young children with its large stretch of saplings from around the world. I loved that fledgling arboretum, but at the time I joked that I'd need to come back in 10 years to really know what it would be like. I'd forgotten that hope until I suddenly found myself unexpectedly in Canberra at the teenage arboretum with my now bigger children.  The saplings can hold their own now and I no longer hover over them. Gone are the wooden supports and frail looking boughs. Still, like my children, many of the trees have a lot of maturing to do. I think I am going to have to come back in 10 years. 

It has been nice to revisit a place that is part of all of us. Canberra is like an old dear friend. The same charm, the same stunning nature, the same circular paths and roads forming gyres surrounding the lake. It has been so nice to reconnect with old friends. Meeting up with friends reminds us of how very dear they are to us. People age, but still, they remain the same at heart. Sometimes, I sort of wish I could spend my evenings by a lantern writing passionate letters to friends abroad. Somehow the details, thought, time and penmanship required of letter writing feels like it would maintain a stronger distance relationship. Alas, I have no lantern, no address, and no inkwell so we will just have to revel in the company of Canberrans while we have them close. Thanks Canberra for taking us back into your fold for a little bit and for being a fun space to play out the years end end and birthday season. 

Arboretum with black mountain in distance

                                         

Climbing competition

Oh Patch

Oh Levana!

Puppy love

She was scared at first but then decided carousels were great

Rapunzel gingerbread house

Making good use of the Canberra diving boards and instruction

A stroll through Telopea park