Monday, July 21, 2008

Blogging from France ...

I spent hours crafting a first and second blogpost from France. I down-sized some photographs taken out on the road, loaded everything onto my usb stick to bring to the library in this village in the middle of France, only to learn that not only is the connection 1.25euro per 30 minutes but that they don't allow usb stick use due to the risk of viruses ... so here I am, Di Unplugged.

Despite starting on that note, I am loving it out here in the wilds of the Correze Region, France. It's stunning country and so much reminds me of places and smells last experienced in New Zealand.

We drove 850kms on that first day, past fields full of sunflowers and later, the famous Limousin cattle and on towards the foothills of Massif Central and volcano country.

The house loaned to us by friends, Joyce and Alain, has been a pure delight. We have the bedroom at the top of the stairs and every morning, about 6am, I open the shutters and windows to let in the sunrise as the first light slips down the tree-covered hillside to the dew-covered hay field behind us.

(It really is that idyllic out there.)

We're in one of many small villages surrounded by forests and farms. There is only the butcher and the baker, with the nearest major town 20kms away - useful for groceries and expensive internet hook-ups.

The weather has been truly stunning, and we're appreciating it since hearing that autumn weather is the happening-thing back in Belgie.

I want to write so much more but all the information, references and photographs are on the usb stick in the camera bag at my feet and the library guy has just been over to see if I'm finishing now or want a 2.50euro hour ...

Je ne le pense pas, not without my photographs.

8 comments:

furiousBall said...

pictures, we demand pictures :)

Annelica said...

I just discorverd your website and I really like it!
Lots of fun in France! And yes indead, in Belgium if feels like it's November... ouch.

Anonymous said...

Those awful French librarians! How dare they keep us from our deserved pictures. I'm gonna call Sarkozy and make him change that law, lol :D

Oh, you're in quite a big village to have a butcher and a boulangerie. I remember my time in a small French village, we only had an overpriced camping and that was it. We had to drive 20 kms to the closest town, Figeac (lovely btw), to get food. Watch out for deer in the mornings, oh and show Miss Four a lizard (or don't they crawl around in that part of France?).

Anonymous said...

Wish I were there with you, except for the part about throwing the shutters open at dawn. Yawn...but I'll star watch with you at midnight.

Niamh said...

Sounds perfect (apart from the memory stick ban). In Auckland, it has rained solidly for three weeks - or it could be three years. Not sure. I open my window in the morning and get peppered by the spray from pounding raindrops. Enjoy your holiday!

Kay Cooke said...

Yes I remember thinking France was like home when we were over there. You didn't need photos Di - your words were descriptive enough to paint the pictures.

Jule's Short Story said...

I know the feeling with the expensive internet. You were lucky to find one at all in rural France! So pleased your holiday is all you hoped for. Love to all.
Jules

Di Mackey said...

Tis done, furiousball.

Thanks Annelica, sorry to hear about Belgie but I read that it should be 27 on Tuesday :)

I hope you did the job with Sarkozy, Manic ... for the good of all wandering bloggers in France. This place in Aubusson is 2euro for 30 minutes ... there's a lot of work ahead of you.

And yes, have seen lots of lizards.

We could drink the lovely red wine found and star watch ... lazybones :)

Niamh, as usual, reading you made me laugh. Thanks for stopping by. Will write when I get home.

A huge compliment from you Kay :) thank you!

Rural France is surprising me Jules. There is so little in the way of internet options out here, and when I find them, soooooooo expensive.