BCN, Spain

Before I even got to BCN, I felt something special about this city. All of my research suggested a city filled with dynamic architecture and a lifestyle similar to New York??  Well, I wasn’t mistaken.

BCN is a vibrant and active city, for those who want to escape the daily monotony of routine life.

I am not an ardent fan of Gaudi, but some of his work should not be overlooked. Park Guell and Casa Milla are my favorites.

Also, the Picasso and National Art Museums are great, so do not get intimidated by the endless queue at the entrance to the Picasso Museum, and make your reservation at least two hours before you enter in the National Art Museum. It is worth all the effort.

Aix-en-Provence, France

Last stop was Provence Aix, a chic city, with crowded bistros, boutiques and fountains.

If you leave Aix led Cezanne's footsteps, you will definitely get a flashback of his famous Impressionist paintings, many of which have Mount St.Victoire as a topic.

The main attractions for me in Aix were the markets with fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and fine herbs of Provence. Every market in Aix reminds me of a happy sunny summer day.

Arles, France

Long before arriving in Arles, I felt a strong bond with this city. And I wasn’t wrong. Van Gogh probably felt the same. He painted much of his work in Arles. It's a city where art has a special place, a city open to everything new, and which is recognized as a national center for photography.

What especially attracted me in Arles, was the light. There were few cloudy/rainy days while I was there, and even so, Arles was enveloped in a light I had never seen before. This was most apparent when walking along the Rhone River. 

The people of Arles are unique with many artists living in the city. My hosts, Eric, who teaches cooking lessons, and Augusto, who likes photography, proved once again that in France, life is strongly influenced by art and cuisine.

http://www.lauberginerouge.com/

My baking experience in Arles.

Also in Arles I learned to cook Rotatuille (one of the main traditional specialties of Provence).

Les Mees, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France

A town so small and so charming at the same time! It is exiled from all the Provence touristy places and is not easy to get there. It would be much easier if you have a car. But I don’t regret, for any moment, my decision to take the De Pignes train from Nice to Digne du Bagne. The landscapes I saw from the train left me speechless.

http://www.trainprovence.com

Les Mees is known for Le Penitance, a group of rocks aligned along the village on the foothills of the Alps. These rocks rise, as if triumphant, to the sky.

I booked a nice Gite in a traditional Provencal house (B & B).
  

There, I decided to take a break from my daily activities, and enjoy Provence’s best offering: gastronomy. The plentiful breakfast (muffins, fresh fruit berries, and jams), the sophisticated preparations, and refined cheese plates.

That was what I did for a whole week while I was there. I ate, tried Madam Olga’s (my host) aperitif drinks, or got myself lost in a story from a novel by the pool.

Mylene Farmer - C'est une Belle Journée

Starea mea de spirit azi se aseamana cu a lui M. Farmer !

Inspiratie

Madam Gres - A  fost numita "La Grande Gres"" sau "L'Eminence Gres". Pliseurile ei din jerse sunt o legenda in haute couture. Dincolo de moda, Madame Gres rămâne un mit.

Sunt absolut indragostita de rochiile ei...