So I went to Cannes to hang out with one of my best friends, Yan, from my UC Berkeley days who I met in a summer school Spanish course — the very beginning of my journey into learning Spanish.
Decades later I find myself here as he shares with me his childhood memories of Southern France much like I was recalling my childhood memories during my visit to Munich last month.
For those of us who have grown up in multiple towns, or cities, or continents, there is magic and excitement in finally being able to share with friends the places and memories that shaped of us; a simple experience that those who live in places where they grew up can sometimes take for granted.
But mostly these few days were about him sharing his family home with us and all of us sharing meals with each other.
And I found myself rising with the sun for lots of quiet time by the pool.
We did get out and about to see some of the striking coastline.
And even though I have extensive experience in visiting local wineries across regions and countries, this was my first experience with visiting a parfume factory — kinda like ‘scent tasting’.
There is something about the sunlight in this region and the way it bounces off the rocks in various hues, and the landscape with its hills, and the ocean also reflecting light that make it understandable why so many painters from the late 19th and early 20th centuries chose this region to inspire them and paint within.
And stop offs at small French villages along the way.
But again, being here is mostly about being near the sea.
In a word, traquility; that is what these days in Cannes gave me.
This ferris wheel was the closest we got to nightlife in Cannes — we didn’t even ride it, but it was nice to look at on our way home.
Norbert on his 11th birthday 6-July 2024
