I took a trip to France a few weeks ago. The nights were dark, unlike here right now. We’ve just celebrated midsummer and the lightness of the night is quite lovely. It was a quick trip. Five nights, four full days. Living where I do means two full days of travel to get there and back.
Bus, ferry, bus, train, plane, plane, tram.
Tram, plane, plane, train, train, overnight at a friend’s, Uber, ferry.
The last time I was in France, I turned 12 in Paris. We went to the Louvre because it was free that day which was both great and tedious for a 12-year-old. I remember being in awe of the art and culture, then tired because…overload! My 12-year-old memories of France were about to be resurrected and superseded.
The air was soft, as we walked through the airport doors, “#I Love Nice” greeting us in large sculpture form. It kind of caresses you, the air. We were quite tired from our day of travel and opted for walking to our AirBnB from the central station, through sweet-scented, tree-lined streets that hinted of jasmine. People walked, talked, and looked stylish, eating gelato, and sipping wine in outdoor restaurants. It was nice in Nice!
Croissants, strong coffee, gelato, olives—the food was divine. Even the tiniest of restaurants served incredible food, with one stellar restaurant completely family-run with several generations working there, serving us slow-cooked pasta sauce with homemade pasta and melt-in-the-mouth Osso Bucco. I had a rose gelato from a tiny gelateria that brought tears to my eyes.
My few words of French saw me order two coffees and I found other random words came to me during our stay. Buried deep in my memory, perhaps, from that trip nearly 40 years ago.
Narrow, cobbled streets in the Old Town allowed sea breezes to drift past, cooling us as we explored further. I tend to look up at balconies, rooves, and building adornments and Nice was no exception. I took way too many photos of windows and building facades.
It was five nights of walking, exploring, tasting, cheering (we were there to cheer an Aussie friend on in her Hyrox competition), and sweating (because there should be a section on AirBnB listings as to whether they have cotton or polyester sheets).
It was a lovely start to the summer season.
Midsummer & Birdsong
The Summer Solstice is a big celebration here. Families and friends gather to eat, drink, sing, and be merry. Flower wreaths are made from the incredible array of flowers that seem to just pop up out of nowhere (we had snow about 7 weeks ago!), and tables are decorated with vases of the same flowers (don’t ask me what they are because I’m Australian!).
The longest day is worth celebrating. The sun barely dips below the horizon where I am, creating a magical twilight for an hour or so before it rises again. We’re tenting this year; our choice. Our tent is more glamping-style with two rooms and a comfortable bed, lots of pillows and proper sheets (cotton!) and bedding. I’ve slept in enough sleeping bags in my lifetime (and have even considered asking AirBnB listers if their sheets are cotton so I can eliminate them from my search).
Warbles, tweets, hoots, screeches. Sleeping in a tent means you’re only a few millimetres from nature and there’s no insulating the sounds. It’s been joyous listening to the huge variety of birds and guessing what they are. We don’t have to guess at the cuckoo who has incredible stamina in his hunt for a mate. He carries on long into our sleeping hours, moving position at times. I decided to mess with him when he calmed down one hour, hooting my best cuckoo impression. This caused the poor fellow to up his ante with barely a pause between calls. I won’t be doing that again!
Birch trees have a lovely sound in the wind, a wooshing noise that’s calming. So, as I sit here and type, looking out at the glistening water, listening to the cuckoo, noticing the small birds (swallows, garden warblers), it’s also the trees that sing to me.
I’m relaxing to an almost comatose state, napping at exactly three o’clock the past few days. I’ve done work too, though. Work with a view. The reason why we are both shifting to the digital nomad style of living. So we can write and work from anywhere in the world where there’s internet or mobile connection.
As I reflect on the past six months, watching the sky reflected in the water, I am filled with gratitude. For the experiences I’ve had, the family and friends I’ve spent time with, the birds, water, and wildflowers. That I’m able to start and run a business without any brick-and-mortar office; just a laptop, internet connection and a notepad (because the somatic connection of writing things down is still the best).
I’m grateful to you too, dear reader. I started this Substack in November 2019 and I’ve written through COVID and a shit-show of a summer, I’ve pondered my career and things I noticed when doing a job I never thought I’d do. I’ve sent these out regularly and irregularly, as life can be. Thank you for joining me in this experiment. I will continue!
Happy solstice, wherever you are in the world, and may the next six months be joyous for you, that you capture moments of wonder to draw on in difficult times.
Stay well,
Lisa x
What’s Happening?
I send out a regular newsletter through my lovely Flourish Mind & Body. Subscribe here. If you subscribe you’ll get details to join my Monthly Mindfulness Meetup, a free mindfulness session I run via Zoom on the first Monday of every month (coming up soon! Yes, it’s almost July). There are two times to suit both Australia/NZ and the Americas (and Europeans can choose from both).
I’m reading, but it’s slow going at the moment as I oscillate between non-stop action and comatose relaxation).
I found this amazing Australian woman who dyes & prints fabric with wildflowers. I love her work and will try some of her projects in July. Check her out!
Lovely post, Lisa!