Cool in the Pool!

 Our host family has a wonderful little swimming pool. It's so hot here in Provance, so it's great to come home from a day of exploring - rest - and then take a swim.

 Coke and Camille are both becoming better swimmers each day they get in the water.

They are both swimming underwater now.

We usually eat dinner outside on the patio by the pool in the shade. The evenings are warm here. Today we went to Aix "X" and went to what we call the Farmers Market. It's full of tourists from all over the world, including many French tourists.

 As you can see - pretty great stuff.

 We got some good food for the house - goat cheese - sausage - veggies - and yummy sour dough bread.

 Oh, and rotisserie chicken that we had by the fountain.

 We then went to a museum created by an artist named Vasserly. He was an optical artist who produced amazing work throughout his life.

A lovely hot Saturday morning waiting for Coke to eat Breakfast before leaving for Aix, "X"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUfpjkxzB0&feature=youtu.be

Arrived in Greasque, France....barely. It's a tiny village near Fuveau another small hill town village and about 15/20 mins from Aix en Provence. We arrived on Sunday when buses aren't going to Greasque and a taxi has to come from Aix as the local taxis are off.

Here's the house!!

and the main house...it meanders around the back. It's very comfortable and Coke and Camille are enjoying 'hanging out' and swimming.

Believe it or not but friends from Berkeley (we know them through Oxford school where Camille goes) swapped with a family in Fuveau - like 3 kilometers away from us. We joined Jenes, Monica, Max and Johna for a swim and a delicious dinner.  Their house was fantastic with beautiful views and a great pool.  It was lovely!

The yummy meal....something for every kind of eater - fish, sausage, lamb, tomatoes, fruit, cheese - Fantastique!!  and this family is German so we had lots to talk about after visiting Berlin.

Monica and Max with Me and Camille

Coke and Johna



Yesterday we went to Aix. So close we couldn't believe it. We walked through all these little streets. It feels like Italy to me. 

A friendly puppy....  and a fountain of a tree stump and moss growing down the side.

We had a delicious lunch in one of these squares.

This store is full of local treats....and they give you a sample when you walk in.

Trampoline in Aix too!! these guys were happy to jump - again!

A day trip to Dresden and more...

 Dresden was mainly destroyed in a firestorm during World War 2

 But several beautiful buildings remain down town.

 This is Coke riding a wild pig. Supposedly many roam Berlin. Really.

 We went to the Bauhaus Museum Berlin. No pictures allowed inside though.

 The new face of Organic Food - Currywurst - deep fried pork sausage with fries.

 Currywurst is very popular here.

 We took a carriage ride in Dresden.

This is the Dome of the German Parliament building - the famous Reichstag building.

 We went to the Contemporary Art Museum housed in the former Hamburger Bohnhauf (train-station).

 We are playing in an art instillation there.

They had a room with this fun hodgepodge construction. There was a table in this room for us to draw.

 This is the Saturday Market at Kollwitzplaz two blocks from the apartment.

 The streets and walkways are mainly stone with wonderful textures.

 Marian and Coke in a Ubahn station.

 Breakfast - Wieners and Sauerkraut. 

Painting nails in the kitchen. 

We went to a fun Eastern European motorcycle museum.

 Amazing stylish scooters.

we see these things all over Berlin still in use.

Amazing design.

 We also went to a small Font museum. It was OK. Your seeing the best of it here.

 This is a Pretzel vendor at Alexanderplaz. You actually do see soft pretzels all over the place.

 You also see this torturous way of seeing Curry Worst in the tourist areas.

 We did a day on bikes that was fun. It's been very hot here.

This is a swing in a cool creative kids project area by the apartment.

 Playgrounds everywhere.

 More of the motorcycle exhibition.

 Dressed for the heat.

 Coke took the following shots walking back to the apartment at the end of the day. #1

 #2

 #3

 The closest playground just 4 doors down. We played here after dinner one night.

 Fun bike racks

 We also went to the Museum Dur Dinge "the museum of things".

 It's a fun beautifully set up museum of all kinds of stuff. A museum for people who really love Material. You know - Materialists.

 Don't these devices too archaic.

 We happened upon an amazing urban garedn project where people were enjoying the day fully with food and exhibits.

 When the weather heats up in Berlin it's time to go out side and merge with the world.

 This place is more lovely than pictured here.

 And they had bees - actually several hives not all pictured here.

 Food prepared from the garden.

 We spent a full day at the German Technology Museum. It was really amazing. Building after building of super cool processes and history and it rained like crazy.

 Pretty nice life vest.

 And first hang glider.

 And fantasy balloon.

They really love the Graffiti here. This was in a cool hotel in Mitte.