Saying Au Revoir

I’ve always had trouble with saying goodbye – to good friends, to favorite places, to healthy changes of pace. So how did we spend our last day in Provence?

Breakfast was a mixture of leftovers – yogurt with fresh plums, a hunk of toasted baguette with butter, a cup of coffee. The cereal, milk, and juice are fini.

Today was market day again in Lourmarin. So I went with particular things in mind -- soaps, gifts for David’s mother and aunt, a little pomade of lavendar to sweeten the layette of Leyla’s unborn baby, and something for our wonderful friends at the Moulin Hotel who have treated us like guests as we mooched their wi-fi.



We had also agreed to buy dinner, thinking the lady with the roasted chickens would be back. But instead there was a man making fresh paella at 5 euros a portion – quite a bargain.

Street musicians playing jazz near the market.

A Frenchman with this dogs.

Art that caught my eye.
David and I packed a picnic and headed out for a final bike ride. After a hilly start, we found a road that was only a gentle uphill. We tried unsuccessfully to buy wine for dinner at several local caveaux, or wine cellars, only to find them closed for the midday break.

As we walked our bikes over the bumpy cobblestones, we stopped to look at listings of houses for sale in the Luberon. Now if someone would just leave us the equivalent of a million earos…

My treat of the day was to get my hair washed and “brushed” (as they say here) at the local coiffure. It may not look as good as when Richard does it, but my helmet head from wearing a bike helmet for 10 days was definitely gone. My stylist Ellen told me how much she would like to live in Miami. She was also lamenting the fact that there is no place to get a massage in Lourmarin. I know someone who could provide such a service… She even speaks some French.

I have yet to say goodbye to Mousse, the black-and-white cat, and Batshik, the adorable hotel dog.

My only consolation in leaving Lourmarin is that we will be spending the next 4 days in Paris, the most beautiful city in the world.