A photo from today’s Speak Only in French Morning Croissants meetup in Salem, Oregon, which is a monthly event for a French meetup group that I organize called French In and Around Silverton. We meet twice a month, once for morning croissants and French discussion and again for French brunch with a mix of English and French.
I love watching French movies, especially good comedies. Superchondriac, starring Dany Boon and Kad Merad, is really funny; it’s about a guy who works as a photographer for WebMD and has become a hypochondriac.
I just returned from a little over six weeks of travel which included Kauai, Hawaii; the UK; France; Belgium; and the Netherlands. Over the next week or so, I will be sharing some of my experiences through photos and writing.
Kauai was absolutely stunning. The five week European portion of my travels produced a lot of interesting and real content and reflection, and I look forward to sharing it with you soon!
I am happy to be back in beautiful and peaceful Oregon!
I spent the month of May working in Lyon, France and toward the end of my stay, I spent an afternoon and evening in Lille. Lyon is beautiful, and I enjoyed my time there in January and May.
I was impressed with Lille and the Lillois’ hospitality, friendliness, and their joie de vivre. Lille also has impressive architecture, interesting history, and an abundance of cultural sites.
They say, “When you go to the North you cry twice, once when you arrive and once when you leave.” I look forward to returning to Lille soon.
Lyon
Lille
Night out with the Lillois…super friendly people!
One of my favorite French songs!
Il y a du soleil à Lille
Lyrics translated into English (Google Translate)
One says
We say that the North is always gray
That there is only fog and rain
It is also said that there are heaps, wind and wet pavements
It’s said that people in the North have in their hearts the sun they do not have elsewhere
But believe me it’s a mistake
There is sun in Lille
Do not believe what is said
There are as many girls as in Monte-Carlo or Capri
There is sun in Lille
Do not believe what is said
There are as many idylls as in Saint-Tropez or in Paris
And when comes the month of April
In the streets of the old neighborhoods
Subtle spring tunes
Seem to resurface from the past
The little quinquin no longer cried
Since her mother sang
If he was wise and sleepy
He would chuck ‘galore
(Sleep my little Quinquin, sleep, ouè)
It’s raining all over France
Marseille and Paris are under water
It’s sunny in Lille
As in Nice or Mexico City
There is sun in Lille, you must not believe what is said
We meet as many girls as in Hollywood or Monte Carlo
There is sun in Lille, but yeah
But do not believe what you are told
Know it’s not hard to find good weather in our country
The little quinquin no longer cried
Since her mother sang
If he was wise and sleepy
She gave him a nice sabiot
There is a volcano in Sicily and a cyclone in Tahiti
There is as much sun in Lille as in Dakar or Brindisi
There is sun in Lille
You can believe what you are told
There is sun in Lille
As in the heart of all the ch’timis
There is sun in Lille
You can believe what you are told
There is sun in Lille
As in the heart of all the ch’timis
I recently returned from beautiful Lyon, France, where I worked for a month. It was great to be in France again and I look forward to returning in May. I stayed in a renovated apartment in a 16th century building (in historic Vieux Lyon, a UNESCO world heritage site). It had a unique staircase, which was built without a core.
Here are some photos that I took during my stay:
Daniel Auteuil directs and stars in Marius and its sequel Fanny. Drama, humor, and dialogue combine to make two beautiful, thought provoking films. Set in Marseille, these movies explore the dynamics of family, community, and romance, as well as the choices we make and their consequences.
