My weekend adventure at Aix-en-Provence, France - (Day 1 late morning) - Along the Cours Mirabeau; The Oblats' Church - The 20th of January 2017

I reached Marseille fairly early in the morning having taken a bus direct to Aix-en- Provence where I had intended to spend the long weekend.

From the Bus terminal I walked up Rue des Alumettes, where the Grand Thêatre de Provence was located, so as to reach the Hotel Artea. Feeling the cosy atmosphere of the lodging I hesitated to go out straight away though I ended up forcing myself particularly because I had planned to visit the Museum Granet.

The outside luminosity was rather exquisite and despite the cold it felt like a Spring day. I had read about the numerous street fountains and in no time came across the huge 1860 Fontaine de la Rotonde with its three imposing statues representing Justice (looking towards the city), Agriculture towards Marseille and Beaux Arts Avignon.

Soon after as I was heading to Place Géneral De Gaulle I came across a statue representing Cézanne, which instinctively reminded me of the importance Provence had on a number of painters.

Cours Mirabeau, connecting the old city with the Mazarin quarte,r was clearly at the centre of the city bustling. I had never imagined I'd come across such a beautiful leafless tree lined pedestrian avenue with quite a few fountains and majestic 17th and 18th century buildings, amongst which I would highlight the Hotel Maurel de Monteves because of its magnificent façade.

Before turning into Rue d'Italie one could see the imposing statue of the "good King René", King of Naples and Sicily, Duke of Bar, Anjou and Lorraine, as well as Count of Provence (1434-1480), whose role was noteworthy.

On the right hand side stood the 1695 Chapel of the Oblats de Marie, which formerly pertained to the order of the Carmelites' convent. What impressed me most was the light that came out from the oval dome and a rather interesting cribb with small figures from the various continents.

Some of the latest books I've read ...

I started the New Year in a slow sort of mood having therefore chosen to read rather than to write. From having read Marc Chagal's  early life diary "My life" I went on to Mia Couto's  19th century historic account "A espada e a azagaia" (the spade and the assagai).

























Totally different in style and thematic approach they have both touched me in a rather unexpected way and if I say this it is because on one hand I stumbled upon Marc Chagal's personal writing for the first time having felt  poetry in almost every of his single words and on the other hand let myself be taken through the harsh colonization period of Mozambique and the latest days of the Ngungunyane's empire, which written in epistolary form wasn't deprived of an equally poetical approach.






 

 

Stories we tell ...

As I was trying to select the next film to use in the English Language lunch time gatherings I came across one documentary film that touched me profoundly and which I will no doubt want my students to watch and discuss ...

 

 

It's profound ... complex ... emotional ...  and beyond no doubt, despite being based on a personal life  story, one which makes us (as viewers) ponder on the validity of the stories we tell others ... and ourselves ... or even those we choose not to unveil ... because no two accounts of an event are ever the same and our own memories or the inquest into our own life path unknown existence can astound, hurt, deceive and even betray us ... or affect those around us.


 

 

 

"(...) is one of those movies you watch on a screen and replay in your head for days (...) it's a scrapbook seen through a kaleidoscope, where each photograph somehow reveals the person looking at it."







 

Christmas gathering ...

Specific dates, such as Christmas day or the New Year often  lead to gatherings which are not necessarily "heartfelt" and mostly taste of the "for the record" type of "reunions", I must confess I rarely participate in.

This year though  I decided to accept to get together with some "retired" colleagues", the resident co-workers and teachers, the recent administrator responsible for the Training Centre related issues, as well as the students currently attending courses at the Training Centre, in what ended up being a fairly pleasant lunch gathering.

 

 

I went around the room taking pictures ... which will certainly outlive the moment ...