Not Knowing. From Cote d'Azur

After a four year hiatus, back at it. Far flung Bender writes from field.

Am traveling southeastern France next eight days, business meetings and decompress. Today's two words: expiation and humility. Humility in the sense that not knowing which road to choose on how to arrive at my destination, the road chose, made it up as the car went along. Now, that's not the American thing; not proactive, in charge, carrying out the plan of the day, in control, driving the situation. Sitcheeation drove me. Humility meant paying attention to small things, getting a sense of place, little towns along the way. Of course, all the fancy Cote d'Azur names: Nice, Cannes, St. Tropez, etc. Places I never wanted or needed to visit necessarily; here I am, now. Efficiency does not characterize, either: took 8.5 hours to do what "should have" taken 3.5. Some could call me a "bad 'Merican." These days: what's good? What's bad? That aside, let me share some pictures along the way. (You can click on the pics and blow them up.)

Very modern Navy frigate -like yacht at breakfast in Antibes

Sunrise and the castle in Antibes and some yachts

From the road that follows the coast

The beach in a small town called L'estrelle (The Star)

Stopped at the beach and sat silently, breathing, where US forces assaulted on August 15, 1944. It was this operation, every bit as important, that accompanied Operation Overlord on the beaches of Normandy in June 1944.  

The beach where US forces landed

The landing craft US forces used

Memorial Day tomorrow, so the car tended toward the cemetery where US forces were interred, which is a pretty far piece away from the beach, up further north in the hills of Provence. The cemetery in Normandy gets media aplenty. Today went for the road less traveled: Draugignan.

Entrance to the Draugignan Cemetery for US Forces

Straight pic from the cemetery entrance

Wreaths laid to celebrate Memorial Day

Wild poppy along path to the beach. Poppies are the flower we use in the military to commemorate the fallen; fallen so we might stand in freedom and peace. How are we?

Expiate, to atone with one's past. So the car, which is a manual shift btw (fun!), went all the way to St. Tropez, passing Bentleys, Rolls Royces, Porsches, Beamers, lotsa bike riders, Must have needed to go to St. Tropez for two reasons: one, because of the 1970s advertisement for Bain du soleil, the suntan cream. Obnoxious song: "Bain du soleil for the San Tropez tan..." As if using a certain suntan lotion made for a particular skin color that was "better." What's "better" skin color? Second: there was a New Yorker cartoon in the 1990's: had an obviously Afghan woman wearing a burka on a beach in what must have been southern France. Cartoon read, "Talibain du soleil." Made me laugh. Gotta say after today that not knowing sure makes life more fun, more compelling.

All for now. In business meetings next couple days. Unlikely that anything will blow my skirt up enough to write home about. We will see. Thanks for reading. Love, Tim aka "Bender"