Provence 3: Marseilles and the Calanques

Finally, to Marseilles, the dirty maritime metropolis of Southern France.  Big, dirty, dangerous Marseilles: there's nothing to love about you, but you give so much to those who care to look, even if just for a moment.  Merely a big city, a collection of a million lost souls, you welcome with open arms those who only want a place to belong...

Provence 2: Avignon to Arles

...Onto the beautiful countryside of Vaucluse, the walled town of Avignon...


The mighty walls of Pont du Gard...


The strange stone buildings of Les Baux du Provence, indistinguishable from the surrounding moon-like landscape...



Past vineyards...

lonely Roman ruins through olive groves...

And majestic churches and abbeys seen from miles away.


Arles, a sleepy little town containing treasures from the Romans who once made a mighty city out of this Ligurian, Gallic, and later Phonecian trading port.

Provence 1: Aix-en-Provence to Avignon

Late winter/early spring called for a road trip through Provence, and there was no other choice but to get on a car and go.  Sure, it was far too early for lavender season, but Provence definitely does not and did not disappoint.  First was a drive through countryside roads lined with plane trees and dotted with castle ruins to the elegant and chic city of Aix-en-Provence...

Hop on the Italian Booze Cruise!

Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa, Rome's reputed best pub for Italian craft beer and considered one of the best pubs in the world, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary by sailing a very big boat from Rome to Barcelona and back carrying a lot of beer for a few lucky people.  The itinerary includes debates and discussions about beer, free supply of high-quality Italian craft beer, as well as a beer-centric tour of Barcelona, all for a not-so-bad price (starting at 275 euros).  Now, I've never heard of Spain in general and Barcelona in particular to be a great heaven for craft beer, but I think the free flow of craft beer on board is enough of a motivation to go.

Italian Beer Series: Pedavena (Belluno)

Pedavena is fairly well-known in the Veneto when its unionized workers stood up to Heineken's efforts to close the brewery by setting up a cooperative brewery. Before that, it was an historic brewery that started operations in 1896 that grew to become one of Italy's biggest beer producers by the 1960s despite major set backs during WWI and WWII.  During the late 60s, the factory halted production of the Pedavena line to focus on production of Dreher, which the company acquired in the 20s (to form the Birra Pedavbena-Dreher-Venezia Group).  It was not again until the late 90s when Pedavena restarted to produce its namesake line to celebrate its centenary and as a sort of symbol of pride after Heineken (which bought the group in 1974) threatened to shut down its operations.  Pedavena survived after it was sold to Castello and allowed to continue production in the local brewery.  Oddly, Castello is also partly owned by Heineken, which makes it suspect if the deal was made merely to ensure Heineken saves face and keep producing and selling in Italy under the facade of "local production". 


Although the Pedavena brewery produces and sells beer on-site at its local factory, this review is for its bottle product. The label does say that it is a "product of hops flowers," so it shouldn't be much of a surprise as to what the dominant ingredient is. Upon pouring, the beer is clear and golden and produces a head that is white, coarse, high, and moderately lasting that leaves a modicum of lacing. The aroma is very strong of hops with underlying bits of hay. The taste is initially very bitter with a hint of sweetness, rounded out with a sourness (not citrus, just sour) that negates the bitterness of the hops. Its 5% ABV and and almost soda-like carbonation puts it along the lines of other mass-produced beers. All in all an inoffensive brew. I'm looking forward to visiting the brewery to see how the bottle stuff compares to the locally produced and served product.

Movies in Italy: A Little Romance (George Roy Hill, 1979)

First off, it is a bit ballsy, if not foolish and misguided, for Mr. Hill to refer to his own movies in an effort to show the "Hollywood" that stands for American culture to Europeans. It is then not surprising that he includes a depiction of a self-absorbed American director in his film, either as an absolution from his pride or an inside joke that he himself may not have understood. Regardless--notable for popularizing the legend of kissing in a gondola passing under the Bridge of Sighs during sunset to ensure everlasting love, A Little Romance's strength lies not on merely solidifying the romantic allure of Venice, but on emphasizing the child-like naivete of Venice's draw. The two young protagonists--who try all they can to cross the border from France to Italy to seal their love in Venice before getting separated--act like adults acting out childhood fantasies. They are thirteen year-olds talking about Heidegger and worrying about food, but snaps into attention when told by a charming man played by Lawrence Olivier about the possibility of eternal love. This comparison between the cold reality of life and the warmth of a romantic fantasy is mirrored by the difference between business-minded and crowded France and easy going Italy, where even a misfired gun directed towards a spastic priest is met with laughs rather than concern. Italy is portrayed as a place where children can be children and adults are forgiven for being responsible. It could have been an insulting premise, but instead of being about an exoticized idea of Italy, the story is more about the lovers and how Italy is transformed to fit the story these lovers are trying to construct. We don't see "Italy," but the process in which we as foreign visitors construct our ideal world grounded on the stuff Italy is made of. Ultimately, just as it is true for the rest of us, these lovers did not see Verona, only the story of Romeo and Juliet; and they did not see Venice, only the promise of eternal love. Their, and our, earnestness forgives our heady silliness.  

Parco Delle Cascate ,Verona

A few miles north of Verona is the Parco delle Cascate, a small regional park in the middle of the Lessinia hills.  Almost like a  hidden gem by the fact that it is quite difficult to find and to get to, the park is a great display of the prehistoric remains of the area as well as the fossilized seabed that forms these hills.  The park is largely geared towards children, but it would have been very spectacular if seen right after a rainfall or snow melt.  Although I went there when the water was largely reduced to a trickle, it is nevertheless an ideal spot for a picnic, a light hike, and a not so frenetic day for a young dog to meet new friends: