A vacation project in progress and sleepelss nights

Well, I'm on my way to finish a business project through the website - a vacation research and planning for an old lady, willing to travel alone... Sounds sad in the beginning but on afterthought, why not? Isn't travelling alone a special, dedicated journey? I can relate to that 100%. My best travels, those that left lasting memories, were the travels I undertook alone. It may be only me, it may be the way I see things where everyone else doesn't see anything, but I loved my travelling alone and was never lonely.

Paris was such a travel - the first time. It was then that I found the bookinists, the artists in Monmartre, the little Moroccan restaurant which I still visit regularly, the Italian pizzeria where the wine gets better each year, the buses to take me to Versaille and Fontainebleau, the squares where the Three Musketeers spent restless nights having duels, the paved narrow streets with wooden doors in stone walls behind which I could clearly hear the whisper of long women dresses...

I think it is the perception. We are all so different. If the person we are travelling with doesn't see the same things or at least similar, the trip can easily turn into a nightmare. A fairy tale lover travelling with a master of logical thinking? I've been there. It doesn't work.

Anyways, I'm happy. The old lady is going to a quiet Provencal mansion where she will enjoy home made food, nice little excursions, village market, some wine tasting, and even sunbathing. All this in the company of a few American ladies around her age. I would have arranged some Spanish time for her too, or Portugal but it's too hot and heavy for her. The pine trees next to the Mediterranean will be better. I did such a good job, very proud of myself :))

And it's already Canada Day, so happy one to all celebrating out there! I'm off to finish the "One Year In Provence" by Peter Mayle. Being on the last few pages, I find "A Good Year" much better although my favourite book related to South France remains "Chocolat" by Joanne Harris. She should have stopped there. "The Lollypop Shoes" was not good enough, in my humble opinion.

Good night to all the world, sleep well and dream of moonwalks, waves, and secret paths in night gardens.

On child care

For those of you who, just like me, have to look for a child care, check this article: http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_childcare_selectcc

This is one of the websites I have used extensively while I was raising my baby and one of the best sources of updated and friendly written information on everything baby related - food, toys, etc. I was lucky to find a child care which absolutely meets my requirements following the advices of these guys! A big thank you to them.

By the way, do you often travel with your babies or do you prefer to leave them with someone else? My baby started travelling when he was six months old, he was exposed to the beauty of Provence first (naturally!), then kept travelling with me. I can't even imagine a trip without him now! I need his presence like I need the smell of herbs in the summer mornings.