Sospel, France. February 2021. What with La Crise Sanitaire, it has been over a year since Jean-Marc and I traveled and courted adventure. Recently, we hit the road in our electric blue ZOE and were pleasantly surprised at how far it took us–all the way to the Italian border from La Ciotat–on one full "tank". (Jean-Marc had une borne de recharge installed at his wine shop, where he and his clients may charge their electric cars. C'est commode!).
For our 4-day escapade, we considered France's "Island of Beauty" (an overnight voyage via ferry) but were dissuaded when the Corsican getaway called for a PCR test for Covid. That is when Jean-Marc mentioned Menton, only a two-hour drive from our home. The moment my husband suggested it, visions of bright yellow citrons danced in my head. Bonne idée! I agreed and, fast as you can say Vingt deux, v'là les flics! we were on the road, heading toward a needed change of scenery just a stone's throw from the Italian border.
Any fantasies of traversing that frontière (for a meal in Badalucco or a stroll in St Rémo…) were soon nixed when, on day two at the bustling farmers market in Menton, a few locals relayed the latest government orders. "Il ne vaut mieux pas. Vous serez arrêtés et détournés," warned the octogénaire, handing me my change along with her homemade "confiture 3 agrumes," and bay leaf branches from the riviera hinterland.
Jean-Marc quickly offered a Plan B: A visit to Sainte Agnès. Allez, chiche! I agreed, sharing that my artist friend Tessa lived there many years, and it would be good to finally see the perched village and hike up to the chateau ruins above it (Jean-Marc's idea, nevermind it was freezing outside). But with cafés closed because of Covid, the next best way to warm ourselves would be a brisk hike. As we climbed the medieval stone steps I noticed the ground was covered with le verglas…it looked like somebody had dumped a giant snowcone over the hillside. Mittens and wool bonnets would have been good to bring along, but who packs those for a trip to the sunny Riviera?
The rest of our séjour was warm, cozy and colorful! (photos of Sospel, below), including a trip to see our friends who run Allez Hops! a boutique beer shop and micro-brewery in Nice. Dan, Julie, and their daughter, Gab, thoughtfully welcomed us with a cheeky–make that chalky–message on the ardoise outside their shop–and even had delicious rootbeer waiting for the abstème in our group! It was wonderful to catch up with our friends, and we were set to see one more copain the next day….
Every trip has a misadventure or two and for us that came on the last day, at the border of Monaco, after a couple of flics ordered us off the road. I rolled down the passenger's seat window and fumbled for my mask. "Vous venez d'où?" the policeman with salt-n-pepper hair asked, beginning his interrogation.
"Menton." Jean-Marc replied, from the driver's seat.
"Vous habitez en France?" The officer asked, noticing our license plate, with its two-digit area designation (13 for Marseille, where we bought our car).
As the two wrangled in French, I was about to elbow my husband to just answer the policeman, and quit with all the explanations! but that would not be very French of him, would it? Every Frenchman (mine, at least) must have their say!
"Je vous ai demandé où est-ce que vous habitez?" The policeman persisted.
"La Ciotat," I replied. "On vie à La Ciotat!"
"But we are here to have lunch with our friend–un Monégasque." Jean-Marc insisted.
"You'll need an affidavit from your friend." The police responded. Zut! Only one day ago we could have wandered aimlessly through Monaco, the rules had changed overnight! After a little more wrangling, Jean-Marc relented, or so it seemed. Taking the next exit, he phoned his friend, who arranged a clandestine rendez-vous, and so smuggled us back to his place for calamari… Everything happened so fast, it was only after I took another bite of octopus that I realized I had once again gone against my gut in order to go with the flow!
"Is it good? Do you like it?" Our smuggler Monégasque asked.
"I do, but… Have you seen My Octopus Teacher?"
If that sounded like an obscure question, dear reader, you haven't seen this documentary, but back to our ethical dilemma involving cops and calamari, because I know what some of you are thinking: Shame on you, Kristi, for sneaking back to your friend's house! How irresponsible of you! What do you have to say for yourself?! We are waiting for an answer!
All I can say is Thank you for waiting! From here on out, I will listen to my conscience, whether it tells me to skip the octopus or skip town! Or skip the comments section of this blog which has taken a slight turn since the new year, with just enough negativity to have me weigh every single word for fear of offending someone, somewhere, somehow. And that makes for a lot of stress in writing and sharing my stories.
One step forward, two back. Just like you, I am doing the best I can. And the best I can do is to get out of bed each day and go to work, avec ou sans peur. I am extremely grateful for this job as a full-time writer. Thank you for your understanding, for your trust, and for your support. It keeps me writing in an era where speaking to a friend (let alone an audience!) is akin to walking in a minefield. Watch your step! 22 v'la les flics! (Watch out!)
Amicalement,
Kristi
Room with a view in Menton
FRENCH VOCABULARY
la crise santitaire = health crisis
une borne de recharge = charging station, charge port for electric car
c'est commode = it's convenient
dépayser = to experience a change of surroundings (more here)
bienvenue = welcome
une escapade = getaway (travel)
le citron = lemon
une bonne idée = good idea
Il ne vaut mieux pas = better not to
Vous serez arrêtés et détournés = you'll be stopped and turned away
Vingt deux, v'là les flics! = a slang expression for "watch out!", literally Twenty-two, here are the cops!
la frontière = border between countries
la confiture = jam
l'agrume (m) = citrus fruit
allez chiche! = you're on! let's do it!
un périple = trek, journey
le verglas = ice
une ardoise = slate, blackboard, chalkboard
l'abstème (m,f) = person who doesn't drink alcohol for one reason or another
le copain (la copine) = friend
le (la) flic = cop
le carrefour = roundabout, intersection
le séjour = stay
monégasque = resident of Monaco
zut! = darn!
avec ou sans peur = with or without fear
The colorful town of Sospel. Not a lot of tourists, plenty of local characters.
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Lovely article, Kristi. Thank you!! A great movie on marriage relationship is The Gathering Storm. Through thick and thin, their love remained. God bless you all, C-Marie
I think that everybody has at least once this past year(yes, it’s been close to 12 months!) has disobeyed the “rules,” while still being careful. Let’s cut everybody a bit of slack for an occasional “mistake.” And then get back on track to keep ourselves and everyone else safe.
Enjoyed this post. I heard Menton is not holding its lemon festival because of covid. I don’t blame them. I love to travel too, but as an older woman unable to travel because of covid, it makes me sad. I don’t want to die because somebody didn’t take proper precautions, nor do I want to unknowingly give covid to others. It’s a pandemic because people laugh it off and don’t do what they are suppose to. Let’s grow up and do what is right to stay safe and keep others safe. And then maybe we can all get to travel or do whatever it is we wish to do.
I agree you should write whatever you are moved to write. And, if you invite us to comment, then we should be able to comment. With speaking out, however, we should do so responsibly. With freedom comes responsibility.
Hi Kristi,
Thanks for sharing your adventures! Sounds fun!
Eileen
Marvellous photo of Our Espinasses here, Kristi! Happy that you had your getaway.
Warm kudos to Ron Cann above for his comment giving us all a fine perspective on the other current pandemic — that of normally courteous folks’ spontaneously snarling these days on all social media. Let’s let the snipers snipe and, with a wee smirk and a shrug of cordial disregard, let’s blow their snarls away like smoke. We love you for your candour and authenticity — so sad to think you’re feeling cringey about letting us hear the ‘real deal’ these days.
So much natural good humour has melted away this past year — I notice its absence even in comedy tv shows although true humour itself requires risk-taking on ‘dark’ topics. And I of course am sometimes drawn into snarlitude, till I notice it and stop. This too shall pass, and neo-puritans will recover their humane tolerance, for sure! Till then, let ’em growl on, and SURE: throw ’em a chewy bone now and then!
PS
ALSO: — If anyone is curious about that snazzy expression “22, v’là les flics!!”, I gave my reading-French a workout here — fun conjectures about its origin! (Copy/paste into your browser:)
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/22,_v%27l%C3%A0_les_flics_!
Just a variation on “le système D”!
We were delighted with our 4th floor apartment overlooking the sea, and (currently) discounted to 144 euros/night:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17351307?s=2unique_share_id=0e036f57-9785-46e8-87c5-550a274801ca
Merci!!
Thanks for the memory, have been down those same roads, hope to make it again this year BUT looking doubtful at the moment, does Mother look after the store while your gone?
I don’t think what you did is so bad but as a scientist, I am appalled by the woman in Florida who condones not wearing masks and eating in restaurants. You should not post dangerous views.
Just to let you know: I was able to access this post with no trouble this time. Thanks for your personal answer about the glitch last time. Just one of those things?
Keep up the great writing, and sharing your life’s adventure. I don’t like the negativity, either. I think we’ve all been shut up for too long, and some people handle the stress by griping. When I worked for the telephone company as an operator years ago while in college, I was amazed at what some costumers would say to face-less but not feeling-less people out of aggravation. “God bless us, every one…”
Hello! Nice and interesting story as always.I have been following you for a long time here, and also on your IG before you blocked me for whatever reason.Could you unblock me?My IG is “Christina Mozène”.Thank you in advance. CM
bonjour, Kristi: I always enjoy reading your articles; I never find negativity in them; they are honest, open, frank & sincere. I’m sorry that there are people who do get offended; as others have said, please do ignore them. Life is way too precious to try to please everyone on the planet. So happy that you took your journey; we haven’t journeyed anywhere since last March. This COVID virus is nothing to sneeze at! We must all take it seriously; masks on! Stay well, safe & warm. Amicalmente, Ann
Asymptomatic carriers …
Sadly, a fact of life and death these days. We love you all and hope you both self-quarantined from loved ones and employees after you got back home from your adventure. (This comment comes from a positive person.)
As an avid watcher of a variety of YouTube channels, & just being on social media in general, I hear you when you talk about the negativity (& just plain meanness) that is out there, ever ready to drop a toxic comment.
Dear Kristi, difficult though it is, IGNORE THEM.
Consider instead just how sad & miserable these folks must be, quelle domage!!
Thanks for all your wonderful stories, & for assisting my very slow building of a vocabulary in beautiful French.
Best regards from New York
You should not be concerned with any negative comments, after all you are inviting such by your recent actions, both ignoring what appear to be current French and Monegasque rules, and also mixing with others, sans face masks and social distancing (previous post). And your readers are capable of then deciding whether, or not, to continue reading. I have decided that, after 15 years or so of following it is time to say goodbye. I will never know if anyone thinks this is negative, I will have unsubscribed. I have enjoyed watching your family grow up and I wish you all well in the future. And please, an extra treat for Smokey.
Salut, K! You simply cannot concern yourself with offending folks….somehow our society has managed to find fault, n’importe où. If you inhale, you offend someone. If you exhale, you’ve now offended someone else. Just continue to be your wonderful, honest, thoughtful, kind, and frank self! Xop
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” -Mother Teresa.
My comment comes from love and compassion only. ❤️
*If* you are being irresponsible. They were isolated while in their car, and were not going out and about in huge indoor crowds, maskless. No difference here between seeing a friend and reporting to a school to work everyday with hundreds of people in it, which I am doing in NJ, so far so good. Save the criticism, we’ve heard it all a million times, and it’s not helping anyone 😉
i LOVED “the octopus teacher”!!!!!….. it allowed me to forget the last year ! Given the tone and intent of your warm newsletter pieces, i find it TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE that people try to sully this HAPPY, lovely forum…..i have friends that have behaved both safely and daringly during covid, and nothing i say or get mad about will change their behavior……the shutting down of nice sounds futile to me, btw….so jsut say what u wnat to say and forget about the rest….
now, to sweeten things up, below, in both french and english, is a supposedly great recipe for confiture 3 agrumes, which is one of my favorite things to stock up on when we are in france……
Commencer par peler les fruits à vif, en prenant soin de bien éliminer les peaux blanches.
Récuperer le jus rendu, et couper la pulpe en petits morceaux.
Mettre les pépins dans un nouet de mousseline.
Peser la pulpe et le jus obtenus, peser le même poids de sucre.
Dans une grande bassine, mettre le sucre et 20 cl d’eau par kg de sucre.
Porter à ébullition, laisser bouillir 10 min, puis ajouter la pulpe de fruits et le nouet renfermant les pépins.
Laisser cuire à petits bouillons environ 1 h en écumant et remuant de temps en temps.
Une goutte de confiture versée dans une assiette froide doit se figer aussitôt pour qu’elle soit assez cuite.
Mettre en pot et fermer hermétiquement.
Start by peeling the raw fruit, taking care to remove the white skins.
Collect the juice returned, and cut the pulp into small pieces.
Put the seeds in a muslin knot.
Weigh the pulp and juice obtained, weigh the same weight of sugar.
In a large basin, put the sugar and 20 cl of water per kg of sugar.
Bring to a boil, let boil for 10 minutes, then add the fruit pulp and the knot containing the seeds.
Leave to simmer for about 1 hour, skimming off and stirring occasionally.
A drop of jam poured into a cold plate must set immediately so that it is cooked enough.
Put in a pot and close tightly.
bonne journée kristi !
I agree with you Dawn. The fear is the worst part of this and has caused the most damage. Constant negative and inaccurate reporting from the media and those “in charge” and the taking away of our freedom to live as human beings is just inexcusable. Thank you Kristi for your writing and for always choosing to be non-political and upbeat. You offer a welcome respite from our confinement.
What a memorable article. My husband and I spent to separate one-month vacations in Menton. One adventure took us to St. Agnes in a downpour with winter running down the streets. Another was a day spend at an agricultural festival in Sospel which was so much fun. I wish I could be there! A greeting from a winters, snowy Chicago.
Well, using the USA as ANY example of good control around COVID-19 is, frankly, laughable. Your country, with its recent dreadful milestone of 500,000 deaths, is no exemplar of good behaviour during the pandemic. And if your state has chosen to leave schools open, then it has also accepted them as vectors of transmission, which is counterintuitive. Yes, speaking up DOES help — so soundly disagree with you.
Actually, “based on the data available, in-person learning in schools has not been associated with substantial community transmission,” per our CDC website. In our district, we have a hybrid schedule, and most of our students chose to learn remotely. We normally have 1,500+ in the building, so 200 is very low, and we are spread out and masked. There have been no person-to-person transmissions in our building, only people testing positive who, after contact tracing, contracted it elsewhere. My point was that schools have been doing *very well* here when following guidelines, and that Kristy’s expedition was much less risky than my coming to work every day, which I am required to do. The 500,000 deaths are absolutely atrocious, but I would attribute that to other events, not schools. As far as speaking up – We have heard it all, we know what to do and what not to do. Criticizing Kristy for something she already did, with both parties knowing full-well the risks, is in my opinion pointless.
Good for you for continuing your life and doing what you and JM wanted to do! You’re not a bad person for doing what you need to do for your health and well-being, despite what people and the gov’t think they can impose on us. The shaming has got to stop; whatever happened to personal responsibility? My life and health are the responsibility of no one but myself. When I get sick, I don’t blame it on anyone. I really don’t know how this has become acceptable in the last year.
People seem to have forgotten that illnesses need a good host in order to propagate, but I guess it’s just easier to blame a neighbour than take responsibility for one’s own health.
I admire your bravery. Keep writing and telling us about your comings and goings. They’ll all get over it.
I am an older grandmother and I think that friends would not invite friends if all were not sure of their good health. Being responsible means being mindful. Masks and good hygiene are most important and I am sure these friends used those.