travel update from Cubjac France

Bon Jour,
> Well, here I am and I am here. I have arrived at Moulin
> de chaves, the buddhist meditation center that I have been
> telling all of you I would be coming to. I arrived on
> 4/23/09. At first the weather was the shit. It just rained
> and was cold and cloudy for about 6 days. but other than
> that it was really nice. Now the weather has cleared and it
> is fabulous to be here. Let me catch you all up.
> So after a totally great time in italy,(Venice,
> Padova, and Verona) I took a train to Nice, a rather large
> city on the French Riviera. Whooaa it was nice there!
> Actually it is called Nice Ville. You had better know that
> because there is another stop on the train before that and
> it to is called "something"Nice.
> So for you people who only speak english this place is
> pronounced Neice, like your brothers daughter. If you only
> speak Spanish it would be Nis. Nice is famous for a
> beautiful beach and where lots of wealthy Europeans go to
> sunbaathe and vacation. The food is "to die for"!!
> Well you know, its France, isn't it?
>
> They make lovely olives here called Nicoise and of
> course the famous Nicoise salad which has tuna fish,
> potatoes and other stuff. At first I stayed in a little
> hotel called Bacarat near the train station it was okay and
> priced fairly. Then I moved into a place called Hostel
> Smith, which wasnt quite as nice, but a lot cheapere and it
> was right in the middle of the old city and near the bus
> station, although I was in a 16 bed dormitory, other than
> that it was very good.
> I had 5 days of wandering around and walking along the
> cornice and looking at the very big and fabulously expensive
> yachts in the marina and going each day to the outdoor
> market to buy food to cook at my hostel.
> i was loving it! Just walking along the mediteranean
> sea on the corniche. Watching the young people doing cool
> things with their "in line" roller skates and
> skate boards. Jumping over things, doing a slolem thing,
> dancing together on skates. Fun to watch. the sea was quite
> inviting to look at but I tried it out and Aye Caramba it
> was too cold for this kid to swim in!! Actually there were
> VERY few swimmers at all. But I got wet once again in the
> mediteranean and that was nice. It has been a very long time
> since I got to do that! I think 2004 or 2005.
> I took a day and went to Monaco also and saw Monte
> Carlo. Very weird vibes there. I know some peopoe really
> love this hide away for the rich but I thought it really
> sucked. Just big yachts with absent owners at work in
> another country and the crews hanging around and getting
> paid. Very formidable gambling culture and big casinos.
> The main reason this place exists is for people to
> hide their money from the tax collector and act like they
> are importaant because they have lots of money. Yecchhh. One
> day was more than enuough for me.
> So after 5 days I took a train to Perigueux which is
> the nearest train station to here. Actuall, I took 3 trains
> because i had to switch in Paris and again in Limoges.
> Travel in france is nice and comfortable but incredibly
> expensive. 135euros from Nice to Periguex.50euro for a taxi
> the last 20km. That is more than the price of flying from
> Trinidad to USA. my Ryanair flight from Dublin to Venice
> cost 69euro (20 euro without tax). So, this may be the most
> expensive of the 61 countries I have been in as far as
> getting around goes! A dubious distinction!!
> So here I am and I am here www.moulindechaves.org
> I am meditating a lot and cooking for the people here. We
> are having a tai chi qui gong workshop for the next 5 days.
> i can take free classes if I want. We shall see...
> The kitchen is nice and i get to work with lots of
> nice ingredients. I will gradually get lots of freedom of
> expression, but for now I am getting to know how they have
> always been doing things in the past. I dont know if I will
> like working with a lot of kitchen "amatuers". I
> need to be less professional or they need to tighten up if
> this is to be haromonious for me...
> I have a schedule in my life for the first time in 5
> and a half years. it is weird. i meditate with a big group.
> When the "bell of mindfulness" goes off we all go
> to the meditation hall and sit together. I am used to doing
> this alone but this is good. I like it.
> We have a river running through the property with a
> little waterfall where I take my afternoon tea. big gardens
> with lots of flowers and edible things. Fabulous salads of
> wild leafy things that John the gardner brings me every day.
> this man is just a saint. He is a really fabulous "old
> soul" He may be a pixie or an elf. I am not sure. he
> seems too cool to be human, but I guess anything is
> possible...
> Also there is A friendly dog named Bilbo who loves to
> go with me for walks in the nearby forest. He is a good
> fellow who likes to play catch the ball, but isnt so sure
> about the giving the ball back part!
>
> So time to go now. here are a couple of thoughts to hold
> onto until next time
> Peace and love to all of you
> Robert
> If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps
> it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to
> the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
> Henry David Thoreau
>
> "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly
> find out how far one can go." TS Eliot
> It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand
> battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from
> you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell. Buddha