Underneath this gravel, the roots from this tree above me stretch down into the earth. Its leaves have not yet returned. In fact, some of the old ones from autumn and wither still flutter in the wind. I’ve had to move sit spots today, so I am sitting on a bench in the main garden in the presence of the house that seems to glow a golden yellow. It’s such a beautiful day that everyone has come to enjoy the soleil as we say here. I’m hoping the fresh air and vitamin D will push out the last of this cold I’ve been battling. Here in this main area, the grass is green and little white flowers are blooming. Even though it’s not allowed, a few young people sunbathe on the grass and unsurprisingly the pigeons don’t abide by the forbidden lawn rule.
It’s really nice to be back. Last week, I traveled to Spain and Portugal with some friends since we had had a week off. There, we saw lots of water. In Barcelona, we spent a late afternoon sitting on the beach listening to music. In Madrid, we sat by the grand fountain where ducks swam in El Retiro Park. In Portugal, we went surfing (it was my first time and even though it was quite scary, I’m glad I did it). Not to mention, as we walked through Lisbon, the sea would often come into view between the colorful buildings. It was so lovely. Now that I’m back and especially as I sit here in the garden, I’m feeling more grounded. Now the water I see is familiar.
Fun fact: Aix actually means water and according to the region’s tourism website, Aix-en-Provence is sometimes known as the “city of water.” All around there are fountains (some working, some not). According to Culture Trip, the Romans found a thermal water source in Aix that they used for baths. Today, most of these fountains are just for show apparently. The water we drink and bathe with comes from Canal de Provence, which sources its water from the Verdon River (which looks gorgeous from the photos Google shows).
As I’m writing this blog post, thinking about the importance of water, I find myself thinking about home. I think of when I used to live in L.A. and how our first apartment there was a block away from the L.A. river. I think of my home now in New York, where I love to stare out the window as we drive past the reservoir. I think of Wellesley too where Lake Waban is our constant companion. So it seems water, lakes, oceans, rivers, have become a reminder of home for me. It’s also fascinating how I am much more aware of how I use water and energy now that I’m here. At Wellesley I am pretty good about turning off the lights when I leave a room and I turn off the water while brushing my teeth, but here I am much more aware. I think that it’s a good thing that people here are so cognizant of their footprints and engaging in composting and other efforts to minimize their impact.
That being said, Aix is a quite wealthy town where there are tons and tons of shops. It’s quite easy to see where overconsumption becomes possible, so I would be very curious to know more about whether this is impeding some of these environmentally conscious efforts of residents (or whether I am just around residents who are hyper aware of climate change and the need for change). Additionally (not unlike the U.S.), there has been a rise in the far-right in France in recent years that has pushed against environmental policies. This has raised concerns amongst environmentalists who are pushing for responses to the climate crisis. The subject is definitely one I hope to read more about going forward.