At last!! Are they hidden within their myths, festivals, or traditions? Could they be concealed in Roman arenas in Arles, Orange, or Glanum? Or, perhaps, within the ancient methods of traditional cooking or winemaking? Maybe they are hidden in plain sight among the locals who open their hearts, their bistros, and homes to strangers. So, today I thought I would share a little. I think this might help you understand some of my motivation for travel writing!
We had invited two other couples, including my sister, Melody and her husband, Dan, plus another couple, Bob and Shirley, who were good friends from the States. In this chapter, we had been enjoying this medieval village of Claviers using it as a base, but also to luxuriate in the wonder of place.
On one particularly exquisite afternoon, after eating a sumptuous brunch on the outside deck, Melody and I decided to take a walk together through the nearby hills. Yes, it was just the two of us, as the guys opted to relax and read at the house, and Bob and Shirley? We all shrugged, and went on with our plans. Melody and I took some straw hats, and I recall the dust lifting off the roads as we padded along coating the crystal clean air around us and turning the nearby plants and our feet the color of dirt.
The local dogs, which were all characters everyone, began barking as we passed. I guess they wanted to let us know that, yes, they did have homes and were, at times, frequenting them. You see, it had become a comedy caper each and every day as we walked through the village center heading for our cars, that the town dogs, would bound out to greet us. They, it seems, were allowed to go anywhere and everywhere. No leash laws here. Just in case. Oh, I digress!
So, that day when Melody and I walked down the road leading out to the west of town, we trudged up and over a ridge and past houses set outside the city walls. We had not been aware of where many of these dogs lived, but, they were quick to let us know they saw us coming.
