You may have noticed that I took a day off yesterday, so no blog.  I spent a long weekend down on the Cote D'Azur with my partner and managed to prize myself away from my laptop for 4 days.  We stayed in Cannes for the long weekend.  One of the nice things that I enjoyed about being away at the weekend was the lazy demeanor of Sunday life.  France still respects the tradition of keeping shops closed on this day of rest.  Families taking leisurely stroll along La Croisette and others just sitting in the sun, chatting or enjoying the views.  Meetings in bars and restaurants are the focal point of French life and people seem to have more time just to be.  It beautifully highlights the distinction between doing and being.  Human beings, not human doings!

Both Nice and Cannes are a mecca for the older French population and for the most part, they look a great deal healthier than the UK's aging population.  This is no doubt contributed to by the good diet and favorable climate and a pharmacy on every corner.  On Sunday the tradition of Father's day was evident as we sat at a table in a restaurant on the beach.  Right in front of us was a cushioned private lounge area on the beach were you could enjoy an aperitif and meet friends.  A family gathering began to emerge.  Three generations gathered and of course the customary bijoux canine companion complete with a miniature bow on her head.  The dog seemed to attract more attention than the two matriarchs seated at the end of the sofa.  We observed with interested as the elders were greeted by the thirty somethings with banal questions in childish tones such as "did you sleep well last night" and "what did you have for breakfast this morning".  What a strange presupposition that because they are old they are somehow retarded.  They sipped on their glasses of champagne and looked somewhat detached from the rest of the party as if fulfilling some obligation that they would rather forgo given half the chance.  We couldn't help but wonder what their recollection of that day would be.  One of the younger women nursed her new born baby and bottle fed her under the shade of a large parasol.  I smiled as I pondered if the evolutionary process would one day mean that this tiny baby would treat her parents with same lack of imagination.  What is this all about you may ask, well I am not entirely sure.  We gather wisdom and insights as we get older.  My hope is that in later life we are surrounded by people who can appreciate that and benefit from our experience. 

All in all, I think a life in the Med is far healthier one that being in a polluted metropolis like London.