NANO ZEN

I promised Baka (and myself) a long walk at dawn this morning. Something that I’ve neglected for a few months now. My apartment building lies before one of the hills surrounding Cannes and at the edge of lovely residential neighbourhood which supports a lot of greenery as you move up the hill in and around the million dollar homes.

One route I enjoy is about two and half kilometres long, goes up part of the base of the hill and follows along a lovely woody area surrounding a gully. It always smells so nice in spring or after rainfall there. However, it saddens me when I see what people have done by dumping refuse, junk, bits of cars, or skeletons of scooters left by thieves. Such a beautiful tranquil area despoiled by the uncaring dregs of mankind and no one to rescue it.

Despite that, dawn was exceptional with the thin sliver of the waning crescent moon to be seen just rising above the black hill against a navy blue sky as Baka and I walked up the road.

Only the wind could be heard rustling through the trees. For a long while not a sound, then something sounding like a crow woke and was the only voice to be heard.

Even the little sparrow we spotting on the gully road preferred to remain silent as Baka and I approached, flitting off into a tree in silence. Even the crow remained quiet for a while as we passed through the gully. Almost magical feeling as though you were moving through the home of fée.

I never seem to tire of watching a sunset and the infinite variations of colours and the profound silence that comes upon the world for unusually long and calm moments. No cars or scooters, no rushing about, just stillness as though life stopped to finally pay attention to something beautiful.

Yesterday I was invited to the Carlton Beach restaurant by a client for lunch. Very nice. Probably the nicest beach restaurant in Cannes. It has been a few years since I last was last there. Lovely place and the kitchen is pretty good.

It is also the best place to watch the summer fireworks. In Cannes and many other towns along the French Riviera, they have a fireworks competition throughout the summer. The Carlton is dead centre of the event in Cannes and going there for dinner and the fireworks is a grand experience.

It does require some planning though, as parking is a nightmare and there is always crowds of people. When my parents lived here, we’d drive the car down early in the day and park it in a nearby garage, then return home by cab. In the evening we’d get a lift with friends or the domaine’s guardian back down. After the event we’d often stay and luxuriate at the restaurant, while the crowds and traffic dissipated.

These days I don’t live far by foot from the Croisette, so it is often a nice walk with Baka to the sea side. Sometimes he and I would go at the end of the Sunday afternoon and walk along for a bit and then stop in a café for a glass of wine and maybe a light snack.

Last night though was the last fireworks in Cannes for the summer and I did not attend. Opted to stay home after the large lunch I had had earlier. Also Baka probably wouldn’t enjoy the boom boom of the huge speakers playing music as the fireworks go boom boom in time. And last night must have been a grand show as the boom boom of the fireworks seemed to be exceptionally loud, even from my apartment and seemed to go on for a whole hour.

Alas with the last of the fireworks come soon the signs of summer’s end; cooler nights and breezes, the departure of the tourists (yeah), the return of kids to school (boo if you’re a kid, yeah if you’re a parent), the return of daily life in the streets. The south of France doesn’t have a distinct change of seasons like Canada and northern climates, with autumn colours and fall of the leaves. Summer here just fades into winter, as the sunset into night.

There is something immensely satisfying and relaxing about the pop of an opened wine bottle on par with the sound of wooden wind chimes in a gentle breeze. Add to that the subtle gentle klink of empty wine glasses as you take them from the cupboard. Now factor in a sunset on the Côte d’Azur with your little dog lying beside you (watching the street below for other dogs passing by of course) and you might actually have an orgasm without the mess. Ok. So it’s subjective, but at least I get to contemplate such things.