Author Archives: thewriterontheroad

My daughter and I rented a car in Avignon to go to Arles, a town on the bank of the Rhone River, in Provence. But when we got there, the streets were too narrow for the car. Claire had insisted on a smaller model, and each time I had to reverse, she’d look at meContinue reading “Arles, France – beauty, arts and a friend in Provence”

Provence, or La Provence, as the French call it, is the south-east part of France and one of my favorite regions in the country. Provence is sun, blue skies, sunflowers, lavender fields, amazing food and the best rose wine France produces – among other delicious things. In Provence, everything is gorgeous. As Aix-en-Provence native PaulContinue reading “La Belle Provence”

Provence has been home and inspiration to many of the world’s greatest artists since the 19th century. Some were native Provençal, some came from other lands, but they were all attracted by the intense light and colors of the south of France. Among the natives, none is more important than Paul Cézanne, considered the fatherContinue reading “Visiting Cézanne’s home in Aix”

Visiting the psychiatric hospital Saint-Paul de Mausole, where Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh spent one year, in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, moved me to tears. I’m a big fan of his bold colors and mad brush strokes, and I am aware of his tragic story. Van Gogh moved to the south of France in 1888, after two yearsContinue reading “Van Gogh and St-Rémy-de-Provence”

Most people will love Avignon for its perfect Provencal weather, art festivals and the Avignon Bridge (le Pont d’Avignon) half-way over the Rhone River. Probably the most famous bridge in France, it was immortalized in the children’s song “Sur le pont d’Avignon on y danse tous en rond”. Those who attended Catholic schools will rememberContinue reading “Avignon, France – the City of the Popes”

The first time I went to St. Rémy-de-Provence, a small historic town next to Aix-en-Provence, I was with my friend Monique, a native of Aix. She picked St. Rémy to show me the heart of her Provence, and as soon as we entered the village, I knew why. If you can imagine a perfect ProvencalContinue reading “The charm of St. Remy de Provence, France”

One of my main interests, when I visited Spain in January of 2020, was to watch an authentic – meaning not touristy – flamenco dance in Seville, the birthplace of flamenco. Once there, the next step was to find the right place for it. But what is flamenco, after all? While its exact history mayContinue reading “Flamenco and the gypsy soul”

The first thing I noticed in Ronda, even before exploring the town, was how friendly the locals are. I had arrived from Seville for a two-night stay in this town that is considered the most spectacular of the nine Pueblos Blancos (white villages) of Andalusia. It was raining and there were no taxis at theContinue reading “Ronda, Spain – a most romantic town”

Marbella’ was once the glamorous destination of the international jet set, but these days its fame has to do mostly with its many beaches and golf. The undisputed golf capital of the Costa del Sol (sun coast), Marbella is located in the southern Spanish province of Andalusia, a main golfing destination in Europe, with moreContinue reading “Marbella – a true story”

I had never heard of Nerja, until I began doing research for a trip to the province of Andalusia, Spain, in January of 2020. Then the name of this town on the Mediterranean started to come up quite often. Even those who avoid the rest of the Costa del Sol (sun coast), for considering itContinue reading “Nerja, Spain – the Balcony of Europe”