The south of France sure helped take the *ber* out of December. Ha… But I guess it hasn’t been so chilly back home in Maine either. Back home, balmy snow-adverse temperatures of 52ยบ are laughing at my wish for a white Christmas. Lot’s of artificial white around here though, in Aix, and it’s been here for a while too. With no Thanksgiving, France is free to go right into its coveted Christmas decorations as soon as November strikes. Theres a quaint little(grand) Christmas market that sets up along the length of the beautiful Cours Mirabeau in centre ville. It features dozens of cute little pre-fab Christmas spirit wood shacks stretching down the street with faux-snow roofs, glittery flakes, and decor of that sort. Within each you can find some sort of crafty hand made good you’d expect to come from a small village as such in the south of France, little satchels of local lavender, lavender candles, lavender oils, or wooden abstract shaped cutting boards, wine holders, fine cheese knives, and local delicacies. You can also find a Yankee Candle shack, and another selling giant Disney themed stuffed-toys. Oh well, can’t win em all. And besides, the abundance of hot wine around town can surely balance out that negative. All around town you can see strings of x-mas lights drooping from the trees adding just a little bit more magic to the city at night. Not much left of my trip here and it feels a bit strange to say the least.
