Marin County Exploration

Weekend In Normandy

Wine Tasting in Sonoma

Yesterday my friend who's been living in San Francisco for 3 years, took me wine tasting in Sonoma. We drove north form the city through arid, desaturated landscapes, surrounded by distant hills that reminded me either of Italy of Greece. Soon we found ourselves at a winery tasting bar, choosing wines from a list. Being an inexperienced wine taster, I was busy trying to distinguish the hints of flavors in the wine, and see if my guesses were close to the description on the lists. We hit a couple of wineries, and then relaxed in a palmy park somewhere in Sonoma, getting ready to get back to a party in Golden Gate Park.

images clockwise from top left:

looking up in th e valley of the moon, looking up in Oakland, a turn in Sonoma, sunset in our neighborhood in Oakland.

California

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I still can't describe it after 15 days. I cant take allot of pictures yet because I think its too beautiul to be described as a color photos.

Its always there. The sidewalks of Oakland sleep in deep beige hues. The perfect clarity of the air amazes me. When I pass a palm on my bike I try to see it obscuring the sun.

It is brighter here: the sun illuminates painted doors and walls of early morning streets. The feeling is flatter. This is the edge of the continent, and theres lots of space. The first thing you notice as someone from the north east, is the weather, then the colors, then the plant life. Its all a little off from something I was used to. The weather is beautiful and crisp, and the breeze gently carries the ionized air through the streets. My eye picks up more tan an beige tones as unusual spectrum's of light, as well as more bight colors due to the increased intensity of the sunlight.

Reports From California

For the first 4 days it was sunny, 77 degrees perfect pressure and very low humidity.

Some say the ocean air that comes in from the pacific is ionized, and is very healthy.

I've spent a few days decompressing and unpacking. A friend in San Francisco let me borrow his bike and I've been riding it all around north Oakland, exploring and getting to know where the good coffee shops and bakeries are.

At the Market

This is the marche every Wednesday down the block from my apartment. You can find anything in the world here, from food to clothes to plants and fabric, sewing needles and knickknacks.

This is the marche on Saturdays at Centre Ville. Here you can find the most beautiful cheeses, jams, cakes, ciders and vegetables.

A completely farm fresh breakfast.

Looking Up

Birthday in Paimpol

The drive took an hour from Rennes, through countrysides and farm land.

We stopped to pick some apples, of course.

We didn't have keys to the cottage, so we needed to find an open window. They were all shut at the Bear House.

They were all shut at the Cow House, straight ahead. We found refuge in the small bathroom window of the Sheep House, at the left.

The Sheep House.

We celebrated with some Bordeaux, goat cheese and farm tomatoes.

Peacefully digesting, I didn't even notice what was happening behind me.

The candles were being lit on my birthday cakes. Clockwise, a peanut mousse chocolate tart, a light fruit tart, a fig tart with sprinkled coconuts, and a peach and cream tart.

After our other friends arrived off the train we took a walk to the cliffs and then a nap in the garden.

Before dinner, we decided we needed to get hungry by swimming in the Atlantic.

The walk took us through farm fields, wheat fields, blackberry patches, and a very steep trail down to the shore.

As the sun set, we drank vodka to keep warm and stick with our mission.

We swam for half an hour, in water so clear we could see our toes among the green blue waves. The cliffs loomed above us. When we got out of the water it was hard to put our clothes back on, slipping on pebbles we giggled and shivered and drank more vodka.

The Next Day

In the morning we drove to Isle De Brehat. A coastal town with incredible views.

A quick rest before our four hour biking adventure.

We came upon the tower of a medieval castle.

And explored it inside and out.

Just as we realized how hungry we were from our adventures, we came upon the Pizza Bus. We had fresh made artichoke, goat cheese, olive, tomato and mushroom pizza looking at the boats.

We met a local who was proud of his winning campaign to put an iron fish, instead of the traditional rooster, on the cathedral weathervane.