panoramas, smells and internet

Well, here I am. Was so excited that would have Internet in the flat, only to find out that the system in France is really crap. I wonder how they survive. How they operate their businesses... THe system is totally erratic. It works every 5 minutes or so and this goes for the phone too. We can call for free from here and I was hoping to keep in touch with my mum and dad in Brasil, but system just goes off without any warning. Very odd.

Am reading loads of books on people that have moved to France and the experience seems to be the same, no matter what. The indications are that the French are not that inbto new technology. This might explain the poor connections. Worst than 3rd world countries.

We went to Grasse, the perfum capital??? Was very diasppointed. Reading on it indicated that you'd know you got there just by the sweet smells in the air. Well, I wouldn't call dog and horse poo, sweet smelling... Maybe it is like Venice, I absolute adore it and never experienced the smells that people talk about. Maybe I just got to Grasse at the wrong time. The old town is compact but run down, dirty, graffiti and all that, and the rest, is just a massive sprawl....
The old town was the set for the film Parfum, which was quite an odd, but good film. Actually I must see it again.

Anyway, I can now say that I have been there and it was worth going through it as it is on the way to Gourdon. Now, that is an amazing place and hurray, I have had a really good meal for a really reasonable price. Anywhere else in the world and you'd pay double for the views. Had a really great time.

The landscape here is really odd. Goes from very dry and barren to very lush, especially in the mountains. I am finding it very built up as well. The old and beautiful is still there, but the outskirts,like any big place is run down and dirty as you approach most of the big places - Cannes, etc.

We are having a rest today. The driving is beautiful but tasking on hubby, with all the twist and turns of the roads. We are hoping to brave part fo the way to the Gorge of Verdun, but everything we read about it, warns about vertigo driving. Not for the faint hearted, Alan or I , for that matter.

Relaxed day, home cooking. Fed up of restaurant food and, weather permitting, tomorrow I want to see the lavender fields, before the flowers are over.
Au revoir....