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由于周末出色的准备工作，星期一一大早，我准时出现在Saint-Tulle的办公室。早春二月，天气还有些寒冷，但是阳光明媚，我热切地期待着和从未谋面的法国同事相见。虽然以前访问过法国公司，也有过法国同事，这回才是我第一次和法国人在法国乡下一起工作。我想跟他们显吧显吧，咱也会一点儿法语，跟刚见面的人说，“Comment allez-vous?”（法语问候语，你好么？）没想到，他们纠正我，“别那么正式，‘Comment ça va?’ 就行了。”后来，连“Comment”都省了。每天早上，我们在厨房小聚，以“傻瓜”（Ça va!）和一杯浓咖啡为引子，开始一天的工作。出乎我的想像，法国男孩们常常用吵架式的语调交谈。他们友好地警告我，是讨论问题，并且关上门，以防打扰同事。公司有上、下午茶歇，和美国不同的是，大家都在办公楼外边抽烟、聊天儿。中午，我们一起跨过草地，到对面EDF（法国电力公司）学校的食堂吃午饭。下班之前，是一圈“杀驴”（Salut！法语问候语和再见），每一个先离开的人要跟还在工作的人告别。因为我通常是最早到，最后一个离开，所以总能送出去比较多的“傻瓜”，也收获了比较多的“杀驴”。在那里，我度过了快乐的两个星期。
Saint-Tulle是一个可爱的小镇，周围有好几个旅游景点，包括北边的Manosque（马诺斯克）老城和东边的Verdon国家公园（详见此文上篇的地图）。马诺斯克是阿尔卑斯省、上普罗旺斯地区（Alpes-de-Hautes-Provence）最大的城市。据历史记载，公元10世纪，马诺斯克就出现了。Verdon国家公园有一个峡谷，也叫法国Verdon大峡谷，有碧绿的湖泊和陡峭的悬崖，是登山和划船的好去处。
接下来是星期六，我去逛马诺斯克。老城看起来很有中世纪的味道，商业区则是应有尽有，从农贸市场到精品店，样样俱全。我在一个玲珑满目的面包店买了一个长面包，像法国女孩一样，在街上边走、边掰、边吃，而且是干吃。刚出炉的面包，很香，特好吃。逛着逛着，我看到一个漂亮的巧克力店，甚至还发现了欧舒丹（L’Occitane），那个专门出售以草本植物为原料的美容、护肤和香水产品的商店，特别是薰衣草系列产品。以前，我只在巴黎或美国大城市看见过。
后来我才知道，普罗旺斯是欧舒丹的故乡。在马诺斯克有一个工厂和薰衣草农场，还提供免费参观。普罗旺斯盛产薰衣草，每年六月、九月收获两次。每逢收获的季节，都伴有薰衣草节。小时候，我在欧洲小说里看到过描述薰衣草的情节，觉得很温馨。在普罗旺斯，我才见到了薰衣草是什么样子。薰衣草是多年生、草本植物，适宜在干燥、阳光充足的地方生长。有驱虫、护肤、镇静安神等功效。它的花、籽和油也用在美容、护肤产品上。特别是薰衣草油，是世界各地香水制造商钟爱的精华液。所以，下一次你去法国旅游，别忘了加上普罗旺斯和薰衣草农场。还有那个法国大峡谷，很美、也很壮观。只是不要太依赖GPS，我差一点儿上了她的当，在自然公园里迷了路。
在追梦的年华里，我读了好多法国小说。一直好奇法国人最喜欢什么？艺术、浪漫，还是食物？跟法国同事混熟了之后，我试着向他们探讨了这个问题。他们暗示到，爱情、食物和运动，居然没提到艺术。
谈到食物，EDF食堂的午餐，虽然是大锅饭，味道还不错。我特别喜欢那儿的鱼类菜肴，因为那儿的鱼看起来像鱼，闻起来像鱼，吃起来是鱼。而德克萨斯（我居住的地方）饭馆儿里著名的“熏黑的鱼”（Blackened fish），看起来像一块烧焦的木碳，吃起来比死木柴更糟糕。顺便说一句，在食堂里遇到的EDF雇员，都是快乐的人。无论你相信与否，我的同事解释说，电力公司的人55岁就可以退休，而且能拿到丰厚的退休待遇。真正的社会主义呀！
即使是在旅店，晚餐也是美味佳肴。我尝到了平生最好吃的披萨，是砖炉烘烤出来的、平底儿面包式的披萨饼。一天晚上，我想喝番茄汤，旅馆的厨房回应说，我必须一大早告诉他们，因为需要购买新鲜的食材。所以，在法国你总能吃到真正的、新鲜的食物。
两周后，我发现自己爱上了这个美丽的地方，开始张口用简单的法语和当地人交谈。伤心的是，得回家了。怀着一颗破碎的心，还有残留在肚子里的美味佳肴，我依依不舍地跟法国同事说“Au revoir”（再见），开始了Saint-Tulle到马赛100公里的归程。去机场前，我计划在马赛的老港口Le Vieux-Port de Marseille过夜，也是我老板建议的。
Driving in South France with GPS (2)
-Saint-Tulle-
With my excellent preparation over the weekend, I showed up in the company’s office in Saint-Tulle in the chilly but sunny morning of Monday. There I began my two weeks of working visit with my French colleagues, whom I had never met before. To show off my French, I greeted everyone with “Comment allez-vous?” They replied, “No, no. You don’t have to be so formal. ‘Comment ça va?’ would be good.” Later, even “Comment” was dropped. Every morning we started the day with “Ça va?” and a cup of strong coffee in the kitchen. To my surprise, the French boys were very loud when they discussed their projects. They assured me, “It’s just a discussion, not quarrel.” They politely closed the door not to interfere with others. The office had morning and afternoon coffee breaks, with people smoking outside the building and kidding around. Lunch time, we walked over the grass to eat at the cafeteria of the EDF school (Électricité de France). At the end of the day, each person as they left the office would go around to say “Salut!” to everyone who was still working. Since I showed up early and left late, I gave more “Ça va” and received more “Salut”. I had two pleasant weeks with my newly acquainted French colleagues.
Saint-Tulle is a lovely small town surrounded by tourist attractions, including the old town of Manosque and a national park, Parc Natural du Verdon (see the map in part I of this article). Manosque is the largest town in the Alpes-de-Hautes-Provence. According to historic records, the town existed before the first millennium. There is a canyon in the national park, called the French Grand Canyon of Verdon, where you can hike and canoe.
The next Saturday, I visited Manosque. The old city looked medieval but had everything from a farmers market to sophisticated boutique shops. I bought a baguette from a corner bakery and ate it on the street like a French girl. While window shopping, I spotted a nice chocolate shop and even L’Occitane, the beauty shop that specializes in natural ingredients and lavender products. One may see it only in Paris or the big cities in the States.
Later I learned that Provence is the home of L’Occitane. It has a factory shop and lavender farms in Manosque, which even offers a free tour. Twice a year the lavenders are harvested, followed by festivals in June and September. My earlier memory about lavender came from the 19th century French novels, which described the scents of lavender in ladies’ clothes. Lavender oil is prized as a liquid treasure by perfume makers around the world. Its flowers, seeds and oil are used in essential oil, beauty products, and herbal drinks. So, next time when you visit France, don’t forget to add a tour of Provence and its lavender farms. The national park, too, is a good addition. Remember don’t trust your GPS too much, as I was almost lost in the park under the command of the GPS lady.
I was always curious about what French people like most, arts, romance, or food? After I got to know my French colleagues better, I attempted this question. Love, food and sports, they hinted, and nobody mentioned arts. Talking about food, the lunch in the cafeteria of EDF was delicious. In particular, I loved the fish dishes there, because the fish looked like fish, smelled like fish, and tasted like fish. Back to Texas, where I live, the blackened fish, for instance, looks like a piece of charred wood and tastes worse than a piece of dead wood. By the way, the EDF people I met at the cafeteria were all happy people. One good explanation was, believe it or not, they retire at 55 with full benefits!
Even in the hotel I found the best pizza I ever had, which was brick-oven fired and flat-bread pizza. One evening I asked for a tomato soup. The chef replied that I had to tell him early in the morning, because he needed to shop for fresh ingredients. So, you always eat fresh, real food in France.
Saint-Tulle is a lovely small town surrounded by tourist attractions, including the old town of Manosque and a national park, Parc Natural du Verdon (see the map in part I of this article). Manosque is the largest town in the Alpes-de-Hautes-Provence. According to historic records, the town existed before the first millennium. There is a canyon in the national park, called the French Grand Canyon of Verdon, where you can hike and canoe.
The next Saturday, I visited Manosque. The old city looked medieval but had everything from a farmers market to sophisticated boutique shops. I bought a baguette from a corner bakery and ate it on the street like a French girl. While window shopping, I spotted a nice chocolate shop and even L’Occitane, the beauty shop that specializes in natural ingredients and lavender products. One may see it only in Paris or the big cities in the States.
Later I learned that Provence is the home of L’Occitane. It has a factory shop and lavender farms in Manosque, which even offers a free tour. Twice a year the lavenders are harvested, followed by festivals in June and September. My earlier memory about lavender came from the 19th century French novels, which described the scents of lavender in ladies’ clothes. Lavender oil is prized as a liquid treasure by perfume makers around the world. Its flowers, seeds and oil are used in essential oil, beauty products, and herbal drinks. So, next time when you visit France, don’t forget to add a tour of Provence and its lavender farms. The national park, too, is a good addition. Remember don’t trust your GPS too much, as I was almost lost in the park under the command of the GPS lady.
I was always curious about what French people like most, arts, romance, or food? After I got to know my French colleagues better, I attempted this question. Love, food and sports, they hinted, and nobody mentioned arts. Talking about food, the lunch in the cafeteria of EDF was delicious. In particular, I loved the fish dishes there, because the fish looked like fish, smelled like fish, and tasted like fish. Back to Texas, where I live, the blackened fish, for instance, looks like a piece of charred wood and tastes worse than a piece of dead wood. By the way, the EDF people I met at the cafeteria were all happy people. One good explanation was, believe it or not, they retire at 55 with full benefits!
Even in the hotel I found the best pizza I ever had, which was brick-oven fired and flat-bread pizza. One evening I asked for a tomato soup. The chef replied that I had to tell him early in the morning, because he needed to shop for fresh ingredients. So, you always eat fresh, real food in France.
After two weeks, I found myself fall in love with this beautiful place and people. I started speaking in simple French, too. Sadly, with my heart broken but French delicacies in the stomach, I bid “Au Revoir”, farewell, to my colleagues and began a 100-km dash to the old port of Marseille, Le Vieux-Port de Marseille, for a brief evening visit as my supervisor suggested.
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