blog -->, Family, Children, Travel, Parental truths
The homecoming (parental truths number seven)
We got back yesterday evening from a perfect press trip. I did write and tell you all about it but the blog seems to have vanished. I can only assume the tourist board of the Var, keen to avoid yet more visitors to the magical islands of Porquerolles and Port-Cros somehow managed to infiltrate my blog and delete it. Anyway, to sum up, it was totally perfect. Lots of sunshine, sea, sand, and not a PR person in sight. The only PR I saw a lot of was Pale Rose.
Then we came home. It started well. “Did you have a nice sleep?” was Leo’s first question. But then it went pear-shaped. Children, rather like animals, will punish you if you go away. The parental truth is that much as you NEED to get away in order to remain married, they don’t care. I mean they care about you remaining married but they don’t care what takes you away, they don’t like it.
They bickered and fought and pushed each other off the trampoline and argued and wept and generally behaved as badly as was humanly possible until it was time for bed.
But I was prepared for this. I had three days to prepare for this. And rather like a terrible hangover after a fantastic party I have to conclude that it was worth it.
Copyright: Helena Frith Powell 2007
25 Sep 2007 helena
Just to say I read the vanished blog and thought I had lost my mind when it had mysteriously disappeared! I am so in need of a break that I imagine the whole episode.
So, tell me quick, before your site is inflitrated again, where was it and where did you stay. Promise I won’t tell anyone!
They tell me the server was being upgraded, so no more mysterious than that!
The Golden Isles are just off the coast of Provence, nearest big town Toulon. They are just the most beautiful islands you can imagine. The smaller one, Port-Cros, is reminiscent of the Caribbean. There are no cars allowed on either island. The hotel to stay in in Port-Cros is Le Manoir, dreamy, old-fashioned, almost colonial. I would in fact stay there the whole time and take day trips to Porquerolles. Don’t miss lunch at the one-star Michelin Mas de Langoustier - amazing. But do avoid the Provencale on Port-Cros, not good. For Sunday lunch head for the restaurant closest to the port and have the fish of the beautiful eyes.
I am already longing to go back, although the children are being nicer this morning!
Hx
I always believed you hated fish. ???
I like fish that doesn’t taste of fish - that is white, fluffy kind of fish. But show me an anchovy and I run like hell.
Hx
No Jansons for you then! Surstromming perhaps?
Even worse!
Hx
Come on, Helena. You cannot really be said to have truly lived until you have opened a can of Surstromming indoors, avoided keeling over and then bravely eaten the contents!