Life hasn’t been all hard work, though. I was invited to run a five-day training course for some of our recently-promoted graduates, based in Alicante, Spain. Since I only had a week of vacation, there was no way I could turn down a week in the sun.

There were over 400 participants involved in the training, and we managed to take over the entire hotel. The weather was great, with temperatures in the high twenties and low thirties, warm water in the pool and lots of sunshine. My biggest regret was not bringing sunscreen – even though my time outside was limited (as I was preparing classes), I still managed to find enough time in the sun to burn myself. I spent the rest of the trip doing my impression of a lobster.

Delegates playing ping-pong by the pool

Relaxing by the pool

Cruising on a dolphin…

Flying fish!

Playing in the pool

They really laid on a lot for the guys. They had chartered a plane from Paris for all the French delegates, and there was a real party atmosphere as we headed to Alicante. On the second night, they rented an amusement park exclusively for us. On the third day, they brought in all sorts of games around the pool for a team-building afternoon. My two highlights of that day: first, the rest of my team-mates assuming I was a recent graduate (haven’t felt quite that young since I was carded at a bar in the US) and the second, someone coming up and complimenting me on my good English (I was the only native speaker involved in the training!)

The class itself was a lot of fun to run – I have run similar classes before so didn’t have to do much preparation. The delegates do most of the work themselves, and present back on the final day (after spending all night in a nightclub we rented for their exclusive use. Many didn’t get back until 6am, but they still managed to be up and working at 8am despite being told they weren’t required to start until 10h30! That’s a pretty dedicated group.) Here are a few pictures of them giving their presentations…

Students presenting their case studies

Students presenting their case studies

Students presenting their case studies

Students presenting their case studies

Students presenting their case studies

Students presenting their case studies

Students presenting their case studies

Students presenting their case studies

Students presenting their case studies

Students presenting their case studies

Students presenting their case studies

And here are a few team shots as we presented the awards…

The most important moment of the week – the winning scores are revealed!

Student team

Student team

Student team

Student team

Student team

Day five of the vacation, and time for me to head back home. Owing to the unexplained disappearance of our gardien, we found ourselves with no one to look after the cats while we were away. Rather than the more orthodox approach of asking a neighbour to look after them (all the neighbours seemed to be away on vacation as well), I flew my father in for the week from Paris.

For him, it was a chance to explore a city he hadn’t visited in nearly twenty years. I cut my trip to the south of France a few days short and came back to spend some time with him.

The only downside? My cats seem to hate him.

Jim finds his road

 

Relaxing in the Jardin du Luxembourg

 

On the Seine

 

Look at me!

 

Posing by the fountain. Seconds after discovering that the wind was blowing and getting drenched with the spray from the fountain. Oh, how the other tourists laughed and pointed!!

 

Holding the Eiffel tower. Look, I am a tourist!

 

Cat-sitting

 

Striking the casual, pointing stance in the Marais.

 

Aude & Jim

 

Jim & Matt in front of the Centre Pompidou. The ugliest building in Paris, according to my father.

 

Jim in front of Paris Plage

 

Matt & Jim in front of Paris Plage

 

Matt & Aude in front of Paris Plage

 

Day four of our vacation – time for a trip to St Tropez for dinner. We took the ferry over, managing to avoid the worst of the splashing on the way (which left everyone sitting outside completely soaked). We arrived in St Tropez and took a leisurely stroll to our favourite restaurant.

With a few hours to kill after dinner, we took the time to walk around the streets a little bit and stumbled onto a bunch of kids dancing near the harbour. Pretty impressive, and cheaper than going to a nightclub.

Aude, waiting by the docks for the ferry to St Tropez

Aude, waiting by the docks for the ferry to St Tropez

Boats on the way to St Tropez

We nearly hit a stranded boater as we entered the harbour. It reminded me a lot of the first time I saw St Tropez from the water. Or should that be from IN the water?

Boats on the way to St Tropez

Boats on the way to St Tropez

Only in St Tropez would you find a Jaguar taxi.

Walking along the harbour at St Tropez

Aude in St Tropez

A street in St Tropez

Street dancers

Street dancers

Street dancers

Aude looks on

Having spent all our money on dinner in St Tropez, Aude finds a cheaper way to get home.

Day 3 of our vacation in the south of France. We put Jerome in charge of cocktails, and I was put in charge of the barbeque. Aude’s father was put in charge of killing the bees, and Aude’s mother was in charge of the couscous. Aude volunteered to be in charge of sitting by the pool.

Look out — the bee killer is poised and ready for action!

 

Limes at the ready for mojitos

 

Experts at work making the cocktails

 

A consultation in the kitchen

 

Jerome wonders if he should use the entire bottle

 

More drink-ology

 

By the pool

 

Cats are very clean animals. Minouche gets ready to take her shower.

 

Minouche watches all the action from beside the pool

 

Aude takes her job of relaxing by the pool very seriously.

 

Matt is on barbecue duty — merguez sausages at the ready!

 

The couscous is a success!

 

Relaxing in the pool…

 

One of my favourite parts of living in France is the markets. I was up early one morning in Les Issambres, so decided to brave the crowds and head down to the local market with my camera. I probably would have been better on foot, as it took longer to find a parking spot than it would have simply to walk down the hill, but at least I didn’t have to walk back UP the hill!

Wondering the streets in the local market

 

An enormous pan of paella

 

Another pan of paella

 

Olives

 

Garlic!

 

Red tomatoes

 

Another paella — very popular with everyone going to the beach

 

A woman sells olives, artichokes and garlic

 

Repairing old clocks

 

Sausages and salami

 

Sun dried tomatoes

 

A woman carries her shopping through the market

 

My first real update in more than a month. Needless to say, August has been very, very busy. I am spending most of my time right now travelling between my client’s various sites around Europe, and August has meant trips to Ireland, England, Switzerland, France, and Spain. Deadlines are looming and people are becoming more and more stressed.

Early in August, I did at least get the chance to take a week off. Aude and I spent a week with Aude’s parents and brother in the south of France. It was my first real vacation since we went on our honeymoon nearly a year ago, and even the few days of sun were a welcomed break.

A nice swimming pool and view over the houses

Aude takes her first dip in the pool

Relaxing by the pool

More views over the swimming pool. I could get used to this view every morning.

Flowers

More flowers

Aude in front of the pool

Matt begins to relax by the pool

Aude’s parents are beginning to plan their trip to the US

Preparing dinner

Beginning to relax

Ah – it is because she has a cocktail in her hands!

In the kitchen