Joys of Retirement at Chateau De La Mer (Seaside Garden Paradise): Taste of France- March Travel Series Here at THD

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Taste of France- March Travel Series Here at THD

The Taste of Southern France, Travel Series Here at THD started with a musical treat last Saturday night at our Cinema. I took some photos during the video presentation as well as the repertoire for the evening. The presentation started on time with introduction from host, Galen Carson, THD Activity Director.

I was a little bit disappointed of the one-hour musical tapes, since I heard better classical music before. The only one I really enjoyed was the violin quartet. Ravel's Pavane I heard before. Another performance of this sad piece of music I am reposting in the following video. It is a violin and piano duo rendition with pianist Carlos Avila( my late wife nephew) and Violinist Gonzales.

carlos avila pianist

Meanwhile, Here's a list of the best places to visit in Southern France
https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-places-to-visit-in-south-of-france-7488163

Bordeaux & Aquitaine – Great for: Vineyards, Foie Gras, Duck, Wine Tasting – Read our Aquitaine Travel Guide

Dordogne – Great for: Wine, Foie Gras, Truffles and Market Towns – Read our Dordogne Travel Guide

Midi-Pyrénées – Great for: Skiing, Wine and Festivals – Read our Midi-Pyrénées Travel Guide

French Riviera – Great for: Mediterranean-style beaches, Nice, St. Tropez, Cannes, Yachting and Festivals – Read our Côte d’Azur Travel Guide

Provence-Alpes – Great for: Mountains to the Mediterranean, Bouillabaisse, Provence and Avignon – Read our Provence Travel Guide

Personal Note: Looking forward to the Taste of France Special Dinner. I am wondering what would be the Entree? Will it be Pot-au-Feu?

The Oxford Companion to Food calls pot-au-feu "a dish symbolic of French cuisine and a meal in itself"; the chef Raymond Blanc has called it "the quintessence of French family cuisine ... the most celebrated dish in France, that honors the tables of the rich and poor alike"; and the American National Geographic magazine has termed it the national dish of France.

pot-au-feu means pot on fire.

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Joys of Retirement at Chateau De La Mer, Marinduque, Philippines

I have been retired from USFDA since 2002. At first, I feel I have lost my identity as an individual or have lost my contribution to society. However, within a few weeks all these feelings were gone. It started when my wife and I started baby sitting one of our grandchildren. As some economics professor states: "Your children are your capital investments, but your grandchildren are your profits. That is why you love your grandchildren more than your children". I really agree with the statement. Retirement also gives you lots of time to do things you like to do, such as your hobbies and of course travel. In my case, I turned my hobby of gardening and landscaping into a small business in the Philippines. This endeavor was planned about five years before 2002. That year my wife and I started construction of our retirement home in Boac, Marinduque , Philippines. The next year we built a beach house, followed by a Conference Hall two years later. Needless to say, planning and executing the landscaping was a challenge and very enjoyable. With the help of local labor, I not only enjoy the time gardening and landscaping, but also help improved the economic situation of the province by providing work and jobs to the local residents. With plenty of time, I have engaged into two specific activities as follows: First, I created a website for my small business. By trial and error, I created and design the website, www.chateaudumer.com I have never been a computer nerd or expert. But with plenty of time and patience, the fruits of my labor could be enjoyed if you visit the website above. The second activity, I have not done before was to utilize on-line activities, such as shopping, paying bills ( save you stamps) and playing computer games in the Internet. I really enjoyed playing duplicate bridge on line. You play with players all over the world and can chat in between games. But be careful, you are not spending too much time in the computer. It is very addictive. With a lots of time, my wife and I devoted more time on our favorite humanitarian project. For the last 15 years, we have been involved with medical mission to the province of Marinduque. For details please visit the website: www.marinduqueinternational.org As a summary, the joy one gets on retirement is very specific for an individual. Some enjoy their free time by learning new activities, getting involved with humanitarian projects or spending more time with their grandchildren. Others hate it, since they missed their former jobs and co-workers. Others with no children still enjoy retirement by traveling, turning their hobbies into business or more community involvement. Of course those that retire and hate it, is believe to die earlier than those that enjoy their retirement years. So, plan your retirement as early as you can. The happier you are on retirement, the longer you will live.

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Taste of France- March Travel Series Here at THD

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