Lavender Fields
If you ever happen to find yourself in the South of France in the summer, the lavender fields are a definite “Must See.” Bring your camera, pack a picnic, and be prepared for the scent, sight, and sound of a lifetime.
Lavender - the intoxicating smell encompasses everything around. It has long been on my bucket list to visit a lavender field in full bloom.
Late one afternoon, armed with a dog-eared travel guide, a wishful Pinterest board, and a map, we hit the highway in search of purple.
The first field we found had about a dozen different groups of people spread out among the rows of brightly blooming flowers. They must have the same travel guide. Nearly all had cameras – some were posing for family photos, some for model shots, or some for Instagram fame. All were reveling in the amazing sight, smell, and sounds of the field.
As we left the main highway and meandered along smaller roads (aka some paved, some gravel) we left the crowds and found empty fields. Happy bees buzzed loudly. We had packed a picnic and as the sun began to set, we dined with lavender fields on all sides.
The South of France is arguably the best place in the world to find thousands of acres of beautiful, breathtaking lavender fields. The rocky, well-drained soil makes the perfect growing environment. The typical blooming and harvest season is from mid-July through mid-August. It was late July so some of the fields had already been harvested. Lavender harvest is similar to cutting hay, leaving crisp green rows where the vibrant purple lavender blooms had been.
During our quests for the most beautiful lavender fields, we stopped at small seasonal stores to talk with local farmers. These pop-up markets had lavender-everything: essential oils, sachets, foods, and bunches of fresh blooms.
If you ever happen to find yourself in the South of France in the summer, the lavender fields are a definite “Must See.” Some of the top places to find lavender fields include:
· Terre UGO in Aix-en-Provence
· Plateau of Valensole
· Plateau of Claparedes
· Village of Sault
· Route de Manosque
· Luberon Villages - Gordes and Saignon
Bring your camera, pack a picnic, and be prepared for the scent, sight, and sound of a lifetime.
Written for Sonder Travel Magazine Edition 4
Market Days
On Tuesday (Mardi), Thursday (Jeudi), and Saturday (Samedi) the town becomes a party of textiles, handcrafts, antiques, food, and flowers. Buses, cars, and Vespas may speed around the sculptural Fountaine de la Rotonde, but the sidewalks are all reserved for vendors and inspectors of their goods.
We hit up the market with a short list of items to find: lavender soap, straw hat, handmade cutting board, and lunch.
The Aix Markets (Marche’s D’Aix) host dazzling displays of colors, textures, and scents. A variety of old-style markets are held daily. The city of Aix-en-Provence, often shortened to simply Aix, pronounced like the letter “X” is located on the edge of the Cote d’Azur.
Vendors line up their wares on both sides of the tree-lined Cours Mirabeau. Aptly named one of the most beautiful avenues in the world, on market days this Provincial place bursts with energy and commerce.
On Tuesday (Mardi), Thursday (Jeudi), and Saturday (Samedi) the town becomes a party of textiles, handcrafts, antiques, food, and flowers. Buses, cars, and Vespas may speed around the sculptural Fountaine de la Rotonde, but the sidewalks are all reserved for vendors and inspectors of their goods.
The fish and food market can be found daily at the Place Richelme. Fresh seafood is brought in from nearby boats in the Mediterranean coastal towns of Marseilles and Cassis. Shrimp, fish, mussels, and octopus are kept on ice to go straight from the market to your kitchen.
Colorful fruits and vegetables dominate the main food market. Red, yellow, and purple tomatoes are stacked beside braided knots of garlic longer than a man’s forearm. Fresh cantaloupe, berries, and apricots are piled among every color of food imaginable. Buckets and bowls of fresh spices, imported from around the world, are sold by weight. But smelling them all is free of charge.
Aix-en-Provence was once the capital of Provence. Nearly 45,000 international students add a youthful energy to the town from the university that dates from 1409. Aix is also known as the City of A Thousand Fountains because of the dozens of fountains that punctuate nearly every street corner. The café’ laced maze of narrow streets make the perfect place for two of our favorite activities - shopping and people watching.
Successful in our market haul, we were inspired to stop on the way back at one of the sidewalk cafés. We got the plat du jour. I am pretty sure the ingredients for the chicken curry came from the daily market just a block away.
Written for Sonder Travel Magazine Edition 4
The Globe-Trotting Photographer
When Houston was born, every doctor that appeared had worse news: unable to breathe, jaundice, low muscle tone, hole in his heart, open heart surgery, Down syndrome. Each specialist cited their own long list of things he might never do. They never imagined by the age of 22 he would travel to 48 of the United States and to 26 countries.
It was late in the day as we climbed the hill to Montmartre. Snow had been swirling most of the day. But, tiny bits of blue now peeked through the moody clouds.
Our goal was the second-highest point in Paris, the Sacre Coeur or “Sacred Heart,” but we were getting a late start. The woman at the ticket office said the tower was open, but she was closed. We bought two tickets (5 euros) at the outside kiosk. At the back of the cathedral we found the unassuming entrance and climbed nearly 300 steps. We wound around the roof lines and ascended the final stairs to the inside of the dome.
Paris spread out below - a literal living history map. The imposing Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe built by Napoleon, the ancient towers of Notre-Dame, the Louvre Art Museum, the rooftops of the artist district of Montmartre, and hundreds of centuries-old landmarks.
Sitting on a stone bench we watched as the sun quickly set. Houston reached out and wrapped my cold hand in his warm, chubby ones. A dull gray covered the city. Slowly a single golden light shone below, then another, then another. Soon, the entire city was a dazzling, sparkling wonderland of golden, yellow, and red lights. Houston released my hand and picked up his camera. “Click, click, click,” he checked the back of the camera, and continued snapping in every direction as the sky grew dark and city grew bright.
A Unique Travel Photographer
When Houston was born, every doctor that appeared had worse news: unable to breathe, jaundice, low muscle tone, hole in his heart, open heart surgery, Down syndrome. Each specialist cited their own long list of things he might never do. They never imagined by the age of 22 he would travel to 48 of the United States and to 26 countries.
Through his photographs, Houston is able to share his love for travel and his eye for beauty. He has become an expert traveler. Numerous month-long trips have been spent with only a carry-on, and a backpack for his camera. He loves planes, trains, buses, subways, water taxis, or whatever it takes to get to the next beautiful place. He never meets a stranger. Meeting new people and learning about new cultures from around the world is one of the best parts
When asked his favorite country?
He smiles and says, “All of them.”
A Strong Self-Advocate
Advocacy takes many forms. Some advocates are public speakers, while some quietly work behind the scenes to change opinions, policies, and laws. For Houston, he is an advocate both in front of and behind the camera.
He has been signed with a talent agency since he was 5 years old. He has worked in both film and print. He has been in commercials for clients ranging from Boy Scouts of America to Department of Defense. He works to bring awareness for inclusion, bullying, and advocacy. Through years of working with photographers and filmmakers, Houston has learned much about visual storytelling. He is a strong self-advocate who pushes for inclusion in the arts and creative world.
Defying The Odds
It took years of physical therapy for Houston to be able to walk and to climb his first step. Now, he has hiked between the Cinque Terre towns in Italy, to a glacier and a volcano in Iceland, and around an Alpine lake in Slovenia. He has climbed to the top of the Tower in Pisa, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and clock towers in Cambridge and Florence.
It took years of oral motor therapy for Houston to learn to eat. Now, he has savored pizza in Italy, waffles in Belgium, haggis in Scotland, fish’n’chips in England, and escargot in France. Each of these accomplishments are special, but are more incredible considering the doctors’ grim predictions of restrictions and limitations.
Sharing His Vision
In the summer of 2017 Houston held his first solo exhibit. It included photographs from his trips to Germany, France, Scotland, England, and Italy. His work has since been included in art shows and in multiple publications. He was recently selected as the sole photographer to have work represented at the Art Gallery in Perth, Scotland featuring fine artists from around the world.
Houston Vandergriff recently finished his Photography Certification from the University of Tennessee. In the near future, He is focusing on building his photography skills and learning business processes. He is seeking new opportunities to showcase and sell his work. And, he is busy making plans for his next trip.
His goal? Travel to every continent.
He’s well on his way.