Well I made it.. And I think it's gonna be all right!!

Well, kids I made it to France...
The flight was pretty much flawless. Though the short flight from Amesterdam to Marseille was the longest hour and a half of my life.... But when I landed in Marseille I grinned from ear to ear!!!
The first night here was nice... Phoned "mi amor Gitano" we met for dinner... He and his "mujer" makes me laugh... I will say this it was good to see that face.. He has the sweetest smile Well, the first time I ever saw it I knew I was in trouble.... Needless to say because of that smile I am here... Now it's not just the smile... It's what that smile has lead me to... Oh la la can I go on about that??? But I digress..
Not bad for a first night out...
Day two was okay.. I didn't sleep very well.... And I decided that i needed to start apartment hunting ASAP...
The day was pretty crappy to begin with and i was not in the best of moods... Jet lag caught up with me....
And it was pretty much a bust on the appartment hunting here in Arles... Looked at a funky little house near the Arena.... It wasn't bad... eh who am i kidding it had this funky smell to it.. hmmm not a good selling point... At that point after looking at a couple of places I got a little bummed out... Things were not moving as fast as i had hoped... but as it has been said everything happens in it's own time... Well, I came back to the hotel and took a nap and a shower and rested for a while then i pretty much decided that i needed to take a drive to clear my head... so i did... Driving through the Camargue at night hmm it worked... I came back and decided that at this point it is out of my hands... Well, that was last night... I woke up this morning with a pretty good feeling that today was going to be okay... Had lunch with a friend of mine at a nice place in the Roquette.. I'll keep it in mind for when visitors arrive.... After lunchI went to a few agencies and looked at a cute little place by the train station, of all places... However, note to all, when trying to rent as an american here in france it's almost impossible... eh i love the challenge!! Yet at this point the challenge has been a sore spot.. I just want to get into a place of my own... Hotels bug me after one or two days... Tooo small.... and I can't cook my own food.... and i hate living out of a suit case.... LA VAGABUNDA PURA at this point.... After looking at the house I came back to the hotel set up another soiree/ dinner with "mi amigo" in Les Saintes... Got there called and called and called... The orginal place we were set to meet was Cerado! For a half an hour I set in my car waiting for the "mujer" to get off of his phone... Finally he answers... QUE PASA??? OH LA LA!! Finally, we met up.... Mira, Los Gitanos y sus mujeres.... Aye dios mio!! Gitanos tiene mucho mujeres. Y solo una amor de sus vidas... El siempre dice a mio, "yo tengo mucho mujeres en mi vida pero yo tengo solo una Melissa" So if you are wondering why i put up with what i put up with that's why.. And yes i know what Gitanos are.. I know how they work... And I know what their game is all about.. As long as I am straight forward with them and tell them where I stand I have no problems... I have had nothing but positive experiences with the Gitan of this part of the world and I like to keep it that way... Digression # 2..... Bare with me.. That's why I am writing a book kids... At dinner "mi amigo" introduces me to yet another, what I like to call, Star of the Camargue music scene.. Juanito... Wow what a talent.. and what a wonderful personality.... I met him and his family... He has a wonderful wife, Maria... We sat and listend to some music that i had with me on my i-pod.. another hint.. want to hit it off big with the gitanos... Bring the ipod with speakers and play some music that they like... Oooh before i forget.... Part of the next generation of Gypsy catadors made an appearance.. Jose, Pablo's son, Miguel, Janito's son and a few of what I like to call the young Gitano bucks were there... I love it they sit there with their cell phones playing tunes that they downloaded to their phones. They pound out rythms on their chests or the table and they all sing... Cool thing is even the older guys got into it.... it's amazing what happens to their faces, when music is heard... How their eyes light up and their hearts song just comes out.... Those really are the moments where you sit there and go wow...... It's what they were born to do.. Funny I seem to think that we were all born to sing our own heart's song, yet by the time we realize that we have it, it gets lost.... These guys never loose it... Needless to say after the conversations I have been having, the past few weeks, with "mi amigo" it was good to hear him sing his heart's song again... Digression #33 We sat and talked for a while then it was brought up that I was looking for a place to live and well, Juanito had studio. Okay unfrigginbelievable..... So tomorrow i look at a flat in Les Saintes... and I spend yet another day with one of the Camargue's finest musicians... I was totally blown away... And yes I do understand why the welcome mat was basically thrown at my feet so quickly.... It's the same old story.... They size you up to see what you have... You play the game.... and if they drop you like a rock then it's their loss.. Ladies, CUIDADO CON LOS GITANOS!! After another wonderful evening with "mi amigo" , his family juanito, and his family.. I made my way back to Arles.... I realized something on my drive back to Arles... That this journey that I am taking allowed me to find something that I lost... My heart's song... And I realized that I am here for me... It seems to be the place where I can truly hear Mi cancion de mi corazon.... Okay gang.. I hope this makes sense... It's 2 in the morning here and i had to write what's happened so far... If you have lost your heart's song GO FIND IT!!!