Part 5 - November 2019 Trip Report

lvbookworm

SBH Insider
Monday was by far the most memorable day of our trip. During our Sunday evening chat at Santa Fe, Dennis told us about the ceremony and celebration being held at the Hotel de la Collectivité in honor of Armistice Day. Kelly is always interested in anything related to military history so we knew we couldn’t pass this up! We made our way to the event a little early and parking was abundant. This was a place we’d never before visited, so it was nice to have a half hour or so to wander the grounds, see all the artwork on display and take in the atmosphere. One interesting piece that caught our attention was the sun dial. You can see a dot on the back row of numbers showing that it was almost 10:30 am.

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One by one local families began to arrive - some with relatives dressed in military uniform, others with school children dressed in their Sunday finest. We kept out of the way and to ourselves, not really knowing what to do or what to expect.

During the presentation it was hard to understand the speakers, but we were quite moved by the ceremony and the pride and gratitude that the locals showed to those who had served. Flags were presented, the flame at the memorial was lit and a group of school children sang La Marseillaise.

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After the ceremony we ran into Dennis and accompanied him back inside for a glass of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. He gave us a quick tour of the building complete with a glimpse inside the opulent “Wedding Room.” We even had the pleasure of an introduction to Bruno Magras! Thank you, Dennis! (And, if you are reading this, let me know if you are still interested in the videos that Kelly took. We’ll figure out an easy way to get them to you.)

On the way home we drove into town with the intent of getting takeout lunch. A few of the shops were open so we wandered a bit and bought a small bottle of M’Bolo Rhum Vanille for the villa. The heat and humidity were getting a bit unbearable so we stopped at Black Ginger takeout. Our eyes were much bigger than our stomachs and we went home with a smorgasbord of chicken with coconut and lemongrass sauce, chopped pork with thai basil, noodles with chicken and vegetables and jasmine rice. We were especially impressed with our side order of pineapple - look at how they cut each piece into a little heart!

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Everything was quite tasty, and we won’t hesitate to try the actual restaurant on a future trip. We spent the rest of the afternoon floating in the pool, reading and napping – in no particular order.

That evening we drove into town for a 7:30 reservation at Orega and found a parking spot across from Bar de l’Oubli. When we got out of the car we heard a few lines of Margaritaville and realized Jimmy Buffett was playing on stage at Le Select. It was his last song of the set, but we were able to enjoy the last bit with the rest of the crowd. From there we walked to dinner and were seated at a lovely table next to one of the front windows. It was quite warm, and we enjoyed the light breeze while watching people walk up and down the street. We were still a little full from our lunch feast, so we chose to order a few things tapas-style to share.

First we split one of the evening’s specials which was tuna with fois gras. The freshness of the tuna with the smooth, creamy fois gras was heavenly. Next we had wagyu gyoza with mushrooms and ponzu sauce. After that we split two sushi rolls: the spicy tuna and the smoking duck with fois gras.

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The service was second to none, and we really appreciated how they split our shared items in a way that made the presentation special. Nothing on the dessert menu really caught our eye, so we opted instead for an after-dinner drink at Baz Bar. A trio from Nashville called Nothing But Sunshine was playing, and the joint was packed. We were able to nuzzle our way into a stand-up spot at the bar and enjoyed a Rhum Vanille while enjoying their set.

The walk back to the car along the quai was very quiet without many other people or cars around, and it was so relaxing to hear the splashing of water and a light, creaking noise of the boats as they bobbed up and down in the water.

It was a full day, and one we will definitely not forget.
 
WOW! You’ve captured one of the best imaginable days on SBH! From your early arrival for the Collectivite ceremonies (love the “sundial” photo) . . . to your exquisite description of “hear[ing] the splashing of water and a light, creaking noise of the boats as they bobbed up and down in the water,” at the end of the evening — you’ve described a day that’s worthy of years of re-telling! And, BTW, I’d love to get Kelly’s videos . . . it was a great pleasure to share this special ceremony with you & to be able to introduce you to M. Magras.
 
I love your clear sharp photos and narration. You really have put together a great journal for us.

Very moving and special day.

I have been to the Collective at least 10 times and never saw the sundial..merci. Where is it? Planning to be there Thursday sonI can check it out in person.
 
Thanks Linda - I thought it was somewhere along the walkway from the parking lot but we covered a lot of ground that day.
 
Thanks Linda - I thought it was somewhere along the walkway from the parking lot but we covered a lot of ground that day.
Actually . . . I think both of you may be correct, considering that it’s difficult to say which side of the building is “the front.” In any event, the collection of sculpture items around the “Hotel” are attractive, & all are worth viewing.
 
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