Move forward
I'm reading "C’était ça ou mourir," a reality diametrically opposed to my own, yet with one common thread. Going on a trip means going somewhere and then returning, whereas traveling around the world means moving forward without looking back, like a refugee who leaves their country with no future for another where the future shines with promises—promises yet to be fulfilled, certainly, but promises nonetheless, while those promises have dried up back home. Which is obviously
Kuala Lumpur: between modernity and tradition
A day in this city that's developing at a breakneck pace, but where the inhabitants remain calm, smiling, and warm. What's the deal?
Le mois doux
In August, France settled down and I did the Roman. This year, the mild weather was timid, the heatwave dampened the enthusiasm of summer. The Roman took a break from his creative pursuits to welcome the one that appeared in his life at the beginning of the year, in the cold of winter. One is good, two is better, but not always. When things aren't clicking, sometimes you have to let go. Which, unfortunately, was the case. Nevertheless, gentle France offered its consolation pr
Ingrid fra Oslo
My visit to our Viking ancestors is also an opportunity for me to keep alive a long friendship with Ingrid. We met during an extended stay in Crete in 1979, and we've remained in touch despite long periods of separation. She has allowed me to forge bonds with her tribe, who welcome me warmly despite the Nordic chill. Immersing ourselves in the world of our distant cousins gives us the privilege of intimately understanding the customs, traditions, and social and economic conte
My almost brother Raoul
You're probably wondering how I got invited to this wedding at the ends of the earth. It's a long story. In 1980, during my last bohemian youth trip before returning to my studies, I had the opportunity to work at the Aquitaine Cooperative Association, where we were using traditional timber framing. I was Raoul's apprentice, a '68er who was putting into practice the utopia of that wave that swept away the dust of old France. We spent all day together and evenings going from b
L’Île de La Réunion
My first impression upon arriving on the island was that I was in France. The vehicles, the public transport, the roads, the roundabouts that follow one another, the heavy traffic, the beauty of the facilities, the difficulty of parking, everything, except the tropical vegetation. More modern and richer than Mauritius and even French Polynesia, but the population is predominantly Creole and proud of it, which creates a continuity. Like Mauritius, but unlike Polynesia, the isl
Hikers' Island
Reunion Island is renowned as a hiker's paradise, and I was able to confirm. The Piton de la Fournaise, this still-active volcano with its evocative name, is well known, but less the three volcanic cirques that complete the Reunion National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are three cirques, all spectacular and geologically unique. They are deep depressions in the heart of this volcanic massif. Some pockets have resisted and rise up amidst this vertiginous landscape:
Aging
“Dying, what a great deal” But growing old, oh, growing old” Brel didn't have the chance to grow old; tobacco abuse took its toll. I smoked, reasonably I would say, and I'm in good shape at 70, unlike my relatives who were once heavy smokers and who, like their smoke, have sadly vanished forever. My view of old age is heavily influenced by that of my parents—which is to be expected, you might say, as genetics plays a dominant role in aging, and I've witnessed this long pr
Georgetown, living together in a historic place
Penang is one of those industrial cities in Asia where microprocessors and other components are assembled, providing its residents with a standard of living similar to our own. The high-rise apartment buildings and modern vehicles attest to this. I would have loved to see these much-talked-about factories up close, but despite my efforts, no opportunity arose. In contrast, Georgetown, the old Penang, is well-preserved, vibrant, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Malaysians, Ch
To be there, present
Since my departure, a phenomenon has amazed me daily, and explaining it is not simple because it might seem like a personal bias. A brief digression to explain. Back when I was the director of a CPE (early childhood centre), one of my pleasures was attending the annual conference of the American NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). And yes, our Quebec system is much more inspired by the American approach than the French one, except, of course, w
Le jardin botanique de Kuala Lumpur
La ville est étouffante, chaude, bruyante. Son jardin botanique est un oasis où j’ai passé une journée
Urban Skechers of Penang
By chance, I arrived in Penang at the end of the cultural festival celebrating the recognition of its historic district as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Several establishments are open to the public for the occasion. The local Urban Skechers took advantage of it, and so did I. It's worth noting that a similar group exists in Montreal.
The wind in the sail
While many women in Kuala Lumpur wear headscarves, in the provinces they practically all do, often a light veil, but a veil nonetheless. So I wasn't surprised to find a woman wearing a headscarf working at the glamping site where I'd booked my accommodation for the week. But imagine my surprise when I heard her speaking impeccable French. Glad to be using my language, which I'd neglected these past few weeks, we struck up a long conversation. I. arrived in France from Morocco
Carbon footprint and mass tourism
Going around the world isn't great for my carbon footprint, I admit. While things are pretty good at home thanks to our hydroelectric power and my electric car, here I'm happily contributing to global warming, even though several of my flights are offset. Should I have stayed away? I asked myself the question, but not for very long. Here's my reasoning: I love to travel, and should I deprive myself of that when many countries, Americans first and Canadians second, are draggin
an invitation that cannot be refused
There are two trails that allow you to do a sort of loop around the island where I am. The distances are short, thankfully, because this circuit proved to be exhausting. The heat and humidity (humidity factor 35°C) add to the already challenging terrain. The trail is rudimentary but stands out well from the lush jungle once you find the access point. Luckily, AllTrails exists because signage isn't Malaysians' strong suit; you can even get lost in airports. I ventured out alon