A basic grammar and vocabulary review of the French language, as well as some informal & slang vocabulary and a special section on vocabulary for English-speaking expatriates living in France. Also included is an appendix on French pronunciation for English speakers as well as IPA transcriptions for most of the vocabulary lists and all of the verb conjugations.
Visit the Store to buy the e-book for $9.95 or paperback book for $24.95.
We’re saying farewell to Florida with this final sunset, as we arrive in the French Alps today. A bientot, Florida.
Tags: alps, back to france, Beaches, blogsherpa, farewell, Final Sunset, florida, fort myers beach, french alps, sunset
Posted in Florida, Seasons, Things to Do, Thoughts on the French Life, Travel, Uncategorized, Video, Weblogs | No Comments »
Sanibel Island is a lovely island in the Gulf of Mexico, just off the mainland of the city of Fort Myers, Florida. It’s pristine and will remain that way due to very strict building and conservation regulations. The Ding Darling Bird Refuge is on Sanibel too and brings in the lovely tropical and beach birds from all over the region. We took a walk on the main beach, visited the Lighthouse and the Pier, and took video and photos of the birds, including an Osprey Nest with a baby.
My next post will be our last from Florida, as we head back to the French Alps in the dead of winter. What a difference that will be!
Tags: alps, beach, Birds, blogsherpa, egret, farewell, florida, iris, lighthouse, marseille, nest, osprey, pier, sand, Sanibel Island, United States
Posted in Florida, Seasons, Things to Do, Thoughts on the French Life, Travel, Uncategorized, Video | 1 Comment »
One of my final videos of Florida before returning to France is of the Sand Sculpting Competition at Fort Myers Beach. The Beach had its first World Championship Sand Sculpting Competition this year. It was chosen because it is one of the few beaches in the world that has the ‘correct’ sand to do the sculptures. It was astonishing to see the skill and patience required to create these gorgeous sculptures. It took them several days to complete them. See some of the best, including the winners of the competition.
Tags: beach, blogsherpa, competition, florida, fort myers beach, sand, sand sculptures, sculptors, Sintra, United States, world championship sand sculpting
Posted in Culture, Current Affairs, Florida, Food and Drink, Music, Seasons, Things to Do, Travel, Uncategorized, Video, Weblogs | 1 Comment »
Every month throughout the year, Fort Myers has a Music Fest in the downtown area. Granted, it’s not like the Fete de la Musique in the towns of France, but it was fun just the same. Fort Myers today is nothing like the Fort Myers I grew up in 50 years ago. It’s almost unrecognizable (thank goodness – it was pretty much farmers and crackers 50 years ago. Salt of the earth folk, but no one I had much in common with). Today it’s very international and even metropolitan in its feel. A sure sign of civilization is when Trader Joe’s opened its first Florida store in Naples, a sister city to Fort Myers. Yippee!
Here’s a video of the Music Fest. Enjoy.
Tags: bands, blogsherpa, Civilization, Crackers, downtown, Farmers, Fete De La Musique, florida, Florida Naples, Florida Store, fort myers, French Theme, Goodness, Little Break, Live Music, marseille, Music Fest, music festival, Myers Florida, Rednecks, Salt Of The Earth, Sister City, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Celebration, Trader Joe, United States, Video Music, web
Posted in Culture, Florida, Food and Drink, Music, Seasons, Things to Do, Travel, Uncategorized, Video, Weblogs | 1 Comment »
We’re having a much earlier interest in our French Alps Tours than in previous years. In fact, we already have five guests confirmed for the June tour and we may stop accepting guests at eight, so I’m giving my readers first chance at signing up for the June trip before my new, upcoming ad campaign hits the magazines. If we have enough interest, we may add on a September tour too, so drop me an email if you are interested. In the meantime, visit our site, see videos about the tour days, read about the stunning itinerary, and hear what others have said about the tour. Take advantage of the de-valued Euro too – the trip costs $350 less than last year!
Tags: Ad Campaign, alps, Email, First Chance, france, french, french alps, french alps tours, Itinerary, Magazines, mountains, paragliding aix les bains, Previous Years, sightseeing, snow i love you, southeast france, Summertime, Summertime Fun, tour, tours of french alps, Travel, traveling in France, visit
Posted in Chambery and Savoie, Culture, Current Affairs, Food and Drink, Seasons, Things to Do, Thoughts on the French Life, Travel, Uncategorized, Video, Weblogs | No Comments »
January posts will focus on the interesting events we did in Florida. Come February, we will be back in France and my posts will focus on our travels and lives there again. Even if you are a Francophile, you may still find some of the festivals in Florida interesting and a nice break from three years of pure French indulgences.
For instance, one of the main things that Fort Myers is known for is that it was the winter home of Thomas Edison, the inventor, and his good friend, Henry Ford, the car manufacturer. Edison owned the property from 1886-1931. Firestone also joined them quite a bit during the winters. Edison invented many of his inventions in his Fort Myers laboratory. He was a big influence in bringing many people to the area. The river is lined with beautiful, historic homes from the late 1800′s and early 1900′s. Of course, many have been torn down and replaced with modern monstrosities. The Edison and Ford homes were preserved and you can visit them. During the holiday season, they open them in the evenings, all dressed up in their holiday garbs. We decided to visit them and pay the $15 for a self-guided tour. We were glad we did since the gardens and homes were so lovely garnished with Christmas lights.
Tags: blogsherpa, Car Manufacturer, christmas lights, edison home, Evenings, festivals, Firestone, florida, Ford Car, fort myers, francophile, Friend Henry, Good Friend, Guided Tour, Henry Ford, henry ford home, holiday decorations, Holiday Season, Holiday Visit, Indulgences, inventions, inventor, laboratory, Monstrosities, Myers Florida, thomas edison, United States
Posted in Culture, Current Affairs, Florida, Seasons, Things to Do, Travel, Uncategorized, Video, Weblogs | 5 Comments »
Happy New Year to you! May 2012 be the start of the healing and recovery for our countries and our world. And may we find a way to respect and honor all living creatures, human and animal.
Tags: 2012, beautiful images of love, beginning of the new year, cheese, Creatures, france, happy new year, happy new year 2012, new year, paris, start, Year 2012
Posted in Current Affairs, Music, Seasons, Things to Do, Travel, Uncategorized, Video, Weblogs | No Comments »
