Travels and Cinema

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Over the past couple of years, most of us have been more armchair travelers than actual travelers, as the world shut down due to an international health emergency that fortunately did not turn out to be nearly as bad as plague.

As such, perhaps like me you've found other ways to see the world, through movies, TV, books, magazines and perhaps seminars.

If you haven't ventured out into the world yet, you're missing a lot.  In fact, there's a whole world of difference when you travel.

In any case, as I prepare to take a fall river cruise through France, I tuned into Amazon Prime for a beautiful movie, which includes lots of visual references to great art found in the Louvre and other top art museums throughout the world.   The story unfolds among perfect landscapes, still-lifes and portraits of pompous aristocrats and working people, that offer a sly wink to famous artists of the past.

Délicieux is an excellent movie, as long as you don't mind reading English subtitles.  It is presented entirely in French.

Being reminded of how fortunate we are to live in this free society of our era never ceases to feel rewarding to me.

Anyone who has never taken time to appreciate our rights and liberty in historical perspective should take time to study the past.  Unfortunately, it is increasingly the norm among our privileged youth to believe that anyone of European dissent must come from multiple generations of wealth and privilege.  Some have, but most not so much.

The movie proved perfect as preparation for a European river cruise, where spectacular beauty, art and fine dining are par for the well-planned course.

Seeing cinematic representations of historical eras helps us envision history as guides reveal fascinating stories of the region around us on tours that take us through the actual sites where those real-life dramas unfolded.

Another movie I watched recently was more about staying around our own home region, which certainly has its own rewards.

As the Roman philosopher and politician Seneca said in the first century, "The happy man is satisfied with his present situation, no matter what it is."

Why bring up a Roman when you were just talking about France in a short if rambling post?

If you've traveled through Europe, you know.  The Romans put their cultural and architectural stamp almost everywhere, including France.  In fact, while Seneca considered himself a Roman, he was born in Cordoba, Spain.

In any case, you can be happy without going anywhere, but if you are going to make the most of your life, you must step outside your door and live, not merely watch it in a movie.

To self-actualize, the protagonist of The Tender Bar finally comes to realize that change may come from within, but you have to go forth into the world to find your true self.  To not do so in this era would be a shame.