- Weather changes- rainy-sunny-windy-cloudy-start over...
- Baaa, nehhhh, mooooo
- Fields and fields of crops
- Near the Atlantic and remote
- Gold Beach-D-day British invasion
- Apple and pear ciders and frommage (cheese)
- BREAD (surprising?)
- Small sleepy villages
- French roads and cars: small and quick
- WW2 remnants everywhere
- US, British, Canadian, German and French flags
- White stone buildings
- Different French accent from the South
- UFO looking cement H2O towers
- No ice cream shops?!
- 2 kisses on the cheek
- 2 hours from Paris
- Abundant water, hence abundant greenery
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Tidbits: Ver sur Mer
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Day 10
We started this morning by grocery shopping at Hyper Champion for our burritos and cookies that Luke and I are making for dinner. Then Luke and I met Jean Noel at the Peace Museum in Caen. This has a thorough history of WW2. We toured thorough the sometimes cryptic production and the sea of school children. We finished the tour with a quick film showing the Allied side of D-day and the Nazi side on a split screen. It was interesting to see the map of France in the months following D-day and how the allies liberated town by town. Pictures of the towns before and after the war explains quite a bit about the sometimes awkward concrete architecture all over the country. The entire place had to be rebuilt!
Then we headed to pick up the kids from school and took a quick look around. The school looked very similar to schools in the US with a big chalk board up from and students art on all the walls. We then went to play 18 holes of mini golf, which took awhile, but was entirely entertaining. The kids personalities came out. Nicholas is quite an athlete and his hockey player golf stroke won him the game.
Dinner was next and we made burritos with chocolate chip cookies. Luke did an excellent job baking and we used chopped up chocolate bars, as chocolate chips weren't easy to find. France has brought out the baker in Luke, I'm very impressed. Once again the burritos were a hit. The hardest part was wrapping them up. The kids really liked getting choose what went into theirs (less veggies) and they each had 2. I left both recipes in their guest cookbook and then chatted over the Internet with a friend for a bit, technology is so cool. Tomorrow we head back to Paris, so tonight we must pack. I'm ready for the big city and then our journey home.
Then we headed to pick up the kids from school and took a quick look around. The school looked very similar to schools in the US with a big chalk board up from and students art on all the walls. We then went to play 18 holes of mini golf, which took awhile, but was entirely entertaining. The kids personalities came out. Nicholas is quite an athlete and his hockey player golf stroke won him the game.
Dinner was next and we made burritos with chocolate chip cookies. Luke did an excellent job baking and we used chopped up chocolate bars, as chocolate chips weren't easy to find. France has brought out the baker in Luke, I'm very impressed. Once again the burritos were a hit. The hardest part was wrapping them up. The kids really liked getting choose what went into theirs (less veggies) and they each had 2. I left both recipes in their guest cookbook and then chatted over the Internet with a friend for a bit, technology is so cool. Tomorrow we head back to Paris, so tonight we must pack. I'm ready for the big city and then our journey home.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Day 9
Today was a long day. It is Wednesday, and every Wednesday all French children have the day off from school. They go to school until July and then take the required 6-8 week vacation with their parents. This in conjunction with the 2 week breaks they get for All Saints (October), Christmas, Winter, and Easter. As a teacher I think these breaks make sense and keep anyone from getting too stale on school. As in the US, private schools are getting popular, much to the distaste of many French folks.
Back to our day's journey. We are visiting Mont Sainte Michel. The monastery to which many people make pilgrimages, and it also becomes an island during high tide. It is 1.5 hours drive to the western most part of Normandy. This took us past rolling hills, more small villages and scenery that can be compared to HWY 280, south of San Francisco.
From a distance, Mont Sainte Michel is quite a sight to behold. There appears an ornate spire and church, that looks like a castle from fairy tales. We arrived during low tide and it was surrounded by a vast area of wet sand and small rivers. The tide was so far out that we couldn't even see the waves breaking. This is a sight where pilgrims cross the long wet beach on foot during low tide. One must be careful of quicksand and the tide rushing in as quickly as a galloping horse. Many have been caught off guard and been swept away to sea. All to pay homage to Sainte Michel. He who fought the devil, who took the form of a dragon. There are pictures and statues inside of the Sainte slaying the dragon. See, I told you it was a fairytale place.
Now for the reality of modern day. There were about 20 tour buses and parking lots full of cars on the side that said, "The sea does not cover this side today." The one main road inside the ramparts is narrow, steep and cobble stoned. It is packed with people and flanked on either side by tourist shops all the way up. This was a mellow day. On a busy day the crowd sweeps you off your feet and up the narrow alley. It is much more calm off the beaten path, on the walk on the outside of the island and through the gardens. Those monk must have had the strongest legs from walking up and down so many hills and stairs.
We had lunch at a fancy restaurant Le Mere Poulard. Here they specialize in omelets made of eggs that are beaten to a foamy froth to a distinct beat. We sat upstairs in a quiet corner of the restaurant. Luke ordered the deep fried cheese and I ordered the mussels as an appetizer. His was better than mine. As the main course he order a bacon and potato omelet and I got the lamb. My lamb was tasty and the fat had been cooked to a golden crunchy goodness. Luke's omelet was light and fluffy with a side of egg foam. For dessert we shared a sabayon; raspberries and strawberries in a custardy sauce, tasty. It was a nice stop in the middle of a busy and crowded day.
We finished the tour with a trek up hundreds of stairs, through crowds to the church at the top of the hill. Luke and I decided not to visit inside the church since they charged for viewing it. We meandered down the crowded ally, through some shops and down an ally no more than 18 inches wide (this was funny), and back to the miniest mini van.
On our way back to Ver sur Mer we dozed in the car and made a quick stop in the town of Bayeaux. Here we visited the cathedral (for free). It was huge and there were saints painted on the ceiling. We were able to go under the pulpit to the original Roman church. Very cool, small and dark. The town was preserved well and not bombed from the last war. There was a small river running through it, renaissance flags up and down the corridors, and we could have spent half a day shopping and people watching there.
We went to a shop that specialized in alcoholic beverages and foods. Jean Noel and Luke tried many kinds of ciders from sweet to very strong, like brandy. Luke bought one that would be hard to find in the states and then we headed home. For dinner we had white beans and duck, a specialty of the area. It was quite tasty and a good hardy meal at the end of a long day.
Back to our day's journey. We are visiting Mont Sainte Michel. The monastery to which many people make pilgrimages, and it also becomes an island during high tide. It is 1.5 hours drive to the western most part of Normandy. This took us past rolling hills, more small villages and scenery that can be compared to HWY 280, south of San Francisco.
From a distance, Mont Sainte Michel is quite a sight to behold. There appears an ornate spire and church, that looks like a castle from fairy tales. We arrived during low tide and it was surrounded by a vast area of wet sand and small rivers. The tide was so far out that we couldn't even see the waves breaking. This is a sight where pilgrims cross the long wet beach on foot during low tide. One must be careful of quicksand and the tide rushing in as quickly as a galloping horse. Many have been caught off guard and been swept away to sea. All to pay homage to Sainte Michel. He who fought the devil, who took the form of a dragon. There are pictures and statues inside of the Sainte slaying the dragon. See, I told you it was a fairytale place.
Now for the reality of modern day. There were about 20 tour buses and parking lots full of cars on the side that said, "The sea does not cover this side today." The one main road inside the ramparts is narrow, steep and cobble stoned. It is packed with people and flanked on either side by tourist shops all the way up. This was a mellow day. On a busy day the crowd sweeps you off your feet and up the narrow alley. It is much more calm off the beaten path, on the walk on the outside of the island and through the gardens. Those monk must have had the strongest legs from walking up and down so many hills and stairs.
We had lunch at a fancy restaurant Le Mere Poulard. Here they specialize in omelets made of eggs that are beaten to a foamy froth to a distinct beat. We sat upstairs in a quiet corner of the restaurant. Luke ordered the deep fried cheese and I ordered the mussels as an appetizer. His was better than mine. As the main course he order a bacon and potato omelet and I got the lamb. My lamb was tasty and the fat had been cooked to a golden crunchy goodness. Luke's omelet was light and fluffy with a side of egg foam. For dessert we shared a sabayon; raspberries and strawberries in a custardy sauce, tasty. It was a nice stop in the middle of a busy and crowded day.
We finished the tour with a trek up hundreds of stairs, through crowds to the church at the top of the hill. Luke and I decided not to visit inside the church since they charged for viewing it. We meandered down the crowded ally, through some shops and down an ally no more than 18 inches wide (this was funny), and back to the miniest mini van.
On our way back to Ver sur Mer we dozed in the car and made a quick stop in the town of Bayeaux. Here we visited the cathedral (for free). It was huge and there were saints painted on the ceiling. We were able to go under the pulpit to the original Roman church. Very cool, small and dark. The town was preserved well and not bombed from the last war. There was a small river running through it, renaissance flags up and down the corridors, and we could have spent half a day shopping and people watching there.
We went to a shop that specialized in alcoholic beverages and foods. Jean Noel and Luke tried many kinds of ciders from sweet to very strong, like brandy. Luke bought one that would be hard to find in the states and then we headed home. For dinner we had white beans and duck, a specialty of the area. It was quite tasty and a good hardy meal at the end of a long day.
Day 8
Woke this morning and had cereal for breakfast. Jean Noel is kind enough to lend us his car, which is a manual and will from now on be known as "the mini beast". Luke and I set off on our own to visit Omaha Beach, the Cemetery, and Pointe du Hoc, about an hours drive away. Jean Noel hooked us up with his GPS which we have named Jac. Unfortunately Jac was a little difficult to understand at the first round about and we went the wrong direction ending up down a dirt road in a grocery parking lot. We changed to the GPS du Luke, continuing through the countryside and tiny villages that were mostly closed up. Later learned that these houses are often second homes for those who live in Paris.
We parked at the US cemetery and walked in. The ocean on one side, a sea of white crosses on the other, and a huge statue flanked by huge maps of the invasion tactics. Each cross had someones name, date of death and their home state. We were able to walk down to the beach where the action took place and I was surprised at how much uphill climbing the soldiers had to do before reaching any Nazi soldiers. From there we went to the museum, found an Alton burial plot from Wisconsin, and watched a brief documentary about letters written home by fallen soldiers. It made the human aspect of war very real and brought tears to our eyes. Afterward we toured the rest of the museum and found the Alton headstone.
From the cemetery we headed to Pointe du Hoc, another war memorial. We stopped for lunch at a small country restaurant. Either our ability to order food is getting better or awkward is becoming normal. Probably both.
Pointe du Hoc was right around the corner. It is a bluff in between Utah and Omaha beaches (the beaches that the US forces attacked). From here the Nazis could bomb both beaches simultaneously. There were 225 Army Rangers that climbed the cliffs on D-day and battled for 2 days without much reinforcement. When they were finally relieved there were only 90 men remaining. Here the French have left the bomb craters in the ground. It is astonishing how many craters there are and how much earth was moved by 1 bomb, let alone thousands of them up and down the coast. It's strange to be in a place where war destroyed EVERYTHING, but to be surrounded by ocean, grass, flowers and chirping birds.
Luke and I found our way back home and didn't even have to get out of 2nd gear in the mini beast, thankfully. We had to pass a group of cyclists up a hill on a narrow winding road, Tour de France style. If I wasn't in an old stick shift I probably would have been more patient, but for now I was mumbling obscenities under my breath. Luckily we passed them and found our way to Jean Noel's.
When we got there it was time to pick Alice up from her gymnastics class. All 4 of us went to the beach. While Alice played in the sand the 3 adults had a champagne aperitif and discussed politics. For dinner we had pasta and grilled sausage. Everyone was in good spirits after dinner, even though the French will not be advancing in the Euro soccer finals. It was a beautiful and meaningful day in Normandy.
We parked at the US cemetery and walked in. The ocean on one side, a sea of white crosses on the other, and a huge statue flanked by huge maps of the invasion tactics. Each cross had someones name, date of death and their home state. We were able to walk down to the beach where the action took place and I was surprised at how much uphill climbing the soldiers had to do before reaching any Nazi soldiers. From there we went to the museum, found an Alton burial plot from Wisconsin, and watched a brief documentary about letters written home by fallen soldiers. It made the human aspect of war very real and brought tears to our eyes. Afterward we toured the rest of the museum and found the Alton headstone.
From the cemetery we headed to Pointe du Hoc, another war memorial. We stopped for lunch at a small country restaurant. Either our ability to order food is getting better or awkward is becoming normal. Probably both.
Pointe du Hoc was right around the corner. It is a bluff in between Utah and Omaha beaches (the beaches that the US forces attacked). From here the Nazis could bomb both beaches simultaneously. There were 225 Army Rangers that climbed the cliffs on D-day and battled for 2 days without much reinforcement. When they were finally relieved there were only 90 men remaining. Here the French have left the bomb craters in the ground. It is astonishing how many craters there are and how much earth was moved by 1 bomb, let alone thousands of them up and down the coast. It's strange to be in a place where war destroyed EVERYTHING, but to be surrounded by ocean, grass, flowers and chirping birds.
Luke and I found our way back home and didn't even have to get out of 2nd gear in the mini beast, thankfully. We had to pass a group of cyclists up a hill on a narrow winding road, Tour de France style. If I wasn't in an old stick shift I probably would have been more patient, but for now I was mumbling obscenities under my breath. Luckily we passed them and found our way to Jean Noel's.
When we got there it was time to pick Alice up from her gymnastics class. All 4 of us went to the beach. While Alice played in the sand the 3 adults had a champagne aperitif and discussed politics. For dinner we had pasta and grilled sausage. Everyone was in good spirits after dinner, even though the French will not be advancing in the Euro soccer finals. It was a beautiful and meaningful day in Normandy.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Day 7
Today is a travel day. We are going from Avignon in the south to Caen (Normandy) all the way in the north. We had a breakfast, got some lunch for the train, filled the car with the most expensive gas ever, bid farewell to David and are on our way to visit Jean Noel, Anne Marie, Nicholas, and Alice.
As you may remember there was a discrepancy about whether the metro would be running or not, luckily I was wrong and it was running just fine. We were able to connect from one train station to another. Our inbound train was 10 minutes late which gave us 45 minutes to catch our next train. We were off like crazy through the metro, hauling all sorts of luggage, stopping to buy metro tickets, and running up stairs. I'm really glad we had done this before. At the train station the departing trains were not listed by number as they have been before. Luckily the attendant we asked spoke English. We found the train and climbed aboard with 11 minutes to spare, although we were sweating. Off we went for the 2 hour ride to Caen from Paris. We prepared our sandwiches and gazed our into the country. The north is very green and has stone houses with slate tiled roofs.
Jean Noel was at the platform and took us to his home in Ver sur Mer about 20 minutes away. He was thrilled at the sunnyweather and we had aperitifs outside. The kids, Alice and Nicholas were quiet and doing homework. For dinner we had some meat bread with a tomato sauce and veal with root vegetables, finished with the best chocolate mousse I've ever had in my life.
All of us piled into the miniest mini van and headed to the shore for a walk. We could see the remaining parts of WW2 man made piers in the ocean and leftover cement gun bunkers. Alice skipped along the sea wall (she'll skip on any wall if she can). While travelling sucks all of my energy I do enjoy seeing new places, especially like this coast which reminds me of Northern California so much.
As you may remember there was a discrepancy about whether the metro would be running or not, luckily I was wrong and it was running just fine. We were able to connect from one train station to another. Our inbound train was 10 minutes late which gave us 45 minutes to catch our next train. We were off like crazy through the metro, hauling all sorts of luggage, stopping to buy metro tickets, and running up stairs. I'm really glad we had done this before. At the train station the departing trains were not listed by number as they have been before. Luckily the attendant we asked spoke English. We found the train and climbed aboard with 11 minutes to spare, although we were sweating. Off we went for the 2 hour ride to Caen from Paris. We prepared our sandwiches and gazed our into the country. The north is very green and has stone houses with slate tiled roofs.
Jean Noel was at the platform and took us to his home in Ver sur Mer about 20 minutes away. He was thrilled at the sunnyweather and we had aperitifs outside. The kids, Alice and Nicholas were quiet and doing homework. For dinner we had some meat bread with a tomato sauce and veal with root vegetables, finished with the best chocolate mousse I've ever had in my life.
All of us piled into the miniest mini van and headed to the shore for a walk. We could see the remaining parts of WW2 man made piers in the ocean and leftover cement gun bunkers. Alice skipped along the sea wall (she'll skip on any wall if she can). While travelling sucks all of my energy I do enjoy seeing new places, especially like this coast which reminds me of Northern California so much.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Day 7
Woke up and hung out with David and Yael in the house. We had 4 computers going at once. There was French Canadian TV on and David informed me that Canadian French is sometimes so different that the French can't understand it. Maybe like Scottish is to English? Canadians claim to speak the more pure French language.
After a long lazy morning, Luke and I headed to the Pont du Gard. The second tallest Roman structure still standing in France. It was 45 minutes aways and we found it without a map and some directions from David. Driving in France is pretty easy. The day was cloudy as we made our way through the countryside. We arrived around the same time as tour buses with Germans and Americans. We picked up some glace and followed the masses to the aqua duct.
The park was free and appeared to be a popular place to walk dogs. It was also the only river we have seen people swimming in. The Pont du Gard was quite large and impressive. Especially since there is no mortar holding the stones together, just the sheer force of perfectly cut rock on rock.
We found our way back to the house, although we took a different route home. As soon as we arrived Luke and I started making diner. We were making burritos with chocolate chip cookies. Luckily, Anne had plenty of spices and goodies, so when I forgot rice at the store we used some of hers and spiced it up. We served it all French style except we had chips and salsa as an appetizer, salad, then the burritos and finally milk and cookies. I was under a bit of pressure as no one had ever had burritos before. They were excited to assemble their own and it was all a great hit. Everyone had 2.
We sat for awhile around the table and talked of nothing in particular. It is so nice and I don't want to leave tomorrow. The French country lifestyle suits me. It's mellow, full of good food, great people, and a beautiful climate. Sadly we folded our clean laundry and packed our backs in preparation for our travel day.
After a long lazy morning, Luke and I headed to the Pont du Gard. The second tallest Roman structure still standing in France. It was 45 minutes aways and we found it without a map and some directions from David. Driving in France is pretty easy. The day was cloudy as we made our way through the countryside. We arrived around the same time as tour buses with Germans and Americans. We picked up some glace and followed the masses to the aqua duct.
The park was free and appeared to be a popular place to walk dogs. It was also the only river we have seen people swimming in. The Pont du Gard was quite large and impressive. Especially since there is no mortar holding the stones together, just the sheer force of perfectly cut rock on rock.
We found our way back to the house, although we took a different route home. As soon as we arrived Luke and I started making diner. We were making burritos with chocolate chip cookies. Luckily, Anne had plenty of spices and goodies, so when I forgot rice at the store we used some of hers and spiced it up. We served it all French style except we had chips and salsa as an appetizer, salad, then the burritos and finally milk and cookies. I was under a bit of pressure as no one had ever had burritos before. They were excited to assemble their own and it was all a great hit. Everyone had 2.
We sat for awhile around the table and talked of nothing in particular. It is so nice and I don't want to leave tomorrow. The French country lifestyle suits me. It's mellow, full of good food, great people, and a beautiful climate. Sadly we folded our clean laundry and packed our backs in preparation for our travel day.
Day 6
Hung out this morning with David's family. Luke and I played Taki (Uno) with Vincent and he won practically every round. We are now learning our French numbers and colors, takes me back to preschool. Anne made a very tasty lunch of salad, lamb, and potatoes. We learned that the Southern French serve veggies before the main course so you can fill up on the good for you stuff before the meats and carbs. There is always some sort of alcoholic beverage, although surprisingly little wine, and always ALWAYS bread. Yummy crusty on the outside doughy in the middle bread. We finished the meal with cheese, and dessert and some had cigarettes. Luke and I then headed for a small town called Les Baux. It was a short winding trip through the Alpilles.
This small town was built into a stone hill and the king was known to make non-ransomed prisoners jump off the walls to their death, for fun. Now it is a small tourist town with local flavors in the boutiques. We also happened upon a wedding in the church. There were people running around in tuxes with tails and clopping through the cobblestone streets in high heels. We sat and watched the bride enter the church with her father. Pretty perfect for Luke's and my one week anniversary. We got glace and enjoyed the day. How can you not love a region that has ice cream everywhere?
After Les Baux we toured our fuel efficient mini car throughout the country, over the Alpilles and back to the house. We had enough time before Vincent's school show to snack on sandwiches and cokes. I took a quick catnap in the sun and we were ready for the next adventure.
We went with Anne to Vincent's school and met up with David there. I was very excited to see the children's performances since we had recently done ours at Challenger. Student's ages range from 3-10 years old. All the children danced, mostly to pop music, but I think I could move here and do choreography for them. There were fond of jumping in place, and then in circles. My favorite was the Wild West montage including a bar fight and line dancing and cowhide chaps. Vincent's class, the oldest, did a club scene with a new French music/dance called Techtonik (Google it). It involves waving and twisting your arms all over the place while simply bouncing your legs up and down. There was a lot of room for interpretation. Vincent was the best attired with the highest mohawk and black star painted on his right eye.
Following the exhibition we went to a bar with David to watch some aspiring French rock bands. We learned that because Rock and Roll is American, just about every band sings in English, although many don't understand the lyrics. One band came on and played very hard rock. Luke loved it. In his tucked in button up shirt he moshed with he rest of the crazies. All the French folks were dressed in black and Luke was a head taller than everyone. It was pretty funny for everyone to watch and Luke had a great time. David and his sisters were so surprised to see Luke come out of his shell in that way.
The day ended with a shower in David's tiny astronaut training facility shower. Tomorrow David informed us is Sunday and we will find nothing in town but faith. It's a good thing we already went to the store to pick up everything we will need to make dinner tomorrow.
This small town was built into a stone hill and the king was known to make non-ransomed prisoners jump off the walls to their death, for fun. Now it is a small tourist town with local flavors in the boutiques. We also happened upon a wedding in the church. There were people running around in tuxes with tails and clopping through the cobblestone streets in high heels. We sat and watched the bride enter the church with her father. Pretty perfect for Luke's and my one week anniversary. We got glace and enjoyed the day. How can you not love a region that has ice cream everywhere?
After Les Baux we toured our fuel efficient mini car throughout the country, over the Alpilles and back to the house. We had enough time before Vincent's school show to snack on sandwiches and cokes. I took a quick catnap in the sun and we were ready for the next adventure.
We went with Anne to Vincent's school and met up with David there. I was very excited to see the children's performances since we had recently done ours at Challenger. Student's ages range from 3-10 years old. All the children danced, mostly to pop music, but I think I could move here and do choreography for them. There were fond of jumping in place, and then in circles. My favorite was the Wild West montage including a bar fight and line dancing and cowhide chaps. Vincent's class, the oldest, did a club scene with a new French music/dance called Techtonik (Google it). It involves waving and twisting your arms all over the place while simply bouncing your legs up and down. There was a lot of room for interpretation. Vincent was the best attired with the highest mohawk and black star painted on his right eye.
Following the exhibition we went to a bar with David to watch some aspiring French rock bands. We learned that because Rock and Roll is American, just about every band sings in English, although many don't understand the lyrics. One band came on and played very hard rock. Luke loved it. In his tucked in button up shirt he moshed with he rest of the crazies. All the French folks were dressed in black and Luke was a head taller than everyone. It was pretty funny for everyone to watch and Luke had a great time. David and his sisters were so surprised to see Luke come out of his shell in that way.
The day ended with a shower in David's tiny astronaut training facility shower. Tomorrow David informed us is Sunday and we will find nothing in town but faith. It's a good thing we already went to the store to pick up everything we will need to make dinner tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
More Tidbits
-There are NO blueberries in France
-Trees all in a row are trimmed to look identical
-Bring your own bag to the grocery
-Ice is unheard of
-Mini cars are very fuel efficient, some more so than hybrids
-Round abouts ROCK!
-Check out The Lightseekers on MySpace and YouTube (David's band)
-3 kisses on the cheek in Provence
-David plays great piano
-It can be windy in the south
-Rolling suit cases work well here and all the French use them too
-glace=gelato=ice cream=GOOD
-cobblestone everywhere
-In France 4 weeks of work = 2 weeks vacation
-Southern France is great!
-Trees all in a row are trimmed to look identical
-Bring your own bag to the grocery
-Ice is unheard of
-Mini cars are very fuel efficient, some more so than hybrids
-Round abouts ROCK!
-Check out The Lightseekers on MySpace and YouTube (David's band)
-3 kisses on the cheek in Provence
-David plays great piano
-It can be windy in the south
-Rolling suit cases work well here and all the French use them too
-glace=gelato=ice cream=GOOD
-cobblestone everywhere
-In France 4 weeks of work = 2 weeks vacation
-Southern France is great!
Day 5
Today we woke to the sounds of David's nephew and his friend paying soccer. They were home for lunch and it was 1 pm! Everyone was eating an we missed the party. After it was all packed up we walked to the end of the road, which leads on a hike into the Alpilles hills. David's mom calls them mini mountains. We hiked to the top in about 1 hour and it was WINDY. We could see all the way to le mer (the sea). Luke wanted to hike to the next peak, but I put the kabosh on that idea. We trekked back to the house and took a quick dip in the pool. Then we went and explored St.Remy.
St.Remy is fresh and airy. The trees are trimmed so the foliage is only on the top of the trees. This allows it to appear light, but not bright. The roads are narrow and better for horse transportation and cars. It has a small hidden square where David says they perform plays and music. We sat at a cafe and got ham and cheese sandwiches and cappuccinos and then glace, of course!
We then headed back to David's and hung out there for awhile. His mom made a lovely gratin with potatoes and zucchini, feta and mint. It was light and tasty and a perfect way to end the day in St. Remy.
St.Remy is fresh and airy. The trees are trimmed so the foliage is only on the top of the trees. This allows it to appear light, but not bright. The roads are narrow and better for horse transportation and cars. It has a small hidden square where David says they perform plays and music. We sat at a cafe and got ham and cheese sandwiches and cappuccinos and then glace, of course!
We then headed back to David's and hung out there for awhile. His mom made a lovely gratin with potatoes and zucchini, feta and mint. It was light and tasty and a perfect way to end the day in St. Remy.
Day 4
We woke this morning at 7:30am raring to move on from Paris to Avignon and St.Remy (pronounce San Remee). We felt so lucky to have made it to breakfast while others were still eating, unlike yesterday. As always there was an awkward moment trying to explain who we were, but a quick flash of the room key remedied that. There is nothing like starting the day with a croissant smothered in Nutella.
Packed up and checked out we managed through the metro heaving luggage behind us. The train station was packed with French and international travellers alike. We popped out our tickets and thank goodness for our translator. Cars, seats, floors, all this to figure out as well as the hug board that directs everyone where to go. Once we got the color coding we moved to the platform with #'s, not letters.
The station was home to many pigeons and while their flapping stirred the air and gave a momentary breeze, a sad gentleman next to us got a major pooping on. We instantly looked up and were able to move on without incident. Thanks to our new best friend "Rick Steve's 2008 France" travel guide we knew to check our tickets at a yellow kiosk by our train. But which one? There were 3 different kinds. Our herd mentality let us to follow the others at terminal 19 and we were able to get on the train without any protest. The train numbers started moving up to 13 and jumped to 18, but where was our car 15? No worries, it starts counting backwards from 18. It made as much sense as the bread shop being closed on Wednesday. We finally found our seats and I could relax for the next 3.5 hours, all the way across France.
The woman sitting across from us kept throwing out tidbits in French, to which I smiled and "oui'd". for all I know she was telling me about a huge bugger on my chin. I noticed on the train that no one spoke much and generally read, snoozed, or stared out the window with indifference.
The scenery was lovely. Green, lush, cypress, small towns, stucco and tile roofed houses.
Arriving in Avignon I spotted David right outside our car and was so happy to see a familiar face. While Luke loves the adventure of a new city and unknown languages, I would just assume all the help I can get. People helping people (especially helping me!) Right on par for this visit when I told David about our car rental, he informed me that it was at the other train station in Avignon. Of course. Kindly he drove us over and negotiated that there was an Alamo car rental, even though it was not listed with all the others.
Wading through the paperwork we finally got the keys and found our blue mini-car. Aptly enough it was stuck on the bumper and didn't move forward when I pressed the accelerator. This led to a 5 minute discussion about how to put the (automatic) car into drive. There were actually only 2 choices, forward and reverse, how had could this be? As soon as David came over to help I pressed the accelerator a little harder and the car freed itself. I meant to do that.
Mini car followed David to the small city of Avignon and hunted for mini car parking. Anything goes here as long as your mini car neighbor can negotiate his way out in any mini direction. David had to get back to work before we found parking and he suggested we get lost and maybe one will appear. As he drove away our very own mini space became available. We were prepped to tour the town and with directions to St.Remy where we were to meet David in front of the church at 7pm.
Avignon is a fortified city so in case of bow and arrow attack you will be safe inside it's walls. It looks like a medieval city only with cars driving in and around it. On the way in we walked past 3 glace (gelato) shops and into the main square. We sat at the first cafe and ordered the plat du jour. In this case it was some meat (pork probably) with clove and nutmeg sauce, carrots, zucchini, and a side salad. Not something I would have ordered myself, but quite tasty. We ended the meal with cappuccinos and lounged a bit.
We then wandered around the city and found a surprising number of fashion boutiques. This is France after all. We ordered glace and sat under a tree, next to the town carousel and continued people watching. The locals here are pretty and clearly pride themselves on being well maintained; hair, clothes, sunglasses, etc.
Avignon's big claim to fame is the Palace of the Popes and the Pont de Avignon, a bridge that no longer crosses the water and has a nursery rhyme written about it. Both charge money to "experience" them, so we opted to view them from the outside. Very ornate with nice views of the Rhone River and surrounding areas.
We decided to give ourselves 2 hours to find St.Remy. Luke as navigator and me as pilot. I needed all the help I could get as we left at rush hour, oh goody. Luckily drivers here are decent and a wee bit crazy, so working my way int the far lane wasn't as hard as it might have been. If only we had taken the correct exit. No mater, due to Luke's excellent sense of direction we found our way to St.Remy, round abouts and all.
St.Remy reminds us of Nevada City and Capitola with, you guessed it, a carousel in the middle. With an hour to pass we sat at a cafe across from the church and drank. At 7pm we spotted David's yellow-green Kia and walked to meet him. I could see the relief in his face that we actually made it. Luke, who has been the pack horse the whole time remembered that there was a pool at David's and we requested to go there first. We followed David to his home in the country, 8 minutes away.
For those of you who have been to Luke's house in Nevada City you would recognize many similarities, the first being a long drive up a dirt road. Now picture towering pines, cypress trees in rows, rolling hills, stucco farm houses with clay tile roofs, patios shaded with vines, rows of orchards, a pool house, gardens with blooming flowers, a pool and a backdrop of rocky hills (the Alpilles.) This is where David lives. Straight from a picture book, it was love at first sight. David's mom Anne and nephew Vincent and dog Luna came out to greet us. Such happy welcoming people. Vincent was so happy to go swimming with us, as everyone else thought it was much to cold to swim. We are the crazy Americans after all. It was refreshing after a long day of travel.
Anne set us up in a room all our own with a sink, lofted ceilings, and a view of the Alpilles out the window. As soon as we were settled we started the evening with an aperitif (sweet wine) at sunset accompanied by local olives and crispy chips. We then moved inside for a lovely salad and pasta and mushroom gratin. The vegetables that Paris was lacking are in Provence. Thank goodness! We finished with fruit salad that included pine nuts and mint. Very fresh and the perfect ending to the long day.
So far I love St. Remy and David's family. And any fear of starvation is gone. We spend the evening discussing the usual, but the most important part was learning to count to 5 in French. David likes my accent and thinks it's hysterical that I can make the funny rolling sound with the back of my tongue. Good day!
Packed up and checked out we managed through the metro heaving luggage behind us. The train station was packed with French and international travellers alike. We popped out our tickets and thank goodness for our translator. Cars, seats, floors, all this to figure out as well as the hug board that directs everyone where to go. Once we got the color coding we moved to the platform with #'s, not letters.
The station was home to many pigeons and while their flapping stirred the air and gave a momentary breeze, a sad gentleman next to us got a major pooping on. We instantly looked up and were able to move on without incident. Thanks to our new best friend "Rick Steve's 2008 France" travel guide we knew to check our tickets at a yellow kiosk by our train. But which one? There were 3 different kinds. Our herd mentality let us to follow the others at terminal 19 and we were able to get on the train without any protest. The train numbers started moving up to 13 and jumped to 18, but where was our car 15? No worries, it starts counting backwards from 18. It made as much sense as the bread shop being closed on Wednesday. We finally found our seats and I could relax for the next 3.5 hours, all the way across France.
The woman sitting across from us kept throwing out tidbits in French, to which I smiled and "oui'd". for all I know she was telling me about a huge bugger on my chin. I noticed on the train that no one spoke much and generally read, snoozed, or stared out the window with indifference.
The scenery was lovely. Green, lush, cypress, small towns, stucco and tile roofed houses.
Arriving in Avignon I spotted David right outside our car and was so happy to see a familiar face. While Luke loves the adventure of a new city and unknown languages, I would just assume all the help I can get. People helping people (especially helping me!) Right on par for this visit when I told David about our car rental, he informed me that it was at the other train station in Avignon. Of course. Kindly he drove us over and negotiated that there was an Alamo car rental, even though it was not listed with all the others.
Wading through the paperwork we finally got the keys and found our blue mini-car. Aptly enough it was stuck on the bumper and didn't move forward when I pressed the accelerator. This led to a 5 minute discussion about how to put the (automatic) car into drive. There were actually only 2 choices, forward and reverse, how had could this be? As soon as David came over to help I pressed the accelerator a little harder and the car freed itself. I meant to do that.
Mini car followed David to the small city of Avignon and hunted for mini car parking. Anything goes here as long as your mini car neighbor can negotiate his way out in any mini direction. David had to get back to work before we found parking and he suggested we get lost and maybe one will appear. As he drove away our very own mini space became available. We were prepped to tour the town and with directions to St.Remy where we were to meet David in front of the church at 7pm.
Avignon is a fortified city so in case of bow and arrow attack you will be safe inside it's walls. It looks like a medieval city only with cars driving in and around it. On the way in we walked past 3 glace (gelato) shops and into the main square. We sat at the first cafe and ordered the plat du jour. In this case it was some meat (pork probably) with clove and nutmeg sauce, carrots, zucchini, and a side salad. Not something I would have ordered myself, but quite tasty. We ended the meal with cappuccinos and lounged a bit.
We then wandered around the city and found a surprising number of fashion boutiques. This is France after all. We ordered glace and sat under a tree, next to the town carousel and continued people watching. The locals here are pretty and clearly pride themselves on being well maintained; hair, clothes, sunglasses, etc.
Avignon's big claim to fame is the Palace of the Popes and the Pont de Avignon, a bridge that no longer crosses the water and has a nursery rhyme written about it. Both charge money to "experience" them, so we opted to view them from the outside. Very ornate with nice views of the Rhone River and surrounding areas.
We decided to give ourselves 2 hours to find St.Remy. Luke as navigator and me as pilot. I needed all the help I could get as we left at rush hour, oh goody. Luckily drivers here are decent and a wee bit crazy, so working my way int the far lane wasn't as hard as it might have been. If only we had taken the correct exit. No mater, due to Luke's excellent sense of direction we found our way to St.Remy, round abouts and all.
St.Remy reminds us of Nevada City and Capitola with, you guessed it, a carousel in the middle. With an hour to pass we sat at a cafe across from the church and drank. At 7pm we spotted David's yellow-green Kia and walked to meet him. I could see the relief in his face that we actually made it. Luke, who has been the pack horse the whole time remembered that there was a pool at David's and we requested to go there first. We followed David to his home in the country, 8 minutes away.
For those of you who have been to Luke's house in Nevada City you would recognize many similarities, the first being a long drive up a dirt road. Now picture towering pines, cypress trees in rows, rolling hills, stucco farm houses with clay tile roofs, patios shaded with vines, rows of orchards, a pool house, gardens with blooming flowers, a pool and a backdrop of rocky hills (the Alpilles.) This is where David lives. Straight from a picture book, it was love at first sight. David's mom Anne and nephew Vincent and dog Luna came out to greet us. Such happy welcoming people. Vincent was so happy to go swimming with us, as everyone else thought it was much to cold to swim. We are the crazy Americans after all. It was refreshing after a long day of travel.
Anne set us up in a room all our own with a sink, lofted ceilings, and a view of the Alpilles out the window. As soon as we were settled we started the evening with an aperitif (sweet wine) at sunset accompanied by local olives and crispy chips. We then moved inside for a lovely salad and pasta and mushroom gratin. The vegetables that Paris was lacking are in Provence. Thank goodness! We finished with fruit salad that included pine nuts and mint. Very fresh and the perfect ending to the long day.
So far I love St. Remy and David's family. And any fear of starvation is gone. We spend the evening discussing the usual, but the most important part was learning to count to 5 in French. David likes my accent and thinks it's hysterical that I can make the funny rolling sound with the back of my tongue. Good day!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Tidbits from France
-Every town has it's own carousel
-Hundreds of bunnies greeted us at the airport on the runway
-Rollerblades are quite popular
-metro passes also rent you a nifty bike with a basket for above ground travel
-I am NOT a hardcore biker compared to Parisians riding in traffic
-Hammer pants and strappy sandals are fashion, but anything goes, as long as you own it.
-I almost got into a walk off with a model getting his head shots taken next to the Eiffel Tower, but he was dressed way better than I
-I have French hair
-I am clearly American and wish I knew how to speak French
-graffiti, on statues?!
-thumbs up= 1
-deux is my new favorite number
-French women always accessorise
-the metro is hot as hades and a whole underground world
-Paris is humid
-David says my French accent is good, I am "gifted"
-I will laugh at all these moments that cause me grief
-Ce-est bon. (pronounced "say bon")= It's good.
-Hundreds of bunnies greeted us at the airport on the runway
-Rollerblades are quite popular
-metro passes also rent you a nifty bike with a basket for above ground travel
-I am NOT a hardcore biker compared to Parisians riding in traffic
-Hammer pants and strappy sandals are fashion, but anything goes, as long as you own it.
-I almost got into a walk off with a model getting his head shots taken next to the Eiffel Tower, but he was dressed way better than I
-I have French hair
-I am clearly American and wish I knew how to speak French
-graffiti, on statues?!
-thumbs up= 1
-deux is my new favorite number
-French women always accessorise
-the metro is hot as hades and a whole underground world
-Paris is humid
-David says my French accent is good, I am "gifted"
-I will laugh at all these moments that cause me grief
-Ce-est bon. (pronounced "say bon")= It's good.
Day 3
This morning got off to a bumpy start. Luke and I slept until 10am, but had set our clock an hour off so we thought it was 9am. No biggy except when we started eating breakfast 30 minutes past the cut off, the cook was none to happy about it and started mumbling in French under her breath. There is nothing worse than knowing you're being talked about in a language that you don't understand. I did my best smile/merci and bowed with my hands in a prayer position as if begging for mercy. She relented and told us to EAT! We scarfed down food and were going to get bread from the boulangerie, but it was closed. Who knows why, probably because it's Wednesday.
Then we made our way to the train station, which is connected by the metro. The original plan had been to visit Giverney (Monet's gardens) but we changed those plans due to our late rising. While at the station we decided to purchase tickets to Avignon and Caen. Of course we didn't get the English speaking teller, but a very friendly smiley woman who claimed not to speak English. Her English was way better than both Luke's and my French put together. She did say something to the affect that there was no metro on Monday to connect our trains from Paris to Caen and that we would have to take the bus, but Luke says that can't be. I guess we'll see what happens on Monday (I'll let you know). I was glad to have the tickets taken care of and the knots in my stomach started to loosen. Which must mean we needed food.
We found a cafe, the Sarah Bernhardt Cafe, and ordered more food and cappuccinos. Luke's spirits were lifted by the "happy juice" and for the rest of the day he made up songs in French using his limited vocabulary and some made up words too. I love to see him so happy. I, however, was feeling jet lagged and grumpy. We decided to visit the Musee d'Orsay. More frickin' walking.
This time we crossed a pedestrian bridge and something interesting happened. As we walked down some stairs a young man appeared to find a ring on the ground. He gestured that it was too big and gave it to us. He then asked for money in return. I'm so naive! I gave it to him urging him to trade it for money and then another American man walked by telling us it was a fake. Later, Luke found a section on scams, low and behold, the "found ring" was in the travel guide.
We finally made our way into the museum, which was a converted train station. The Musee d'Orsay starts where the Louve leaves off. It is mostly impressionist paintings and sculptures, with a few beginning photographs. Now, I'm not one for museums, but this one was a good one because I am most familiar with impressionist art. Monet being one of my favorites growing up. Here we got to see the superstars of impressionist art: Monet, Degas, VanGogh, Renoir. If I wasn't going to see Monet's garden, it was just as good to see his original works of art. They were every bit as lovely as I expected and it validated all those "boring" art lessons given by art docents (my mother being one of them) back in elementary school.
Luke appreciated the way impressionists are able to create light and shadow. I enjoyed VanGogh more than ever. His style is almost cartoonish, and I liked his landscapes best. Crooked houses and wavy trees. Luke gave me an art lesson: Impressionist art became popular when photography was introduced, therefore making art for art's sake. The museum also had a small collection of early photography. Viewing photos after seeing the impressionists, I gained and even better appreciation for the paintings. Photos captures views to perfection. There is something to be said for the perspective of the artist. Le toilettes in museums are vastly nicer than any others in Paris too.
Off we went again for more sight seeing. We attempted to see the Arc de Triumph, but I was ready for nap. We managed to miss the stop on the metro, The Grand Arch is not the Arc de Triumph for future reference. The Grand Arch is a large white building in the same shape as the Arc de Triumph and about 1/2 mile up the road, only it is a business building in the business district.
This district is modern and set apart from the historic part of Paris in order to preserve the charm. Here there were rollerbladers flying down metro poles and people in suits all clickity clacking with great intensity. There was a tussle among the skaters and everyone thought there would be a fight. But alas, they only threw daggers with their eyes.
The metro was packed and warm on our way back. We ate at McDonald's (something I have forbidden back in the states). The decor was the nicest I'd seen at any McD's. We went back to the hotel and I attempted to make calls to our French hosts, which didn't work out. There is French person somewhere who got a voicemail with all our itinerary and best wishes. 10:45pm was my turn in time and Luke protested because it was still light outside. Tomorrow we take a 9:46 train to Avignon to visit David and his family.
Then we made our way to the train station, which is connected by the metro. The original plan had been to visit Giverney (Monet's gardens) but we changed those plans due to our late rising. While at the station we decided to purchase tickets to Avignon and Caen. Of course we didn't get the English speaking teller, but a very friendly smiley woman who claimed not to speak English. Her English was way better than both Luke's and my French put together. She did say something to the affect that there was no metro on Monday to connect our trains from Paris to Caen and that we would have to take the bus, but Luke says that can't be. I guess we'll see what happens on Monday (I'll let you know). I was glad to have the tickets taken care of and the knots in my stomach started to loosen. Which must mean we needed food.
We found a cafe, the Sarah Bernhardt Cafe, and ordered more food and cappuccinos. Luke's spirits were lifted by the "happy juice" and for the rest of the day he made up songs in French using his limited vocabulary and some made up words too. I love to see him so happy. I, however, was feeling jet lagged and grumpy. We decided to visit the Musee d'Orsay. More frickin' walking.
This time we crossed a pedestrian bridge and something interesting happened. As we walked down some stairs a young man appeared to find a ring on the ground. He gestured that it was too big and gave it to us. He then asked for money in return. I'm so naive! I gave it to him urging him to trade it for money and then another American man walked by telling us it was a fake. Later, Luke found a section on scams, low and behold, the "found ring" was in the travel guide.
We finally made our way into the museum, which was a converted train station. The Musee d'Orsay starts where the Louve leaves off. It is mostly impressionist paintings and sculptures, with a few beginning photographs. Now, I'm not one for museums, but this one was a good one because I am most familiar with impressionist art. Monet being one of my favorites growing up. Here we got to see the superstars of impressionist art: Monet, Degas, VanGogh, Renoir. If I wasn't going to see Monet's garden, it was just as good to see his original works of art. They were every bit as lovely as I expected and it validated all those "boring" art lessons given by art docents (my mother being one of them) back in elementary school.
Luke appreciated the way impressionists are able to create light and shadow. I enjoyed VanGogh more than ever. His style is almost cartoonish, and I liked his landscapes best. Crooked houses and wavy trees. Luke gave me an art lesson: Impressionist art became popular when photography was introduced, therefore making art for art's sake. The museum also had a small collection of early photography. Viewing photos after seeing the impressionists, I gained and even better appreciation for the paintings. Photos captures views to perfection. There is something to be said for the perspective of the artist. Le toilettes in museums are vastly nicer than any others in Paris too.
Off we went again for more sight seeing. We attempted to see the Arc de Triumph, but I was ready for nap. We managed to miss the stop on the metro, The Grand Arch is not the Arc de Triumph for future reference. The Grand Arch is a large white building in the same shape as the Arc de Triumph and about 1/2 mile up the road, only it is a business building in the business district.
This district is modern and set apart from the historic part of Paris in order to preserve the charm. Here there were rollerbladers flying down metro poles and people in suits all clickity clacking with great intensity. There was a tussle among the skaters and everyone thought there would be a fight. But alas, they only threw daggers with their eyes.
The metro was packed and warm on our way back. We ate at McDonald's (something I have forbidden back in the states). The decor was the nicest I'd seen at any McD's. We went back to the hotel and I attempted to make calls to our French hosts, which didn't work out. There is French person somewhere who got a voicemail with all our itinerary and best wishes. 10:45pm was my turn in time and Luke protested because it was still light outside. Tomorrow we take a 9:46 train to Avignon to visit David and his family.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Day 2
6-10-08
The flight to Paris was bumpy and delayed. Luckily we had two seats in the back of the plane all to ourselves and I was able to catnap the whole way around the world. It's hard to believe that we landed in Paris just this morning. After getting through immigration we collected our luggage and jumped into a taxi to Paris and the Hotel Armstrong.
My first impression of France was on the highway. There were old buildings and the typical graffitied walls. The lanes were significantly narrower and it doesn't seem that high gas prices deter many from driving. Our driver was nice and dropped us at our hotel for the bargain rate of 38 Euros.
Although we were early checking in they had a double non smoking room on the 5th floor. The penthouse if you will. The room is small but clean with a clean bathroom. Luke's only complaint is that there is no shower curtain. The best part is the view of rooftops and other penthouses, and rooftop gardens. If I lived in Paris I would definitely live on the top floor with a balcony garden. I've become a bit obsessed with the little balconies and shuttered windows everyone here has. Voir is a French word after all, and if you know me you know how I love to look into other people's windows. The view from our room affords me that opportunity, I only wish I had brought my opera glasses.
We took a short nap and shower and before long were trying to figure out the metro into downtown Paris. We managed to mangle the language a bit, but still came out with a pack of 10 metro passes. I also managed to jam myself into the door of a leaving train, which was embarrassing, but entirely humorous to us both. Finding the correct train took a bit of work too as there were 2 of the same trains going to the same place, but only one of them left at a time. It wasn't until a nice man who flashed his metro uniform, informed us of the blue lights that indicate the active trains, that we were finally on our way. We even managed to change trains.
Our first stop was Notre Dame. Big church, lots of details, loads of people, and the Pope will be visiting in September. However, there was no entry. I wasn't super impressed, but I was getting hungry.
We sat outside a cafe on a busy street and order 2 plat du jours and water non gasses. We didn't know what we would get, but it was bound to be tasty. Indeed, the food was good and it was nice to know that we wouldn't starve. We received steaming hot bowls of pork curry on rice and a basket of crusty bread. Yum! We finished it all. Finally full and no longer cranky I was now able to notice everything happening around me. Some fellow customers disputing over one's right to smoke because he was out on the patio, but others complaining because his smoke was drifting right over their table inside (but only 2 feet away), old post cards and photos for sale along the Seine, and fountains flowing past groups of school children wearing red caps and waving French flags. Our server asked if we would like anything else and Luke and I both ordered Cappuccinos. It was love at first sip and I decided right then and there that I thoroughly enjoyed Paris.
Satiated and in good spirits we walked to the Louve, which was closed. But who needs to go into a museum when the architecture, gardens, and statues and breath-taking and EVERYWHERE. I got my fill of photography in the park and all along our walk. I might also add that I have never had so much fun people watching (and I'm a people watcher). All along our walk we were spotting the Eiffel Tower far in the distance as we wound our way through Paris' small, apartment lined streets. Balconies filled with flowers and the Seine flowing through everything made me happy to be sharing this trip with Luke.
Then, past palaces, parks, statues, gold crusted bridges, people, and crazy drivers, there was the Eiffel Tower. Tall and brown, towering above everything. We didn't take the trip to the top, but we sat next to the river and reflected on the long day with the Tower behind us.Heading back to the hotel on the metro an accordion player burst into song and we smiled the whole way. We ended the day with Kabobs.
Overall, Paris has impressed me with many new sights and sounds. People lounging in parks, racing through streets in mini cars, surrounded by scenery that in many parts of the world would be in a museum. Paris is also LOUD, has lots of graffiti, and often smells of urine. It's been an adventure, no doubt, and it's only the first day here. But the people are friendly and laugh off any language difficulties we seem to have, the food is good and we have more adventures tomorrow.
Bon soir,
Mrs. Alton
The flight to Paris was bumpy and delayed. Luckily we had two seats in the back of the plane all to ourselves and I was able to catnap the whole way around the world. It's hard to believe that we landed in Paris just this morning. After getting through immigration we collected our luggage and jumped into a taxi to Paris and the Hotel Armstrong.
My first impression of France was on the highway. There were old buildings and the typical graffitied walls. The lanes were significantly narrower and it doesn't seem that high gas prices deter many from driving. Our driver was nice and dropped us at our hotel for the bargain rate of 38 Euros.
Although we were early checking in they had a double non smoking room on the 5th floor. The penthouse if you will. The room is small but clean with a clean bathroom. Luke's only complaint is that there is no shower curtain. The best part is the view of rooftops and other penthouses, and rooftop gardens. If I lived in Paris I would definitely live on the top floor with a balcony garden. I've become a bit obsessed with the little balconies and shuttered windows everyone here has. Voir is a French word after all, and if you know me you know how I love to look into other people's windows. The view from our room affords me that opportunity, I only wish I had brought my opera glasses.
We took a short nap and shower and before long were trying to figure out the metro into downtown Paris. We managed to mangle the language a bit, but still came out with a pack of 10 metro passes. I also managed to jam myself into the door of a leaving train, which was embarrassing, but entirely humorous to us both. Finding the correct train took a bit of work too as there were 2 of the same trains going to the same place, but only one of them left at a time. It wasn't until a nice man who flashed his metro uniform, informed us of the blue lights that indicate the active trains, that we were finally on our way. We even managed to change trains.
Our first stop was Notre Dame. Big church, lots of details, loads of people, and the Pope will be visiting in September. However, there was no entry. I wasn't super impressed, but I was getting hungry.
We sat outside a cafe on a busy street and order 2 plat du jours and water non gasses. We didn't know what we would get, but it was bound to be tasty. Indeed, the food was good and it was nice to know that we wouldn't starve. We received steaming hot bowls of pork curry on rice and a basket of crusty bread. Yum! We finished it all. Finally full and no longer cranky I was now able to notice everything happening around me. Some fellow customers disputing over one's right to smoke because he was out on the patio, but others complaining because his smoke was drifting right over their table inside (but only 2 feet away), old post cards and photos for sale along the Seine, and fountains flowing past groups of school children wearing red caps and waving French flags. Our server asked if we would like anything else and Luke and I both ordered Cappuccinos. It was love at first sip and I decided right then and there that I thoroughly enjoyed Paris.
Satiated and in good spirits we walked to the Louve, which was closed. But who needs to go into a museum when the architecture, gardens, and statues and breath-taking and EVERYWHERE. I got my fill of photography in the park and all along our walk. I might also add that I have never had so much fun people watching (and I'm a people watcher). All along our walk we were spotting the Eiffel Tower far in the distance as we wound our way through Paris' small, apartment lined streets. Balconies filled with flowers and the Seine flowing through everything made me happy to be sharing this trip with Luke.
Then, past palaces, parks, statues, gold crusted bridges, people, and crazy drivers, there was the Eiffel Tower. Tall and brown, towering above everything. We didn't take the trip to the top, but we sat next to the river and reflected on the long day with the Tower behind us.Heading back to the hotel on the metro an accordion player burst into song and we smiled the whole way. We ended the day with Kabobs.
Overall, Paris has impressed me with many new sights and sounds. People lounging in parks, racing through streets in mini cars, surrounded by scenery that in many parts of the world would be in a museum. Paris is also LOUD, has lots of graffiti, and often smells of urine. It's been an adventure, no doubt, and it's only the first day here. But the people are friendly and laugh off any language difficulties we seem to have, the food is good and we have more adventures tomorrow.
Bon soir,
Mrs. Alton
Day 1
6-9-2008
Luke and I were married on 6-7-08. It's hard to believe it has passed and we're on our way to France. Our wedding was the best dance party I've ever been to.
Today we woke up @ 6am and were at the Boise Airport by 7am. Katie sent us off. Our flight on Northwest to Minneapolis-St.Paul was calm and thanks to yoga I was able to sleep on Luke's lap. We cruised over the mid-west, the Mississippi River, and tried to count all the lakes. In a land proclaimed to have 10,000 of them was quite difficult. Minnesota was flat and green.
We took care of our final errands at the airport, getting a money belt, outlet converter, and neck pillow. There are a fair share of high school students at the gate which leads me to believe that our flight will be lively. With floods in the mid-west, heat waves in the east, and the possibility of the iPhone 2 being broadcast from the flat panel in our gate, I am so greatful for my life and my reality. I have kind and caring friends, a supportive and loving family, and a confident and wonderful husband. More to come!
-Mrs.Alton
Luke and I were married on 6-7-08. It's hard to believe it has passed and we're on our way to France. Our wedding was the best dance party I've ever been to.
Today we woke up @ 6am and were at the Boise Airport by 7am. Katie sent us off. Our flight on Northwest to Minneapolis-St.Paul was calm and thanks to yoga I was able to sleep on Luke's lap. We cruised over the mid-west, the Mississippi River, and tried to count all the lakes. In a land proclaimed to have 10,000 of them was quite difficult. Minnesota was flat and green.
We took care of our final errands at the airport, getting a money belt, outlet converter, and neck pillow. There are a fair share of high school students at the gate which leads me to believe that our flight will be lively. With floods in the mid-west, heat waves in the east, and the possibility of the iPhone 2 being broadcast from the flat panel in our gate, I am so greatful for my life and my reality. I have kind and caring friends, a supportive and loving family, and a confident and wonderful husband. More to come!
-Mrs.Alton
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