August 1st, 2012
Still near Sarrebourg, France
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHAAAAAAWWWWW!!
A downhill "luge," (little car on rails) - so fun! The summer version of sledding!! My dad and I even fit into one . . . significantly speedier and more exciting with the weight of two adults!
Oh yum. Just looking at this makes me hungry again. Gross factor for some, yes, these are the infamous "escargots" (snails) but it is quite magical what garlic butter will do to weird critters that wouldn't really be appetizing otherwise. =) Here, a version prepared in an edible pastry "shell." So delicious. . . . now you see them . . .
Now you don't! (let's be honest, it's all about the garlic butter!!)
August 3rd, 2012
Metz, France
Hahahaha. Ok, I had to share 1 of these pictures because I took a whole slew of them during a train lay-over in Metz and they still crack me up. With a couple of hours between trains and 65 lbs to lug around, I didn't want to stroll too much, so I found a park, and decided to do some yoga. The funniest part is that, yes, I took pictures of it (with my trusty gorilla, thank you again, Chantal!!). Really capturing every part of my trip! And yes, there were people walking by . . . sometimes I just stop caring. =)
This train trip signaled the "final goodbye" with my parents. Although they stayed in France another 10 days, we parted ways that morning as I was heading elsewhere to visit friends. The goodbye was harder than I'd expected, considering we've been living at least 1500 miles apart for the past 6 years. Goodbyes are such a challenge for me, they really make me appreciate shared moments with those who cannot share them often.
August 4th, 2012
Normandy, France
Dinner at a friend's house in Normandy. They grow their own veggies and herbs, raise their own hens, and just got their own hive to keep bees. Dinner was all from their small bit of land and hard work - I can't imagine a more rewarding meal. Chicken and new potatoes with garlic and fresh rosemary. Amazing, delicious, and the absolute best quality. It's my dream! (at least the veggie garden . . . don't know that I could ever kill a hen).
August 6th, 2012
Rouen, France
Downpour in Northern Normandy (Haute Normandie) on a day trip to Rouen. Here, after lunch and a visit to the Jeanne d'Arc museum. Hung out under an awning waiting for a pause in torrents of water. Can you see the sheets of rain if you really focus?
And there it is! That blue sky I know and love!! And a fine example of some of the extraordinary architecture in Rouen. Some of the buildings date from the 14th century. Phenomenal!
A haunting site. For those that are struggling to see what the sign says, this is the location where Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc) was burnt on May 30th, 1431. It's right near the cross you see in the "downpour" picture, or the one right below....
A very bizarre, modern-looking church. Here it is from the outside.....
And here from the inside. Beautiful, but bizarre.
More classic. The Rouen Cathedral.
August 7th, 2012
REUNION WITH MY BICYCLE!!! This was the bike my uncle let me borrow for my 9 month teaching assistantship in 2008. It felt so great to be reunited!!! I didn't realize how desperately I'd missed biking around Normandy until I was back to it. Easily one of my favorite memories from 2008. Riding through Normandy countryside is extraordinarily thrilling and utterly beautiful - I can't get enough of it.
My aunt and uncle's house! An ancient stone house - so charming, I love it here!
An onion flower!!! I had no idea onions grew such fabulous flowers! Same house in the background, different perspective.
Welcome!! My aunt keeps an absolutely stupendous flower garden.
See?
Yep, still flowers from her garden. =)
August 9th, 2012
Balleroy, France
Me in my early "obsession with castles" phase. Ecstatic to have biked the quick 9 km to Balleroy for a guided visit of this castle, which Malcom S. Forbes actually purchased in 1970.
August 10th, 2012
Normandy, France
Ah, the smell of fresh French bread. Come to me, baguette! =) Best part? I got to go on a run to pick up the bread. Only a 10 minute run away from the local "boulangerie." Marvelous.
Blackberry picking!! They day just keeps getting better!! Treacherous little buggers, but oh so worth it. Yummmmmm, especially with red wine and sugar, as my uncle taught me. I'm typically pretty firmly against adding sugar to fruit, but oh my goodness - his combination is exquisite!!
Wind turbines in wheat fields. Only a 4 km bike ride away. Very impressive standing at the base and looking up at these gargantuan rotating blades.
And a small sample of the Normandie countryside. In the distance the tiny town of Caumont-l'Éventé, a great butt-kicking hill ride to the top. Rode it with my 72 year old uncle and remain thoroughly impressed by his biking capacities!!!
August 11th, 2012
A great spot for TRX!! Also a great vocabulary lesson for me. =) In 2008 my uncle built this, and I called it a "lid" when I was trying to find the word for "cover." Everyone was very amused by the idea of the carport being a "lid" for the car, so it stuck. We all still call it "Le couvercle."
After the TRX workout, caught a train to Rennes for the weekend to meet up with a friend from 2008 during my teaching assistantship gig. Sometimes the world is a small place! And always, Rennes has beautiful houses from a scattering across the centuries. Modern and 14th century buildings as neighbors - somehow they make it work!! And Joanne makes it super fun!!
August 15th, 2012
More TRX!! This time under a plum tree at a friend's house in Normandie. So fabulous!
Arrival in Nantes, later that same day. Here, one of my favorite structures, though can't recall what it is called. =/ (the problem with blogging a year after the fact).
August 17th, 2012
Nante's Elephant: a 12 meter tall machine elephant that you can ride around on. He moves at about 1 mph and sprays water out of his trunk. Pretty impressive!! It's at a place called "The Machines" which is staffed by some incredibly creative people who are creating spectacular rides and intriguing objects of all sorts.
Here a 3 story carrousel with funky sea creatures of all sorts.
I picked a sea horse for my carrousel ride. It had been so long since I'd ridden on a carrousel. So fun!
My neighbor during the ride.
And a random flag with a pair of flaming crotch underwear. Why, you ask? I have no good answer. And I think that adds to the hilarity. I found it so amusing that I stubbornly stayed and took about 30 pictures before getting one where the wind cooperated. I felt this needed to be captured.
August 18th, 2012
Brittany, near Dinan. One of the most beautiful places in the world. This was the phase of my trip where I really should not have been running the way my sacrum was feeling, but it was too beautiful not to.
A region well known for its cider. =)
Such beautiful weather and blossoms in August. All of my morning runs involved sunshine dissolving mist clinging to rolling hills.
The house I got to stay in. Feels like a post-card-worthy home. So gorgeous! And their garden was absolutely spectacular as well!!
Day-trip to Cotes de Granit Rose. Amazing.
Most famous house in Brittany. Yes, somebody actually lives there. Crazyness!!
Further stunning coastline of Brittany. With sunshine it's even more stupendous!!
So stupendous, that we couldn't resist the urge to swim, even though we didn't have swimsuits. Such a little hiccup can't dampen the draw of such spectacular waters on a hot day. So we swam in our clothes and then laid in the sun to dry off. This was at 7 pm. Incredible!
A magical sunset for a magical day.
August 19th, 2012
My favorite French castle so far: Le Fort-La-Latte. So awesome!!!
They even had a little vegetable patch.... with more onion flowers!!
View from the top of Fort-La-Latte tower.
August 22nd, 2012
Sunflower seeds straight from a sunflower! I'd never actually seen them this way. I am way entertained by finding out exactly where the food I see packaged on shelves in grocery stores comes from in nature.
August 29th, 2012
La Creuse!! A region in central France full of lush green land and grazing cows. Got to stay here a week, living in an ancient house dating from the late 1800's that's been in the family for generations. I love this house for all of the childhood memories I have here, and the way you feel extracted from society at large. Such a refreshing disconnect. This week was the beginning of my running hiatus after the Atlantic ocean pummeled me into a pathetic, painful mess. Instead I took 2-3 hour walks in the morning and got to see countless cows and miles of greenery. It was splendid. The only thing that could have made it better would have been to run and see more scenery!
My all-time favorite dessert crepe. =) Pear, roasted almonds, dark chocolate, caramel and a salted caramel ice cream. Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing!
Can't hide the enthusiasm. Come to me delicious crepe!
August 30th, 2012
My morning walks typically involved wild blackberry picking and eating. =)
These, however were a cultivated bush at someone's house. I didn't pick them, but just had to take a picture because they were the most massive blackberries I have ever seen. That is my thumb.
Loved the early morning mists clinging to the ground.
Also have a love of old ruins. This one had particularly charming shutters.
I was really excited about the new red watch I bought the day before. And the blue sky also bolstered my spirits.
'
Making blackberry jam!!!
August 31st, 2012
Hahaha. OK, this is a series of 3 pictures to tell the simple story of one of my favorite simple pleasures. Here - a tractor trimming hedges . . .
leads to a fantastically refreshing scent. I love it so much that I take a few minutes to just breathe it in. (not sure how to type the sound of a deep inspiration, but that's what goes here).
And a walk along the freshly-trimmed path in tranquil joy.
