Paris, France Day 6

Dec. 31

The last run to the little Statue of Liberty was so much fun, we decided to do it again this morning. Katherine and I just went by ourselves. Thomas had to work and Anne wanted to sleep a bit more. It was a chilly, fast paced run through the crowded sidewalks. We arrived at the statue area with a few people already on the exercise equipment. The same homeless lady was there under the bridge and a huge police boat passed. We got our workouts in and then headed back to the apartment. No one got lost, so it was a success. The streets around Paris can get a little tricky.

Katherine was feeling a little bit sick in the abdomen for some reason. We were pretty sure it was from all the rich food we had been eating, but she was not about to let an upset stomach ruin New Year's Eve. I ran a few errands with Thomas while Katherine rested and we packed our gear.

Tonight was the big New Year's party at Anne's parents' house. Anne made some wonderful dips and we brought some goodies. Her parents were gone at their beach house, so the kids had the house to themselves. The drive was quick with no traffic and we arrived around 6pm. I watched in amazement as they transformed the place into a full party scene. Katherine and I wanted to help, but we just seemed to get in the way. They had a master plan, and we sat and watched the whole thing unfold. By 8pm, the back room was ready for the party. A 4 foot black light was over the food, hors d'oeuvres were out on the other table, beverages were in strategic locations, and the DJ center was up and cranking. The New Year would be here soon enough. Party attendees came right on time and there were a lot of family members around. I didn't feel uncomfortable at all not speaking French. Many people came to me to practice their English. It was a lot of fun and it was great arriving in the New Year hours before my friends and family in the USA. If it was the end of the world, I would have seen it before them! There was lots of dancing and eating the rest of the night. I was amazed at how much American popular music was played. There was a bit of traditional French music and even some French Canadian music to round things out. I did hear MC Hammer at one point too.

We all turned in for the night by 3:30 or 4am. I didn't really look. The night was great and it was different to spend New Year's Eve with our French friends. They sure know how to throw down!

Posted with Blogsy

Normandy, France Day 3

Dec 30

Our night sleeping at the Manor House in Villers-Bocage was totally silent. We woke up at 7:30am and still had an hour of darkness. The late sunrise this far North really weirds me out. The inn keeper made a terrific breakfast. We sat with a group of Brits on the left and French people on the right. 3 conversations at the same time was very interesting. Anne and I had to run out in the car to get cash, since the innkeeper would not take credit cards. Anne let me drive the last few trips and I think I am really getting used to it. The countryside is easy, but I am sure that driving in Paris will be a bit different.

After loading up the car, we headed to Mont-Saint-Michel. The drive was nice. We saw hunters out on their Sunday walk, dogs on leashes ready to go. Also noticeable was the architecture change from the Normandy style to a type seen in Brittany. The change is visible in the different use of rock in the walls of homes and the pitch of the roofs. The countryside also slowly changed into a rolling hill terrain from the flatter farms of the Normandy coast.

Soon enough, we arrived at the parking area for Mont-Saint-Michel. In the distance, we could see the pyramid shaped pile of rocks with a town and Abby built on the top. At the very top is a steeple with a statue in gold of Saint Michel. You have to park far away and take a shuttle to the sight, but we decided to just walk and take our time. The wind was intense and the damp air biting, but the views were clear and there was no rain. We were walking on an elevated road keeping us out of the water. Surrounding the rock island is a tidal basin where, at high tide, it is filled with the ocean. We were walking at low tide, so we were able to see the sand surrounding the island.

Once on the island, we were greeted with a steep climb and entered through the fortified walls. There was even a large door held up by chains protecting the hill. We reached the top and had to pay to enter the Abbey which I thought was a little ridiculous. But, it ended up being worth the 9€ since the grounds were huge! We entered several large rooms including the main church. Everything was in quite good shape and at times you could peek out a window to get a view of the ocean or the mainland. The first structure on the island was from around the year 800, but it has been enhanced and is quiet elaborate today. As we were leaving, the crowds were getting bigger and bigger. Our timing was perfect!

When we got back to the parking lot it was just a short drive to the local Calvados stand. We sampled some of the local beverage and grabbed a few bottles for the New Years party and to bring home to Las Vegas. We also stopped at the cookie factory right next door. Upon entering, you could sample three types of cookies and buy large quantities of everything. Thomas couldn't handle the temptation, so we bought several bags of cookies.

This is what we got at the travel plaza on the way back to Paris; Camembert Cheese, Gourmet Sandwich, and Cheeseburger flavored chips. Yay!

When we got back to Paris, we just ate leftovers and I tried to repair Anne's bike tire. Anne's bike has been out of commission for a while with a rear tire issue. It turned out to be more than just a popped tube and ripped tire. This bike took a large hit at some point. There was a broken spoke, the rim was bent, and the spoke nipples were corroded in place. I think it needs some serious love. I thought I could help out. Oh well.

Tomorrow we head to the Cochet house in Grissy-Suisnes for a rockin' New Year's party.

Posted with Blogsy

Normandy, France Day 2

Dec. 29.

Katherine and I slept in the room with bunk beds in the apartment, which were a tight fit and very cozy. It was great to wake up with the sunlight, since we could not see anything when we arrived the night before in the dark. Behind the apartment is a golf course and out front is a beautiful, quaint neighborhood. Being here in the cold month of December makes for few people, but in the summer, this place has to be a spectacular golf get- a-way on the sea. We ate a bowl of cereal, some juice, showered, and headed out. We were on our way to Juno Beach.

It started out sunny, and then turned into a misty late morning by the time we arrived at Juno beach. Juno is where the Canadians landed on the Normandy coast during the invasion. We parked the car and were able to see a few bunkers still standing. Luckily, I had my boots on and stomped around as many places as I could. The beach in this area is pretty flat with some dunes as a barrier to the sea. This is also the beach where the generals made their way to the mainland of Europe to fight the rest of the war. All I could do was imagine what this place could have been like in June-August of 1944.

Next, we headed to Arromanches. The artificial harbor engineering marvel was set up here to deliver supplies to the landed troops so they could continue the fight from the sea to Paris and then to Berlin. We had to wait a while for the museum, since it closes for a lunch break for an hour in the middle of the day. We decided to lunch at one of the only restaurants that was not closed for the winter. Our meal consisted of local steamed mussels, local sparkling apple cider, and desert. It was spectacular! Then we went into the museum. I had never seen such a broad representation of the Allied countries uniforms and artifacts. The displays in this museum were impeccable. There were radios, weapons, uniforms, insignias, jeeps, etc. It was all equally represented honorably.

After eating, we walked the beach along the sections of the floating bridge. The tide was out, so we could get up close to these concrete rafts. It is incredible to see and learn about what came together to make Operation Overlord a success. The planning and construction in England was intense, and to get all that gear across the Channel boggles my mind.

From Arromanches, we headed to Omaha beach. Just on top of the beach is the American Cemetery. We were in a slight hurry and only toured the sight for a 40 minutes or so. Then we headed to the bunkers in the steep hillside. There was a series of connected bunkers going down the hill with the turret points exposed. This beach has more elevation from the water than the others, which led to it being he place with the most casualties.

It was now about 5:30, and the car was inside the gate to the cemetery. We thought that even though it was closed, you would be able to drive out through a gate. Nope. Both gates were locked and there was only one other car inside, and it had diplomatic plates. Thomas and I jumped the fence with 3 video cameras on us without any hesitation. Then we walked to the car and drove out to the front gate. In front of us was a golf cart heading our way. It then did a 180 and we followed it out to the front gate. I guess he was there to help and not bust us for breaking into the cemetery after closing? When we got to the front gate, the golf cart guy got out and opened the gate. As we drove through, we said thank you. He said, "We've been looking for you guys," in perfect English. Geeze! I guess we were not in trouble and got our car back. Now we just had to get Anne and Katherine walking down the street. They probably saw the golf cart and thought we we done for. They were happy to see us.

Once we were all in the car, there was an hour drive to the hotel in Villers-Bocage. The journey took us through numerous little villages, each one looking a little bit different. The street was tight and winding on this route that acted as the supply road from the different landing beaches. It was quite entertaining, especially to me, as I was the driver. The buildings in the villages have to be at least 2-3 hundred years old, or even older.

Then, we arrived at the turn to the hotel. The entrance was lighted very well and we drove down the muddy road. We were stunned with the sight of the hotel grounds. It was a series of rock buildings on a sprawling estate. We parked and met the owner, a friendly lady who seemed happy to meet us. Our room was on the top floor of a massive barn, with rafters visible and red and white fabric on the walls. Pretty neat!

We took the hotel owners advice and went to a local restaurant. She told us the decor is tacky, but the place specializes in local cuisine that is both tasty and well priced. We lucked out! The restaurant was just a short drive from the hotel, towards the middle of the small town. The food was superb! We started with a red local sparkling cider. We each ordered a 4 course menu. I had fois gras shrimp, fish cheeks (the most awesome part of the fish that I never knew about and usually just throw away) with potatoes, cheese with salad, and then a macaroon laced with melted chocolate on the inside. Katherine had local seafood baked in local cheese, duck with potatoes au gratin, fondue cheese with salad, and the same macaroon I had. Served with a bottle of Perrier, this was another 3 hour event. For only 20 Euros, we thought the meal was an excellent value. Calling it spectacular is an understatement.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Normandy, France Day 1

Dec 28

After a long rainy car ride through the French countryside, we arrived in Ouistreham. This is where the Nazi Grand Bunker is from WW2. The bunker housed a range finding device that could monitor the southwest mouth of the Seine. It would relay information on the distances of ships approaching the river to then sink them with long guns. Below the bunker is a series of floors for soldiers, weapons, food, and supplies. It is impressive in that it is still here and has been kept up quite well. We were there for an hour and a half and then had to get lunch.

We ate some quiche from a local bakery and headed down to Sword beach. This is where the British landed on D-Day. It is a long flat beach with many shells and only a few people. Thomas showed us around and was insistent on finding a clam-like creature in the sand. We saw the long skinny shells littered on the beach. Thomas said he knew how to find the ones that are alive. His father showed him how to catch them when he was younger. But, the weather was cold and digging in the chilly water turned out to be a little painful. It is, after all, December along the North Atlantic with no sun and lots of wind.

From there, we headed to the town of Trouville, where we got some fresh lobster, crab, shrimp, and boulot shells. Our reservation for the night was in the city just across the river called Deauville. Here we stayed in a nice apartment on a golf course. The low season price for the resort was no more than the price of a hostel in Paris. We cooked up the glorious seafood, watched some French TV, and wound down for the night. Thomas picked up some local cheese at the market and we opened a gifted bottle of wine from a client that made it all that much better.

Tomorrow, we will visit the other beaches, cemeteries, and the WW2 museum in Caen. Our plan is to then head to Mont-Saint-Michel.

Posted with Blogsy

Paris, France Day 5

Today started out with a typical French breakfast, and mingling over a cup of coffee. Thomas was at work and Anne was going to take us to Versailles. When we left the weather was good. I even brought sunglasses and left the rain gear at the apartment. Bad idea. As soon as we got in the car, the rain started and progressively got worse. It was a short drive to Versailles, but once we got there, it was raining and we were in search of a parking spot for the car. There were people everywhere and we got a glimpse of the grounds. It is beyond giant! The only problem is, there was not a giant parking lot to go along with the giant grounds. After driving around for a bit seeing the massive amount of tourists, we decided it was a bad idea to try and go. We turned the car around and agreed that we need to see this place on a better day and possibly by train. We got a little behind in the morning and got a later departure than we planned. Oh well. Versaille will have to wait until another day.

On the way back to Paris, we stopped by a small mall with a water park attached. It looked awesome and I was tempted to buy a skimpy bathing suit out of the vending machine and take a dip. However, we were in search of a new tire and tube for Anne's bike. Unlike stores in the States, this sporting goods store had stuff for equestrian, soccer, ballet, cycling, skiing, etc. all in one place. And, a huge selection for each sport. Our mission of finding the bicycle stuff was accomplished easily and we then drove back to the apartment.

I took a little nap. Thomas came home. Then, we went for a journey to the Sacre Coeur basilica and a stop at a camera shop. The camera shop turned out to be a wonderful stop. It was similar to a Best Buy in the USA. I grabbed a Nikon shockproof/waterproof camera. The optics are not as good as my Canon S100, but this camera will fill a different purpose. Sorry about the funny image quality on the pics to come, but its not that bad.

After the basilica we headed deeper into the Montmartre neighborhood. This is the bohemian artist colony of days past, and still looks like it did 100 years ago. Most of the famous Parisian artists lived here and kept their studios. Here you can still rent flats, but they are now trendy and expensive. Thomas took us on the Amelie Poulanc tour, as he called it, where the movie Amelie was filmed. It was interesting and totally different from the section of Paris where we are staying. We also walked past the Palais Garnier, the Royal Opera house. To our surprise, out front was a brass band playing some wild party music. How fitting? Inside is some of the most refined music, while outside was a mad musical frenzy. Continuing on the trip, we cruised in front of the Moulan Rouge and then right I front of Thomas and Anne's high school. They met there when they were only 12 years old. Funny though, it is just a few hundred meters from the Moulan Rouge and other adult entertainment clubs. Crazy! Thomas could not pass up the cheese cake display at one of his favorite places, so we got 4 pieces and headed home.

I have to say a little something else about the food here..... Food drives the French. Tonight's dinner I knew would be fish, and Anne had been planning it for a while. The fish was out to defrost for the day, and she has been talking about how she would prepare it. It is the first thing on her mind. Thomas and Anne almost always know what the next meal will be and how it will be prepared. It is the highlight of their day. When it is prepared, each time it is a work of art. Dinner tonight was phenomenal! I did not even know what I have been missing out on. Food will never be the same after visiting France.

Oh yeah, we also made our own homemade peanut butter that night.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Paris, France Day 4

The Louvre

If you have been to the Louvre museum, I am sure you didn't know that the Louvre has a back door entrance. Thomas looked up online through some local page mentioning a back entrance. We skipped the lines and got right inside. The complex is huge and the building itself is extremely impressive. It is impossible to see everything, so we just cruised through at a moderate pace stopping at a few features. Yes, we saw the Mona Lisa and Venus di Milo, but so much more caught our eyes. Some of our favorites were the Egyptian, Islam, and the Greek antiquities. After spending time in Greece, looking at what Paris has is another piece to the puzzle. There were sculptures that blew our minds. I found it gratifying to see statues with their heads actually attached!

For lunch, we stepped out to a local place just across and down the street. Every time we eat in Paris, it's a BIG deal. Lunch is a special moment and another reason to sample great French cuisine. After eating, we went back to the museum to finish the Greek area. The lines were long to get inside at this time, so we used the secret entrance again. At least 1000 people were in line to enter through the glass pyramid, and not one single person was in line at the other entrance.

To get to the museum and back home, we took the Paris rental bikes. Velib bikes is a city wide program where bikes and automated kiosks are set up all around town. You just put in a credit card, take a bike, ride it, and then return it to another bike location. The first half hour is free! We did not have to pay anything to take a quick ride through the center of Paris. Sometimes the kiosks are a little glitchy, but it has been really nice seeing the city by bicycle. Anne is a great bike guide making us ride through bust streets and risking our lives at every moment. I would not have it any other way! The other option is to take the Metro subway, but it is a little smelly and you don't have the view you get on a bike. The bikes are a little heavy, but very durable. I am sure we will be using them again soon.

Back at the apartment, Thomas and Anne had to go out for dinner with some friends, but we first went to the giant grocery store just out of town. We thought we would find a new camera for me, but had no luck. Hopefully tomorrow we will find another shop. We grabbed supplies for dinner at the apartment as well as some eats for the trip to Normandy. When we got home, I started on dinner for me and Katherine. Thomas and Anne headed out, so Katherine and I had the evening to ourselves.

Tomorrow we head to Versailles.

Posted with Blogsy

Paris, France Day 3

Today was too much. I am starting this blog laying in bed at 3:15 am after the most crazy Christmas Eve dinner. We drove out to the town of Grisy-Suisnes where Anne's parents live, 1.5 hour from Paris. Her mom and dad and brother and sister were there with their significant others, and an uncle, cousin, niece and a few other friends. To my surprise, each person is greeted with a handshake and a cheek kiss on each side of the face. I was not sure what to do, but after watching the others, I decided to just go with the flow.

To say that her mom and dad went "all out" would be an understatement. The meal and all the courses were superb. Anne's father, Jean-Claude, is a retired pastry chef and still makes his own chocolates and log cakes. We arrived to menus on each place setting with our names and a description of each course. Thomas and Anne, of course speak English, but only 2 others did. The conversations were mostly in French and quite entertaining. Half way through the night my camera lens broke. It turns out it has been recalled, but that would not help me in this moment of craziness. I wanted to get pictures of all the food, but with a dud camera, that was impossible. Instead, I just took it all in like the old days without a camera, probably for the better. Anne's parents had a Christmas tree, and presents were exchanged in a slightly different manner than I am used to. Everyone hands out gifts to the people that they brought them for, and we all just opened them at the same time. All gifts are opened at this time and nothing is left for Christmas morning (unless you are a child and Santa is coming.) After the gift opening, the dinner began. We ate six courses, with different wines and champagne to accompany each course. We started with little pieces of bread topped with spreads made from olives, pork, fish, mad something else. Next, we had raw oysters from the North Atlantic coast. Foie gras was next, which was a first for us. The main course was wild boar with wild mushrooms we have never seen before, and potatoes with chestnuts. The cheese course was next, with 4 strong flavors. We ended the meal several hours later with Jean-Claude's log cakes in chocolate, coffee, and chestnut flavor. A digestive liquor made by growing a pear in the bottle was then brought to the table. I think that it doubled as fingernail polish remover! We later found out this delectable beverage is a French moonshine made in a barn.

The action packed Christmas Eve began with a morning run to the Eiffel Tower, and then a walk up the stairs to the first level. The weather was much better than the day before, making the photos that much better. We then walked up to the second level. They do not allow tourists to walk to the top, so we just settled for the second level and avoided the lines and fees to go to the top. The view was still amazing on the second level. All the sights in Paris were visible, but we are so new here, Thomas and Anne had to tell us what we were viewing. From there, we came back and cleaned up for the drive to Anne's parents's place.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Grisy-Suisnes, France

Christmas Day

Today began with us all waking around noon. We were up late the night before, telling stories and joking around. Downstairs, the family already had breakfast on the table and everyone was talking. There was still a little clean up from the night before going on. The Cochet house is very warm and friendly. We had a nice coffee and croissant with fruit for breakfast.

Jean-Claude, Anne's father, wanted to take us to his new house under construction and show us his barn/warehouse. How could we not accept? The tour started out by bringing bread to a neighbor's horse, dog, and donkey. The ground was severely muddy, and luckily, Jean-Claude provided boots. We entertained the wildlife with bread and met the animals' owner. From there we drove to the partially finished house. What a sight! Their house is being built in the middle of an apple orchard in the French Countryside. It is a beautiful location and we were given a truly special tour. Nothing is overlooked in this house. Jean-Claude's attention to detail is great, and when finished, the house will be a spectacular sight.

Next, we went to the barn/warehouse. This is a building used as a refrigerator for the apples and workshop for the orchard's tractors. It was cluttered, but efficient in the same way. It wasn't the site that was that impressive, but the tour given by Jean-Claude. He spoke to us freely, with Thomas translating, in great detail and humor. The family history here stems deep, and Jean-Claude is a proud man that was happy to explain his history. I have to say, I was really interested in the tractors. My farming friend Jeremy, in Missouri, would have known everything about these machines. Some, Jean-Claud is willing to rebuild, and others are just relics. But, no matter what, all were impressive.

After the tour of the new house and the orchard grounds, we headed back to the Cochet house, ate a fabulous lunch and packed up our gear. We were invited for dinner, but declined. We had to get back to Paris. We said our good byes and moved out. It was a traffic nightmare for the return to the city, but we did not let that upset us. We stopped by the Notre Dame cathedral and parked the car. The cathedral looked spectacular at night and we decided to get dinner in the area. It turned out to be a great idea. The weather was cool and crisp and the crowds were minimal. Upon entering the cathedral, we heard the organ playing. The piece of music was dissonant beyond belief! It was the oddest organ a music I have ever heard. Being Christmas day, I found the spooky music an odd choice to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Nobody else seemed to notice the cacophony, as they snapped photos on their iphones. For a church, it was weird to see so many people taking pictures and nobody really praying, especially on one of this church's holy days.


We ate another great French meal near the cathedral, and the night closed with a drive back to the apartment stopping by some seriously cool sights. As always, it was great to see the Eiffel Tower sparkling in the night sky. We went home, packed up, and went to bed by midnight. Anne's parents' place was something else, and we will see it again for New Year's Eve in a few days.

Posted with Blogsy

Paris, France Day 2

Sleeping was not a problem last night. I laid as a human blob until 10:30 in the morning. We had not seen Anne yet, but I heard her and Thomas out in the front room. By the time we opened the door, Thomas had left to go to work, but there was a spectacular spread on the table. Anne had a wonderful breakfast laid out for us. What a way to wake up! I decided to keep track of the different food we are eating.

Breakfast Breads: Croissant, Chausson aux Pommes, Pain au Chocolat, Viennoise, Baguette.


Thomas came back to the apartment and we gathered our stuff and headed out. The plan was to just walk around and see a few sights, which was nice. I was hoping the jet lag wouldn't set in too bad to ruin my walk, but staying active and eating made it just fine. Our walk took us to the Eiffel Tower, Palais de Chaillot, Arc de Triomphe, down the Champs Élysées to the Grand Palais, then back across the river.

Lunch Snacks: Banana Chocolate Crepes, Flan

Thomas had a cafe for us to go for dinner. His recommendation was great! It was just a roadside place close to their home. People were all sitting out front in the smoking area, so we went inside which is smoke free. Watching the commotion on the road kept us entertained as well as listening to Katherine work on her French with Thomas and Anne.

Dinner: Confit de Canard (Yummy Duck) with Sauted Potatoes, Desert: Iles Flottantes (fluffy whipped egg goodness), mussels and frites

After Dinner Snack: Wild Pig Meat Stick (Saucissons Sanglier), Cheese Trio (Gouda, Crottin de Chevre=Goat Poop, Tom d'Ardeche)

All the Christmas decorations in Paris are out in full glory. Each major street has it's own motif. Tomorrow, we are going out to the country for XMAs eve dinner with Anne's family. It's SE of Paris and we will spend the night.

The weather has been the usual cloudy and cool. It might clear up soon, but it doesn't matter, the lights at night make up for it.

 

Posted with Blogsy