Leaving Day

Monday was our final day.  I had been in Europe since June 27 and Reginald since May 24.  Now it was time to return to Paris for one night and then back to Memphis.  Gabi drove us to Prague airport for our flight and went on to see our old Memphis Czech friends, Vytek and Paulina.  She was planning to spend the day with them.

Once we got to CDG, we took the bus to our hotel nearby.  We rested and made plans for our last evening.  We wanted to spend it with Josephine in Paris and eat at Chez Andre.  After several attempts, we were finally able to get Josephine on the phone and made plans.

It was cheaper to take the RER to Paris, so we left around 5.  Still that took an hour since we had to take the bus to the station before catching the train.  Once there, we descended at Chatelet, probably the busiest metro and RER stop in the whole city.  We just ascended at the closest exit and found "Les Halles."  What we did not know was that there is a big restoration of Les Halles going on now.  We made our way to the Louvre and took the metro to Franklin Roosevelt station to walk the rest of the way.  Just as we neared Josephine's place, we had a downpour and ducked into the Plaza Athenee Hotel.  I must say that I was not impressed at all.  The Peabody lobby has much more to offer!

Eventually, we made it to Josephine's, had a drink, and then left for the restaurant.  We sat in a lovely corner of the restaurant and had a very typical French meal.  I had endives with roquefort followed by poulet frites.  Reginald had the endives also with a steak tartar.  Josphine is not eating much but took the shrimp entree.  Afterward, we walked her home.  Of course, the main topic for the evening was Bruno, whom we all miss.

We took a taxi back to the hotel since it was late and we could not face the RER again!  Now it was time to pack up and leave France.  We don't know when we will return, but we know that this summer was a special one. 

A very warm Sunday

Sunday, July 28, was predicted to be very hot, and it was!  We are used to such weather in the southern US, but not in the Czech Republic.  However, we were prepared.

We started our day by going to the local air-conditioned mall.  This is an ultra-modern facility with lots of shops and even a grocery store.  I admit that I am not used to stores being opened so early on Sunday, but they are here.  We did some looking around and then went to the grocery store for provisions.

We decided that we would buy some open-faced sandwiches for lunch, so later on we walked from Gabi's apartment to the local bakery.  I love the idea of nicely designed and delicious open-faced sandwiches!  We chose the ones we wanted and headed home.  Again, we decided to eat outside. 

As the afternoon began heating up, four of us--Gabi, Vera, Reginald, and I--headed to Gabi's aunt's house in the countryside, about six miles from Pilsen.  There we sat in the shade, enjoyed a fruit salad (and later coffee and walnut cake), and just talked.  There was an above-ground pool, so we cooled off in that.  All in all, a lovely evening.

We returned home to prepare for our last evening in Pilsen.  It will be sad to say good-bye, but we see Gabi again in two months.

Above the trees in Bavaria

On Saturday, we planned to go to Regensberg, Germany, Saturday, but the distance and the very warm weather made us rethink that.  Why would we walk around a hot city when we could go to the Bavarian Forest National park  and The Tree Top Walk?  Our trip to Bavaris took us to some lovely scenic spots.  The Tree Top Walk was just that—a walkway that took us through a 1.3 kilometer walk that ended up at the top of the trees.  We discovered that the three main trees here are birch, fir, and spruce.  We were actually able to look down on the trees once we reached the top.  The weather was not as hot here, and there was an area for eating lunch and then having a drink afterward.  Pictures do not do justice, but here is one anyway.

We decided to return to Pilsen by way of Bodenmais, a well-know glass making town.  Go to http://www.bodenmais.de/en/ for pictures.  We visited one of the many glass shops and were struck by the number of various objects.  I was glad I had not brought any grandchildren into this place!  

There was a little train that took tourists around the town, so we caught that and saw the area.  It was exactly my storybook view of Bavarian villages.  

We then returned home to partake of a spaghetti carbonara and salad, again eating under the pergola.

Folkloric and Historic Bohemia

Friday, July 26, 2013

There is a place in Pilsen near the zoo where you can take your empty water bottles (or any bottles for that matter) and fill them with wine!  You enter an old bulding that actually houses offices for the zoo, pass several pictures and posters of animals, and enter an old office.  There a very nice man will advise you about the latest wines he has in, but we knew what we wanted.  We had been drinking the Sauvignon, and it was quite good, so we ordered four liters.  I think we paid $12 dollars.  From there, we took our receipt and went down to a cellar.  It looked like the cellar from La Giraudiere, quite unkept and a little scary, but a guy was there to meet us and took our order.  We looked around at many big plastic containers of various wines, many empty or almost so, and many just scattered around.  Reginald said that the people working there looked more sober than the wine merchants in France!  We got our wine and left for our day’s adventure.

Horsovsky Tyn  is, according to the brochure, “situated in the valley of the river Radbuza in the southwest of the Pilsner region.”  The place is very old, a  residence of many Prague bishops in the past.  It played a role in the Hussite Wars, where the town (being Catholic) withstood repeated attacks of Hussite troops.  I had to look up the Hussite Wars and found this on the internet:  “Hussite Wars, series of conflicts in the 15th cent., caused by the rise of the Hussites in Bohemia and Moravia. It was a religious struggle between Hussites and the Roman Catholic Church, a national struggle between Czechs and Germans, and a social struggle between the landed and peasant classes.”

(Read more: Hussite Wars | Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/hussite-wars.html#ixzz2aK4sV2PC)

The town and its castle were owned by aristocratic families from the 16^th to the 20^th century.  I noted that the last family, the Trouttmanndorfs.  They left in 1945 (no one said why, but I can guess), and the castle reverted to the state.

A never-ending theme in the many sites we have visited in Europe is war and fire.  Every castle documents the wars that took place there and the buildings that were rebuilt “after the great fire of …(fill in the blank).”  It was the same with this castle, which started out as a medieval castle but was rebuilt as a Renaissance castle after the fire.  It was furnished with period furniture and assessories and it housed an incredible library of leather-bound books; it contains 15,000 volumes.

The town itself was setting up for a festival to honor St. Anne, whose feast day is this weekend.  It was very picturesque and the houses were a lovely baroque style of many colors were eye-catching. 

Houses in Horsovsky Tyn

After visiting this area, we drove to another area for lunch, seeing the Czech countryside from the comfort of Gabi’s air-conditioned car!

Lunch at Chodska Challupa

There is an area of Bohemia near the German border called Chodenland.

When the lords of ancient times settled in the area, they also established villages whose main function was to protect the border.  The area protects its folkloric customs and its history.  We ate at a restaurant near the monument of J.S. Kozina, who tried to seek more power for the common folk and was, of course, executed.  This was in 1695, but he is still remembered with a big monument.  The view from the restaurant was beautiful, and the waiters in costumes.  I could not take their pictures, but I have an example of a folkloric costume.  Jari, Gabi’s friend who was with us, remembers her grandmother wearing dress similar to this.

We had a typical Czech meal: pork, cabbage and dumplings for Reginald, potato pancakes for Jari, and Svickova,, a typical Czech dish and one of the most popular Czech meals.  It is a sirloin served with houskové knedlíky (bread dumplings). After visiting for a bit, we then headed for Jari’s home town of Domazlice .

Folkloric dress from the Chodenland area

Trip to Domazlice

Domazlice is another historic town near the Czech-German border.  There is evidence of merchant activity here as early as 993, and this town was founded in 1265 by Czech King Premysl Otakar II.  A tower in the square is the landmark for this town, and la watch tower later incorporated into the church.  Also located in the town is Chodsky Castle.  Originally a Gothic castle founded in the 1260s, it was visited by several kings.  After the (guess what?)  fire of 1592, it way in ruins until the 18^th century.  It is now home to the Chodsko museum.  There you find artifacts of those who lived here all those centuries with replicas of their homes and dress.  

View of Domazlice

Our lovely guide told us all about this.  No, wait, we had no guide, just information in English.  Who was that person?

Our lovely, and not so knowledgeable guide

After walking around, visiting the museum, and having a drink at a local café, we returned to Pilsen.

For dinner, we ate outside again, having a lovely chef’s salad, cheese, and chodsky kolac, a dessert specialty from the Domazlice.  All in all, a very informative day!

Prague and Mucha

Thursday was our much anticipated day in Prague, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.  We left for Prague at 9:30 and arrived in about an hour.  After we parked near Charles Bridge, we walked through old town--Stare Mesto--toward the Municipal House which housed Alphonse Mucha’s exhibit, the one owned by Ivan Lendl.  Mucha was the Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist whose posters of Sarah Bernhardt are well known.  We spent the rest of the morning seeing the exhibit and discussing Mucha’s work.  Afterward, we walked around to find a place to eat lunch outside, really to take advantage of the nice weather.  Eventually, we  found a café, Kolkovna, which served Czech food. Gabi had the goulash, and Reginald had potato soup in a bread bowl.  I had a Cesar salad with grilled chicken.  It was warm, and I knew we would have a big supper, so I opted for a lighter meal. 

From there we walked back toward Charles Bridge crossing through the Jewish area and giving a quick glance to the old Synagogue.  We were on our way to catch a boat that took us through the “Venice “ of Prague.  It was a nice trip with commentary on the various sites.  It turns out that many films that show scenes of Venice are actually shot in Prague! 

Then we visited the museum of the museum of the Charles bridge and saw pictures and displays on how the bridge was build.

Across Charles Bridge to Mala Strana  we walked, crossing the bridge over the canal we had just traveled and seeing the John Lennon wall with all its graffiti.  We  then caught a tram to the castle.  We took a tour of the castle area, Hradcany, after having a drink.

Then we walked back down to the car and drove home.  Dinner was again outside under the pergola at Gabi’s.  Vera had made us some stuffed peppers, green beans, and homemade strudel.  We were tired but enjoyed our dinner wine while talking about our day.

A Pilsen kind of day

Wednesday morning I went to the University of West Bohemia Summer Program to visit Charles Hall, Robert Jordan, and several of my students.  I participated in Charles' class and stayed for Robert's.  Later Gabi showed up with Reginald, and (lo and behold), one of Reginald's former students from MUS was in the class!  We toured the campus and looked especially at the new art building--an open spaced an modern edifice that includes not only art but fashion design and show design!  Evidently, there are sometimes live models, but we did not see any.  We left to see Gabi's office, which is located closer to downtown in a new building (actually an old building, but new for them).  There is a market next to it, so we bought a few fruits and vegetables.  I noticed a monument to the American forces of WWII nearby. Pilsen was liberated by the Americans, and the people here are still thankful.

We came back to Gabi's apartment for lunch.  Afterward, we took the tram to downtown to visit Pilsen and make a special trip to the Jewish Synagogue, which often houses exhibitions.  The one we saw was by Karel Steiner, a Czech who moved to the US and eventually to Paris. 

That evening we ate outside in the Kleckova perogola.  We had invited Gabi's mother, Vera, and her cousin, Jacob, who visited us in the US years ago.  We made turkey kabobs and grilled them.  I very nice evening!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Today was traveling day.  We got up early to take the rental car back to Angers.  Then we caught the 10:43 train to CDG airport.  After waiting about an hour, we got on the Czech Airlines flight to Prague.  Gabi met us as we left the airport and drove us to her apartment in Pilsen.  Up to this point, we had not really had much to eat--just grabbing bites quickly.  Now in Pilsen, we sat outside under a lovely pergola and munched on homemade hummus.  We then had a meal of carp, rocket salad, and French bread with a dessert of raspberries and pistachio nut ice cream.  It was worth the travels!  Tomorrow I will visit the University of West Bohemia summer school and say hello to some of my students.  I taught in that program in 1993--so hard to believe it was 20 years ago!  It will be fun to see how it has changed in that time.

Sunday and Monday in the hot La Giro summertime

The group left for Chinon after breakfast, but I stayed to catch up on grading.  It was HOT today, so I stayed in the front of the house for most of the day.  We had a simple lunch and a nap.  I thought about going to the pool but thought I would wait for the others.  They did not get back until about 5:00 but there was a hint of a storm, so no pool. 

I had already prepared my menu for the evening from the market--beef entrecote roast, French green beans, and potatoes baked on salt from La Guerande.  We enjoyed eating outside behind the house, but we saw no cows.  We missed seeing cows.  Funny how those critters can really get to you!

On Monday, the others left--Beth and Joe for Paris and Sally, Barbara, and Lin for an bed and breakfast south of us on their way to Bordeaux.  Reginald and I left to buy him some sandals, and we came back to pack.  It was so hot, I went to the pool to cool off.  We had a light lunch of salad, cold cuts, and cheese, and again I left for the pool.  We also did some laundry to help Mohammed catch up with the towels and sheets.

In the evening, we had drinks with Anne Marie and Gilles and said our good-byes.  I remembered the one lone truffle we brought from the Dordogne, so we had that with omelet for dinner.

We are ready to leave tomorrow for the next stage of our summer adventure--the Czech Republic.

A Lazy Saturday and a Fete

Reginald went for bread and croissants this morning, so we all had our typical French breakfast.  Afterward, Barbara and I took off for the Cholet market, composing a menu for two days while there.  We ended up buying a Challons chicken (actually two) for lunch with some of those delicious potatoes cooked under the roasting chickens.  I also bought a rolled beef entrecote roast for Sunday dinner and some French green beans.  We had to stop at Carrefour on the way back to pick up cold cuts and some drinks.  Back by noon, we were ready to taste that chicken!  Again, we ate outside.  The weather is warm but dry, and we are taking advantage of that.  After a large meal and some rose from the area, we all enjoyed a well-deserved nap. 

Meanwhile, Christophe, a local farmer, was setting up the Grange to celebrate his 40^th birthday party.  About 80 people were expected, and many began arriving in the afternoon.  Some went to the pool with their kids, so we waited until they left to take a dip.  Reginald joined us later with more rose wine.

Later, we were invited to take an aperitif with Christophe.  I took pictures of the roasting spit they used for two shoulders and two legs and will post that.  It looked delicious, but we were not invited for dinner.  Instead, we had our own light supper behind the house with caprese salad, lettuce, cold cuts, and cheese with our Dordogne strawberries for dessert.  We stayed at table until dark debating whether Sunday or Monday would mean a full moon.  We will see.

On another note—the party continued until around 4 AM with lots of music and someone who just could not put down that microphone!

Traveling back to La Giro

Friday was traveling day.  We left at 9:00 headed for Limoges and then Poitiers.  From there, it was supposedly a straight shot to Cholet.  However, we encountered some construction outside Cholet that took 30 minutes to get through.  Then we hit a detour.  Eventually, we made it back after buying some provisions for the others, who were due in around 7 or so.  Everyone arrived on time, and we had a very nice dinner outside in the back of the house.  Reginald and I decided to make merquez and regional sausages with mogettes de Vendee, a type of white bean that is very tasty.  For dessert, we had the tarte au prune, another specialty from here.

The room situation has been tricky since Mohammed rented out four rooms for Saturday night.  Reginald and I took the dorm and Barbara took Cosse D’Anjou, the room behind the dorm.  Sally and Lin took La Tourlandry, my usual room, and Beth and Joe took Bruno’s old room.  I think everyone slept fairly well the first night.

Medieval castles and garden fairies

Thursday we awoke to fog, a pea-soup fog.  It was just in the valley, though, and it cleared quickly.  Our plans for our last day included a trip to the medieval Chateau at Beynac.  Beynac-et-Cazenac is a commune in the Dordogne, but Cazenac is located up the hill from Beynac.  We went there first, thinking it was a way of reaching the castle, but instead we found a 15th century church. We returned to Beynac and found the right road that took us up to the castle.  It was worth the drive up to see the incredible views of the valley.  The castle is a huge fortress on a hill overlooking the valley.  For pictures and a little history, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Beynac.

We returned home for a luncheon of what leftovers we could find in the kitchen, and it turned out to be a healthy and delicious meal of salads and cheese.  We decided to go the the marchee gourmand in the evening, a type of night market, at St. Cyprien, and then take in the gardens at Marqueyssac.

A storm arose in the afternoon and refreshed everything.  Unfortunately, it also cut the electricity at St. Cyprien, so when we arrived there, we found that the market had been "annule." Tant pis!  We were not hungry anyway, so we made our way to the gardens.



The Château de Marqueyssac is a 17th-century château and gardens located in the Dordogne.  Every Thursday night in the summer, the place hosts a candlelight visit, complete with music and "fairies" on stilts.  We absolutely loved it!  It was magical and fun--a perfect last evening to our stay here.

Friday we leave to return to La Giraudiere.  We rest a few days, and then the adventure continues....

Cro-Magnum went missing

We woke up early Wednesday to stand in line for tickets to the Font de Gaume, one of the highly recommended prehistoric caves with drawings.  Up at 6:00 and on the road by 7:15.  We arrived at the ticket office at 7:45, plenty of time since it did not open until 9:30.  In line for almost two hours, and number 35 in line for tickets that are limited to 80, and yet...we were not able to get tickets!  What a weird system (not to mention crummy).  We ended up going to the Abri de Cap blanc, which contained sculptures, and they were fascinating.  We were happy with that.  Afterward, we lunched at Les Eyzies, where an incredible museum of prehistoric artifacts are displayed.  We were happy with our day, but a lovely evening was in store.  After taking a well-earned nap, we prepared for Dmitri, our chef for the evening.  He arrived with his bags of ingredients, his chef's hat and apron, and his skilled hand.  He whipped up in an hour and a half one of the best meals I had ever had.  We started with a type of "amuse bouche," actually a melon soup made with fresh melon.  Then we moved to our first course (entree), which was scallops served with fresh seared foie gras and a side of fresh fig. It had to be one of the most delicious things I have ever had.

Next, he served us a veal tenderloin with vegetables and mushrooms.

Finally, a homemade dessert of strawberries and chocolate in different forms

He made all of this in our little kitchen.  It was a real gourmet meal, and we matched each course with a special wine.  What a day!
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Of Boats and Barbecue

Tuesday was busy and fun.  Our day started, as it always had, with goodies from the bakery.  Joe gets up early and brings in croissants or raisin bread.  After that, we made a trip to the market at Cenac St. Julien, a town about 10 minutes from us where Sally’s bag inspired our story, Why my suitcase lives at the P.O.”  There we bought lots of things in preparation for our barbecue that evening.  We decided on some saucisson, salad, radishes, strawberries, peppers, zucchini,  small potatoes, cheeses, heirloom tomatoes, and one truffle!  Oh yes, we also bought lamb for the grill.   After returning, we left for our boat ride.  That one-hour ride turned out to be very pleasant as we made our way around the area an saw various castles.  After that, we returned to the house to gather some things, eat some snacks, and prepare again for a visit to Chateau Castelnaud, a castle we can see from La Rocque.  The castle houses many items from the Middle Ages, mostly items used for war.  It also hosts lots of steps.  Up and down in the heat left us tired but also gave us some spectacular views.  Eventually, we returned home (after our usual afternoon ice cream or icy snack) and prepared for our dinner.  We were entertained with views of hot air balloons making their way over La Rocque and very close to our house, within waving distance even!  Although Reginald and Lin were not happy with the way the grill and charcoal worked, we had some delicious grilled lamb, and Joe and Beth had a grilled entrecote.  The dessert of strawberries and kiwis was just the right ending. 

Getting Lost in Paradise

After our breakfast Monday, we decided to make a picnic for after the boat ride, which we wanted to take at 11:00.  The boat was full, though, so we made reservations for the next day.  Then we left for the Jardins of Eyrignac, known as some of the most beautiful in this area.  However, upon entering Sarlat we thought we saw a direction for the town close to the gardens, so off we went.  After traveling around for about an hour, we realized we were going in circles.  At that point, we did not mind because we were seeing some of the most beautiful scenery we had seen, only the kind you can see from very small, narrow roads (which, of course, made the drive scary also!).  Finally, we arrived.  There was a very nice shaded area for picnicking, so we took out our eggs, tomatoes, cheese, fruit, and (most important), the wine.  After being refreshed with food and drink, we visited the gardens.  These gardens require 6 full-time gardeners, and they show it.  There were several types of gardens within the grounds, including a French garden, an English garden, a Chinese garden, and several others,  such as the vegetable garden and the cut flower garden.  By the end of the hour and half walk, we were hot and tired, so we had drinks at the on-site café.  After leaving the gardens, we decided to drive by the Chateau Montfort.  Again, we lost our way even with a GPS and a map.  Nevertheless, we eventually found it only to realize that the place that sits imposingly on the hill is not open for visitors.  We took lots of pictures though.  So back home we went anticipating gins tonics and a rest before having dinner at “La Terrace.”  I ordered the menu and had salad avec gisiers (gizzards), which is a specialty here, and confit de canard. All in all, a very nice day.

Bastille Day in the Dordogne

I anticipated watching the Bastille Day parade in the morning and convinced everyone to enjoy having a Sunday brunch  and lounging around all morning.  I carefully planned a lovely brunch—French toast (served with peach compote made with the peaches Edwige gave me), omelets made with truffle oil,  skillet fried potatoes, melon and strawberries,  salad with tomatoes (earlier in the morning we  partook of croissants).  Everything was wonderful except that we never found the channel with the parade!  We found Fox News but not one French station!

We were surprised to see so many stores and restaurants open on Bastille Day, which was on Sunday—a double whammy.  They do cater to the tourists here.  After the brunch, we left to see the Chateau des Milandes, Josephine Baker’s chateau where she raised her 12 adopted children who came from around the world.  We also watched a falconry bird show there.  The whole visit was informative and fascinating.  Then we left to visit Belves, another one of the “most beautiful villages of France.”  That evening we returned to have a typical French “light supper” of cheese, charcuterie, bread, and tomate salad.  Although everyone was tired, some of us decided to climb the area behind the house to have a view of the fireworks from Domme.  They did not start until 11 PM, so the only left at that point were Lin, Barbara, and me.  All in all, it was a lovely day.

A Saturday in Dordogne

The morning was spent dealing with lost luggage.  Anne, the local contact for our villa, called us to say the bags were at the post office in Cenac.  We left for Cenac only to be told by the ladies at the PO that there was no bag.  They indicated that it must be with the “chronopost.”  I am not sure what that is, but eventually we went home and called them.  When the man mentioned the bags “from North Carolina” we knew we were okay.  He said they would be delivered to the PO by noon.  I called Anne and left a message.  She came by around 11 and took Sally to Cenac to see what was going on.  Before then, however, Sally had managed to trip a fuse by using her hair dryer.  We needed Anne’s help for that too.  Eventually, they returned with the bag, and we were off to Sarlat.

The market was going on in Sarlat, but we arrived toward the end of it.  I did buy some olives and some tapanade, and we had a crepe lunch and visited the town.  Sarlat is another beautiful town in the Perigord.  After we left, we drove to Domme, the best-known bastide in France.  There was a tourist train that took people around the city, and we hopped on that.  We had some breath-taking views of the area since Domme is set very high on a hill.  I had an ice cream to cook down and we eventually left and made our way to St Cyprien to get (of all things) ICE.  However, the only ice left was a block of ice, so we got that and some other provisions and returned home.  Our dinner consisted of the tapanade, some cold cuts, cheese, and some walnut tart for dessert.  All in all, it turned out to be a beautiful day.  Did I mention that we all ride together in an 8 passenger Mercedes van!

Anniversary and other special events

 Wednesday, July 10, marked the 42^nd anniversary of the Dalle-Sprouls.  We wanted something special for that day, so the nice folks spending time with us decided to offer us an anniversary dinner.  First, though, we had to take Sandy to the train station and then take Reginald’s car back to Pinneau’s.  I kept mine, which we will use to go to the Dordogne.  Then we shopped at Carrefour for shrimp and other goodies.  Lunch was a simple meal of quiche, pizza, cold cuts, and cheese.  Each then had an afternoon to his or her own.  I read and napped by the pool, and Gabi read and sunbathed there.  I am not sure what held the others’ interest, but I did not see anyone until later.  The kitchen then became a busy place!  Dan worked on his barbecued shrimp while Gabi made a Greek salad and her special orange slices, red onion, salt and pepper appetizer.  We also put some escargots in the oven.  Dinner was taken again in the back, so we did not miss one single minute of the cow parade!  It was lovely, and I thank my good friends.

Thursday was leaving day.  Gabi, Vicki, and Dan all left on the 10:05 from Chemille.  Gabi was headed to CDG to take the plane to Prague, and the others were going to Paris for two days.  Reginald and I left a little after 11 for Angouleme to visit Edwige and Claude.  We had a very nice afternoon there, and I took advantage of the warm weather and their nice pool.  We had dinner outside—fois gras, poulet en paupiette, ratatouille, and some of their own cherries for dessert.  Such a nice couple!

Friday we needed to get to La Rocque Gageac by 5, but I wanted to leave as soon as possible, so we parted company, said our good-byes, and headed out.  We were in La Rocque by 1:30, where we picnicked and did some people watching while visiting the small village.  We tried twice to get into the house, but the cleaning people were there, so we sat at a café, walked, and then finally decided to go to Sarlat for gas and provisions.  We returned around 4:45 and finally got into the house.

It is lovely and unique.  You have to walk up some steep steps to get to it, and it sits on three levels next to a path that leads to a church.  There are also some shops along the way with specialties from the area.  We are in the basement bedroom (two here with a hall bath we share).  There are two more on the upper floor also.  On the ground floor is a large kitchen, a big salon with fireplace, and an outside patio under a grapevine. 

Reservations were at 7:30 at the Belle Etoile restaurant just down the hill.  There we had an incredible meal.  Each ordered something different, but I had monkfish appetizer and cod for the main course.  I find fish refreshing and light.  That left room for the vacherin dessert of sorbet over meringue and fresh berries.  It was a great success.  Now we will see what adventures await, but first we must try to retrieve Sally’s suitcase!

Winding down after the day of winds

Monday was a day of rest.  The afternoon was spent by the pool with Sandy Hooper and Gabi.  It was also the day we decided to make our crepe dinner.  That morning we ventured to Chemille to buy gallettes and crepes.  Galletes are the buckwheat pancakes made in Brittany and used for savory crepes.  That night we filled them with ham and cheese and a fried egg on top.  Hmmm.  We filled the sweet crepes with bananas sautéed in brown sugar and butter and served with ice cream.  Dan had bought some cider, so that really rounded out our meal.  Some of the group talked long into the evening.  I went to bed at 10:30, a bit early for here, but I was tired.

Tuesday we wanted to go to the Cointreau distillery near Angers.  It was difficult getting information about it, so we finally called.  It turns out that one must now have reservations, and there were not places available until Friday.  We decided instead to go to the chateau of Brissac.  That was a good choice.  It is not too far and is historically and architecturally interesting.  The day was beautiful, so we stayed and ate  lunch at a local creperie. Upon our return, we went to the pool again.  For dinner, we had spaghetti bolognaise that I made, something everyone enjoyed and which was easy to do.  A salad, some cheese, and a little pistachio ice cream afterward made for a great meal.

The day of winds

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Sunday was a “fat morning,” a grasse matinee.  After going to bed at 2 AM, we needed some rest.  We had a light breakfast and later a very nice “buffet compagnard.”  The weather was beautiful although windy, but we ate outside.  Interestingly it was was windy at this time last year when Les gardes hosted their “Fete de Vent,” the festival of winds.  In fact, it was so windy last year that the hot air balloons could not be released!  This year it was windy again.  The top of the hill was full of kites and huge air socks.  There was entertainment that really kept us amused, but we just really enjoyed the atmosphere.  Vicki could not go because of grading and Reginald went to pick up Sandy Hooper at 4 PM, so it was just Dan, Gabi, and me.  After we returned, we got busy with a very nice dinner of rolled roast beef, French green beans, and Noirmoutier potatoes baked over Guerande salt.  For dessert, we had a delicious apricot tarte thanks to Vicki. 

Saturday at the Market, dejeuner au soleil, and the Puy du Fou

Saturday was a busy day, full of the best of France--the food, the lovely countryside, and the history.  After breakfast, we left for the Cholet market to feast our eyes on lovely fruits, vegetables, charcuterie, cheese, and pastries.  We left with four bags, including a lovely beef roast and a box of eclairs.  There is always something missing, so we made a stopped at Carrefour.  We needed some various things for our lunch of tomato tart and our picnic dinner of ham and cheese sandwiches.

We were actually able to eat outside in the sun.  It was hot, but not too, and sunny enough that a straw hat was enough for me--no shade needed.  We feasted on cucumber salad, tomato tart a la Gabi, and cheese, a particularly ripe brie that I had just bought.  Okay--the eclairs had to wait to tea time--we were just too full. 

Everyone took a significant nap in the afternoon after the wine and sun.  We needed to since we were planning to see the Cinescenie of the Puy du Fou, and that would get us home at 1:30 or 2:00 AM!

We had an original thought--take a picnic and eat in the area of the Puy du Fou so we could get there early and get good seats and parking.  Several hundred others had that same idea, but we still got great parking and had a lovely picnic on the side of the parking lot.

The show was spectacular (www.puydufou.com) as always.  It was the story of the people of Vendee, from the 14th century to after WWII.  It focused on the lives of peasants who worked hard but still had some enjoyment in their lives, especially during May day events, the arrival of a king (Francis I), and various religious holidays.  Then various wars would interrupt their lives.  There were the Vendeen Wars, WWI, WWII.  The family of Jacques Mepillier, through whose voice this is told, sent off yet another son, father, husband to those wars.  There was death and devastation--especially in the Vendee area are the Vendeen War, a kind of extension of the French Revolution.  The people in the area did not like it that the Republicans burned their churches and arrested their priests, and they fought back with pitchforks and a strong will.  They were wiped out.  Slowly, slowly they came back to their peasant lives and their festivities.  That is, until another way came about.  So it turns out to be a story of the region, of the resilience of people, of the horrors of way, of how people adjust.  This is all told through a spectacular display of music, lights, dance, and pyrotechnics, What a show!

A day in Clisson

Yesterday we spent the day in Clisson, a lovely town between Cholet and Nantes.  It was market day, so we spent some time visiting the market to choose our dinner.  After walking around the castle and the town, we found a nice cafe for lunch.  Three had croque monsieur but I had carpaccio, a nice Muscadet wine, and coffee.  All in all a lovely day.  Despite the nice variety of foodstuff, I could not really develop a menu.  Finally, after buying some olive tapanade and some anchovy spread, I came up with a frittata--one with peppers and onion and one with potatoes.  We were able to eat outside since the weather has finally turned nice.  By 10:30 I was really wiped out and had to get to bed and rest.  After all, Saturday night is the Puy du Fou spectacle, and I have to rest up for that!

A day in the French countryside

We had a great day yesterday of eating, napping, and drinking wine.  Last night we made escalope de dinde with cauliflower au gratin.  The highlight for Vicki, though, was the pistachio ice cream.  Today we spent the morning in the market in Chemille.  We are celebrating the 4th of July with a caprese salad, merguez and other sausages, mogettes (white beans), and a tarte with plums.

Gabi arrived at 4:15 at Chemille.  She is ready for the week here, but unfortunately the weather is overcase.  We are hoping to see the sun tomorrow when we go to Clisson.

The Murrells have arrived!

I cannot believe it is already Wednesday.  We picked up Vicki and Dan Murrell and returned for a nice lunch of salads and charcuterie.  They needed some rest after being up all night, so I finished by book, Inferno, the latest by Dan Brown.  Anyone traveling to Florence needs to read it since there are great descriptions of areas and museums in Florence.  Last night we had smoked chicken, french fries, and salad.  Before we ate, though, we had our evening visit from Gilles Secher.  It is amazing, but he can talk to anyone, including those who do not understand French.  He remembered Vicki from last year but not Dan.  Ummm.  After we ate, Slyman dropped by.  We all ended up in the kitchen with him and his friend and Mohammed.  For some reason, we got into a long discussion about snakes, including pythons and anacondas.  Well, it was late and we had had a lot of wine.  All in all, a nice day.  I did invited Slyman for dinner Thursday to help us celebrate the 4th of July.  And...Gabi will be here too.

A busy weekend and a “cousinage”

 The farm of ‘La Giraudiere’ was owned for many years and many generations by the Bomard family.  I recall meeting the elderly Mme Bomard when I first visited the place in the early 70s.  At that time, she was already an older person, someone I knew had seen many changes in her life.  (She died in the 1980s).  The Bomard daughter, Marie-Jose, had married Auguste Gerard, and the couple were running the farm, which eventually evolved into a dairy farm.   For years, I heard stories of Auguste and of how he really liked the Dalle children.  During the late 40s, throughout the 50s and into the 60s when the family spent a month here, the Dalle kids, Reginald being the youngest, spent much of their time following M. Gerard around the farm.  When he retired, his daughter, Marie-Yvette, took over running the dairy farm and ran it for many years until she retired a year or so ago. 

Saturday was a kind of “homecoming” for the Bomard family and for Germaine and Reginald.  The eldest Bomard daughter, Nicole, wanted to receive her family for her birthday.  They asked to use the “Grange,” and they spend all day Saturday and most of Sunday visiting each other.  We were invited to two aperitifs, and I met many of them.  I have to say they are a charming family.  They recounted stories of spending time with the Dalle kids and the fun they all had.  For the cocktail hour, they served a drink that was interesting but not my favorite—rose wine with grapefruit syrup. 

Reginald and Nicolas spent the day discussing the fate of the property now that Bruno is gone.  I think they have come to some decisions, but there is still much to be resolved. 

Sunday, we all got up late (still not over jet lag), and had a nice brunch at 10:30.  Today was the perfect day weather-wise.  The high was 78, and there were no clouds.  If it could stay this way….  Germaine and crew had to return to Paris, but I have to say I will miss that little Iris, Marie-Adele’s little girl.  She is so sweet, not demanding at all, and easily amused.  She will soon be walking; that is when the fun will begin.  For some reason, Reginald and I spent this beautiful day resting, reading, sleeping, and just lounging. 

Arrival in France--fuzzy but in one piece!

Arrived safely yesterday and in one piece, although I think a piece of my brain was missing.  With no sleep on the plane--a seat mate who liked bright light, a crying baby who never slept, and an uncomfortable seat--I arrived okay but really fuzzy.  My brain needs rest!  The transfer from the plane to the passport control to the baggage claim to the train station took less than an hour (but felt longer).  I was glad to be in fairly good condition and could walk or run while pulling suitcases and sometimes carrying them up or down escalators that did not work.  Being an escalator repair person should be a good job in France; I have yet to travel and find that they all worked. 

Reginald met me in Angers, and although I told him voiture 3, he did not meet me there.  Fortunately, chivalry is not quite dead in France, and I had help with luggage on and off the train.  We got our car, which has a GPS (I am excited!), and we are ready for adventures. 

I think we will be doing the meal planning and most of the cooking.  Mohammed is busy with the grounds, which look great by the way.  Today for lunch we had tarte aux poireaux, potato salad, two types of pate, and fruit salad--and bread of course.  Tonight, I am making an antipasta tray, a spaghetti bolognaise, and a salad, with ice cream for dessert (and bread of course).  Germaine is coming with Mariadele and Nicolas and staying two nights.  More meal planning tomorrow.

Tomorrow the market in Cholet!

Packing for a month

How do you pack for a place where the high is 66 when it is over 90 in Memphis?  If the weather remained the same all summer, that would work, but moving from place to place is a dice game.  It is warmer in Norway today than in our area of France!  Okay, so I will be taking too much, but I plan to leave some items at La Giro.  Perhaps we will get warmer weather eventually, but I would just probably complain about that too.  No matter what, the wine will be the right temperature!

Getting ready to leave

This is the summer of prehistoric caves, a visit to the family house, and a return to the beautiful city of Prague.  This blog is my private way of documenting my activities, my impressions, and my discoveries.  I hope it helps me recall this much anticipated vacation.