August 2nd, 3rd, 4th - Versailles, Paris, New York

This is John journaling today. We had a big day on our second to last day in Paris. The plan was to take the train/subway to Versailles. Because we were not sure of the connections, I was worried, but hoped to figure it out (worst case we could have a little extra time on the trains). We packed our murse (man purse), went into our Patisserie for coffee au Lait and pastry, and then descended into the depths of the metro station, La Muette. After staring at the ticket vending machine for a bit, we spoke to the Metro employee and he agreed to help us buy our tickets to Versailles. No problem but now what? We knew it was the C line (yellow) but which platform and which train as the C line has multiple destinations at each end.

Our angel arrived in the form of Daniel from Bogotá, Columbia, travelling with his two aunts. As we stood there looking confused, this handsome young man approached us needing change for a 50 euro note to buy his tickets. We did have the change and learned they were going to Versailles as well. We threw in together to get to Versailles, and following Daniel we descended to the Metro platform. Daniel explained that we had to go lower to reach the RER regional train level to get to Versailles. More than three levels below street level, we boarded a C line train. I was not so sure of the train direction and was checking the stations we passed with the map. Daniel and I realized we were heading the wrong way, so we jumped off, crossed the platform, and caught the next train back the other way. The drama was not yet over as we knew we had to get off somewhere in central Paris to catch a different C line train heading toward Versailles. Sitting next to our group of five explorers was a young couple from Spain. So in Spanish, Daniel learned that the only transfer point to Versailles was Champs du Mar (Tour Eiffel) – two stops from La Muette. Aleur….we exited there, and still together, boarded the train to Versailles.

It took about 30 minutes to get there and we spent the time talking to Daniel, and the one aunt who spoke English, about Columbia and many other topics. We arrived at the Versailles station and it was time to say good-bye to our new friends.

Frommer had suggested getting our entry passes at the Tourist office to avoid the long lines. We headed that way and soon saw an extremely long line for a ticket window. As we kept walking looking for the end of the line, we saw our new friends, Daniel and the two aunts, in line. Daniel called to us and told us about going to another place he just heard about back at the train station, a magazine stand, where supposedly one could buy tickets for a one euro surcharge. With the aunts holding their place in line, we returned to the station and bought our precious tickets saving a bunch of time. And so we said good-bye again and headed to the gates of Versailles very pleased with ourselves. Well, now we were confronted with a long Disneyland line which weaved across the huge square, just to enter the palace. The line, although very long, moved quickly and Carol and I had made some progress when we heard Daniel call out “John” from a spot several hundred people behind us. He asked if they could join us…..of course, so they saved some waiting time but most important we were back together, in line for an hour and learned a lot more about Columbia and the history and culture. Daniel just finished 5 years education in Mexico City in a private college. His major was international business. Now he has joined a private consulting firm in Columbian and he would like to discuss exporting garlic to Columbia so we have his information and will contact him when we return home and get settled.

It was time we said good-bye again. This time it was really good-bye.

The castle of Versailles was disappointing. It took less than an hour to go through and crowds of tourists, some rude, didn’t help. The one interesting sight is the Hall of Mirrors.

We finally arrived at the café/restaurant and sat with an Australian lady on one side who was a group insurance sales manager and a professor of food science from Saskatoon Canada on the other. We had a great visit with both about our different cultures and travels.

From there moved on to my much anticipated portion of the tour, the famous gardens. There are over 350 acres of gardens, canals, ponds, fountains, and statues. At some point we discovered they rented golf carts so we quickly rented one to explore as much as possible. While in line for the cart, we met a lady from Oklahoma, visited with her, and she has already emailed us asking about ideas for a future trip to Southern Germany, Austria, and Italy.



The ‘gardens’ have a large canal like lake where boats can be rented. It is a beautiful setting with a couple of cafes outdoors. We stopped for a potty break for Carol and while she was away I started to talk to a couple who wondered where we got the golf cart. They were from San Francisco and it seemed they could use a lift after the long walk so I invited them to jump on board and we toured the rest of gardens together. Afterwards, we rode the train back together and exchanged email addresses.
So this tour was a real United Nations day for us. Of course as we have mentioned these exchanges only enrich our experience.

After an exhausting 10 hour day, we popped over to one of the neighborhood cafes for dinner and then home to crash.





August 3rd 2011 – Paris

This morning we were smart and decided that rather than heading right out for our last day in the city we would take care of the tedious job of organizing and at least partially packing prior to heading out. Believe me it was a good decision because in the end when we returned home after another ten hour day, with much of that walking, we were exhausted.

Having to face packing from start to finish would have been overwhelming.After getting our packing to a status we felt comfortable we headed to the Monet museum 2-3 blocks from our apartment. Well let me correct that of course before packing we walked to our special bakery/café there was no giving that up at this stage of the game. My objective was to just enjoy the city and do some final shopping. I really wasn’t sure where we should shop and wanted something between the souvenir junk shops and the high end designer boutiques. We had asked around and had been told that the Jewish sector may be a good bet. This past year the book club I am a member of read ‘Sarah’s Key’. Although I have read a lot about Jewish ghettos, deportation and death camps I wasn’t familiar with what happened in Paris over two days in the summer of 1942. The French gendarmes, following Nazi dictates, moved in and rounded up 12,800 Jewish men, woman, and children, and after housing them in a large sports arena, loaded them all up on trains and shipped them to death camps. Of those arrested that day only 31 survived. When we knew we were going to Paris I wanted to see if there were memorial or museums about this event but after researching through our travel books found no information. Obviously, I should have pursued in more depth via the internet which is what John did prior to our setting out this day.

He found a great article with streets and descriptions written by a travel specialist so this area became a part of our itinerary for our day.Sadly, we discovered this too late and were unable to see the museum but we did see the solemn monument honoring all who died and we walked the streets where buildings were marked noting what happened back then. It was a profound experience and we recommend anyone going to Paris research this history and spend some time there. The art museums are wonderful but this too is very important and worthwhile.

As most of you know there are many bridges crossing the River Seine but we came upon one very unusual story that we have to share. The bridge has steel mess along both sides of the walkway and we noticed something tied to it almost covering the sides that looked like colorful ribbons. They were ribbons for sure but they were attached to what we would call a common pad lock. The locks were in different sizes and strengths and some decorated more than others. We could not imagine what they represented so asked a young couple near us if they spoke English and what did this represent. She explained in broken English that when a couple is in love some come there with their lock and attach to the bridge and throw the key in the river symbolizing they would be together forever. John wondered if things don’t go well would you expect to come back with wire cutters?

We agreed that the best time of our day was walking along the River Seine. It was a beautiful day and so enjoyable to watch the peoples of all cultures and languages sharing the day. At some point sand has been hauled in and dumped for some distance along the riverbank. We simply enjoyed watching people basking on the ‘beach’, playing Bocce Ball, singing along with street musicians, people strolling their babies and of course many holding hands. Occasionally the bells of Notre Dame would chime and we found ourselves reminded of how blessed we were having been here.

Looking back we had one rainy day when we first arrived in Paris but from that time sunshine followed us through our travels. When we drove up to the beaches in Normandy it was raining, as had been predicted. We parked and the sun came out and remained for our entire tour. The following day we drove to Brittany and the front desk at the hotel woefully announced we should expect rain the following day and that Brittany is known for its bad weather. Again, the sun was out for our three days there. Across the country in Strasbourg a week later, Natacha at the front desk warned us of the same thing. I smiled and said it wouldn’t ruin our time but it seemed the sun had been followed us. She smiled and said she hoped that would be the case but just in case they had umbrellas for us. The sun did shine…all day both days and it was amazing.

August 4th 2011 – Paris

After a final coffee and yes a pastry as well, we headed to De Gaulle for our flight to New York feeling filled with far more than pastries but rather the entire experience. And might I add….we are very, very grateful.

August 5th 2011 – New York

It was a great plan to spend a couple of days at our time share in New York on our way back home. We arrived here at the Hilton about 6:30 p.m. EDT. It was great to see familiar faces and it seemed we fell into the time zone quite well going to bed and getting up today at a normal time. We enjoyed our breakfast here and I couldn’t get enough fruit so I guess I was missing that! About mid-day we headed up to Central Park and spent about 1-1/2 hours just strolling around seeing parts of the park we hadn’t yet seen. Again, just as a couple of days before, we watched people from all over the world enjoying their day from basking in the sun to sailing miniature boats or dancing to the music of street musicians. Finally, we found our way to our favorite lunch spot Via Quadronno (on 73rd between Madison and 5th if visiting NYC and looking for a good lunch place) where I devoured the best salad I have had since we left here three weeks ago.

We have said our goodbyes to the great folks that welcome us on each of our trips here and hope to continue with minimal jet lag tomorrow when we catch a flight out of LaGuardia late morning to a new time zone…..home.

Au revoir

John & Carol

July 31st & August 1st Epernay - Champagne Region France

July 31st – 2011 Epernay, Champagne Region

John here journaling: We started our day with a simple breakfast at the Royal Champagne and feeling very privileged to have the opportunity. We planned a day in nearby Epernay visiting a champagne bar and store and in the afternoon a tour of a Champagne House, and later we would head back to Paris.

Our first stop was the wine bar and shop recommended by the hotel. There we tried four different champagnes. Luckily for us, we had a 100% American young lady from Seattle to help us with the wines and explain the differences. She is from Seattle, attending University of Washington, in France for a semester and staying with a host family in Paris. After the semester was over, the host family took her with to visit friends in Champagne, and she ended with a job for the summer in the wine shop. Her French was pretty good from her recent immersion with the host family.

Our second stop was the Mercier Vineyard, complete with 10 miles of wine caves and a laser-guided electric train in which you traveled for the tour. The train ride covered the history of the winery and the entire process of making champagne was explained to us by very knowledgeable young men.

Grapes are pressed and fermented in stainless steel tanks for 1, 2, or 3 years. Three types of grapes are used - pinot noir, pinot menuiere, and chardonnay. Blanc de blanc made from chardonnay, and is lighter. Many brut cuvees are a mix of all three grapes with only a small amount of chardonnay. After first fermentation, then still white or rose wine is bottled and additional sugar and yeast added. Second fermentation takes place in the bottle. The gas has nowhere to go, so it dissolves into wine. Bottles are laid in racks and carefully turned a quarter-turn at a time many times over at least 16 months (at Mercier for two years). During this time, all the debris from 2nd fermentation goes to neck of bottle. Then the bottles are put into a minus 20 degrees ice bath, the debris freezes, bottle is opened and the gas pressure expels the plug of frozen debris (called disgorgement). Then a final amount of sugar is added to make difference between sec, semi-sec, and brut. The bottles are corked, wired, labeled and sealed; then laid down for two more months or more before being sold. In was interesting to hear the entire process.

At this point I’ll turn the story over to Carol….

As most of you know we are doing a home exchange and I’m not sure if we have mentioned it but this exchange included a car and a navigating system, a Tom Tom. We named her Marie obviously for Marie Antoinette. John has done a terrific job driving all over the north of France but we have commented many times, what would we do without Marie? As in the song lyrics “I’ll take you there..” Marie took us from cow path to motorway and roundabout after roundabout.

Aleur, we got in the car happy about our experience in Champagne and ready to head back to Paris for an early evening. I reached for trusty Marie and she was not talking! We tried re-starts, turning on and off, unplugging and plugging and there was no cooperation from Marie. It was Sunday about 4:30 in France where most everything is closed not to mention a shop selling navigational systems. This is a very small area with less people, other than tasting rooms, speaking English. Finally, we decided the only option available was driving back out to the countryside to the Royal Champagne. They were so good to us and many spoke English, perhaps they could help us in some way. The thought had crossed my mind that maybe we would have to spend another night but I didn’t speak it. During the drive back out John did mention that may be our solution.

We arrived at the Chateau and walked into that beautiful parlor where the same young man who greeted us the evening before was seated at his desk. Once again he rose to greet us with a smile having no idea why we were back. I’m sure we looked pathetic and rather wild eyed for sure. There are two antique chairs in front of his desk and we promptly seated ourselves and told our story to he and his female colleague. They listened and when we were finished they said, “so sorry but how can we help you?” Well, it turns out they thought our car had broke down so they were relieved when they understood it was only our navigational system. He said it would be no problem he could quickly Google a map. We thanked him and at about the same time we both reached the conclusion that although we could go all over California and most of the US (barring NYC perhaps) with a Google map, we didn’t see how that was going to work for us this evening. The motorways would be one thing but once closer into the city itself there are too many lanes switches, tunnels and inability to see street signs.

Of course his other solution was giving us a good price for another night with them and in the morning we could go directly to the closest larger town and purchase a new system. By now we were laughing and happily agreed this was a good solution to our problem. In moments we were transported to the same round table where again we were served champagne and Madelaines while they checked to see if our room was ready.

There was a British family who we had seen at dinner and breakfast who were relaxing at the next table. They heard our dilemna and asked if there was some way they could help as they also drove a BMW X5. Of course there was no way they could help but a one hour conversation ensued about everything from the world economy, to Great Britain’s National Health Care, Norway, immigration and so it went. We enjoyed their very mature and poised 16 and 18 year olds and had a chance to hear about their plans for their education. Those of you that follow our journals know that these chance meetings greatly enhance our experience.

After relaxing and visiting we returned to our room and settled in not sure where we would have dinner. Their restaurant, though lovely, was not the kind of place you (or at least we) would normally dine on back to back nights. We did take a little drive and this area is very rural so we were unable to find anything open where we would want to have dinner.
In the end we decided to return to this lovely place and my dinner was going to be an appetizer (Foie Gras of course) and a cheese course. John was hungry so went for the gusto with several courses. It was a great night and we were so much more comfortable with waiting till morning to make the trip.

It is worth noting my observations of the staff at the Royal Champagne. When the young man at the desk greeted us or brought us our champagne he always stood with the most perfect posture. He held his arms in a position that was somewhat relaxed but also at attention you could say. He always maintained that posture when working with clients. The same could be said about all the staff and certainly all the wait staff. There was absolute uniformity in how they stood, walked and conducted themselves. They spoke to each other hushed voices that could not be heard by clients. I wouldn’t want to mislead to indicate this was cold, rather very formal. And yet I had a great conversation with the young man, Luca, who served cafes at breakfast. He told me “I love to speak English.” He said he had been to America, specifically New York, once and loved it and hopes to move there. He said Americans are “so friendly.” He shared that his grandmother took him with her when he was 20 years old and her friends in America knew he was coming so when they arrived there were all these young people there to “welcome this French boy they heard was arriving.” He was so impressed by this and said, “French people are not like that, and we are more… (he struggled for the English word)….inside (interpreted meaning shy or introverted). It was good feed back to hear about our fellow Americans and I in turn complimented Luca on how kind his people had been to us during our visit.

On Monday morning, August 1st we had a light breakfast at the Royal and headed out this time dedicated to solving our problem and getting back to Paris. It was a straight shot to Reims and we had been directed to a mall that was right off the motorway. Of course in a strange country and not knowing the language a mall isn’t as easy as one would think but it only took a couple of stops to find what we needed.

We were thrilled to hear that voice when we returned to our car and got the system set up. From there we were home free and we knew it. It is amazing the difference a system makes and once again we just can’t imagine how we managed in these kinds of situation not so many years ago.

We arrived back at our flat (home sweet homoe) in the mid-afternoon ready to re-group, work on laundry and get set up for our last couple of days in Paris. The neighborhood we hadn’t discovered until we had been here a few days, the one with the view of the Eiffel Tower, has about four classic French sidewalk cafes where you can order dinner or something light. We chose one of these cafes and sat back and took this unique café atmosphere that is everything you hear about and more.

It was a great close to the evening; tomorrow we look forward to one of our last days here in this beautiful city.

July 30th 2011 – Champillon in the Champagne Region of France

Our plan this morning was to head to our final stop on this trip directly following a quick breakfast at the hotel. We had reservations in the Champagne region of France! But wait, I realized we had not purchased any of the type pictures we like to collect and frame from Strasbourg. So John agreed, as very few men I know would, to drive into the old city on a Saturday morning (market day) so we could do that last little bit of shopping. He truly should be a saint, and already is in my book.
Truth be told, we both enjoyed that one last taste of Strasbourg and made pretty quick work of our shopping which included something freshly baked items from one of their amazing bakeries for John.

By late morning we had hit the motorway for our 200 mile drive where we had reservations at a Chateau, outside of Epernay in Champagne. Yes we were going to give this chateau thing one more try.
Notably, as we hit the French motorways again, was the wayside rests. We may have hundreds of miles in the US without a rest stop and here we clocked many only 12 miles apart. These were nicely wooded stops with picnic tables some quite large. We were disgusted that we hadn’t thought to pick up our own picnic items so we could make a quick stop and also enjoy the countryside. We opted instead for one of the many motorway restaurants attached to a petrol station. We had noticed these type places as we drove through France but had never stopped to investigate. What ensued was jaw dropping for us and we likely were wide eyed with mouths wide open. We walked in expecting something like our hamburger or taco joints plus some convenience ‘junk’ food like chips and candy. Folks this place was frenzy from the time we stopped to park! There were people eating at table’s outdoors, using a big rock for a table, standing eating a sandwich on the walkway, not to mention all that were seated inside. The choices were a full buffet including sliced ham, other meats and many vegetables, salads and desserts. A full salad bar was another option. We just wandered a bit not sure what to do because we were just looking for a simple baguette, fruit and cheese. There was also a case with pizzas and sandwiches, a vending machine for noodles and a microwave to cook them. After getting over our shock we noticed the entire other side was more the ‘gas station’ type items we may have expected so we found what we were looking for and opted to eat in our car while watching all that was going on around us. We are sure this was not an isolated incident because many of the stops we passed seemed to be filled with people. We have also noticed on the motorways some overpasses that appear to be no larger than a small country lane and this day on two different passes we saw elderly couples strolling along up over the motorway seeming to be out for an afternoon stroll. One overpass was covered with stacks of greenery and sported a sign that we could interpret to say animals crossing. These are the kind of things that make traveling to another country so interesting, it isn’t just the museums and the big restaurants and land marks, sometimes it is simple things.

By late afternoon we exited the motorway to make our way to the chateau, Royal Champagne. It just wasn’t that easy because it seems our GPS was not sure of this location. Of course these are small villages with rolling hills filled with vineyards, and winding roads. After a few false starts we pulled up to our destination and after the experience in Normandy I was holding my breath although it looked far more promising with flower beds everywhere and perched on a hillside with the vineyards right outside the door. Of course it is old and we learned Napoleon and his armies used to stop by and rest and stock up on champagne prior to their heading into a battle. Just a quick side note, the story goes that the onetime Napoleon did not stop here was on his way to Waterloo and we all know what happened there so one could make the point to sustain oneself with champagne prior to ‘doing something rather important.’ I’m just saying….one could.

Well Napoleon had really good taste! This place was old world but well kept, while tastefully and elegantly decorated. As we entered the lobby, which seemed more like a large parlor in a grand home, young gentlemen was sitting at an antique desk and immediately rose to greet us as if he had been waiting there just for us to arrive. The room was filled with beautiful tables and chairs in comfortable seating areas and he invited us to sit and “perhaps you would like to start with a glass of champagne?” John was equally tickled when presented with a plate of fresh Madeleines. This, prior to actually doing the paperwork to check us in! Once we were sufficiently relaxed he accompanied us to our room and I was stunned when I walked in. We knew they were ‘townhouse’ style rooms, meaning an outdoor/enclosed walkway with entrance to each room and each room fronted the Moet Chandon vineyards. But I didn’t anticipate this lovely room not to mention the view. It was decorated in antique French, although I’m no expert but I think this is a good guess. The walls were covered in fabric and the bed has a half canopy. The large bedroom area had a small sofa, coffee table, two easy chairs and an antique desk and that room was adjoined with an archway where there was another small settee, table and easy chair. This room had windows likely 6 feet high and 10 feet across. To say the view was gorgeous would be an understatement!

Of course there were vineyards everywhere not to mention the gardens outside our window and the view of little villages across the hillsides. We were thrilled and quickly made dinner reservations in their dining room because we did not want to miss a moment at this special place.
For many people one of the highlights in a trip to France is the food. Although we have fallen in love with their breads, something we eat very little of back home, and an occasional treat of a pastry we have not made fine dining a priority. Tonight would be different and we were aware of that. It was very quiet, perhaps only seven tables filled, with several waiters ready to serve you at any moment. Everyone was talking very low and subdued. Very refined, one could say, and a situation that sometimes can cause me giggles. This night however I behaved myself.
When the young man who greeted us made our reservation he said “I think Madame would like a table by the window?” I replied ‘yes’ of course and so we had that beautiful view right through dinner. There were 2-3 prix fixed menus with multiple courses and John chose one that offered 5 courses. I opted for the ala carte menu. But prior to beginning to serve our order we were started with the chef’s choice of canapés, all of which were delicious. The second chef’s choice we were treated with was Escargot and again it was superb and much better than what we had in Strasbourg. Finally we got to our ‘starters’ which was homemade Foie Gras. Honestly, that is all I would have needed for dinner, it was amazing and I am sure I’m spoiled forever. Prior to our main course John had his second course (technically) which was a fish and finally we reached our main course, John’s of sliced duck and I a Beef Tenderloin which was cooked in a salted bread shell, opened and served tableside.
I was already full so just kind of picked at my dinner except I had been missing vegetables so made quick work of them. I haven’t mentioned but may have been assumed we were enjoying champagne with our dinner. At this point, my ala carte dinner was finished but not John! He still had his Fromage (cheese) course which again was served tableside where he had a choice of 10 or more cheeses. One might think, oh yes the French do serve cheese as dessert, but this was not dessert yet for John. His meal was completed with a homemade Glace which was cool for us to taste as we had not yet done so since arriving here. It isn’t ice cream but rather like fluffy whipped cream lightly frozen. It is difficult to describe but very nice.

And finally dinner came to an end. A dinner we will not soon forget, of this we are sure. It was just one of those once in a life time experiences, or so we thought at the close of this evening……..

July 29th 2011 – Alsace-Rue du Vin

We were excited as we headed out this morning for what promised to be a scenic drive in an area quite different from that we had seen in France to date. This area, Alsace (pronounced Ell-sass), is heavily influenced by German culture although I’m sure they would adamantly say they are not German but rather Alsatians. They have specific customs and language but it is our understanding the language is being lost to the younger generation who are speaking French of course and many German as well.
As mentioned in prior writings, this area was occupied by Germany from the 1870s until post WWI and then again in 1940 by Hitler’s Germany. In some areas you could drive a few miles east and you would be across the border and not long NE and you would be in Heidelberg.
And so, the culture does feel very much like Germany as are the names of many villages and food items. For example Sauerkraut is a major menu item as is various pork products (parts). Local craft items in shop windows also were reminders of those seen in Germany.
The hotel staff advised us to drive north to Colmar on the motorway and work our way back to Strasbourg on the wine road. We decided to have lunch at Colmar prior to heading out on this much anticipated adventure and made sure to find a place we read would have authentic and homemade (Maison) sauerkraut. And so we chose a place recommended by Frommer, Chez Hansi which was housed in an old house dating to 1532 and the female staff wear dirndls. I was in heaven! I must say, however, I was a bit disappointed in the kraut. It seemed very mild and a bit watery but I am not a judge of authentic sauerkraut, only the ‘fresh’ that we buy in the US which has more flavor. John ordered an Onion Tart, something we had been noticing on menus, and he was very fond of it. If I can make any comparison it seemed less like a Quiche and more the texture of a flan. Following lunch we cut our time at Colmar finding it rather anti-climatic after Strasbourg. We were quite anxious to travel this 42 mile road that would take us through 60 villages. This area is covered with 50,000 acres of vineyards and provides jobs for 30,000 families.

So our adventure began! The wines produced in this area are considered to be excellent and are primarily of the white varieties with some Pinot Noirs. We limited our stops to two places, one being a little rustic spot and the other the larger version with a view. I was not feeling extremely well so did not want to drink wine, and not being a white wine drinker John gave the Pinots a bit of a try but was not impressed. Guess we will stick to our Williamette Valley Pinots from Oregon, they just can’t be beat!The main event for the afternoon was how picturesque and beautiful the villages were and the unbelievable flowers everywhere you looked. Each village seemed to be trying to outdo the next. I began to seriously think they had some kind of competition. Bridges were hung with huge flowering pots of assorted flowers, lamp posts, village squares and public gardens and of course individual window boxes on homes. In comparison to Normandy and Brittany where we were in awe of multi-colored Hydrangeas everywhere, here in Alsace it was Germaniums. As we rolled from one village to another we would be going along hillsides where the next village or more than one was visible with its red tile roofs dotted against the green of the rolling vineyards. The homes were brightly painted in salmons, aquas, mustards, greens, blues and lavenders. The colors and flowers seriously rivaled what we experienced in Wales and the English countryside. I couldn’t take enough pictures, and the number is surely second only to my beloved Norway with its amazing countryside.

We noticed many of the area crafts highlighted a white big billed bird which we later learned was a stork. Everything from children’s toys to slippers and t-shirts displayed this bird. As we came through one of the villages we noticed on top of the church steeple sat a huge bird’s nest so we quickly stopped to catch a picture only to realize there was a bird in the nest! A large, white big billed bird sure enough. Through research we learned the bird is in fact a Stork and were the subject of many children’s legends. The stork had become nearly extinct by the 1970’s so an effort was made to save them. They are known to nest on posts and church steeples and we were fortunate enough to spot one.

Another specialty of the Alsace area is something called a Tarte Flambee, and something we were advised me must sample while in the area. We picked one of our favorite villages prior to ending our drive and found a café that advertised homemade Tarte Flambee, an easy task as it turned out. The dish is very, very thin and actually as thin or thinner than any flatbread I have seen. It is bread dough baked and almost cracker like in texture. It is served on a wooden board (like a bread board) looking like a pizza with no tomato sauce. The traditional dish has crème fraiche, white cheese, bacon diced and onion and then baked like a pizza. We had two types, one traditional with chives and the other with an Emmental Cheese added. They were both delicious and very light, unlike a pizza.

This was our last stop on this drive and we would encourage anyone who travels to France to not only take a drive to the Alsace Lorraine region but to include the Rue du Vin in your visit.

July 28th 2011 - Strasbourg France

July 28th 2011 - Strasbourg France

John back this evening……Aleur….we were up pretty early for European style breakfast at the Hilton – everything from bacon, sausage, eggs to pancakes, cereals, fruit to breads, cheese, and cold cuts and other assorted items. This is a Hilton, so we were missing the Café Au Lait and had to settle for Café Americano. Speaking of breakfast, we have found hotel stays here in France typically do not include breakfast as most in other countries we have traveled.We took the tram (electric train) to town – quick and quiet. Strasbourg is a large city so when I speak of town I’m referring to the old city center which is circled by the Ill River.


It is a beautiful old city with a maze of narrow streets and filled with shops and cafes. The walk always included a view of the central tower of the Notre Dame cathedral rising over 400 feet.

We did some shopping, actually Carol did some shopping, and then found a cute café where we shared a delicious Quiche Lorraine and Beer lunch. We read that the most ‘romantic’ way to see Strasbourg was to cruise the Ill River so following lunch we joined the crowds to purchase tickets. The boat was a large well kept flat-bottomed boat seating 144 and we opted for an open air version for which we were extremely grateful.

We were concerned that this might be just another tourist thing and not really worth it. Instead this 75 minute cruise was so very rewarding. We slowly cruised around the old central core of Strasbourg past grand old buildings, outdoor canal-side cafes, many historic bridges, two locks that raised us and lowered us by about 7 feet each time, and many green spaces with people enjoying the sunny day looking at us looking at them.

Our big surprise on the cruise was the dramatic views of the European Parliament Buildings and Grand Meeting hall. This region, including the city of Strasbourg, has been destroyed and rebuilt after both WW1 and WW2. At some points in history the area was German, then France, and finally following WWII, it was reclaimed by France as it remains today. Because of this history it seemed particularly fitting that Strasbourg is the site of the new European Union of peace and cooperation.

The rest of the boat story is best told in pictures except for Carol’s experience while queuing up to board the boat. We arrived 10 minutes early and the line was already in place. As we took our place in line a German couple got behind us and then a lot more people, some properly in line and some trying to cut in. That’s when this well-endowed German gal behind Carol, with no sense of personal space, began pushing forward against Carol. Let’s just say she was ‘generously endowed’ and her body parts were literally pressed against Carol’s back! Between ‘these’ and her large purse knocking Carol in the back of the legs, Carol was constantly being pushed off balance and nearly tipping over. In fact she may have but there was no room to tip. It’s the kind of thing that makes you think “huh?” and “back-off Fraulein!” I’m kind of surprised Carol didn’t say that. In the end, the boat ride was just grand and we would highly recommend to anyone.

Everywhere we turned in Strasbourg and every other Alsace town there are brilliant flowering gardens, pots, windows, lamp posts, roadway dividers, and even bicycles.

Our final stop in the old city was a tour of the beautiful medieval Cathedral Notre-Dame. The cathedral is built of rose colored stone and construction began in 1176. The huge and ornate pipe organ seemed suspended above the pews (chairs) and the stain glass was beautiful. We have seen many cathedrals in travels around Europe and find each to be interestingly unique. This was not as ornate and full of splendor as many in Italy but much more colorful compared to some we have seen in Germany.

Two friends about three years old sharing some time walking in Strasbourg.

The old town was full of activity today. A large bike race, titled ‘Alsace 2011’ came through and with it lots of support cars, and other activities. We heard a great group warming up on a newly set up stage and interpreted a sign announcing the cathedral would be illuminated each night during July. As we hopped the tram for the Hilton we talked about how great it would be to go back to see the cathedral lit and listen to the music, but we agreed we both wanted to rest and we would see the cathedral from the hotel window. Getting old? Maybe just more measured with our energy.

So for us a light dinner at the hotel – superb grilled shrimp appetizer with tomato and avocado relish and two interesting green salads followed by rhubarb sorbet (those of you from Minnesota can appreciate that). It was all very delicious.

Of course I always enjoy taking advantage of the free port at the executive lounge and then was ready for a good night’s rest.

July 27, 2011 – Strasbourg France – A chance encounter

Most of you know we love meeting people and treasure the conversations we have with strangers no matter where we travel. In this case we would likely not be Strasbourg had it not been for a chance conversation early this winter in a café in Idyllwild, California.

We were in Idyllwild for our annual weekend in the nearby mountains and were enjoying breakfast at Café Aroma. We came armed with books and it happened mine was ‘France 2011’. The folks at a nearby table noticed the book and started a conversation wanting to share their recent experience in France. It was this couple who told us we had to go to the Alsace Lorraine in the east of France. They could not recommend the area highly enough and after doing our own research we agreed it was something we would like to do.

Aleur….after having a good night’s rest and being packed in advance we had a very relaxed morning. Of course we had to walk down the street for a Café and finally broke down to order the 4 petit pastry assortment for the road. I had been eyeing these for ten days or more and finally gave myself permission to enjoy. These were Silver Dollar size Cream Puffs and tarts and looked so wonderful. I can report we nibbled these tiny treats on our drive and they were amazing.

Our drive today was 308 miles and took us about six hours on the motorway. Of course we were slowed by traffic out of Paris and into Strasbourg. A quick commentary about traveling on the French motorways. Noticeably they are very well maintained. They are well groomed with no weeds on the side of the road nor have we seen one bit of roadside liter. The motorways offer frequent roadside rests and they are not only well kept but large and inviting green spaces. The left lane is used for higher speeds or passing only, we have driven close to 1000 miles in France now and never had a ‘left lane camper’ experience. They use the left lane for the purpose it is intended. Drivers also use their signals nearly 100% of the time. With that said, we paid about 40E for the privilege of driving these 300 miles. We wonder if this may make sense in the USA, for those who use the roads most to pay the tariff based on volume of their use. It is an interesting question.

We decided to use our Hilton points for our visit to Strasbourg. Why not? Although it is a more ‘Americanized’ experience, it is very comfortable and the obvious is it is free and the reason we save our points like dollars. The hotel is very comfortable although of course it does not measure to the Hiltons we have enjoyed in Munich, Budapest, Vienna, Rome and some in the US. Nevertheless, it is very nice and John couldn’t wait to see what Brandy he could find offered gratis in the Executive Lounge!

Once settled in we booked reservations for a nice dinner in the old city. We chose a place based on a Frommer review which our hotel confirmed was a very good choice. Our hotel is not in the old city, rather it is on the campus of the University so we had not seen any of the city when we arrived. Our cab ride only wetted our appetite for seeing the city in more detail. The ride to dinner reminded me a little of Salzburg though not as busy. The city sits on the Ill River with beautiful and quaint bridges, small winding cobblestone streets and a beautiful Cathedral as the anchor. The streets were too narrow for our cab to deliver us directly to the restaurant we had chosen, Chez Yvonne. Oh my, let me just say there were no disappointments here. As I write I am as full as I have been in a long time!
When we left for France I was looking forward to Foie Gras from different areas and was also dedicated to tasting Escargot and Frog Legs. This areas claims to be the birth place of Foie Gras so we had to begin with that and Escargot. A one half order of Foie Gras and six Escargot was more than enough for us to share and amazing. Delicious! Our entrée was Coq au Vin, Hen cooked in wine sauce. For me this was a non-event and I thought rather tough but the sauce was superb one John hopes to replicate. Our side was one of my favorites from this area, Spaetzle. It seems no matter how many times John tries spaetzle it just isn’t his favorite but no worries I ate his share and there was lots left over.

Our drive home after dark seeing through the old city was magical. We ended the night excitedly anticipating and wondering if we will stay in the city tomorrow and dig into its history or take the 60 mile drive in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains on the La Route Du Vin, road of wine?

Our intent is to have both experiences during our time here so we can decide in the morning what we would prefer.

As we sign off this evening on the eastern most portion of France, within minutes of the border to Germany, we continue to be excited and absolutely filled by the experience of it all.

Au revoir

John & Carol

July 26 -2011 Paris

Hemmingway Bar

View of Eiffel Tower from front plaza of Invalides.

Best tomb in the site of Napolean's Tomb building - Marshall Foch.

Another view of Eiffel Tower from grounds of Invalides.

A very small part of Invalides

July 26, 2011 – Paris

One of the great things about having time and some level of focus on a journey like this is not feeling driven to rush to see everything thinking we may not return. Although it is very possible we won’t return to Paris we feel we have the luxury of time, and of course having this home exchange apartment adds to the feeling of relaxation along with the adventure of it all.
Aleur (and so)today we set aside the morning to work on some of our pictures and journals and for me the task was something that never goes away, even in Paris, ironing. I know some would say ‘why’, but for me it is necessary. I couldn’t ignore how bad some of our clothes looked and so while John worked on other projects, I ironed and packed for our journey to the east in the morning.

Of course we started our day with our walk to the bakery (Patisserie) for Cafes and Croissants. This morning because I slept so poorly I needed two Cafes, likely less than my normal Venti at Starbucks. I could only imagine the staff noticing the gluttony of the American! But as I said I had a bad night so I needed that second bit of caffeine and delicious it was.

It is so delightful to be able to walk a couple of blocks to start our morning and we were disappointed to see the sign on the door that we interpreted to say they will be closed beginning July 30-August 27th. We have heard of all closing down during this time in France and much of Europe so wonder what it will be like here the last week of our visit. At any rate tomorrow morning will be our last café at this little spot and we will surely enjoy it.

Our itinerary today was to go to the Museum of Invalids which was built by Napoleon to honor military members of the time. We understand it is the pre-cursor of our VA hospitals although very, very grand of course. There actually remains an area where veterans reside but most is a museum of France and wars across history. Napoleon Bonaparte is entombed here in the center of the Dome and is surrounded by other notables and war heros.

Although it houses items from as far back as the 13th century, of most interest to us was artifacts from WWI and WWII. We were once again reminded of the size and impact of the French Resistance in WWII and their impact on D-Day. These underground fighters from various countries were unsung heroes, not a piece of history most of us are familiar with. In the case of the French Resistance blind volunteers were used in many ways to further the cause. Two years ago we were able to visit the WWII museum in Norway and learned about the powerful Norwegian Resistance (underground) and now as we hear more about yet another Resistance we can’t help but wonder how history would be re-written if they had not existed.

As we stopped in the cafeteria for a soda we thought about these wars and all the countries and people that suffered and died. In the case of France we read that after WWI the majority of the population preferred to ‘move on with life’ and in many cases the Nazi machine that was building right next door was ignored. As a result when Hitler moved in they were ill prepared. Makes one take pause and wonder just how prepared should any country be and how much is too much? Rather chilling to ponder.

On a lighter note many of you know I have had a fear of birds since I was a child, much like others may have of a mouse or a snake I have been able to overcome the fear to a large degree, that is I don’t hit the dust if a seagull or pigeon is anywhere near me. I do have boundaries, however, and today one French Pigeon crossed those boundaries twice. We were in the above mentioned museum cafeteria which was not open air, literally speaking, but a door left open here and there allowed for one pigeon to stroll in. We were by the door that ‘Jonathan’ entered by and I watched him, not being overly alarmed. He strutted around looking for food for 10-15 minutes when at some point I noticed him coming our way under the tables. Fortunately I was watching him but lost sight of him for a moment and suddenly he appeared at my feet. Of course an involuntary scream erupted and when that moment passed I saw John and everyone else in the place both wide eyed and chuckling. Ok, so it was a bit embarrassing but I was happy security didn’t show up, because screaming in a public place in our world’s current status is not taken lightly!

I collected myself and we happily continued our conversation about heavy things like world wars when one of the staff members, who was cleaning up, noticed the pigeon again and right next to me decided to ‘shoo’ the pigeon. Jonathan (Mr Pigeon) flying low came right at my head. Well you know what came next. I lost it and was the entertainment of the cafeteria and the poor staff member could not decide what to do more…evaporate in the giggles or apologize.

Our agenda for today was to include a cruise on the Seine but time was getting away from us and as we have learned there really usually is another day and if not then life will go on. With that knowledge we finished our evening with the final thing in our plans for the day which was to visit the Ritz Hotel Paris and the Hemingway Bar. The place where Ernest himself, when he could afford it, frequented and personally marched in and ordered a cocktail declaring the war over while the Nazi’s were not quite out of Paris.

To say the hotel itself is a bit ostentatious would be a gross understatement, still it is beautiful and it was an adventure walking through and taking a look. From what we could gather, a room there would run at a minimum $1000 and we think that likely would only get a closet. The Hemingway Bar was beautiful and romantic and very Hemingway-ish filled with nostalgia. It was fun for us as we had just visited his home in Key West last fall. It is very small and you could say richly rustic with dark woods, framed fishing lures, antlers, and fishing and hunting pictures. A cocktail was grossly expensive but the experience for a onetime thing was worth it to us.

As we left this evening there was a slight sprinkle and we couldn’t help but notice once again how, although there has been bad weather in all the areas, the sun seems to have shined on us most of the time.

I’ll close tonight with a few observations I have forgotten to mention. We have found the French, although not out there saying ‘ya’all come back now’, friendly in a reserved sort of way and always polite. As far as the language, it is far more difficult to even try to pronounce than Italian but we have come to be able to understand signs and a little bit on menus. I guess, just enough to muddle through. No matter what anyone says everyone does not speak English but most of the time we can find someone that understands a little bit or we use hands, pictures and whatever is needed to communicate and get by.

I have continued to wonder why Europeans can look so fashionable no matter what they are wearing and we just don’t seem to carry that off, especially in Southern California.

We are reminded once again how much more ‘green’ the European citizens are. Most carry reusable bags, paper towels are not nearly as common and you often have to ask for a napkin.

And for the French we can’t help but notice how very important bread is in their culture. In the neighborhoods we constantly meet people with their fresh baguettes and more often than not there has been a piece broken off for a snack. And yet we very rarely notice anyone that is overweight.

Final observation for this evening is smoking. Wow, it seems the French have not gotten the memo on smoking and how it grossly impacts health. The law allows for smoking only in the home or on the street but the sidewalk cafes and streets allow for plenty of smoking, more than we have seen in other countries, and at least half of them are women.

Tomorrow we leave for Strasbourg on the border between Germany and France. It actually has been German several times over the course of history so we expect some interesting cultural differences. For now….good evening.