Sunday, November 20, 2011

Normandy Day 3

Here we are, in Mont Saint-Michel. 


The first time I've been here, about twenty years ago, I was on the back of a motorcycle, it was raining and we didn't even stop to visit the place....I only have memory of a zoomed image of the Abbey. This time everything was perfect: right company (my two favorite men in the world), perfect weather and a comfortable car. 


 
The only thing that I miss about that period is my shape...how on Earth were those Monks able to go up and down the stairs 7 times a day? No doubts, an immense Faith was moving them. Also, did you know that there was only one bathtub in the entire Monastery and that all the Monks used it only once every 6 months? But the worse part is that, since it was too difficult to carry the water up, they all washed in the same water....just imagine the last guy! 






















We didn't have the chance to try the famous Omelette de la Mere Poulard: instead we went for a walk in the bay and Josh loved it so much. Those quick-sands are really deep! While at the beginning you feel like you're walking on the Moon (not that I have any experience about it!) and you actually feel that the ground is sinking, then, in a few second you realize that the sand/mud is actually sinking and you are going down (where?) with it. So wicked! 







 






In the evening we went to our B&B: this time we weren't as lucky as in the previous days. This time "Mortimer" opened the door, he didn't say anything more than: "Room. Upstairs" and went back in the living room on his rocking chair, staring at the door. 
Giuseppe asked me if he was talking to his imaginary mother....
We double locked the room that night, you never know! 


As a final gift we drove to Saint Malo: ten years ago, when Josh was only 9 month old, the two of us came here for our two weeks of sailing class with Les Glenans (what about the separation anxiety?).  On our second week, we sailed from Paimpol to Saint Malo: 22 feet of tide twice a day, tide calculation, rain, wind, freezing water, French language, sick skipper and arrogant crew members...Such a wonderful experience! 
As much as the city looks impressive from the ground with its walls and fortress, it's nothing like when approaching it from the sea. We arrived in the evening on our 34 ft sailing boat, exhausted: we forgot to give the right of way to the Ferryboat so we almost got all killed, but then we slept in the port. At night, with low tide, the walls were towering upon us and we felt so small. In the morning, surprise! High tide and we were at the street level. Unforgettable. 



Oops, I almost forgot. We decided to get a coffee in a restaurant. 
Well, this also was an experience we will never forget: listen to what Giuseppe has to say about it. 





Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Normandy - day 2

Normandy is such a beautiful area...we almost decided to change our retirement plans: instead of Antibes, perhaps we'll buy a nice old home close to Honfleur (prices are apparently excellent), with  the freezing sea and the windy beaches...well, perhaps not. Let's say we stick to our plan and sometimes we take a plane and come up here, better in November, just in time for the Scallops festival. I'm not sure how the Summer is here, but certainly the colors of the leaves during the Fall are extraordinary. I can understand why so many painters came here to find their inspiration. I'd never been on the East Cost during the Foliage, but Giuseppe told me it's quite similar, just more on the green side here. 
The food is obviously great...I mean, it's still France (I'm not a big fan of the grenouilles - frogs - though, but I love les escargots). 


When we arrived in Omaha beach, we were surprised to see so many Americans around, but then I realized that we were on the day of All Saints, so probably many of them had relatives buried in the nearby American Cimitery. What a sight! So impressive...everything was quiet, then all of a sudden the American Anthem started, the flag was lowered. 
I was not in France, I was back in USA. 




We spent most of the day on the Normandy Landing sites. This is what Josh asked so many times, and I don't think he'll forget all the crosses. Sometimes a good experience is worth more than the books, when you need to learn history ...and its mistakes.

Later we went to our guest house: another great couple, the house was perfect and there were decorations everywhere for Halloween...even the ugliest cat I've ever seen. I though it was an ornament, so scary, ghostlike...but then it moved! The best Halloween decoration ever :)




The guy took us to a nearby Calvados Farm and, OMG, we couldn't resist. We bought Calvados and one of Cidre (better the first!). No we can get drunk at all times, between the Absinthe, the Rhum (from Rio) and now this. 

Unfortunately (and hopefully for Josh) we were late to visit the famous Bayeux Tapestry but it's a good excuse to come back here one more time. I absolutely want to see it. 
The journey was long, we were exhausted and, honestly, Bayeux doesn't offer quite much in term of nightlife...pretty boring actually. 
Better sneak under the blanket and have a good night sleep. Tomorrow is another day, tomorrow we go to Le Mont Saint-Michel!


Happy Birthday Josh - 10 wonderful years!


We love you. So much!
Mom & Dad


We organized his BDay party at the EXPLORADOME and all the kids had fun playing, jumping, making music, eating a ton of chocolate and drinking gallons of Coca Cola. The parents, meanwhile, were all busy visiting the nearby Musee d'Art Contemporain du Val de  Marn. 



Thursday, November 3, 2011

Trip to Normandy - Day 1

After more than two months here in Paris, we decided to go for a trip. After all, we just live in the boring-in the middle of nowhere - right? 
Grandma got on the train, going back to Italy and to the other nephew (the one who doesn't walk, doesn't run and doesn't protest!). We went to our rental car:  excellent prices but, OMG, the pick up was at the Gare de Lyon, in the lower level: I never smelled such an awful smell of urine in my whole life!!!! Disgusting.
Hopefully the service was quick so we were out in a few minutes.  We booked a Fiat 500, red just in case we end up buying one in LA,  but unfortunately they ran out of it, so we took a Peugeot 308.

Fiat 500

Peugeot 380
 Too bad.

We went North, directed towards Rouen. But we stopped before. In fact we discovered (such ignorants!!!) that the second most visited site in Normandy is Giverny, at 1 hr drive from Paris.  It's where Claude Monet lived, in the famous pink house, surrounded by his beautiful garden. We were able, despite the bad weather, to see some water lilies and nimpheas and to walk on his garden bridges. 
The poor guy was almost broke, he couldn't afford living in Paris with his eight children ...so he decided to move out, in the country. Well, if you look at the house you wonder: "What if he was rich?". I mean, this place is immense...









Then we headed towards Rouen. The Cathedral of course. The biggest surprise was the Gros Horloge Museum: extraordinary, detailed and well preserved. Looking around I felt I was in a comic book, Asterix and Obelix precisely, with all these wood/stone houses.
 



Finally, at night, we went to Etretat to see the falaises. Despite being dark, the panorama from the beach was great. Josh convinced us to walk to the top. We agreed but I wish we didn't: the walk is about 20 min long, but that's not the problem. There's no fence and it was windy. At the very top I sat down on the rock and I refused to move forward. Too high.



We reserved a room in a beautiful house, in Genneville. The owners, Daniel Neel and his wife, are excellent hosts. The room was splendid and clean, warm and cozy. The next morning we had breakfast with other guest, tasting their home made "confitures". 





Here is the link: Daniel Neel 


One last word about the GPS: it's an excellent and useful device when it works but why it doesn't tell when you miss the target or you head towards the wrong direction? I mean, it just recalculates the new trajectory and with the same monotone voice keeps telling you the new street. Josh had an idea: a GPS that, when you get the wrong direction, starts screaming and yelling at you: "Hey dude, what the heck are you doing? Idiot, you missed the road! ". Imagine if, after 3 times you miss the road, it tells you: "You are too damn stupid, I just quit. From now on, it's up to you!". I bet a lot of people would have fun with it and would have it installed! At least it's a reaction!