For one glorious week in the middle of July, I was fortunate enough to be whisked away to a lovely old house right next to a port, behind a bakery, at the beach. Île de Ré is an island on the Atlantic coast of France, with six or seven ports around both the north and south shores. It has been a go-to for ages apparently, and has been fending off English battleships and tourists alike since the 1100's.
The house that Jennifer and Luis procured for us was old in all the right places. Fully updated baths and kitchens, but still with exposed original beams and floors; arched doorways and heavy wooden doors. My bedroom and bathroom must have been designed by a genius with a heart for either the single aunt, au pair or nanny. To access, one had to walk down a hall [with a door to close], through the laundry room [with a door to close], and into my suite [with another door to close]! What a wonderful sound barrier from a 3 month-old, 2 year old and 3.5 year old! The room was decorated with a good combination of lilac, lavender, pink, red, and blue; and the tub was wonderful for each and every soak that I took in it every night! When at the house, we all basically lived int he courtyard: eating breakfast, lunch and dinner there, playing on a huge orange outdoor cushion, and attempting to keep Alexandra from biting Sebastian, Sebastian from poking Luke in the eyes, and Luke from wailing all the live-long day.
Saturday, our drive down, consisted of 9 looooong hours in the car [a Volvo SUV] packed to the extreme. Alexandra watched no less than 6 Dora the Explorer episodes on the in-car DVD player, and at least 2 Little Einsteins, 1 Handy Manny and 1 Backyardigans on Jennifer's iPhone. Sebastian enjoyed the shows as well, and slept for an hour and a half [unfortunately, this was before the long lunch break]. We stopped and stopped and stopped for those road-side potty stops that I remember from my childhood, and stopped again for gas, lunch and nursing the baby...
Sunday was a great day for me, with having it off, I slept in, ate fresh pastries from our bakery neighbors on the sunlit but shaded courtyard and went to the beach for 6 hours with a good book and some found Elles and Vogues. I spent each morning with the kids for a couple of hours, and then just with the baby, Luke, while Jen and Luis took the older two to some fun sporting adventure. Lunch, then I was off. I alternated my afternoons either napping and reading at the beach, or napping and reading in my fabulously tucked away bed.
I had two delicious dinners out, Sunday evening and Friday evening. The first, at a tasty little restaurant at the port-side, Le Belem. I had a pot of mussels steamed in Charente creamy suace [basically cream. butter, white wine, maybe some lemon grass], a vegetable plate with broccoli, potatoes and stuffed tomatoes, and a nice local rose wine. The second, at Le Skipper [I almost didn't go due to the grade-A dorky name] I enjoyed another local rose wine, a yummy fish bisque, a platter of assorted fish on pickled cabbage, and a lovely frozen tiramisu.
The car ride back to Paris the following week consisted of one screaming infant, one screaming toddler and one major detour in which the appropriate highway exit was forgotten once, and forgone another. We made it back in 6 collective pieces [that's one for each parent, child, and yours truly].
Since returning, I have moved completely out of the bedroom I have called mine for the past year and packed all but two weeks of clothing and toiletries into those huge checked bags that can no longer weigh more than 23 kilos, and the second costs me 44€ at that. What a whirlwind it is going to be! Packing has been really overwhelming and stressful. I am having to ship an 11-lb. box back home, as I don't have space for the clothes that it contains. This is all after donating 3 garbage bags full of clothes and shoes, mind you. I have wayyy too much stuff! But to me, at this simplified point after the donation runs, everything I am keeping is 'that cute top from Paris' or 'that dress that I can where to work [from Paris]' or housewares and investments that I plan to enjoy until I have daughters, nieces, and granddaughters to give them to. With my three packed suitcases, I am now in the guest room for the next four nights before our vacation to Provence, and three nights after.
Sarah, the au pair for 2010-2011, arrives tomorrow evening! I am looking forward to meeting her, helping her to get settled, showing her around and walking her through logistical steps that I had to navigate on my own way back in September of '09.
More to come after Provence!
Recommended reading: A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Lisbon.
I have picked up a cool trick since moving here: when I travel I now make sure to read before and/or during my travel a historical fiction novel set in the location which I am visiting. I highly reccomend it; you come to associate elements of your story's plot with what you are getting to see in front of you and it helps to piece back together those fragments of history that you would not otherwise really comprehend.
I think that a little fighting ation, treason, plotting, romance and conspiracy very much add up to a much better touristic experience. For example, in visiting London, I read The Other Boleyn Girl, about King Henry VIII and his court. It gave recognition to the Tower, where Anne Boleyn was beheaded, and perespective to the palaces in and around the city.
I was really fortunate to get to spend this last weekend in Lisbon, Portugal and so I read a book called The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon. It was about the expulsion of Jews from Lisbon and the giant massacre that took place at the turn of the 16th century. The focus of the story is on a man who is murdered at the time of these riots, but actually removed from the rioting and massacre itself. His nephew, the protagonist, seeks to solve the mystery set in the famous historical locations around Lisbon. It really created a vantage point for me in tihs instance, since there isn't much that i knew about Lisbon and its history prior to my visit and reading of this novel.
I arrived in Lisbon Saturday morning, from where I took the local bus into town. My only grievance with this entire trip was that the bus stops [and tram stops] were not at all clearly marked. Some weren't marked at all! The general idea is that you board this bus, mostly with locals, that does not have a site map or a list of stops that the bus will make. Thus, even if you know which stop you were at last, you have no way of knowing which one comes next! I was fortunate that the stop I needed, Picoas [pronounced pee-co-osh] was labeled. albeit in Times New Roman size 12...
I was able to find my hostel, Unreal Hostel, and get settled in to my bunk in an 8-person dorm. From my reconnaisance, at least 2 roommates were guys [judging by shoes] and I guessed one was either old or military, in that his bed was made to a T. I ate some PB&J I had brought from Paris, secured some maps from the front desk and headed out.
It was a picturesque walk from my hostel: really cool building with murals that stretched for their entire sides, the Murano mansion, and the Marques Pombal memorial statue. I turned down Avenida da Liberdade, which guidebooks called comparable to the Champs Elysees of Paris. Well, I beg to differ - the two streets have nothing in common! Champs Elysees is pretentious and touristy; whereas Avenida da Liberdade had tree lined pathways wide enough for groups to pass one another, fountains and some cafes and shops. Obviously, I much preferred the avenida.
I walked and walked and walked, and ended up on the Baixa Chiado, a cool 'lower' neighborhood. There are 7 giant hills that make up Lisbon, and though I am still a bit sketchy on the details of the topography of Lisbon, I am pretty sure this means that this neighborhood is on the side or at the bottom of a hill, versus atop one. I chose a cool cafe with a lovely terrace to enjoy a Coca Lite [I NEVER liked diet Coke at home, but here for some reason I do... weird]. After sitting and reading and people watching for a while, I strolled further on until coming across the main port, Cais do Sodre. I walked along the port for a bit, and then up to the Centre Comerical, where I found a cool market. I thought about buying a cool platter from an old lady that was hand painted in a marbled way, but I wasn't really into many of her color schemes, unfortunately. I have a vision of serving some fabulous hors d'oeurves on a lovely platter from somewhere exotic, but I guess it won't be from Lisbon.
Then I found the Se Cathedral, and jumped on the tram after a quick tour. I knew this was the tram I neded to be on to get ot the 5th century castle atop the tallest hill in Lisbon. But have I mentioned yet how bus and tram stops are not at all marked? We pulled up to a beautiful lookout point where bougainevillas [flowers] crested a wall which framed a stunning view of the sea below. I should have folowed my instinct to get off here, at least to take photos at this view, but alas, i stayed aboard the good ship Lollipop in assumption that a huge tourist spot such as the castle would be marked, and this one was clearly not. I was wrong.
I finally alighted from the blasted tram at the foot of the hill upon whihch sits the castle. I was not about to retry the tram system so I settled in to a nice uphill hike. About an hour later, completely drenched with sweat, my feet aching [it's ok - I carry ibuprofen at all times now], I made it! On the path though, I stumbled upon a gregarious group of German tourists who decided that I knew what I was doing, and that of all smart ieas, they should follow me to the castle! At first they were covert, following me around corners, then stopping for photos until they saw another turn which I was about to take. It made it more fun though; and eventually I asked them if they too were attempting to find the castle, and together we just walked up and up until eventualy we couldn't walk up anymore, and lo and behold there was the castle!
Afterwards, I was so pooped all I could focus on was the forthcoming shower that I needed to scrub off the grime of the city, eight layers of dried sweat and airplane germs from the morning. Arrving back at my hostel, I met the first of my roommates, Flaurent, and could barely compose myself to speak in French - that's how focused on showering I had become!
Clean and refreshed, I was able to now conduct a decent conversation with my French dorm-mate. He is a airplane mechanic in the French Air Force, and we had a good chat. It was also nice getting to know him, since he then took me out for dinner, and together we explored the Bairro Alto, famous for its night life and bar scene.
Sunday I explored Belem, where the Tower of Belem and the Mosteiro [Monastery] dot the famous landscape here. It was really neat to see, and the architecture of the monastery was stunning. I also really enjoyed the gardens there and the Archeological Museum. Though I do think that one of my very favorite things about being in Europe is the happenstance markets that seem to pop up everywhere! I love finding these, and the one I stumbled upon this morning was a treasure trove for the beautiful hand-painted tiles rescued from demolition projects around the city.
Sunday afternoon was a lazy one spent at the beach, of course after a minor ticket-office fiasco, and generally I enjoyed myself amongst the bajillion other sunbathers and teens playing soccer and volleyball, and the kids hooting on vuvuzelas and running by and kicking sand on my face. : )
All in all, I am grateful for a weekend away, and I give Lisbon a genuine gig'em!
I think that a little fighting ation, treason, plotting, romance and conspiracy very much add up to a much better touristic experience. For example, in visiting London, I read The Other Boleyn Girl, about King Henry VIII and his court. It gave recognition to the Tower, where Anne Boleyn was beheaded, and perespective to the palaces in and around the city.
I was really fortunate to get to spend this last weekend in Lisbon, Portugal and so I read a book called The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon. It was about the expulsion of Jews from Lisbon and the giant massacre that took place at the turn of the 16th century. The focus of the story is on a man who is murdered at the time of these riots, but actually removed from the rioting and massacre itself. His nephew, the protagonist, seeks to solve the mystery set in the famous historical locations around Lisbon. It really created a vantage point for me in tihs instance, since there isn't much that i knew about Lisbon and its history prior to my visit and reading of this novel.
I arrived in Lisbon Saturday morning, from where I took the local bus into town. My only grievance with this entire trip was that the bus stops [and tram stops] were not at all clearly marked. Some weren't marked at all! The general idea is that you board this bus, mostly with locals, that does not have a site map or a list of stops that the bus will make. Thus, even if you know which stop you were at last, you have no way of knowing which one comes next! I was fortunate that the stop I needed, Picoas [pronounced pee-co-osh] was labeled. albeit in Times New Roman size 12...
I was able to find my hostel, Unreal Hostel, and get settled in to my bunk in an 8-person dorm. From my reconnaisance, at least 2 roommates were guys [judging by shoes] and I guessed one was either old or military, in that his bed was made to a T. I ate some PB&J I had brought from Paris, secured some maps from the front desk and headed out.
It was a picturesque walk from my hostel: really cool building with murals that stretched for their entire sides, the Murano mansion, and the Marques Pombal memorial statue. I turned down Avenida da Liberdade, which guidebooks called comparable to the Champs Elysees of Paris. Well, I beg to differ - the two streets have nothing in common! Champs Elysees is pretentious and touristy; whereas Avenida da Liberdade had tree lined pathways wide enough for groups to pass one another, fountains and some cafes and shops. Obviously, I much preferred the avenida.
I walked and walked and walked, and ended up on the Baixa Chiado, a cool 'lower' neighborhood. There are 7 giant hills that make up Lisbon, and though I am still a bit sketchy on the details of the topography of Lisbon, I am pretty sure this means that this neighborhood is on the side or at the bottom of a hill, versus atop one. I chose a cool cafe with a lovely terrace to enjoy a Coca Lite [I NEVER liked diet Coke at home, but here for some reason I do... weird]. After sitting and reading and people watching for a while, I strolled further on until coming across the main port, Cais do Sodre. I walked along the port for a bit, and then up to the Centre Comerical, where I found a cool market. I thought about buying a cool platter from an old lady that was hand painted in a marbled way, but I wasn't really into many of her color schemes, unfortunately. I have a vision of serving some fabulous hors d'oeurves on a lovely platter from somewhere exotic, but I guess it won't be from Lisbon.
Then I found the Se Cathedral, and jumped on the tram after a quick tour. I knew this was the tram I neded to be on to get ot the 5th century castle atop the tallest hill in Lisbon. But have I mentioned yet how bus and tram stops are not at all marked? We pulled up to a beautiful lookout point where bougainevillas [flowers] crested a wall which framed a stunning view of the sea below. I should have folowed my instinct to get off here, at least to take photos at this view, but alas, i stayed aboard the good ship Lollipop in assumption that a huge tourist spot such as the castle would be marked, and this one was clearly not. I was wrong.
I finally alighted from the blasted tram at the foot of the hill upon whihch sits the castle. I was not about to retry the tram system so I settled in to a nice uphill hike. About an hour later, completely drenched with sweat, my feet aching [it's ok - I carry ibuprofen at all times now], I made it! On the path though, I stumbled upon a gregarious group of German tourists who decided that I knew what I was doing, and that of all smart ieas, they should follow me to the castle! At first they were covert, following me around corners, then stopping for photos until they saw another turn which I was about to take. It made it more fun though; and eventually I asked them if they too were attempting to find the castle, and together we just walked up and up until eventualy we couldn't walk up anymore, and lo and behold there was the castle!
Afterwards, I was so pooped all I could focus on was the forthcoming shower that I needed to scrub off the grime of the city, eight layers of dried sweat and airplane germs from the morning. Arrving back at my hostel, I met the first of my roommates, Flaurent, and could barely compose myself to speak in French - that's how focused on showering I had become!
Clean and refreshed, I was able to now conduct a decent conversation with my French dorm-mate. He is a airplane mechanic in the French Air Force, and we had a good chat. It was also nice getting to know him, since he then took me out for dinner, and together we explored the Bairro Alto, famous for its night life and bar scene.
Sunday I explored Belem, where the Tower of Belem and the Mosteiro [Monastery] dot the famous landscape here. It was really neat to see, and the architecture of the monastery was stunning. I also really enjoyed the gardens there and the Archeological Museum. Though I do think that one of my very favorite things about being in Europe is the happenstance markets that seem to pop up everywhere! I love finding these, and the one I stumbled upon this morning was a treasure trove for the beautiful hand-painted tiles rescued from demolition projects around the city.
Sunday afternoon was a lazy one spent at the beach, of course after a minor ticket-office fiasco, and generally I enjoyed myself amongst the bajillion other sunbathers and teens playing soccer and volleyball, and the kids hooting on vuvuzelas and running by and kicking sand on my face. : )
All in all, I am grateful for a weekend away, and I give Lisbon a genuine gig'em!
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