Le Tour de France - Family Style

Merci Beaucoup

2006-08-11T08:46:00.000-04:00

Instructions for Viewing

2006-07-29T10:08:00.000-04:00

For those of you who are unfamiliar with blogs, they work backwards from the most current date. (I did not maintain the blog on the trip; I published it after the fact.) I tried to categorize the trip by city, but since we spent a week in St. Cyprien, with side trips to other places, not all of the photos ended up in chronological order.

The blog site keeps a few entries under Previous Posts on the right sidebar, and all of the entries are listed chronologically by date under the Archives heading in the sidebar, so you might just want to start there and work your way through the list. You'll have to use your browser's "back" button to return to the home page.

If you want to see a particular photo more closely, just click on it to bring up a larger view, and the video clips are pretty straightforward; click the "play" button (or symbol) to view.

Overview of the Trip

2006-07-25T12:06:00.000-04:00

The kids and I flew into Brussels, where we were met by Guy, who drove us to his farm in Silly, Gondregnies. After a few days at the countryside, we packed up the car, armed ourselves with a few good maps, and set out on the grand tour.

First we drove to Paris for a whirlwind, 2-day tour of some specific sights. From Paris, we drove south through the central regions of France, utilizing the very nicely done motorways. We drove to the very southern tip of France, near Perpignan, which you can see on the map here. After a week there, and after side trips to other local cities, including Barcelona, we headed back north, this time along the eastern side, using smaller state roads so we could see the sights. We drove through Lyon, Dijon, Nancy, and even Luxembourg.

A few more days at the farm, then it was off to Brussels again for a flight home.

Barnyard Friends

2006-07-21T15:45:00.000-04:00

The girls discovered one of the kitten litters in the barn one morning; Guy and I found a second litter under a bush outside from another cat. And Zohra had her darling pups while we were in France. What a lot of cute little things for the kids to see...

Here's a video clip. Near the end Joey explains why he prefers the kittens to the puppies:

Ferme Dumont in Belgium

2006-07-21T14:47:00.000-04:00

Guy's farm is a lovely old place from the 1800's, formerly owned and built by the town governor, Monsieur Dumont. Guy has 7 horses, a dog, and too many cats to count. While we were there, two of the cats had litters of kittens, and when we were in France, Zohra delivered her puppies. The kids were in heaven with all the cute little things, but of course, technology won their attention at least some of the time. :)

This was the view from the kids' bedroom window.

Brussels, Belgium

2006-07-19T22:42:00.000-04:00

We decided to go into Brussels for our last evening in Belgium, to see the sights and to have dinner. Le Grand Place is so impressive with its amazing architecture and grandeur. It's a huge square of magnificent buildings set around an open floor of old cobblestone. The kids seemed to like it also, and the girls were snapping lots of photos. Niki took the above photo of the Breadhouse, or Maison du Roi.

One of the famous Belgian landmarks is Le Mannequin Pis, and most visitors are expecting something large and prominent in the center of Brussels. It's a short walk down a side street, and the statue is a tiny little thing, maybe a foot tall. Ana caught this great view of it from a slight angle.

Guy drove us around a little, and we got to see the most famous structures, including the Atomium from the 1958 World's Fair, and Le Palais Royal, home of King Albert. The kids were quite impressed to learn that Belgium has a king.

I found this last photo on the internet; we didn't take it. But the Town Hall, or Hôtel de Ville, is a spectacular sight at night.

Last stop - Mons, Belgium

2006-07-18T10:17:00.000-04:00

We had beautiful sunny weather for our final day on the road. It was still hot and sticky, during that heat wave felt 'round the world. But the drive was nice and peaceful, and I felt a sense of calm come over me the closer we got to the farm.

We traveled up the Eastern side of France from Beaune, and we went through Dijon, Nancy, into Luxembourg, and west across Belgim to Silly.

We passed through some of the most prestigious vineyards in all the world; what a shame it's all lost on me, who's quite content with the house Chardonnay. We also saw acres and acres of beautiful yellow fields of sunflowers. I love sunflowers; they just make me happy.

It was time for dinner as we were arriving close to home, so we decided to stop in a local town called Mons to eat. I think we were all happy to be 20 minutes from the farm, and we could finally relax and unwind from our big trip. Poor Guy had done all the driving, since I don't know how to drive a manual transmission.

The Grand Place in Mons is very nice, especially for a smaller town, and in the middle was a line of beautiful fountains which changed heights and provided a nice play area for kids and grown-ups alike. We chose a nice Italian cafe for dinner, and while we sat outside, the kids (and Guy) played tag with the water.

Here's a short video clip of us in Mons:

Beaune, France

2006-07-17T17:32:00.000-04:00

Beaune was a beautiful little village that Guy wanted us to see. Fortunately, we found a nice hotel not far from the city, and we were able to stop and spend a little time here.

We saw several interesting art shops and even some unusual art on the street, but the most wonderful part of Beaune was the Hotel-Dieu, an old hospital-turned-museum built in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of Philippe-le-Bon, Duke of Burgundy. We toured the place inside and out, and it was truly remarkable to see not only the beautiful architecture, but all of the art housed inside. The Chancellor and his wife decided to build the place to support the poor sick people of the region who were suffering because of the Hundred Years' War. You can read more about this wonderful place here - Hotel-Dieu. The ambience of the place was peaceful and serene, and oh so respectful. I thought, "if I were very poor and very sick, it would be so nice to be surrounded by all of this loveliness and dignity."

The beds were pieces of art themselves - these magnificent wooden structures that smartly contained all the necessities of a regular hospital room, were all lined up single file against the outside walls of the Great Hall. They were made up with bright, crimson red blankets against crisp white sheets, making a breath-taking scene as one entered the hall. I could just imagine the beds as they must have been so long ago, filled with sick and dying poor people, being cared for as if they were kings, and how grateful they must have been to spend their last moments in this sacred hall. It was so dramatically special - not at all like some token charity place - but rather, an honest, heart-felt gift of charity for people in need who had nothing to give in return.

In the Saint Nicholas Room, which was designated for the "poor and sick in danger of dying," I saw plaques upon the walls throughout the room in French, and while I could not translate everything too easily at the moment, I realized that the words were powerful and beautiful. I took a photo of one, and I've done my best to translate:

"God takes care of me; He has eyes specially attached on me, and I uniquely am tested, because I uniquely am loved. The just one that suffers with patience is an example of the touching mercies of God, a vase of honor that embellishes itself under His hand, and that He intends for the noblest usages."

I really loved the Hotel Dieu, and I felt different after I left it.

We found a more traditional French restaurant for dinner there, and Niki decided to try her hand at artful food presentation by making a fabulous design out of our leftovers. Too bad we didn't manage to get a photo of that.

Flunch - French Fast Food

2006-07-16T21:00:00.000-04:00

On the road, Guy introduced us to French fast food at a place called Flunch. It was big and brightly decorated with vivid colors and interesting lighting. The food was decent and reasonably priced. I ordered pork meatballs with a spicy tomato sauce (very good) for about $5.00, and that included an all-you-can-eat buffet of sides and vegetables like mashed potatoes, rice, green beans, broccoli, french fries, and other things. It was a cross between a restaurant and a cafeteria and a fast-food place, all done with style. Joey's kiddie meal included a toy prize of a blow-up beach ball, and a velcro ball and glove set. Very nice. I think this kind of place would do very well in America.

Port of St. Cyprien

2006-07-15T19:28:00.000-04:00

The port had a different kind of ambience - more like a boardwalk atmosphere with rides and tons of shops and restaurants and neon lights. One night we took a small boat trip around the port. The girls had special threaded strips put into their hair by a local woman working on the street there. And this is also where Ana tried her first (and last) raw oyster.

Saint Cyprien Plage, France

2006-07-15T13:31:00.000-04:00

Saint Cyprien is located near Perpignan in the very southern tip of France on the Mediterranean Sea, close to the Pyrenees mountains, which divide France from Spain and Andorra, another small country we learned about while we were there. The town was very touristic, frequented on a regular basis by French for their summer holidays.

We stayed in a condo-type beach house that we rented for the week from some friends of Guy's. It was a charming place - very comfortable and bright.

We did manage a few day trips to see some surrounding sights, but we wanted to have a chance to unwind and not be too busy running from place to place. We alternated between the beach and the pool, getting suntanned and playing in the water. The sun was very, very hot - I guess the US had the same awful weather during this time in July.

I loved these cute little European-style swim trunks I found for Joey, and he was so happy with the floaties Guy got for him which allowed him so much more freedom in the water. His nickname during the trip became "Little Shark." Ana and Niki were like little fish in the pool and in the sea.

I'm happy to look back at these photos and see all the big smiles; I know it wasn't my imagination that the kids seemed very happy on this trip. It's not to say they didn't argue and fight, but I think they soaked up some very positive feelings along with the European sun.

I especially loved the nightlife there - the center of the town usually had some sort of entertainment set up outside at night, which was appropriate for adults and children alike. One night we watched the local people join hands in big circles for their traditional dance. They danced for hours, into the night with a live band. Mostly elderly people, they all seemed so happy and full of energy.

And July 14th happened to be France's National Day, so we went into town for a spectacular fireworks display, then back to the center at the beach for a big pop music and dancing bash in the streets for people of all ages.

Collioure, France

2006-07-13T19:30:00.000-04:00

The charming village of Collioure was maybe my favorite place of our entire trip. It was so beautiful and serene; it's easy to see why so many artists were inspired there. Just south of Saint Cyprien (15 miles from the border of Spain), it was a quick drive through a couple of quaint towns to get there.

We went in the evening, and the sun was creating a golden glow on everything as it set behind the historic stone Château Royal. The energy was strong and clear; the gorgeous colors would inspire anyone to pick up a paintbrush and try to recreate it, for fear it was a one-time show generated by special conditions which would never again be repeated by nature.

(This was one of the few places where Niki let me take her photo on this trip.)

I had to be torn away from the landscape so we could find a place for dinner. France seems to have pretty strict serving hours, and even though it was only sunset, it was about 10:00 p.m. already. We chose a place right on the water called St. Elme. During our meal, we watched a local procession of people, led by a small band, carrying candles and French flags and parading around towards the chateau.

After dinner, we had ice-cream treats and walked along the sand. Niki and Guy were too tempted by the shore of small rocks, and they started to skip stones on the water. Joey tried too, but most of his attempts consisted of him throwing lots of stones at once to make lots of splashes. Niki and I got up to 3 skips each, while Guy, the expert, made it to 8 or so.

Someday I would really love to return to Colliure for a longer stay - several days - to explore the shops and local art and just soak up the great energy of this wonderful place.

Barcelona, Spain

2006-07-12T19:58:00.000-04:00

I did not like Barcelona - not even a little bit. Even when we were still an hour or so outside the city, I felt a pressure on my chest, the air seemed thick and heavy, and I couldn't breathe easily. The outer beltway around Barcelona was filled with ugly industrial companies, and the traffic was congested, with the pollution hanging in the air like a huge filthy canopy.

While we were stuck in traffic, we saw an interesting cemetery built into the hill. Maybe someday my punishment in hell will be to be buried there, to permeate my soul with the nasty Barcelona air for all eternity.

Once inside, Guy took us to an historic place called El Templo de La Sagrada Familia, designed by architect Antoni Gaudi. I simply could not find an ounce of apprection for his style anywhere inside of myself. I thought the building was disgusting and not beautiful in any way.

We found an Italian restaurant in a hurry, as once again dinnertime was almost over. The shops were closing quickly all around, and we really had no time to look around at all before it was time to return to St. Cyprien.

Driving South on the Motorway

2006-07-09T23:23:00.000-04:00

The drive to St. Cyprien from Paris was about 10 hours. The scenery was so beautiful... the farms on the hillside looked like giant quilt squares with different patterns and textures and shapes.

Huge round hay bales dotting the fields... enormous white cattle roaming around in big groups... acres and acres of bright yellow sunflower farms with their heads turned toward the sun...

Paris, France

2006-07-08T23:19:00.000-04:00

Paris was just 2-3 hours from the farm. We stopped there first and stayed 2 nights at a darling hotel called Grande Hotel Magenta. The photo above is the view from our window. It had a tiny little elevator that would make the bravest soul feel a bit nervous. Ana and Niki practiced their French by asking for the room key in French at the clerk's insistence. (He was a teacher.)

We saw the Opera House, which was on Niki's "must do" list, and the Eiffel Tower, of course. Musée du Louvre was on my list, and we got to see some amazing art, including the famous Venus de Milo, and the Mona Lisa. In the crowd in front of this spectacular painting, the guards ushered us around to the front, inside some ropes, when they saw we had a small child. There I was, face-to-face with her. It was more beautiful than I ever could have imagined, and the whole experience moved me to tears.

Joey was adorable to watch in the marble sculpture gallery. He looked at the written description for each piece (of course he can't read that well, especially not French) and then he stood back to view the art like a real pro.

The girls seemed fascinated too. Ana especially liked a piece that was set on a quilted mattress, made completely of marble. She could not get over the fact that it was stone because it looked so soft and inviting. I loved this gallery also, and I was amazed at this beautiful art and talent from so many years ago.

I talked to the girls about how Michel Angelo used to sneak the cadavers out of the morgue so he could study the inner anatomy of humans - how the muscles looked and worked underneath the skin - so he could create more life-like images. My mind escaped to one of my favorite books of all time, by Irving Stone, called The Agony and the Ecstasy, about Michel Angelo's life. Someday I must get to Italy to see his famous works.

We stuck to more simple places to eat here, because of the kids, and because we always seemed to be a little "off" the normal eating schedule, rushing for a place to eat because we were all starving. We tried a Greek place, where Ana had lamb, and one day we had pizza in a great little Italian joint.

Joey and Niki each chose small Eiffel Tower figurines as souvenirs. I bought small silver charm versions for the girls and me to put on our charm bracelets. They weren't so easy to find. Joey loved his tower, and he played with it quite a lot.

Training the Horses

2006-07-06T23:53:00.000-04:00

Guy trains the horses at his farm for equestrian theatre shows. He puts everything to music and creates elaborate costumes and themes for each set. Two of the girls who ride for him came to the farm one day for an afternoon of light training. Valerie and Julie came and groomed the horses; within minutes they looked like different animals, with braided manes and tails - they changed their attitude along with their appearance and became proud performers. The girls gave us a lovely show, and when they were finished, they helped Niki and Joey take a spin too.

Here is a video clip of one of their sets. I could just imagine it with the girls in brightly colored, long, flowing gowns...

Joey said he did not want to ride a horse, but Guy spoke with him privately for a few minutes, and he was ready to go after that. He didn't seem afraid at all, even after Paso, the white horse, stepped on the outside of Joey's sneaker before the ride, and Joey couldn't move his foot!

Julie and Valerie were excellent guides, and Valerie even took Paso up to a gallop a couple of times for Niki. She had a blast.

The Castle

2006-07-05T23:02:00.000-04:00

Guy has a good friend named Guy Damiens, who is a former IT professional, but is now pursuing his woodworking talents. He lives at the farm of an old castle, which is being renovated by the owners. Guy needed to help him deliver some furniture he had made for a client, so the we all went along to hang out around the castle and take photos.

Across from the castle was a beautiful area of huge trees which provided a green canopy across the road and made some interesting patterns in the sky with their unusual branches.

Belgium - The First Day

2006-07-04T23:03:00.000-04:00

We arrived very early in the day in Brussels, Belgium, after a 3 hour delay at JFK in New York. After a quick stop at Guy's farm to drop off our things and look around, we all went to a nearby farm with Guy with his uncle, so they could buy some straw. The kids got to see cows and even some bunny rabbits. The people were so nice to us, and invited us to sit for awhile and take something cold to drink. It was southern hospitality mixed with some relaxed, "let's enjoy life" attitude. It's easy to see how small errands can take a very long time, though, and it makes planning virtually impossible!