Enjoy this little treat of my Halloween weekend!
The links are to photos of:
St. Denis Basilica
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=556445&id=756660499&l=6c41dc2fe
Left Bank Trips
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=556457&id=756660499&l=1ce58f67cf
Catacombs and the Pantheon
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=556998&id=756660499&l=71ce96ca32
Expect a blog update very soon!!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
All Hallows Eve Eve, Parisian style
So begins my Parisian Halloween weekend folks!
Friday: I had my first French test; I thought it wasn't terrible but that will depend on my grade come Tuesday. And since I got out of class early, I got an early start on my visit to St. Denis! My overall impression of St. Denis is that it's more authentically Gothic than Notre-Dame. Don't get me wrong, Notre-Dame is impressive, but St. Denis has a certain flavor to it.
Abbot Suger, who was a 12th century statesman & abbot, rebuilt major portions of the Basilica when it was just an abbey church. It's thanks to him that Gothic became known and spread throughout Europe. Plus, unlike Notre-Dame, St. Denis didn't suffer the massive destruction of statues and damage of it's facade like Notre-Dame did. But St. Denis did end up with some desecration; some of the tombs were opened and the bodies scattered, but many remains were later found and returned.
The basilica is quite impressive, beautiful windows and a very beautiful altar. Not only that, Joan of Arc came to the basilica in 1429, and in a symbolic gesture, offered her armor to St. Denis. But the real prize is that St. Denis is the Royal Necropolis of France. All but 3 French kings are buried here. So seeing their tombs was so surreal. Some of them, like Henry II and Catherine de Medici's are quite impressive. I plan on putting some photo links up soon.
In the crypt of the church are more tombs of famous monarchs: Louis XIV, Louis XV, and yes, Louis XVI. In black marble tombs are the remains of Marie Antoinette and her husband. I was freaking out!!
Today was equally as great. I met up with Kirstie and Mandi to go to Louis Vuitton. Now, it wasn't to shop there. But if I were to have endless amounts of money, I would spend it on luggage. That's what got the original Louis V. going: luggage and trunks. Needless to say, these are still made beautifully, definitely pieces that will last a lifetime. And you can get them without the annoying LV logo; I think so much of what LV now makes is too loud or gaudy. A nice handsome piece of luggage never goes out of style.
But I digress.
The LV store has a museum on the top floor. No joke. The exhibition changes, and the one we saw was called "Who are you Peter?" in reference to Peter Pan. The exhibit was modern art, playing around the idea of Peter Pan, Neverland and not growing up. Getting to the top is the best. They explain to you that when you up the elevator, it's done in complete silence and in pitch black dark. This is supposed to clear your mind and prepare you for the exhibit.
Needless to say, I loved it! It was eerie, creepy, and haunting. Which is a lot like Peter Pan; Disney makes the story so sweet, but Peter Pan isn't all rainbows and gumdrops. Neverland is quite wild, remember how the mermaids try to drown Wendy?
After the museum we got a fantastic lunch at Les Deux Magots, a very famous cafe that was frequented by Simone de Beauvoir, Jean Paul Sartre and other members of the intelligentsia. We ate outside because it was so beautiful. My meal consisted of:
*Cup of hot wine. YUM.
*Omelette with cheese, ham & herbs.
*Roll.
*Chocolate cake from heaven. It was covered in chocolate ganache. It melted in my mouth. And I melted with it.
To finish off the day we explored Montparnasse Cemetery. There we saw the graves of:
*Simone de Beauvoir & Jean Paul Sartre
*Serge Gainsbourg, singer-songwriter & once had an affair with Brigitte Bardot
*Alfred Dreyfus (remember the Dreyfus Affair and J'accuse?)
But what really struck me was the grave of a family we saw. Three family members aren't buried there; instead the sign read "To the memory of... deported and died at Auschwitz."
I gasped when I read that. Many other tombs in this cemetery mentioned "Lost to the German Barbary," namely the German invasion and/or deportation. There was a much more feeling of sadness to this cemetery vs. Pere Lachaise. This cemetery seems to be much more active, and seeing all the flowers on graves in preparation for Toussaint, or All Saint's Day, definitely gave the place a more somber feeling.
I mistakenly thought All Souls came before All Saints, but that's not the case. All Saints is Monday and All Souls Tuesday, but it looks like the French combine the too, for on Toussaint the graves are decorated with flowers. I saw some older couples placing flowers on graves, and I just felt so sad. For though we tourists come to graveyards to look up famous people, right next to them is someone's husband or wife, brother or sister. And who knows what their life was like. Perhaps it was just as extraordinary or tragic like Jim Morrison's or Edith Piaf's.
I plan on going to Mass Monday morning for All Saints, and then to another church for prayer on All Souls. It's always nice to take some time away from the busy world and reflect.
Friday: I had my first French test; I thought it wasn't terrible but that will depend on my grade come Tuesday. And since I got out of class early, I got an early start on my visit to St. Denis! My overall impression of St. Denis is that it's more authentically Gothic than Notre-Dame. Don't get me wrong, Notre-Dame is impressive, but St. Denis has a certain flavor to it.
Abbot Suger, who was a 12th century statesman & abbot, rebuilt major portions of the Basilica when it was just an abbey church. It's thanks to him that Gothic became known and spread throughout Europe. Plus, unlike Notre-Dame, St. Denis didn't suffer the massive destruction of statues and damage of it's facade like Notre-Dame did. But St. Denis did end up with some desecration; some of the tombs were opened and the bodies scattered, but many remains were later found and returned.
The basilica is quite impressive, beautiful windows and a very beautiful altar. Not only that, Joan of Arc came to the basilica in 1429, and in a symbolic gesture, offered her armor to St. Denis. But the real prize is that St. Denis is the Royal Necropolis of France. All but 3 French kings are buried here. So seeing their tombs was so surreal. Some of them, like Henry II and Catherine de Medici's are quite impressive. I plan on putting some photo links up soon.
In the crypt of the church are more tombs of famous monarchs: Louis XIV, Louis XV, and yes, Louis XVI. In black marble tombs are the remains of Marie Antoinette and her husband. I was freaking out!!
Today was equally as great. I met up with Kirstie and Mandi to go to Louis Vuitton. Now, it wasn't to shop there. But if I were to have endless amounts of money, I would spend it on luggage. That's what got the original Louis V. going: luggage and trunks. Needless to say, these are still made beautifully, definitely pieces that will last a lifetime. And you can get them without the annoying LV logo; I think so much of what LV now makes is too loud or gaudy. A nice handsome piece of luggage never goes out of style.
But I digress.
The LV store has a museum on the top floor. No joke. The exhibition changes, and the one we saw was called "Who are you Peter?" in reference to Peter Pan. The exhibit was modern art, playing around the idea of Peter Pan, Neverland and not growing up. Getting to the top is the best. They explain to you that when you up the elevator, it's done in complete silence and in pitch black dark. This is supposed to clear your mind and prepare you for the exhibit.
Needless to say, I loved it! It was eerie, creepy, and haunting. Which is a lot like Peter Pan; Disney makes the story so sweet, but Peter Pan isn't all rainbows and gumdrops. Neverland is quite wild, remember how the mermaids try to drown Wendy?
After the museum we got a fantastic lunch at Les Deux Magots, a very famous cafe that was frequented by Simone de Beauvoir, Jean Paul Sartre and other members of the intelligentsia. We ate outside because it was so beautiful. My meal consisted of:
*Cup of hot wine. YUM.
*Omelette with cheese, ham & herbs.
*Roll.
*Chocolate cake from heaven. It was covered in chocolate ganache. It melted in my mouth. And I melted with it.
To finish off the day we explored Montparnasse Cemetery. There we saw the graves of:
*Simone de Beauvoir & Jean Paul Sartre
*Serge Gainsbourg, singer-songwriter & once had an affair with Brigitte Bardot
*Alfred Dreyfus (remember the Dreyfus Affair and J'accuse?)
But what really struck me was the grave of a family we saw. Three family members aren't buried there; instead the sign read "To the memory of... deported and died at Auschwitz."
I gasped when I read that. Many other tombs in this cemetery mentioned "Lost to the German Barbary," namely the German invasion and/or deportation. There was a much more feeling of sadness to this cemetery vs. Pere Lachaise. This cemetery seems to be much more active, and seeing all the flowers on graves in preparation for Toussaint, or All Saint's Day, definitely gave the place a more somber feeling.
I mistakenly thought All Souls came before All Saints, but that's not the case. All Saints is Monday and All Souls Tuesday, but it looks like the French combine the too, for on Toussaint the graves are decorated with flowers. I saw some older couples placing flowers on graves, and I just felt so sad. For though we tourists come to graveyards to look up famous people, right next to them is someone's husband or wife, brother or sister. And who knows what their life was like. Perhaps it was just as extraordinary or tragic like Jim Morrison's or Edith Piaf's.
I plan on going to Mass Monday morning for All Saints, and then to another church for prayer on All Souls. It's always nice to take some time away from the busy world and reflect.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Ma semaine!
That, mes beaux amis, was taken on Wednesday. We've been having absolutely GORGEOUS fall weather. I can't praise the weather enough. So, I think I need to fill you in on this week.
Tuesday was special. We saw the Claude Monet exhibit at the Grand Palais, the building you see in this photos. The exhibition, titled "Claude Monet 1840-1926" is probably one of the most talked about art exhibitions going on. And it's a hard one to get into; people were buying tickets months in advance. Why? Well, because this is a retrospective exhibit of Monet's work.
The last time a full retrospective Monet exhibit was held?
1980. 30 YEARS! And I was there.
Our guide, the dapper and fabulous Julien with his wonderful suit and green scarf, gave us commentary. This made the exhibit more special. We learned so much about each painting or group of paintings. And it made me sympathize Monet. For such a talented artist, he had an incredibly tough and tragic life. But what amazed me were Monet's sunset paintings. I swear to God these paintings were glowing with the light of the sun, I wanted the lights to turn off and I bet these paintings would glow.
Wednesday, that gorgeous fall day, I went to the church of St. Germain des Pres, founded in the 6th century. It's quite cool. Just a different interior, and home to the grave of Rene Descartes, who knew? I didn't! I then met up with Natalie, a Salve alumna ('08) who's teaching English in a school outside of Paris. We had some classic cafe fare for dinner and just walked around the St. Germain des Pres area. It's wicked nice, very quaint. Very much enjoyed that day.
Today, for my fashion class we went to the Invalides, specifically the Musee de l'Armee, and saw this incredible exhibit of military uniforms, regalia, weapons and art. It was just impressive, everything is laid out so nicely and there was so much. It just kept going and going and going.
Now I'm here, trying not to study. And this weekend I'm very excited. Since the French don't celebrate Halloween, I'm doing my own Halloween weekend!
Friday:
St. Denis Basilica after class.
Satuday:
Montparnasse Cemetery, Les Deux Magots & Louis Vuitton store! Not related but it'll be fun to window shop.
Sunday:
Catacombs and the Pantheon.
Monday: Mass at some point, Salon du Chocolat & Pere Lachaise.
And I leave you with a photo of one of my all time favorite historical figures!
Entrez Jeanne d'Arc!
Monday, October 25, 2010
An evening at the Garnier
First off, pictures will be up soon, and I never made it to the Pantheon today. C'est la vie.
But, to sum up my evening, it shall be in 3 words:
Magnificent
Beautiful
Wonderful
The Opera Garnier is just breathtaking. Picture the Boston Opera House, but older and steeped in more history. And a much more prestigious stage. The ballet tonight was Paquita by Joseph Mazilier and Paul Foucher. This wasn't a ballet I was familiar with, but I enjoyed it immensely. Here are the following reasons:
*Costumes. So beautiful, especially the women's. I recognized some pieces from my Fashion class, and since the ballet is set in Spain, the Spanish women's black and gold costumes were stunning. Those and Paquita's white sequined tutu were just mesmerizing under the lights.
*Speaking of mesmerizing, the dancers were in top form. The two main characters, Paquita & Lucien, were phenomenal. Their leaps, pirouettes, just beautifully done. Imagine these two gorgeous amazingly in-shape dancers who move like feathers. I always smiled when he lifted her. For some reason, during any ballet, when the man lifts up the women and she glides through the air, *ah* I just melt.
*Music! The music had that Spanish influence which was lovely, and even the dancers partook in the effort. I've never seen a ballet with so much input from the dancers; they clapped, played tambourines, stomped their feet, snapped. The orchestra (which I'm always partial to more than the dancers) and dancers blended so well together.
So yes, my glamorous evening at the opera was a success. It makes me want to see The Nutcracker when I get home!
But, to sum up my evening, it shall be in 3 words:
Magnificent
Beautiful
Wonderful
The Opera Garnier is just breathtaking. Picture the Boston Opera House, but older and steeped in more history. And a much more prestigious stage. The ballet tonight was Paquita by Joseph Mazilier and Paul Foucher. This wasn't a ballet I was familiar with, but I enjoyed it immensely. Here are the following reasons:
*Costumes. So beautiful, especially the women's. I recognized some pieces from my Fashion class, and since the ballet is set in Spain, the Spanish women's black and gold costumes were stunning. Those and Paquita's white sequined tutu were just mesmerizing under the lights.
*Speaking of mesmerizing, the dancers were in top form. The two main characters, Paquita & Lucien, were phenomenal. Their leaps, pirouettes, just beautifully done. Imagine these two gorgeous amazingly in-shape dancers who move like feathers. I always smiled when he lifted her. For some reason, during any ballet, when the man lifts up the women and she glides through the air, *ah* I just melt.
*Music! The music had that Spanish influence which was lovely, and even the dancers partook in the effort. I've never seen a ballet with so much input from the dancers; they clapped, played tambourines, stomped their feet, snapped. The orchestra (which I'm always partial to more than the dancers) and dancers blended so well together.
So yes, my glamorous evening at the opera was a success. It makes me want to see The Nutcracker when I get home!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Mon dimanche à Paris
Ce dimanche, était très calme.
Ce matin, je suis allé à la messe à Notre-Dame. J'étais un petit émotionnel. La musique d'orgue était lancinant. Pour être dans cette cathédrale est d'être dans un autre monde.
Après la messe, je suis allé au jardin du Palais-Royal. Ce jardin est un joyau caché. Derrière le Palais-Royal et des échafaudages, il est silencieux et tranquille. C'est un endroit idéale pour lire, faire les dévoirs, écrire, etc.
J'ai parlé avec mon père; c'était une bonne conversation. J'adore parler avec lui.
Overall, it's been a very lazy Sunday, something I haven't had yet. It's been nice to email and talk with people, get homework done, just take a break from the hustle and bustle of life. And I'm going to need to be ready for this week.
Mon: Pantheon & Ballet.
Tues: Grand Palais
Wed: St. Germain des Pres
Thurs: Invalides
Fri: St. Denis Basilica
Honestly people, I SWEAR I'm taking classes.
Ce matin, je suis allé à la messe à Notre-Dame. J'étais un petit émotionnel. La musique d'orgue était lancinant. Pour être dans cette cathédrale est d'être dans un autre monde.
Après la messe, je suis allé au jardin du Palais-Royal. Ce jardin est un joyau caché. Derrière le Palais-Royal et des échafaudages, il est silencieux et tranquille. C'est un endroit idéale pour lire, faire les dévoirs, écrire, etc.
J'ai parlé avec mon père; c'était une bonne conversation. J'adore parler avec lui.
Overall, it's been a very lazy Sunday, something I haven't had yet. It's been nice to email and talk with people, get homework done, just take a break from the hustle and bustle of life. And I'm going to need to be ready for this week.
Mon: Pantheon & Ballet.
Tues: Grand Palais
Wed: St. Germain des Pres
Thurs: Invalides
Fri: St. Denis Basilica
Honestly people, I SWEAR I'm taking classes.
Ma semaine avec les deux M's
Before I even get to my leisurely Sunday, here is the chronicle of my week with Mom & Mary. For the record, Mary has been a dear friend of my Mom's since their good old days at Haverhill High. Go Hillies! Okay, let's begin.
This week involved a lot of laughter, fun, and free meals for myself. I easily saved money on dinner, so points for me.
Sunday & Monday we had dinner; Monday I showed them the Latin Quarter, they met the ladies at the AIFS office plus a bunch of the other students. We had the BEST lunch at Le Soufflot Café, and my meal of a croque -madame was divine.
Tuesday was very special. My dear host family had the two of them over for drinks, and we had a ball. Before I showed the two the view of Paris from the park, and they fell in love with the house I'm living in! My host dad, my God he is a Renaissance man: He knows multiple languages, plays piano, is incredibly intelligent, descended from aristocracy and conductors. And this is all 1 person! We had a delicious bottle of wine and snacks, plus he let me play their piano and I gave a little concert for all. My song of choice? Someone To Watch Over Me. Gershwin never goes out of style folks. That evening remains as perhaps the best night I've had here.
Wednesday & Thursday we only chatted; those were my busiest days, so the two M's explored more of Paris. Friday night we met for dinner at a delicious Italian restaurant near their hotel. We had planned for Saturday, we would go to Versailles!! Again!
Now, what I loved was that we went this company that picks you up from your hotels; the driving fee plus tickets are included. This included a ticket for the Fountain Show; basically the Fountains of Versailles are turned out for 2.5 hours, and you listen to classical music as they go. Not bad.
Now, I had already seen the chateau; my goal was to visit Le Hameau de la Reine, The Queen's Hamlet. The queen in question? Miss Marie Antoinette herself. She had constructed a makeshift country village complete with farm animals. She and her ladies played dress-up while French people starved. Yes, not the most smart thing.
So, in order to get there, I *shudder* power-walked through the chateau. I can't believe it either. And then I power-walked to the grounds. First off, the grounds of Versailles are breathtaking, I think more impressive than the chateau.
As I was walking the driveway to the Petit Trianon (on the grounds), tall trees in shades of yellow lined the walkway. I somehow felt a peace and relaxation, I felt miles away from Versailles and the crowds. Soon I found myself getting into the psychology of Marie Antoinette. Once I got through the PT (for free with my student ID, YES!) I came upon these grounds of twisting paths and lovely plants.
And then, after some twists and turns, I came upon the Queen's Hamlet. And no wonder she had this built. It's one of the most adorable places I've ever seen. Little thatched cottages, vine covered archways, little vineyards. Plus, crows, sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, chickens, swans, all just having a blast. And I had a giant smile on my face the whole time. I was having so much fun, and you could imagine Marie Antoinette playing milkmaid on a sunny day, thrilled to be away from the intrigue of Versailles, along with the many people who really disliked her and borderline hated her. And that's just from the French aristocracy.
I felt so sorry for her. A bride before she was 16, motherhood soon after. And then, dead at 37. Yikes.
Saturday night we were looking for a special restaurant that does chicken apparently very well. But, due to the freak thunderstorm, we ate at Le Notre Dame. My roasted chicken was heavenly, and the crème brûlée was the perfect finish.
After a little shopping on the Champs-Élysées, we had to say our goodbyes. Those are never fun. But I'm just so happy they came. We were able to catch up, and I got share Paris with them! They had such fun; and why shouldn't they? How you not have fun with one of your best friends in Paris, France?
This week involved a lot of laughter, fun, and free meals for myself. I easily saved money on dinner, so points for me.
Sunday & Monday we had dinner; Monday I showed them the Latin Quarter, they met the ladies at the AIFS office plus a bunch of the other students. We had the BEST lunch at Le Soufflot Café, and my meal of a croque -madame was divine.
Tuesday was very special. My dear host family had the two of them over for drinks, and we had a ball. Before I showed the two the view of Paris from the park, and they fell in love with the house I'm living in! My host dad, my God he is a Renaissance man: He knows multiple languages, plays piano, is incredibly intelligent, descended from aristocracy and conductors. And this is all 1 person! We had a delicious bottle of wine and snacks, plus he let me play their piano and I gave a little concert for all. My song of choice? Someone To Watch Over Me. Gershwin never goes out of style folks. That evening remains as perhaps the best night I've had here.
Wednesday & Thursday we only chatted; those were my busiest days, so the two M's explored more of Paris. Friday night we met for dinner at a delicious Italian restaurant near their hotel. We had planned for Saturday, we would go to Versailles!! Again!
Now, what I loved was that we went this company that picks you up from your hotels; the driving fee plus tickets are included. This included a ticket for the Fountain Show; basically the Fountains of Versailles are turned out for 2.5 hours, and you listen to classical music as they go. Not bad.
Now, I had already seen the chateau; my goal was to visit Le Hameau de la Reine, The Queen's Hamlet. The queen in question? Miss Marie Antoinette herself. She had constructed a makeshift country village complete with farm animals. She and her ladies played dress-up while French people starved. Yes, not the most smart thing.
So, in order to get there, I *shudder* power-walked through the chateau. I can't believe it either. And then I power-walked to the grounds. First off, the grounds of Versailles are breathtaking, I think more impressive than the chateau.
As I was walking the driveway to the Petit Trianon (on the grounds), tall trees in shades of yellow lined the walkway. I somehow felt a peace and relaxation, I felt miles away from Versailles and the crowds. Soon I found myself getting into the psychology of Marie Antoinette. Once I got through the PT (for free with my student ID, YES!) I came upon these grounds of twisting paths and lovely plants.
And then, after some twists and turns, I came upon the Queen's Hamlet. And no wonder she had this built. It's one of the most adorable places I've ever seen. Little thatched cottages, vine covered archways, little vineyards. Plus, crows, sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, chickens, swans, all just having a blast. And I had a giant smile on my face the whole time. I was having so much fun, and you could imagine Marie Antoinette playing milkmaid on a sunny day, thrilled to be away from the intrigue of Versailles, along with the many people who really disliked her and borderline hated her. And that's just from the French aristocracy.
I felt so sorry for her. A bride before she was 16, motherhood soon after. And then, dead at 37. Yikes.
Saturday night we were looking for a special restaurant that does chicken apparently very well. But, due to the freak thunderstorm, we ate at Le Notre Dame. My roasted chicken was heavenly, and the crème brûlée was the perfect finish.
After a little shopping on the Champs-Élysées, we had to say our goodbyes. Those are never fun. But I'm just so happy they came. We were able to catch up, and I got share Paris with them! They had such fun; and why shouldn't they? How you not have fun with one of your best friends in Paris, France?
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Normandie et Bretagne
Here we finish off the weekend!
Saturday morning, I got up extremely early for the trip to Normandy & Brittany! We were lead by our fearless leader, the always nicely dressed British delight that is Jane, our cultural coordinator. (I hope you're reading!)
We left and headed first to Caen, spending too little time at the Memorial de Caen, which is dedicated to peace. Don't let that last cheesy sentence fool you. This place is SO COOL. It chronicles WWII, the Cold War, the War in the Pacific, using an amazing amount of secondary sources. Unfortunately, due to time constraints (and some late-comers), we didn't spend too much time.
But, what we saw was jaw-dropping. We watched a film of the D-Day Invasion. It was a split-screen, showing the Allies on one side, and the Germans on the other. I'm sorry, but "Saving Private Ryan" can't compare to the real thing. I thought it was a good preparation for what we were to then see.
We visited the American Cemetery & Omaha Beach. Everyone, I will write very little, but what I will say is this: Like visiting Arlington National Cemetery, Pearl Harbor or Ground Zero, it's heavy. I was extremely emotional; I had tears going down my face the entire time, my bottom lip couldn't stay still and my nose ran. You are just overwhelmed by the beach, the white crosses, the names and lack of names on graves. Goosebumps take hold of you and you become so humbled.
After we went to the Point du Hoc, a high point on the cliffs were the Germans were stationed. Well, I had a blast! Suddenly I turned 6 years old, and I looked at the holes left by Allied bombing and destroyed bunkers with the eyes of a child. We ran around, explored, played soldier, honestly we had a ball! After this moment of merriment, we drove to our hotel in the charming city of St. Malo.
And let me tell you, I want to live here. Seriously.
For dinner that night, me and the always wonderful travel companion Kirstie had the following meal:
Galette (savory buckwheat pancake) with cheese and an egg.
Cider to drink.
Apple pie for dessert with ice cream & whipped cream.
Jealous? I thought so.
Sunday my travel companion and I walked along the ramparts of the city. Isn't that the coolest sentence? It was such a nice morning, no wind. We then had a wicked awesome breakfast, and then left St. Malo for.. Mont St. Michel!
Just imagine this little village, with an abbey dating from the 9th century, and during the day it's like a little mountain, surrounded by quicksand and mud. But when the tide comes in, it's an island! We got to explore the abbey which was beautiful; Mass was being said and I wish we had gotten their earlier so I could participate. After that we got lunch, I purchased a wonderful poster listing the genealogy of the French kings, and some butter biscuits.
We then drove home, getting back early enough where I met my mom and Mary!! They arrived on Saturday, and are staying until Sunday. We've had a lovely time. Expect a blog update soon. And pictures, be patient!
I realize I haven't said this often, but I miss and love you all.
Saturday morning, I got up extremely early for the trip to Normandy & Brittany! We were lead by our fearless leader, the always nicely dressed British delight that is Jane, our cultural coordinator. (I hope you're reading!)
We left and headed first to Caen, spending too little time at the Memorial de Caen, which is dedicated to peace. Don't let that last cheesy sentence fool you. This place is SO COOL. It chronicles WWII, the Cold War, the War in the Pacific, using an amazing amount of secondary sources. Unfortunately, due to time constraints (and some late-comers), we didn't spend too much time.
But, what we saw was jaw-dropping. We watched a film of the D-Day Invasion. It was a split-screen, showing the Allies on one side, and the Germans on the other. I'm sorry, but "Saving Private Ryan" can't compare to the real thing. I thought it was a good preparation for what we were to then see.
We visited the American Cemetery & Omaha Beach. Everyone, I will write very little, but what I will say is this: Like visiting Arlington National Cemetery, Pearl Harbor or Ground Zero, it's heavy. I was extremely emotional; I had tears going down my face the entire time, my bottom lip couldn't stay still and my nose ran. You are just overwhelmed by the beach, the white crosses, the names and lack of names on graves. Goosebumps take hold of you and you become so humbled.
After we went to the Point du Hoc, a high point on the cliffs were the Germans were stationed. Well, I had a blast! Suddenly I turned 6 years old, and I looked at the holes left by Allied bombing and destroyed bunkers with the eyes of a child. We ran around, explored, played soldier, honestly we had a ball! After this moment of merriment, we drove to our hotel in the charming city of St. Malo.
And let me tell you, I want to live here. Seriously.
For dinner that night, me and the always wonderful travel companion Kirstie had the following meal:
Galette (savory buckwheat pancake) with cheese and an egg.
Cider to drink.
Apple pie for dessert with ice cream & whipped cream.
Jealous? I thought so.
Sunday my travel companion and I walked along the ramparts of the city. Isn't that the coolest sentence? It was such a nice morning, no wind. We then had a wicked awesome breakfast, and then left St. Malo for.. Mont St. Michel!
Just imagine this little village, with an abbey dating from the 9th century, and during the day it's like a little mountain, surrounded by quicksand and mud. But when the tide comes in, it's an island! We got to explore the abbey which was beautiful; Mass was being said and I wish we had gotten their earlier so I could participate. After that we got lunch, I purchased a wonderful poster listing the genealogy of the French kings, and some butter biscuits.
We then drove home, getting back early enough where I met my mom and Mary!! They arrived on Saturday, and are staying until Sunday. We've had a lovely time. Expect a blog update soon. And pictures, be patient!
I realize I haven't said this often, but I miss and love you all.
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