Scenic train to Vichy - denied!

Thursday June 2, 2011                            Day 337

We arose early this morning, completed our packing, added a bottle of water to the outside pocket of our bag, and headed for the train station. Our goal was to travel to Nimes, where we would take a special scenic train to Vichy. We planned to spend a few hours in Vichy, then travel on to Lyon for the night.

When we got to the train station, the board indicated that our train was 50 minutes late. We  had only 20 minutes in Nimes to make our connection, and realized that we would not manage that. So we went upstairs to begin the process of exchanging our tickets. Unfortunately, the ticket agent did not speak much English, but we muddled through and swapped out the tickets for tomorrow instead. Near the end of the process, another ticket agent came in, one who spoke English, and she suggested that, instead of taking the 7:25 train to Nimes tomorrow, we might want the 7:05 train, which would give us a little more time to make our connection. She said we did not need to exchange our ticket for that, but just show up for the earlier train. That done, we stopped at a bakery and bought warm chocolate bread and returned to the apartment. 

It rained almost all of the rest of the day, so I did not go out again. I painted in the afternoon while Roger read. In the evening, he went out for pizza.

Roger must have angered the gods today – the tea goddess, perhaps? Or maybe she is a kitchen goddess. Anyway, he was washing one of our small drinking glasses while doing the dishes and it slipped from his hand into the sink and shattered. Later, we had popcorn and Dr. Pepper. He managed to kick over the mostly-empty Dr. Pepper glass and it broke. This leaves only one glass of the four we bought in Paris with the matching pitcher. Too bad!

Washing dishes

Wednesday June 1, 2011                                    Day 336

It rained most of the morning, but by 2:00 it had let up a bit, so Roger went to play chess as usual. He called half an hour later to say that no one showed up and he was on the way back. This meant that he would be in charge of cleaning up the kitchen – a job which usually falls to me in the afternoon.

Our small kitchen offers several challenges besides the one of necessitating washing dishes twice a day. The refrigerator is quite small, rising to my shoulder height. This means it holds very little in the way of leftovers, so we cook almost every day, although we do manage some holdover meals. But there is little room for anything else other than some salad makings, cheese, butter, a very few condiments, and food for two meals. This means we are shopping every other day. We hit the market on Tuesday and Saturday, buying for Sunday as well on the latter day. Monday, Thursday and Friday we are often scrambling to decide what to eat, although we usually manage to go to the grocery store at least one day a week. It makes for a very different kind of shopping from what we were accustomed to doing in the States. In this life, as in our past one, we do not eat out much. We do almost out of necessity when we have company, because of the limitations in the refrigerator size, table size and amount of dishes. Otherwise, when it is just Roger and me, we seldom dine out.

Painting again, after a hiatus

Tuesday May 31, 2011                                           Day 335

I started working on a challenging painting today – this one has bars of light coming through the shutters, creating patterns of light and shadow on the table, the wall and the flowers I bought last week. I spent most of the time drawing, then got started on the wash. It takes lots of patience and work with a straight-edge to get the lines right.

Celeste cried at our door again this evening, and we let her in to wander for a bit. Mara showed up ten minutes later to pick her up.

Cooler weather

Monday May 30, 2011                                        Day 334

It has been much cooler lately, a relief from the hot days of last week.

I came across this poster on a wall in Montpellier -
It looks like a women's lib poster from the '60s.

Mentally heading home

Sunday May 29, 2011                                         Day 333

I am beginning to close the door on France, both mentally and emotionally. When I buy supplies for the apartment, I ask myself how much to buy, since we will only be here one more month.

Black Neighborhood cat - early morning invasion

Saturday May 28, 2011                            Day 332

This morning we were awakened around 6:00 by the entry of our resident prowler cat through our bedroom window. He came in and checked out the room, then hopped onto the bed and walked across our feet. Next he went into the closet and proceeded to dig though my sock box, which sits in the bottom of the closet. He spent about 10 minutes in the room – he couldn’t exit into the living area because the door was closed. We realized we would not get any sleep with him in here, so Roger got up, moved the curtain and opened the window wider, and the cat jumped up on the chair and exited. We closed the window so we could get some sleep.

It was market day, but we were a bit late getting there – we slept a bit later because of the cat. We didn’t buy much, just the usual vegetables, some cherries and some meat.

Roger's chess is improving

Friday May 27, 2011                                Day 331

Roger came home from chess triumphant today. He had probably his best day ever at chess – maintaining the top board for six games in a row, then regaining it shortly after losing it. 

I made reservations for Pam and Kathy today, then walked to the hotel to view it. It seems nice – clean and fairly new looking. After leaving the hotel, I walked along rue Gambetta, pausing to pick up a roasted chicken for dinner. I let myself get lost in the maze of streets beyond Gambetta and enjoyed looking at the houses and the backs of gardens.

A street musician plays his didgeridoo for coins

Progress in understanding French

Thursday May 26, 2011                                      Day 330

Instead of painting, I drew today. I am working to get perspective right and lines straight in a rather complex piece.

Roger came home very pleased with himself – he heard and understood a statement in French: Donnez-moi mon chapeau, which means “give me my hat.” This after someone came along and teased another gentleman around the chess table by taking his hat. 

I tossed the sweater into the washer by itself, in warm water this time. Finally, it looks as if all the make-up is out of it.

Wednesday May 25, 2011                                      Day 329

Spring has arrived with a vengeance. Indeed, we may have skipped some spring and gone straight into summer. Temperatures have been in the 30s, which translates to the 90s.

I went out this afternoon for a walk. While out, I bought another teapot – hope this will not anger the tea goddess too much.

Our neighborhood cat continues to visit. He comes in the bedroom window and cautiously prowls around the apartment. When one of us makes a sudden move, he is away like a flash. 

I ran a load of special-wash laundry today to try to clean the make-up off the sweater that got stained in Barcelona. It didn’t come out very well, so I washed it a second time with another line. There is still some make-up in the fabric.

Apricots galore!

Tuesday May 24, 2011                                 Day 328

We went to the market again today where we made our usual purchases of nuts, olives, cheese, fruit and some meat – Roger chose a pork roast this time. While he was buying the pork, I wandered down the market a bit in search of apricots. I came across a vendor packing up his truck – we were rather late getting here today, and he offered me a large box of apricots for only eight Euros. I argued that I only wanted half, but he didn’t budge, so I bought the whole box – more than 100 apricots. I am sure that Roger was dismayed, but being the good sport he is, he didn’t say too much. We also bought flowers – these not from a traditional flower vendor but from a vegetable vendor who happened to have a few nosegays at her booth. I told her I planned to paint them and she said she would like to see the finished painting.

When we got home, Roger started the pork roast and I made a compote out of several of the apricots. For dinner, we had roast with apricot glaze and a side of compote. It was really quite good. 

The cat came to visit us again, this time staying longer. At one point he lay down on a rug in our living area and rolled partially onto his back. We just left him alone, talking to him but not approaching him. After a while, he left again.

Black neighborhood cat - redux

Monday May 23, 2011                                    Day 327

I got started on the laundry today – lots of it from our travels and some from our guests and all of is as a result of not doing it while they were here. And it was apartment-cleaning day as well. Fun, fun, fun.

The swallows I referenced earlier (see the post of April 25 – day 299) have completed their nest and have probably laid eggs, although we cannot see into the nest to know for certain. One or the other of the pair often sits on a drying rack across the airshaft from our kitchen window. They chirp and chatter constantly.

The days have become quite warm, and this evening we had the windows in the apartment open. I was sitting in a chair when I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. It was the cat from last night, paying a call again. I spoke to him and he paused, crouched to run away at any untoward movement from me. Since I did not move, he explored some more. Roger was in the kitchen doing dishes, and the cat headed in that direction but did not stay. Shortly thereafter, he left and I shut the bedroom window behind him.

Black neighborhood cat

Sunday May 22, 2011                                            Day 326

Our guests left this morning on the 10:30 train to Nice. We walked them to the station and saw them onto the train, then returned to the apartment for a real do-nothing day. After eight days of travel and four days of guests, we were exhausted.

In the evening, I looked out our bedroom window before shutting the curtains. The room overlooks a roof onto which I sometimes climb to hang out laundry. There was a black cat looking into the window, but he shied away when I approached the window. I opened it to look out, and he was crouched on the roof, waiting to make a dash to safety if I came after him. I did not, but simply closed the curtains for the night.

Picnic, French style

Saturday May 21, 2011                                    Day 325

We went to the market early this morning. I wanted to take our guests there because I think the market is such a quintessential slice of French life. It being Saturday, the market was crowded. We bought cherries, apricots, nuts, sprouts and falafel. Peter bought some tiny dried sausages which resemble Slim-Jims. 

Back from the market, we put up our purchases and hopped the tram for the Odysseum, where we were to meet our rides to a French country estate for a picnic. We were to meet in the McDonald’s car park, and I was not quite certain where the McDonalds was located. We looked around a bit, then I approached a man, asking him in French if he knew where the restaurant was located, and he gave me instructions, also in French. Victory – I understood most of what he said, and I was able to follow the directions! Small victory, perhaps, but then we take my victories where we can get them.

Our group of five was split such that Alicia, Peter and Jamie rode with someone called Sunshine, and we rode with Victoria. It took 30 minutes to get to our destination. We were greeted by our host, an Englishman who is a barrister in Britain. His claim to fame is that he represented two gentlemen who asserted that Dan Brown plagerized their work or their ideas in writing The Davinci Code. He lost the case, but apparently got rich off it – I am quite certain he did not take it on a contingency-fee basis. He bought this country estate several years ago and grows several varieties of grapes, producing three levels of wine. We began the visit with a wine-tasting – probably not a good idea on an empty stomach, but c’est la vie! The wine-tasting was fascinating, including discussions of even such details as corks and labels. We sampled two of the three levels of wine – three varieties of each, or six glasses of wine each. Not full glasses, but more than enough to make some of us tipsy!

Once the wine-tasting was complete, we went out into the park surrounding the house, where there were picnic tables and a serving table set up. Our host made available the third level of wine with lunch, and of course we partook of it as well. Hmm – it’s a good thing we weren’t driving back! The food was delicious, the dessert wonderful, and the wine – well, it was wine. I still have not developed a sophisticated wine palate after almost a year in France.

Picnic in the park

Our host for the picnic

Peter naps with one eye open, waiting to be shot by another of the picnic attendees 

It was a fabulous picnic and a wonderful afternoon!

Carcassonne in Carcassonne

Friday May 20, 2011                                Day 324

It was Alicia’s heart’s desire to play the game of Carcassonne in Carcassonne, so we took the train there this morning. We had a 20-minute walk to the old town, which is completely surrounded by a wall. It took a good upward climb to reach it, but it was worth every step. The town was absolutely charming, full of picturesque shops and narrow streets. We entered a church, and for the second time in a week, happened upon a choir performing in a church with vaulted ceilings. This one was six guys, and I fell in love with the bass. His voice was so deep, full and growly! Actually, the entire sextet was wonderful. We sat and listened for a bit, and when one song ended, one of the members announced that there were CDs of these songs and others for sale up front, and invited us to come forward and purchase them. After a 10-minute break, they took up singing again. Such luck, to come upon such beautiful singing twice in such a short time.

The church at Carcassonne

We ate lunch outside the church, dining on sandwiches, water, soft drinks and crepes. Then we explored Carcassonne, including entering the chateau there and doing a self-guided tour. Peter bought an audio guide, but he said it held the same information as the signs along the way. There was a large courtyard with decking surrounding a couple of trees, so we settled in there to play a round of Carcassonne, fulfilling Alicia’s dream. Afterward, we walked atop the walls of the city, enjoying the views both into and out of the town. 

Jamie prepares to place her tiles in the game of Carcassonne

We descended into the new city and traversed the main shopping area, stopping in one shop where Alicia and I bought clothes. I bought a double T-shirt package with a nifty line drawing on it. Tired, we headed for the train station. 

A view of the walled city of Carcassonne

As we waited for our train to take us to Montpellier, we sat on benches on the platform, with Alicia nearest one of the tracks. She began reading. Several moments later, I looked up and realized that a freight train was coming full speed through the station on the track next to us, and reached out a hand to stabilize her. The train ripped through the station, startling her considerably, blowing my hat off and blasting several other things around.

Bonne Anniversaire de Marriage!

Thursday May 19, 2011                Day 323

Happy Anniversary to Alicia and Peter, and to Roger and me! Four years for them, 38 for us. 

We spent the day wandering around Montpellier introducing our guests to the city. In one area, there was a gate open which is not usually open, so we entered and found some lovely mosaic pictures. We also met the owners of the house, who were kind enough not to chase us out.

They should know better than to leave the gate open
if they do not want me to enter!

Mosaics among the garden plants.

Upon Anne’s recommendation, the five of us went to a restaurant called Le Cinq for an anniversary celebration dinner. Delicious food, excellent wine, a great time.

Peter's charcuterie plate, complete with fresh mozzarella and served on a slate.

Heading home from Barcelona

Wednesday May 18, 2011                   Day 322
On the way to the train station this morning, we made several stops. Roger returned to the souvenir shop and bought a second pin. This time he took the hat and allowed the clerk to attach it to the hat. In this manner, he avoided a second broken pin stem.

This is the door pull of a local shop. It is a whale vertabra.

Here is the door in which this whale vertabra sits.

We bought lunch at a bakery – quiches and sandwiches, to eat on the train. Peter also went to a grocery store and bought wine, chorizo and cheese, and we ate these later for a mid-afternoon snack on the train along with a baguette which we bought when we got lunch. Delicious! We were mostly through eating when a drunk-looking guy a few seats away hinted that we should offer him some wine. We did not, and eventually drank it all up – Peter picked up plastic cups when he got the wine. Later, the same scruffy-looking drunk guy approached us and asked if he could have some wine. Our bottle was empty by that time, however, and he turned away muttering under his breath.

Our guests went out for an evening in the historic section of town, which is where we live. Alicia apparently got seriously dissed for wearing a skirt and tennis shoes. One place even refused them entry.

More Gaudi

Tuesday May 17, 2011                                       Day 321
Roger and I awoke at our usual 8:00. He went out for juice and croissants. Since the others were still asleep, Roger and I walked down to the dock to see if we could spot We Are Water, the final boat in the Barcelona World Race, which came in only last week. The dock area we accessed in December to see the boats was now off-limits. We were unable to locate We Are Water, but we did see Gaes Centros Auditivos, another boat which participated in the race. It was closed up, but we were able to get a couple of photos of it through some fencing. Fourteen boats set out on the around-the-world race on December 31. Only eight of them completed the race.

 We took the metro to the center of town and toured the Gaudi house known as Casa Batlló. It was a magical experience – Gaudi was a genius.

A vase in the Casa Batlló

This is a newell post in the stairwell. Amazing!!

A fireplace, with benches in the recess on each side.

A beautiful transition from one room to the next.

An inner door. It is said there are no straight lines in this house!

Windows overlooking the street at the front of the house.

Look at the ceiling above the light fixture! Everything about Gaudi is astonishing.

A vented interior doorway

Beautiful detail above an interior door.

Another beautiful door

A mirror in one of the rooms.

A view of the back of the house.

Looking down from the roof - note the lovely mosaic pattern.

Detail of the vent stacks below

These are vent stacks - how wimsical!

More beautiful mosaics.

Alicia and Jamie on the roof

Note the wimiscal dragon-back shape of the front facade.

We came upon this fantastical bit of artwork in the street on our way to lunch. 

Alicia wanted to see The Palau de la Música Catalana – the Palace of Catalan Music, and it turns out there was a concert there in the evening, so we bought tickets for the concert.

Ceiling detail inside the concert hall.

View of the stage area.

Detail of the wall of the stage

Detail of the wall in the seating area
with a glimpse of a pipe organ beyond.

The concert was a benefit for the victims of the earthquake in Japan. The printed program booklet was astonishing – it had a double-sized centerfold, which we had to fold into a fan shape. When one looked at the fan one direction, a heart was visible; from the other direction, a circle, presumably representing the sun which is Japan’s symbol.

Program, fan-folded with both the heart and circle visible

Viewed from one side, there is a heart . . .

. . . and from the other side, the sun.

We ended our evening with dinner in a little dive which turned out to serve excellent Mojitos. For some reason I don’t recall what we actually ate. Afterward, Alicia, Peter and Jamie went out on the town and again, Roger and I collapsed in our room with our computers.

Gaudi

Monday May 16, 2011                                     Day 320

We got up early and picked up breakfast at a bakery on our way, then took the subway to the top of Las Ramblas to pick up a Gaudi tour. The tour took us by two Gaudi houses on the way to Park Güell, which was conceived by a rich textile merchant to be a development for other wealthy people, but it was a failure because the commute from the development area to the center of the city was too long. Gaudi did a good deal of public space development of the area, but only two houses were built, one of which belonged to the merchant’s lawyer. Later the city of Barcelona bought the land and turned it into a park which celebrates Gaudi’s work. 

This is a curved bench in Park Guell - note the mosaic back

A tilted wall in Park Guell

A support post - Park Guell

Mosaic lizard in Park Guell

More mosaics in Park Guell. Gaudi bought broken ceramic pieces from local potteries
and used them as the basis for his mosaics.

Here he used broken tea cups on the domed roof - Park Guell

From Park Güell the bus took us to Gaudi’s greatest work, Sagrada Familia. This is a fantastical church conceived by Gaudi and still under construction more than 100 years after its commencement. Some hope it will be finished by 2027, the centennial of Gaudi’s death. Others suggest it will never be finished. Its construction is financed by private donations and ticket sales. It gained status as a church only last fall, when the Pope arrived and consecrated it. 

The ceiling of Sagrada Familia

One of three entry facades to Sagrada Familia.
This one tells the crucifixion story

St. Thomas on the Crucifixion facade of Sagrada Familia

After the tour we returned to the apartment for a 30-minute siesta, then set out to meet the neice of Jamie’s boss for lunch. We arrived about 15 minutes late, but she was waiting for us and we had a lovely lunch of tapas and wine. 

While wandering around the area near our apartment, we came upon a church. As we entered, a choir was singing, so we prepared to leave again, not wanting to intrude on a church service. But the song ended, and a VERY American voice said “Okay, let’s go back to that part where …” It turned out that this was a choir from a Miami university doing a dress rehearsal for a performance later in the evening. The conductor wore a tux and the choir was in suits and black dresses. Their voices echoed magnificently from the high vaulted ceilings of the church. We entered and sat for a while just to listen, leaving only when they finished the rehearsal.

In the tourist area near the church, Roger bought a hat pin. Later, when he took it back to the apartment and tried to attach it to his hat, the stem broke off. 

In the evening, Alicia, Peter and Jamie went out bar-hopping while Roger and I spent time on our computers, then went to bed.