Friday, January 26, 2007
Paris to the Loire Valley and I have only upset one Belgian and a few French people along the way
Here I am in front of the 12 Century Church which is part of the Abbey Royale in the Loire Valley. Please don't anyone comment on the red hat I can hear Suz from across the sea.
Margaret and I in a lovely Parisian cafe with our onion soup - actually it may not have been the order of diet coke that upset the waiter it might have been my size 20 British Airways T Shirt that I was wearing.
Picasso's mural in UNESCO (Paris) - he was so upset that UNESCO built a walkway near his artwork he refused to sign the painting.UNESCO was fascinating, built in the 1960s it has original murals by Miro and Picasso and the view from the cafeteria was straight across to the nearby Eiffel Tower, a very stimulating atmosphere in which to work.
So how did I manage to travel from Paris to the Loire Valley and only upset a few people on the way - by just being me. We were having a reception at the Belgian Embassy when someone made me laugh, I was forced to put down the delicate little salmon mousse box (picture one mouthful of salmon mousse in a plastic box with a normal teaspoon). The teaspoon unbalanced the box, somersaulted and took the left over salmon mousse and flicked it on to the delicate sideboard just missing a photograph of the last king of Belgium. The Belgian lady nearest me peered imperiously down her long nose and without saying a word summed me up as a backward colonial (I don't think they have really got over the days of the Empire).
So the next day I order a 'coca lite' instead of coffee to follow our beautiful (French) onion soup - you don't say the French part in Paris - and the waiter was offended, he muttered something under his breathe which sounded like peasant, but couldn't have been as we are in a republic built on a peasant revolution, so I must have heard incorrectly.
And then there was the time that I was asleep on a lounge in the City Hall of Tours (in the Loire Valley) and I was poked awake by a security man who didn't speak English so he went to get the head of the building who decided that I may not be a bag lady (despite looking like one) as I was able to mutter UNESCO and he left me alone. Did I mention I was sick at the time? Only one problem with living closely with a group - when one person arrives with a shocking bug it spreads very quickly. Out of fifty students, 37 have been ill and the day we went to Tours was my day. I had to wait for the group and out of self preservation found a warm corner on a soft sofa - and lived to tell the tale.
So where am I able to write this blog - in the lobby of a 12th century Abbey in Fontevrauld (the burial place of Richard the Lionheart) which is about three hours east of Paris. We have been here for four days and return to Paris and UNESCO tomorrow. We have seen chateaux, discussed World Heritage Sites that only seem to record the life of Kings and Queens (so where did the peasants fit in?) and have travelled along the Loire River. The views of the beautiful old towns and the unique trogladyte cave dwellers were memorable but if you live here external decoration choices would be very easy - you can paint your house in any colour you like as long as it is cream. What would the Australian home owners say if there choices were so limited and controlled. We have been offered copious amounts of lovely food and have made many toasts in local red wine and real champagne. The French hosts here have been extremely generous and the atmosphere at the Abbey has been memorable. Early in the morning, in the thick mists before the sun has risen, you can almost see King Richard striding through the grounds of the Abbey. The next time I record any tales they will be from the Green Isle - in two days I will be in Dublin.
So where am I able to write this blog - in the lobby of a 12th century Abbey in Fontevrauld (the burial place of Richard the Lionheart) which is about three hours east of Paris. We have been here for four days and return to Paris and UNESCO tomorrow. We have seen chateaux, discussed World Heritage Sites that only seem to record the life of Kings and Queens (so where did the peasants fit in?) and have travelled along the Loire River. The views of the beautiful old towns and the unique trogladyte cave dwellers were memorable but if you live here external decoration choices would be very easy - you can paint your house in any colour you like as long as it is cream. What would the Australian home owners say if there choices were so limited and controlled. We have been offered copious amounts of lovely food and have made many toasts in local red wine and real champagne. The French hosts here have been extremely generous and the atmosphere at the Abbey has been memorable. Early in the morning, in the thick mists before the sun has risen, you can almost see King Richard striding through the grounds of the Abbey. The next time I record any tales they will be from the Green Isle - in two days I will be in Dublin.
Some highligts
So what have been the highlights of the trip so far? Possibly not watchig the Parisian luggage carousel going round and round without my suitcase on it - ad then having to wear a British Airways t-shirt (white, size 20) for three days whilst they fly the bag from its resting place in Shanghai.
No, the highlights have to include a 431 km per hour ride from Shanghai to the airport on the Maglev train, arriving in Paris and being dropped at my accomodation in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and walking into the Headquarters of UNESCO the centre for World Heritage.
The course I am on as fantastic - it is stimulating and I am surrounded by incredibly intelligent young people who give me such faith that the world will be in their hands. I just nod a lot and say I think you have a good idea there. The speakers could be intimidating if they weren't so personable. I can't express how much I an loving everything about the Master classes so far.
Wimps across the world unite! This was the chant of my new friend Margaret as she and I left the student accomodation (picture standing in used water in the shower as the drains block up) and went to a cute Parisian hotel around the corner to single beds (for two nights I was in the top of a creaking swaying bunk bed) and a clean ensuite. Aahh the joys of a credit card.
A climb to the top of the L'Arc de triompe at night in 2C weather - it snowed yesterday to describe how cold it is -a walk down the Champ d'Elysee and then Chocolat Chaud and tart tartin before bed - I love my life.
No, the highlights have to include a 431 km per hour ride from Shanghai to the airport on the Maglev train, arriving in Paris and being dropped at my accomodation in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and walking into the Headquarters of UNESCO the centre for World Heritage.
The course I am on as fantastic - it is stimulating and I am surrounded by incredibly intelligent young people who give me such faith that the world will be in their hands. I just nod a lot and say I think you have a good idea there. The speakers could be intimidating if they weren't so personable. I can't express how much I an loving everything about the Master classes so far.
Wimps across the world unite! This was the chant of my new friend Margaret as she and I left the student accomodation (picture standing in used water in the shower as the drains block up) and went to a cute Parisian hotel around the corner to single beds (for two nights I was in the top of a creaking swaying bunk bed) and a clean ensuite. Aahh the joys of a credit card.
A climb to the top of the L'Arc de triompe at night in 2C weather - it snowed yesterday to describe how cold it is -a walk down the Champ d'Elysee and then Chocolat Chaud and tart tartin before bed - I love my life.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Almost time to go - only one more sleep
I have inherited this site from our three daughters who travelled the world in 2007. How appropriate then that only three days after Suzy returns home from six months away working in Indonesia that her mother becomes the Day Tripper to leave the sunnier climes of Perth to travel to Paris via Sydney, Shanghai and London - now that's what I call a direct route.
So with my clothing piled on the bedroom floor next to a new suitcase, a stack of frozen meals stored for an ever patient husband and receiving random hugs from Gen, I am almost ready to go. Soon the biggest decision I will have to make is what book to read on the plane ("not My Sister-keeper Mum, do you like sobbing in public?" says Liz) or what plane censored movie too avoid - I figure Borat won't be shown.
The photograph is a reminder of Australia and the beginning point of my travels as well as just a test to include a photograph on my first post, wouldn't it be nice to not be so technically challenged.
