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Published: October 7th 2017
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Dear Patient Readers,
Please forgive my dilatoriness but life has a way of intervening once a trip is over. Still, France is in my heart as it touched my soul with its beauty.
The people were kind and good humored. The food was beyond delicious and the scenery, when it wasn't foggy or rainy, was breathtaking. So this blog will take you from the Rhone region to Beaune where we boarded a bus and drove into Paris. Paris will have to wait but as they said in 'Casablanca', "We'll always have Paris."
Please remember this was my first trip to France so if I sound a bit bedazzled and like a 'fangirl', well, I was in love with the little towns and the quaint ways that people live- and not as part of a 'tourist' show. So, if you wonder where all the 'tourists' are that usually overflow little towns in France- well, it was early April. The weather was overcast, rainy, or foggy on many days and the temps were 55 - 65 F- for me perfect touring weather. I will try to put pictures in sequence but sometimes they have a mind of their own. Just accept that they are all of France and all have their own beauty. First picture is, I hope, a picture of our river cruising boat. It was comfortable and small allowing us to pull right into city centers and walk about the towns.
As we were leaving Avignon, Romas or Gypsies came on board the boat (they told me they preferred to be called gypsies). In between songs they talked to each other. I was mystified because I don't speak French yet I could understand some of what they said. Ahh, turns out they were from Spain and were speaking Spanish. That explains the 'flamenco' type dancing she did. The older man was her husband and the guitar player her son. He played a classical guitar which was truly delightful.
There was an early morning stop in Viviers, a tiny town of about 3,700. Apparently, aside from the delightful school children we met, we seemed to be the only ones out and about that day. Next stop was in Tournon, a larger town of about 10,000. It is an industrial and agricultural center with many wineries that take advantage of its southern exposure. Here we had a home hosted dinner with a local family. This is one of my favorite parts of a Grand Circle trip. The hosts are compensated for their work, which they obviously enjoy, doing as tables are beautifully set, food is carefully selected, and they make strong attempts interact with us. It is a rare opportunity to see inside an average person's home and get to meet them. Perhaps, more importantly, they get to interact with Americans. A lot of myths or sterotypes may be dispelled in a short time over a delicious lunch or dinner.
Lyon was next at the confluence of the Rhine and Saone rivers. Because of all the rain the rivers were running fast and high. Our smaller size enabled us to fit under all the bridges while larger boats could not. We tied up right in the center of Lyon and explored with our guide, in the rain, and later on our own. I did some exploration of bakeries and bread shops. Ooh, la, la! The breads were to die for. We all had an assignment to bring back some bread for dinner that night. It was great fun to see the mix of colors and textures in our bread basket that evening. It was a fun way to get everyone to interact with locals and shopkeepers. I liked the orderly rows of delivery scooters and bikes for hire... must be that concrete/ sequential thing in my Myers- Briggs personality assessment.
Our guide, Olivier, had been telling us about the beautiful scenery in France. Alas, the fog and rain on most days hid those views. But, final, as we were in the little village of Oingt the sun came out, the clouds departed and, as the French say, voila'!!! It was worth the wait. We all apologized to Olivier because he was right. We took picture after picture because, well, we didn't know if we'd see the sun again. We got to see a rather bleak vineyard. Vintners were in the process of pruning their vines and cleaning up their fields. Many fellow travelers were impatient to get inside the wine cellar and sample the goods. Delicioso!!!
Last stop before heading to Paris was Beaune, the center of the Burgundy wine trade. Famous for its 'Hotel- Dieu, des Hospices Civils, founded in the 1400's to care for those left destitute after the Hundred Years War by Nicolas Rolin, the Duke of Burgundy and his wife, Guigone de Salins. It was constructed of the finest materials ensuring its existence for centuries. The multi-colored glazed tile roofs have become the symbol of the city's art and history. Most of us were taken aback by the short size of the bed cubbies assuming, wrongly, that the people must have been very short. But, no, we were told that 3 or 4 were in each cubby and slept sitting up.
One of my favorite times of any trip is when 'free time' is given to roam around. I immediately headed away from the main square which was lined with touristy shops and restaurants that did not look very inviting... picture a Popeye's chicken in Memphis or a greasy diner in TImes Square. I took pictures of corners as I wound my way through a maze of back streets so I could find my way back to the square. I came across Le Grand Bleu. No one was around. It looked almost empty. I peered into the windows and was met with a smile. A waiter walked out with a sign board chalked in with the daily specials. Looked interesting. I went in and was treated like an honored guest. The waiter asked me where I was from and how I found this place. We both laughed when I tried to explain why I had wandered off.
Oh, and the meal was to die for. An onion soup starter, followed by veal medallions, little cups of scalloped potato and something else (can't remember). Dessert was raspberry sorbet and a luscious piece of dark chocolate. Price around 15 euros. Enough said.
More on another day....
Carolyn/ Gunga
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