Creating World Peace

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Austrians, French, and Americans sitting around the table, eating dinner and making friendships. What a terrific day here in Pontarlier.

Though it was a dreary, rainy day, we enjoyed it thoroughly. After a typical French breakfast (bread with jam and yogurt). Christian and Annie drove us to the Source de la Loue, a magnificent cave from which flows a river; actually Le Doubs Rive disappears underground near Pontarlier and then re-appears, as if by magic, coming out from the base of huge cliffs. Indeed an amazing sight which we were able to hike to.

Then, several kms. away from there, we visited the town of Ornans, where Gustave Courbet was born in 1819. For those of you who have not taken my Humanities course, Courbet is one of my favorite French painters. I particularly like his realistic paintings of real people in real situations -- no idealism here. A museum in Ornans opened just a few weeks ago, a museum in the house where he was born, a museum that exhibits many of his works never before shown. We spent probably two hours wandering through the many rooms and viewing the film (which, thankfully, had English sub-titles). Even Bill appreciated this guy’s work.

The drive to and from Ornans was beautiful, along the river gorge on narrow backroads, the roads we have come to love so much in France. This afternoon, two more cyclists came to this home to spend the night -- Joseph and Verne from Austria. I did get in a short nap while Bill did some mapping on the computer, preparing for our foray into Switzerland tomorrow.

At 7 p.m. we all walked to the house of some friends of Annie and Christian where we fully enjoyed an animated conversation in a variety of languages as we were served apertifs and hors d‘oevres. Cacophonous at times, but totally a pleasure. Then it was back here where the Thomas’s served up a delicious meal (and I ate way too much) -- potatoes (which Bill really loved), sausages (my favorite), salad (from the garden), cheese, and fruit. The food was absolutely fantastic and very much appreciated as we head over the Alps in the morning.

But even more than the food, we appreciate the hospitality and the friendships created during this time spent with people of other countries. As we learn each others’ languages, as we join in the laughter that knows no language barrier, we are indeed creating a world in which peace is a possibility.

We hope that the sun will shine tomorrow, but if not, we will, nevertheless, head over the mountains into Switzerland. Just as we saw the Tour de France competitors climb those Alps today, we will do so tomorrow, but not nearly so fast as they.

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