France: Open Mind and Open Mouth

I have to say that summer was amazing. So sorry this post comes so late. I have to admit that I was scared on my way to France. I had rented a car ("We only have ze BMW, is zees ok? Same price as small car. Oh sure, if I must), organized my accommodations, printed out directions, and was planning to drive around for nine days until I met my mother in Paris. I was in Heathrow, thinking I could easily just have changed my tickets and gone to spend time with my friend in Liverpool instead of trying to navigate the twists and turns of France by myself. But no, would never live with myself. I guess what was really bothering me was my French language deficiency. I spoke enough Italian to get around, I can get away with some Spanish. French? No, not my strongest suit. But hey, I figure if you can say 'Hello', 'Goodbye', 'Please', 'Thank you', and 'Where is the toilet?' you can get around in any country. Politeness is an international passport. So, off I went.

First and foremost, they drive on the right. No problem there. Second, Paris traffic is absolutely a nightmare. It took me two hours on the ring road around Paris in bumper to bumper traffic just to get out of it. When it finally opened up into open road, I was left fumbling for change trying to figure out which toll lane to get into. Thank god for the pictures above the booth. I went for the one with the picture of money above, and it was a self service. From there on, I had no issues driving anywhere. Got the difficult part down. Sure, I couldn't read any of the traffic warning signs. It could have said there were UFO's mutilating cattle up ahead, and I would have driven along blissfully ignorant. No worries. Driving in France is all good.

What I was struck by was the open space. Fields as far as the eye can see. Wide open spaces filled with sunflowers, vineyards, corn, and grains. Small towns that you can spot on the horizon because their 15th century church spires call your attention. And most of rural France is small towns. And when I say small it means that there is one main road and you are through the town in less than three minutes.

Amboise was my first stop. It was the home of the kings and queens of France, as well as the last home of Leonardo Da Vinci when he was in the service of Francois I. I loved his home, Le Clos Luce. Quiet, with huge gardens and ponds. I was one of the first people there that day. Even the museum guides in their chintzy medieval costumes hadn't arrived yet. Felt like it was just me, following Da Vinci's echo through old hallways. Old faded tapestries, huge fireplaces, and tall dark wood chairs still occupy his rooms. In the basement are replicas of some of his inventions alongside copies of his sketches. The man was a visionary genius. He invented a double hull for ships. Would Titanic had sunk if we had started using and evolving that technology sooner? Paddleboats, suspension bridges, the ball bearing...and weapons. He was paid a lot of gold by royalty to invent weapons. I really think it was his bread and butter. There were smaller replicas of those in an adjoining building. One of them was particularly nasty, a chariot with scythes on the wheels designed to cut enemies off at the knees. Out in the gardens were full size replicas of some of his inventions. The one I enjoyed most was the tank, which when you turn the wheel it will spin a full 360 degrees. You can see through the slits, and I would assume fire arrows and the like. Yeah, I giggled like a maniac as it was just me around so I spun around in there for a good five minutes. At the castle of Amboise, Da Vinci is buried in the chapel marked by a bronze slab bearing his name and image. That's all. Nothing huge or showy. The castle overlooks the Loire river valley. You could see people coming for miles. That, and it's just a wonderful view of such a lush green place.

Lascaux was pretty cool in the Dordogne valley. Ever see those cave paintings in books of mammoths? I saw those. Lascaux itself had to be closed due to the damage to the paintings, so bless their little French hearts they replicated the caves exactly so people could still see the paintings. They are indeed the most clear and colorful cave paintings I have ever seen. The sophistication is amazing, how they used such simple lines to convey movement. I saw a second cave at Rouffignac, which was original. The area itself is set so far back from the road in the middle of this primeval ancient pine forest that there is only one single lane road in and out. I was lucky, I got one of the last tickets available for the day. I also didn't realize how far back into the cave it was. The train takes guests on a 15 minute ride back into the caves. The walls are covered with thousands upon thousands of claw marks from cave bears. Can you imagine being an ancient human, armed with a torch and a stone knife wandering back into these caves knowing that you might run into an eight foot tall cave bear? Yikes. Unfortunately, none of the tours were available in English. All I could do was look around and try to listen for words I knew. Most of these mammoths were black outlines. However, the image that the cave is known for are a parade of mammoths carved into the walls. It's unknown what these images were for or who did them. It's thought that perhaps they were magical or religious, carved by shamans or holy people. I enjoyed a rather lovely meal at my hotel of fresh fish, a pear and pork salad, and heavenly profiteroles (round cream filled puff pastries) with a homemade chocolate sauce and a pistachio macaron. I had a cool shower after; I honestly felt like I'd just had really good sex. I've only ever enjoyed a meal like that maybe once before in my life. And that was in Italy.

I was surprised by Provence. I've always seen images of rolling lavender fields. What they don't show you are the winding mountain roads and dense forests that surround those fields. My little car kept climbing, back tracking, and switching back over these twisting mountain roads until when I finally thought I would never make it, I crested the top of the mountain and looked down upon a carpet of lavender. The valley was blanketed in purple. There aren't too many times I can remember being speechless. I reached the tiny town of Sault on Bastille Day, so there was a lot going on in this tiny hilltop town. The church was open to visitors, with huge vaulted ceilings. There was a small festival going on for the holiday. I stopped at the cheese shop for some lovely goat cheese with lavender. Found a nougatier selling lavender flavored meringues. I sat with my little picnic and a small bottle of rose wine looking out onto the town square as they lived it up for Bastille Day. When the sun set, the valley was ablaze with fireworks. There was a concert somewhere, because it echoed up and down the valley. The next day I drove up and down the valley, around and around the winding roads just taking in the sights and smells of the lavender fields. The farms weren't open yet because the lavender wasn't quite ready to be harvested. I had wanted to paint, but it was too damn windy and chilly. Yes, chilly. A temperature I no longer seem to be familiar with or prepared for. There is a small grey 11th century abbey nestled in one of the steep valleys in Provence called Abbaye de Senanque. Grey stone surrounded by an ocean of purple. I happened to be there on a Sunday just in time for services. Huge ceilings, tall columns, and high windows, with plain wooden chairs for seating. The service was in French, so I couldn't understand a word. However, the singing was worth sitting through the service. Ever hear Gregorian chant? Yeah, it was like that. Their voices reverberated through the medieval hall. It was worth almost driving off a cliffside on a one way road to get there just to hear that.

I met my mother in Paris a few days later on the Viking riverboat cruise. We saw Notre Dame, which I could just sit outside and take in the ghoulish and saintly faces peering at me from all corners of the facade on every side. There was a guided tour of the Louvre, and I'm glad to say I did it and saw the Mona Lisa and Winged Victory but it was so crowded I really wouldn't do it again unless I could be guaranteed a little breathing room. I have to say that I did see the Eiffel Tower, but felt no need to climb it. I was quite satisfied with a view from the distance. I have to say, I was just so glad to be with my mom. I was so lonely by the ninth day that I just couldn't wait to turn in the car and run to meet her. I'd reached my limit for independent travel and wanted my mommy :) The cruise was very peaceful, you can see so much sailing down the river. Old towns and churches, river traffic, houseboats, and mansions that I swore only existed in movies. Rouen was like a smaller version of Paris. We took a walking tour of town and saw the old Gothic church, and then had the pleasure of seeing Monet's paintings of it in the city's art museum. One of the highlights of that trip for me was seeing the Bayeaux tapestry. Glad that my mom was as keen to see it as I was! Woohoo! The largest piece of embroidery, a little over a foot wide and about 250 long. The audio guide keeps one moving rather fast, but it explains each stage of the events that unfolded before, during, and directly after the battle of Hastings. Supposedly it was commissioned by William the Conqueror's brother Odo. They believe it was done in a workshop in England, but it is not known by who or how many people worked on it. I was amazed at how bright the colors are hundreds of years after it was produced. We met some lovely people on the cruise, had some very nice food including frogs' legs, escargot (snails) and filet mignon. We ate well, and I could feel myself putting a bit of weight on. Oh damn, it was fun. It was splendid to be experiencing these things with my mom, and the time we spent together will be something I will use as one of my happy thoughts :)

French people? Friendly, helpful, polite, don't know why people say they're so rude. They don't seem to know how to queue, but they are not the only culture to not know how to wait their turn. Perhaps this was because we didn't come into contact with many Parisians ;) Still, we did run into a rude man but he worked at the airport. I'm pretty sure working at the airport trumped the rude Parisian card. He was simply rude because he worked at the airport!

It was a wonderful experience, both exploring on my own and with my mother. There are upsides to travelling alone, because you're on your own time and can do whatever you want. Linger however long you want, eat when and where you wish, and take everything in at your own pace. The downside is that when you see something cool, there's no one to share it with. There were so many times when I wished with all my heart that those I love were with me. I'm glad the trip was balanced out with some awesome Mom-and-Me time. At this point, I think I'm kind of over seeing things by myself and would love to share more of my experiences with friends and family. It's been wonderful for my family and friends who have been able to join be abroad. Hopefully, we'll get to enjoy more travelling together :)