War and Rhum

After the War, experiments were done to determine if the gun turrets could be penetrated.  The result was "not really".  and the signatures of the hypervelocity impacts were super cool.  There was even a bomb embedded in the metal.  It was sobering indeed to see all the forts and bunkers.  No wonder the Allied Troops had to bomb continuously for the Germans to surrender.

This rum was amazing...and drenching the rum-raisin ice cream in it was divine.  I had mussels with plenty of white wine sauce and frites.  A carafe of red wine. Stephen had sea bass on a bed of seaweed (edible?  he ate it).  and roasted fennel (so yummy).  It was a lovely evening and we laughed like children as we walked along the walls of the chateau at 10:30 p.m. with the night just starting to fall.

This picture was taken at 10 p.m.  We noted that the people on the lower floors would not be able to see the sea, only the thick protective wall in front of them.

 

St. Malo, tickets and such

 

St. Malo has two main characters:  the writer, Beauchamps, who insisted on being buried on petit ble (?) and Jacques Cartier, an explorer.  White men, of course.  There are people of color here, but very white compared with Paris, which was delightfully mixed.  I notice these things now. 

We took a boat tour out to see the forts. The commentary was in French and I did not understand very much, it was brisk and bracing and I had a sense of what it might have been like over the centuries, particularly during the War when the Germans occupied this place, dug tunnels and were almost impossible to dislodge.  10 days of bombing destroyed 80% of the buildings, which were then painstakingly rebuilt. The resiliance of humans is quite amazing.

The tides are extremely high!   You can walk to two small islands when the tide is low. We were there when the tide was not quite at the lowest point so only got to the first island. The walkway to the second island is still underwater. WE will go today.

Paris metro:  buy 10 pack of T+ tickets for all lines (bus, etc).  My phone data plan worked very well - Airalo. I bought 10 Gig for ~$20.  

Paris, Versailles and the train to St. Malo

 

We arrived in Paris Thursday, May 26, and took a taxi to 39 Rue de Jouffroy, the home of Raymond and Babette (Marie-Paul) Boissier. They are my relatives!!!  I'm so happy!  What a lovely apartment, which reminds me very much of my grandmother's.  It was fun to see a photo of my mother on the bookcase.  Rue Jouffroy is in the 17th arrondissment and is very diverse.  I notice such things now.  We spent time in the nearby park.  Many grandmothers and children; men playing some sort of game with balls on sandy terrains.  

Stephen was sick this morning, but we went off to Versailles anyway.  We had a bit of hiccup because he had to eat and that meant that we left the Chateau, and had to get back in even though only one entrance is allowed.  By the time we saw the Chateau (I loved the Queen's bedroom, the official decision making room, and the Hall of Mirrors the best - although the King's bedroom was pretty cool, too. The place is immense and we did not even have time to tour the Gardens.  I might need to go back!

The hall of mirrors divides the Queen's quarters and the King's.  The Queen had lovely taste.  ; )

Just entering St. Malo after an uneventful train ride from Paris.  It's packed with tourists in the daytime, then very quiet at night.  

Details: Routes, Clothes, Gifts, Chateaux

Paris - Versailles.  We stayed at Raymond and Babette's place.  We went to Versailles one of the days.  I bought a beautiful necklace there.

St Malo  - Genevieve and Stephen bowls, apartment had a sea gull that always wanted to come in.  4ieme etage apartment looking down onto street.  Anemone by Cocoon. Three nights in St Malo.  

Le Mans - The boys carried our suitcases up the steep stairs!  It was a two story place, very lovely.  The wall angled over the stairs to the second floor.  Visited the Chateau.  Two nights

Angers  - 

Gennes

Saumur

Chinon

Azay-le-Rideau

Amboise

Paris

Barcelona

What I used/minimum needed

White sweater

Dark blue ribbed sweater

rain coat

5 undies

black travel pants

summer dress

women's running shoes that I just bought

H&M black T-shirt

3 bras

Mg and Vit C

toilettries:  

Actually, just go look in Google Drive

Time for a change

I didn't plan it, but I knew instantly

as soon as I saw her, the softness around her face

without hair in her eyes.

I wanted that.  

The chestnut locks fell to the floor

with each snip-snip of the scissors.

I stared at the white couch and out the

garden height windows.

It looked like a rental, I thought.

It was.

Just use protection

 Can I rape her, the Russian soldier asked his wife.

Yes, just use protection, she replied.

Overheard by an American journalist in Ukraine.

I will never forget

The Day After Mother's Day - overturning Roe vs Wade

The love and commitment it takes to bring a baby to adulthood,

the cost, the time, the heartache, the joy,

one should never undertake this lightly,

we women must always have a choice.

Yet, a day after Mother's Day, I reflect on the horrible withdrawal

of choice, how women, mostly young and poor, will suffer,

but most of all, the children who will suffer,

unwanted, unloved, not enough money, 

Motherhood as a curse. 

White Men the cause.  

Happy Birthday to You, dear Opa

 

Happy birthday, dear Opa,

having found more love this year, a precious little girl

named Mira.

There is no greater gift than to hold this little girl in your lap.

Happy birthday, dear Stephen,

the man I may grump at from time to time, but 

who is my life partner and dear friend.

RSVP or not - it's not a generational thing

 

Repondez s'il vous plait.

He joined the festivities after all,

a direct text message, a bit stern, asking if he was coming

I had not received a response.

No need to respond - it was a group email

(three people is hardly a group message, I retorted in my head)

No need to RSVP if there is no specific request,

the other said, an older male.

I always respond, I retorted

If someone has thought of me, shall I not thank them

for thinking of me, even if I cannot attend.

It's not a generational thing, it's a matter of manners.