Soar-Dream-France

Walking in a Cloud...Often on One

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow night, I will be home a solid week. It seems I've hit the ground running on everything except my blog.  I try to write every day and succeed most days, but yesterday was spent in Cahors and today I'm sandwiching it in between a morning in Figeac and our new time for French on Friday afternoons at 2:30. Dali and I have been walking more than usual. One day this week, we discovered very low lying clouds into the early afternoon so we took off up the road to walk along the river. These were particularly pretty so I brought my camera along. The sun was beginning to burn them off so we had to move fast. We took our time once we got to the river. She'd run on ahead or sneaked down the stone steps to the river, but wouldn't get in. Once we crossed the line of the sunshine into the shade, it got quite cold.  I was happy when we crossed back over into the sunshine and it shown on the road all the way home. The sunshine, the love of my Dal, the magic of this place, and the words of one of my friends in the village: "it's good to have you back where you belong", had me walking on a cloud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saving Christmas Just For ME

Whether it was from a street corner in Montmartre or rafters at the Gare d'Austerlitz; Paris saved Christmas just for me. You'd never have known it by the rides in from CDG on the RER B or on the numbers 1 and 12 metro lines, but as soon as I came up the stairs at the Place Jules Joffrin...voila-instant Christmas and sparkling light (or maybe it was just those tears in my eyes).  That evening, I wandered around in the neighborhood by the hotel: shot a few shots, hit the grocery store for my Paris evening on the run Danois Salami, Swiss Cheese, Chips, L'Ecolier Cookies (but with white chocolate), and a Coke Light to soothe my hardening arteries and fattening thighs. My Louisiana Driver's License came in handy once more as a stand in cheese cutter. I didn't have time to dawdle the next morning, but still had time for a chocolatine, cappuccino and a few shots in the Gare d'Austerlitz who was still decked out and sparkling too. I couldn't have asked for a sweeter, more beautiful, Paris Christmas Welcome Home!

 

Coming Home Through Cologne (Köln)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changing trains in Cologne to make my way to Frankfurt, I had a chance to admire the architecture.  The ICE 123 was running late, but with no other connections to make; I could relax a bit and get a few shots. Train stations have become such a part of my life: my launching pad in Cahors and especially my love affair with the many facets of the Gare d'Austerlitz in Paris...strike or no strike. Being abroad over the holidays, I made the best of it. It wasn't till I was heading home that I began to realize just what I had missed and felt a little blue. Imagine how wonderful it would be to discover that a love managed to save Christmas just for you. I'll leave you with the hint below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aachen GermanyTrain Station #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arriving here at the Aachen Train Station back in November: I'd fought to get new train tickets the previous night, hadn't slept, and rushed through to meet my predecessor. I had blinders on. I had missed all of the beauty and charm, and certainly had no time for a restful chocolate croissant, cappuccino and note in my journal like I did on the trip home.  The train station was beautiful. I had hoped for some shots from the outside but it poured the whole time I was waiting. But, as you can see...the inside kept me busy. I will leave you with a hint of tomorrow below.

This Heaven of Home

Getting into Cadrieu last night, I'm still in that re-entry phase...unpacking, laundry, hugging on Dal and Sam and just loving being in that heaven of home.  It was a pretty easy return.  I'll share a little of the adventure and some of the photos of Coming Home from Holland over the next few days. Rest assured that I am basking in today's heaven of HOME.  Happy Sunday!

Braking on the Blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving tomorrow morning on the train, I know that getting to a computer and the internet is going to be difficult between now and when I reach chez moi (if all goes well) Saturday evening. I leave you here with some shots from the bike shop of bikes with foot brakes.  As much as I loved these colorful ones, I was sold on the light titaniums below.  Now, if we can just come up with a shipping solution. 250 euros is out of my budget, so Ron Mohren www.profilemohren.nl and I will be communicating once I'm home to see if there are some other transport options that are a little more in my budget.  A Bientot!

 

Bike of Another Color

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Never having seen these contraptions before, I've inspected each one. I have no idea what they're called, but they appear to be bike carts of some kind. This pretty purple one was out in front of a local florist that I passed on Saturday morning. The red and the purple spoke to me, but what really caught my eye were these very pretty tiny pink flowers above the wheel. They reminded me of a "double" on my way to work that had pink flowers too...just in the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday Stroll-Brunssum Farmer's Market

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the first things my colleagues mentioned upon my arrival at this assignment was: go to the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Between exhaustion, illness and snow; I only made it over there this past Saturday-my last. It was fun to compare the differences between here and my French market experiences, but it made me long for home even more. I wasn't "in the market" for anything since I'm leaving shortly. I had to laugh when the woman at one of the cheese wagons glared at me when I took my photo. Then, when I went to look at some colorful tights, another customer went on and on for about 5 minutes or so in Dutch.  I had mentioned that I didn't speak Dutch, but she kept on giving me pointers on the tights and size. I just smiled and nodded and escaped with a touch on her arm, shared smiles, and 'have a nice weekend'.

Homestretching

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, my Dal. It's not long now. 

Down Around the Corner at the Bicycle Shop

 Every day on my walk into work, I pass this bicycle shop on the corner.  In addition to the bikes in the shop, they have a huge selection that they put out on the sidewalk. I particularly noticed that they had bikes with foot brakes.  I love foot brakes.  I can't find bikes with foot brakes in France, so I have 2 multi-gear, hand brake bikes at the Chatette. Into my last week here, I stopped in at the shop and asked: "Do you ship to France?" When the answer was yes, we moved on to discuss the price and what bike I was interested in. The salesman explained that I could get a bike that had the hand brakes too, but I told him I didn't want that.  He asked what I would be using it for, and I explained I would be riding it only on flat surfaces around my village and into Cajarc to shop. Although I started out looking at the "pretty" bikes that were a little more reasonable in price, he took me over to the Dutch Titanium bikes. I was sold on the durability and the 'lightness' of these bikes, even if they are a little more expensive. So, on Tuesday I will return to find out what it will cost to ship one of these bikes to France and make my choice. I am very excited. Especially, when I think about having a nice light bike in my hands when I'm carrying it up and down those ten stone steps to and from the terrace.