Loire Valley in Spring

                                                   Spring Break in the Loire Valley

I'd vowed and declared that I would never go on an organised bus tour, however bearing in mind that this was a CLA trip and great value for the cost, I sucumbed and climbed aboard. This adventure, dare I call it that, was one of the best I had ever been on and the only way to get a look at the culture of  autoroute travel.
My faded memories of Chateau Valley were quickly revived by the glorious yellow mustard fields and spectacular gardens. Pity about the nuclear fired Power stations.

The gardens of Tours and old quarters were some of the more ancient, authentic and breathtakingly gorgeous I had seen so far. This town was tops for gardens.and really shows off the Loire. Youth hostel accomodation(though not my first experience) was interesting though I had managed to organised private rooms in both of our stopovers.    It was in Tours that I was able to find a Japanese restuarant and indulge in food that I really miss. The evening was finished off in a cafe/bar with fellow travellers.

 Chenonceaux -- a fairy tale castle/chateau with all the fairytale stories to go with it. My favourite!! I will be back to visit this wonderland wishing my name was Diane de Poitiers.

                                            I would not mind living in the gate keepers cottage.
 Next up - Chambord,  so huge and spectacular that I felt it could house a whole town, not so romantic but an architectural wonder. Check out my new favourite bedroom.

Orleans was surprisingly a small town, not expected with its Jean d'Arc history, more cobbled streets and remarkable Patrimoine.

                                                          La maison de Jean d'Arc

 Jean's monument, we missed the Jean de D'Arc celebrations by 1 week but were still amazed by the worship of this heroine? and the fact that she is bigger than her horse in this statue.

More typically well restored municipal buildings. Just like all the Gothic cathedrals in the centre of these towns.
This was a well earned break after meeing many study deadlines and a real people adventure. At times I felt like a tour guide as I am not one to miss out on what might be round the next corner and was continually looking over my shoulder to see who was following me through the streets.

Ronchamp, Arguel, Pugey

Ronchamp, Pugey, Arguel

On Friday CLA organised a trip to Ronchamp, a place had learned about in class and, fascinated by the Corbusier architecture, had made a promise to self not to leave France before paying a visit.  I am cramming as much as I can into each weekend now especially all on offer as part of my study. This was as a "Sortie Pedagogique"  for all students in the language and culture stream. It was an amazing trip almost up to the border with Lorraine through beautiful countryside (which we got to know  extremely well when the bus broke down in the middle of nowhere but not far from anywhere-our Jack Nicholson look-alike driver reported a massive oil leak and refused to drive any further!!) with some remarkable historical sites to view every few kilometres. There were 9 Nationalities on this outing, all learning and speaking in a common second language, needless to say our lecturer has the patience of a saint.

 It seems that not one measurement has been replicated in this church. It was one of the few buildings where Corbusier had complete freedom over design. Its site, that of a church destroed in WW11, looks out over spectacular coutryside.

 All of these odd windows provide the only sourceof interior lighting.

 The church bells on the exterior, 2 of which are from the original church, call pilgrims to mass in the summer months.

Odd, wierd but definitely breathtaking.

Pugey and Arguel- visit 3/04/11

These are the names of 2 tiny villages(Arguel pop. 260, Pugey pop. 150) located up in the hills, a few very windy kms south of  Besancon. This was another CLA cultural outing where we were welcomed by the respective mayors, shown around the villages, school, historcal sites,  farms and welcomed into family homes for a major Sunday feast, french style. I met some amazing people, too many of which have my email  address now and listened to desciptions and stories of how laid back rural life can be. Many of these people commute to Besancon for work, and some of the really old buildings have been renovated by those wanting to live the "country life."  In the afternoon we tramped (assisted digestion) to the site of a Chateau, which had been destroyed by the order of Louis XIV and its stones used to fortify Besancon.--

 Ancient farm buildings renovated to accomodate those wanting to experience the country life and quiet surroundings.

I made friends with these lovely animals, providers of raw materials for goats cheese(which I love). The bells round their necks make more noise than their bleating.

The countryside from the chateau site

 

Our group and the residents who hosted us - our hosts included the 2 mayors, councillors, teachers, farmers, very small business operaters and a host of others who work in Besancon. 

The local primary school where we were treated to a complete and  very informative lecture on the french education system.

   Spring/Easter break starts on Friday, a bit late as spring seems to have turned into summer very early this year, and I am certainly learning about how the weather impacts on the french way of life. While they hibernate in winter, when summer comes every cafe, park and street is full and life is suddenly filled with the  noise of fountains, family outings and street talk.

Rural France

Nans Sous Sainte Anne

South of Besancon up into the Jura

45 min bus trip with Collegues from CLA

This farm complex is part of an ancient tool making factory, La Taillanderie, now an "Unesco"

site with a water mill and forge. A fascinating link to a very old rural France.

 The main street of Nans Sous Sainte Anne. The weather was at its worst, understandable at 800m with very low clouds and rain. Despite having only 145 inhabitants this town has a functioning town council with a mayor and councillors. It is well known due to being on the source of  the river Lison, Speleology, a nearby Chateau, La Taillanderie and spectacular mountain scenery. No pictures due to low cloud.

 These poor sheep keep their wool for seasons on end, something to do with the cold and cows getting all available indoor accomodation.

 Trough-watering hole in the centre of town, reportably potable as it comes directly from the source of the Lison. This area is well know for its underground streams/rivers where they say one can get from one village to another underground.

 Emilie, Sebastion and 2 year old Margot's house where I stayed for the weekend. This is an enromous ancient farmhouse that they are renovating - sustainability style. This sort of redevelopment of old dwellings is not regulated by any sort of codes.

 On the edge of town there was a group of Gites (country cottages) rented to tourists from all over europe in summer, activities are many and include a cooking school.

 View from Emilie and Sebastion's front door onto farmland usually occupied  by cows whose very rich milk goes to the local cheese factory to produce the "Comte", the cheese brand exclusive to this area of France.
These cows spend all winter indoors and exist on hardfeed.

                                                               Typical old rural architecture
Local ancient architecure, of which each region has its own version, never ceases to amaze me, and includes the building that I live in with original supports and beams which are split, bowed and very irregular in shape and length. I am sure the shutters on my windows are hundreds of years old. The french have such a huge respect for their past.  Patrimoine.
On April 2/3 I am offto visit another 2 local villages, Pugey and Arguel. I cannot speak highly enough of the organisation of this part of my studies at CLA

Barcelona, my new favourite city

I spent the week before second semester lectures started in Barcelona, which was an excellent place to celebrate my birthday and is now my new favourite city. I spent 6 days soaking up modernist art and architecture - Gaudi and co, visiting museums, wandering around the markets(Boqueria I visited 6 times where I found a wee cafe for breakfasts)shopping, La Ramblas, and really enjoying being by the sea.
It was the first time since arrving in Europe that I experienced a slight culture shock, all due to the fact that the language was totally beyond me as I didn't really "hear" it. Back in November in Italy I managed a litttle Italien quite easily and found myself understood. Barcelona has two languages-Spanish and Catalan, which were both well illustrated in its art and history and daily life.
I met up with my Rosehill College HOH, her husband and an ex student from RH under the Christopher Columbus monument. We spent Sunday at Sagrada Familia and on a cable car from the port up on to Montjuic.

 Barcelona took adavantage of the 1992 Olympics to turns itself towards Mediterranean and is now the biggest cruise liner port in the Med. The city beaches are beautiful and well tuned to the tourist industry.

 Gothic Barcelona - Ciutat Vella - is fascinating especially where it meets the shopping presinct. These extremely narrow streets are fully of treasures, a cathedral, art galleries, old shops and ofcourse no european city would be without roman ruins

                                             Barcelona from Parc Guell - a Gaudi  production
                                              - a great view of the rest of Barcelona

                                            Gaudi's residence in Parc Guell

 A facade of Sagrada Familia- the most amazing structure I have ever visited - infact I am over the old stuff now, this is truly amazing and will probably not be finished in my lifetime.

                                                               This cathredral is a sculpture

                                                 Lower entry to Parc Guell- lots of mosaic sculpture

                                                         A bit of Savador Dali

Providing one is centrally accommodated transport is a real breeze here. The Metro is clean, safe and  goes everywhere. Walking is the best way to go as just like Paris the architecture and art is on every street corner. Will definitely be back some day.

Lectures have started, my results were good enough to put me in the top class  C1+2 level on the European languages framework at CLA  which means the compulsory classes are all too hard again. I am able to do options classes in Art History, European art Nouveau, linguistics and European studies. I have started DALF classes and will have a go at the exam in May.

A French New Year in Egypt

                                         A camel came to our New Years Eve party in our Cairo Hotel

                                         People do not really crawl all over the Pyramids. This one you can go inside, which we did just to discover that its impossible to understand how they were built. They are the most impressive stuctures I have ever seen.

                                                            In awe - So big - so small

                                                       How did they get those stones up there?

                                             We attended a sound and light show where the Sphinx talks and explains his place on earth. It was a magical evening and on New years Eve.

                                                 These camels and their bedouin drivers are straight out of the desert on which the pyramids were built. Their tents can be seen in the background.

                                                Pity about Sphinx's nose -

                                                 Eventually got a ride on a camel, but not one of Bedouin origin, waited until we were in Nubian territory up by lake Nasser.

                                           A smaller version of the "Marquis de Nile" the one with the swimming pool which served as our floating hotel for 8 days. I counted and collected the names of 72 other river boats. 

                                                Taken from the boat as we were on our way to Edfou

A whirling dervish - a very impressive athlete - Egyptian entertainment in the evenings in the bar aboard the boat.

                                              An early morinig visit to the pool on board

                                          An Egyptain village veiwed from the boat

                                           Another riverboat in he distance and local river life - village fishermen

                         More scenes from the boat - this hut shelters animals from the 50+ heat in summer

                                          Pre dinner sunset views - and getting cold as evenings do.

                                          We had very little time to put our feet up with up to 4 land based tours a day

We went out on the Nile on both of these boats, the felucca and the motorboat. River transport is the domain of the Nubians who were  displaced from their villages when lake Nasser was filled at the completion of the dam.

                                              The desert comes right down to the rivers edge.

                                         Waiting in a queue to get through the locks.

                                                         Karnak - Luxor

View from the Aswan dam - the second most impressive structure I have ever seen.

A very much alive though quite little crocodile in a Nubian Village - I was just a little worried as it wriggled.

From Aswan we joined a police protected convoy on a 600km round trip almost to the Sudan border to see Abu Simbel. On the edge of lake Nasser we found the temples that had been relocated, with Unesco help, to avoid been covered by water when lake Nasser was created by the Aswan dam

The only way to see real life in Luxor, this outing showed us the real town and the lives of ordinary people, and a  little insight into the culture and poverty of Egypt.

Ramses the third lived here!!First known site of a flushing toilet. Pity following civilizations did not follow on.

These minarets dominate the landscapes and fill the ears with a call to prayer 5 times a day. This even started to remind us of the time of day and its impact on the lives of Muslim men. 

                                                             An urban village in Luxor

The photos tell the story.
On Dec. 28th a Kiwi friend and I trained back up to Paris to join a french tour to Egypt. 3 days in Cairo, a flight to Luxor and then an 8 day cruise up and down the Nile  on a river boat, flying straight back to Paris from Luxor on the 8th. We had no idea what we were letting ourselves in for as it certainly was not the holiday that I was looking forward to. There was so much to see and do and not enough pool time on the boat and I spent much time translating for my non french speaking friend. I made new french friends as I shared my thoughts on this very priviledged insight into another culture presented to me in French by our wonderful french speaking Egyptian guides.