More Photos of Bruge!

They are not as perfect as in person; I thought I was quite clever in "learning" how to use my digital, but a lot of photos came out too light....but still they tell their story.

Brugge: More Than A Side Trip

Long ago I had my former minister and his wife, Jim and Ginger Hallerberg to my home and he told me of his trip to Brugge, Belgium. "Don't miss it!" he urged. I never forgot those words and finally, years later, I took a 'side trip' to Brugge this past few days. I have actually found several spellings of the word: Brugge, Brugges, Bruge, Bruges! Take your pick!

The entire historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site. And I can see why. As I got off the bus that took me to the city's center from the train station I found a big ear-to-ear smile across my face. Brugge dates back to medieval time with streets and alleys and picturesque canals (photos) except Brugge is one of the cleanest small towns I have ever been in. Even with the endless horses that promenade around the town with tourists they manage to keep it in pristine condition. The Square is outlined with historic buildings, fascinating in themselves and then endless cafes where people can sit and enjoy the music and festivals in the centre of the square.

The museums, art galleries, endless shopping and chocolate shops (photos) make this a utopia for any woman. I was in heaven. Their shops abound with hand-made lace, tapestries, chocolatiers, and endless other souvenirs. By the time I was there for the third day I was quite ready to return to Paris sans euros in my pockets.

There is a difference between the people of Belgium (in Brugge, anyway) and of Paris. Except for a couple of surly waiters (who probably were imported from France), the people are easy-going, hospitable, more genteel. Even watching their fresh-faced young people was an interesting comparison: they were cleaner, better attired, and when they kissed each other they were short, sweet, innocent kisses. With all the photos I have taken in Paris of young lovers embracing I never was able to get even one Brugge couple doing the same. There are statues of the Blessed Mother above doors everywhere. Clearly, their history dictates reverence to "Ave Maria".

Both nights I was there the square was filled with people and celebrations with music. Some of the artists I recognized: Tom Jones, Dolly Parton, Elvis, Michael Jackson and some European singers that I didn't recognize. They drank, swayed back and forth and sang their hearts out. I stood in the centre with them and danced and sang and made new acquaintances. It was all very dear.

While the first day and half were very hot, the second night it rained just enough to clear the air and lower the temperature. The second day I rented a bicycle for twelve hours and took off (getting lost, of course) along canals outside of town in the country and getting a good amount of exercise. Felt great! Eight hours of biking and while my legs were tired at the end of the day, the muscles didn't hurt at all. I am creating thighs of steel!

I did take photos from the Belfry (photo, attended a showing of Salvador Dali and visited a church that proudly housed a Michangelo sculpture (photo), one of the few pieces out of Italy. The buildings were most interesting with their Burgundian influence, lovely parks (especially Minnewater) (photo) and a really tranquil sight of the inner courtyard of the Beguinage (rows of white houses where the nuns and residents live) and where sisters still care for the elderly and infirmed (photo). Late one evening I sauntered down an unknown street and stumbled unexpectedly on two fabulous places: one was the Castle renovated into a hotel: Kempinski Hotel Dukes' Palace (photo above in next photo blog) and the other a dear, sweet centuries-old (1507!) restaurant that looked like it came out of a fairy tale book (photo above in next photo blog). It stirred up my adrenaline!

There was a spirit here that transcends the people, the history, the buildings, the centuries. It is more peaceful, more tranquil and if you get out of the commercial areas, more meditative. I felt more spirituality here and stopped in more than one church for a little relaxation and prayer. Look at the above blog of the little Arian princess I found with her father in the square (photo). She is holding my camera case. Every time I tried to get down on her level to take a photo she came running to me like I was her grandmere. It was so sweet. Of course, I picked her up!

I ate enough chocolates to get sick on the way back to Paris. Yeah, I know; you can take a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. But, what do you expect? I am a self-described chocoholic and the whiffs coming from the shops were overpowering. There was one coffee mug filled with chocolates, of course, that I nearly bought. It had a woman and a saying: Lead Us Not Into Temptation; I Do That Very Well Already! Of course, the woman was eating chocolates. But right now, I still don't want to think of chocolate...

I have more than five photos so I will enter this blog with five and then above this blog enter some more.

Versailles Biking

Yesterday, with promises of cooler weather, I took off for Versailles once again. I have wanted to go biking on the Estate for a long time but horrible weather made a recluse out of me. But, I'm back! Two hours of cool wind in my face allowed me to peddle around the Grand Canal and the beautiful and endless back roads of the estate forest. There is a wonderful energy that is emitted from forest trees that had me relaxed and singing aloud...sort of like Julie Andrews in the sound of the music except I can't sing and I am no nun! :) Then, I went back to Marie Antoinette's Estate for a two hour stroll. Yep, I was tired at the end of all that but happy!

Big Guy Comes Through....!

Three hours before the scheduled fireworks on Bastille the rain came to an abrupt hault. The skies opened up and Robbin and I headed down to the fireworks scheduled for 11 PM near the Eiffel Tower. We found ourselves some good watching "space" and prepared for the rain (photo with my rain coat (a plastic bag)). But it stayed clear! If you recall in my last blog I mentioned I was praying to "The Big Guy Upstairs" for the weather relief. Guess He came through! :) Fifteen minutes after the fireworks finished it started to rain again. Here are a few of my favorite photos and one of the crowded metro afterwards.

Paris As It Should Be

With little keyholes of semi-decent weather, I leaped into Paris as you would expect me too!

Of course, Paris is known for bureaucracy and disorganization. I say that because some things just don't make sense. One of them is that they have major venues of art, music, concerts and festivals without considering how people are going to get back home when "the show" ends. I attended "Carmen" at a Chateau on the Eastern edge of Paris and had to leave early before the finale (as reported in another blog). I met a friend who was at that same show and didn't leave early and went through a nightmare to get back home as the metros close down so early. Again, of course, this happened last week when I ventured back to Versailles on the western edge of Paris to see a ballet by a Russian Company. The first, modern interpretive number was "different" but I prefer classical ballet any day to some of these "modern" dances. It was outside at the Neptune basin set up for a sell-out crowd. After I had dinner across the street from the Palais I sauntered on over. It really was a gorgeous evening and I had a wonderful seat so I was feeling great.

I met some nice French people who befriended me and treated me at intermission to a Hageen Dazs ice cream bar. Of course, this bonded us to a lifetime friendship, as far as I am concerned.

Then the second number came on, which was wonderful. That, of course, is the one I had to leave early from to make train/metro connections back to Paris. Most frustrating again! But a beautiful evening, nonetheless.

I have had a few dates scattered here and there and that can be fun, too, I was taken to what one gentleman considered the best Chinese restaurant in Paris for a Peking Duck luncheon. Fabulous! We ate on the patio and the restaurant inside was quite elegant. That evening I had a date with another friend for dinner in his arrondissment. Believe me, I wasn't hungry after the duck but somehow in an effort to improve Franco-American relations, managed to gobble down some lobster! (This could bring up some weight issues as I have yet to exercise anywhere near what I should be doing...but let's leave well enough alone.)

I did display my courage one hot summer day by venturing out of the house down to the Orangerie, one of my favorite museums in Paris. Lo and behold! No lines! Air Conditioning! Free (because I am a member of Musee D'Orsay). It was all miraculous. I love the Orangerie and sat in that cool enviornment for three hours just appreciating the talents of these obsessed painters. WOW!

Really, the highlight of the week was my much anticipated ballet at Opera Garnier, my favorite theatre in Paris. The opera was "La Petite Danseuse De Degas". I can't tell you how it fills the senses. To just sit in this opera house makes one feel like royalty. It is just so exquisite. The Chagall ceiling dances his characters above the audiences tempting all to look up instead of at the stage. Each gorgeous seat is individually positioned and cushioned for an elegant guest (the closest I will ever get to sitting in a throne). This Ballet was the best I have seen by far in France either this trip or the last. It was like watching a Degas painting or bronze come alive. I waited in line the day the tickets went up for sale and got myself into the 7th row centre seat. I want to relive that evening over and over again in my memory. It touched me deeply and reminds me prominently that I must get myself to the ballet and opera more often when I return to San Diego! What a privilege! To say it was a WOW night would be underestimating it.

My friend Robbin and I went out last evening to begin celebrating Bastille Day (as everyone was doing) on its eve. First, we went to a Wine bar, which was no where near its normal capacity as many Parisennes take off for the north or south, east or west to etch out a little holiday in their calendar year. But then we went over to her fire station in her neighborhood. On the eve of each Bastille Day, many of the fire stations individually put on a huge event inviting the public to come. We came. It was free, however, they asked for a donation which goes to a widows' fund to help support firemen's families if they die in a fire.

Robbin and I marveled at how good the music was, how filled "the joint" was and how many were lined up outside to get in. This went on to 4 am (how people got home was any one's guess as the metros didn't coordinate once again with the timings of these dances). Needn't worry about my getting home; grandma left long before 4 am! The photo is of me and a few cute firemen. They were all just so "hospitable".

Today we had planned a big picnic at the parc by the Eiffel Tower, but that was cancelled for everyone but the ducks. We skipped the parade and we were happy with that decision also as it ended up raining on and off all day. Right now we are praying to The Big Guy Upstairs to clear up the weather so thousands of us can enjoy the fireworks display later this evening. So far He hasn't responded as we would like Him too.

In the meantime, I cleaned up my apartment, edited my newest photos and wrote my blog. The Sun will come out tomorrow, as the song goes, and I will head back to Versailles to bike and see, finally, Marie Antoinette's estate once again. It was a good week!

Help Me! I'm Melting!...

You guessed it; the heat wave continues. We did have two whole days of decent weather on the 4th and 5th but are pretty well stuck again in high temperatures. I called my girlfriend, Robbin, today and she had just gotten home and could barely talk. "Take a cold shower and lower your body temperature!" I know she did as even talking about cold feels good. I know I will, again, before I leave for Versailles this evening.

One of the fun things of living in each arrondissement is the little spontaneous "moments" that crop up. I think it was on Tuesday (?) that I was on my way to my metro when I heard music, drummers and lots of people lining the major street by my home: Jean Jaures. (See photos). When I asked what it was, I was told "Carnaval". Don't ask me why they are having carnaval in this hot weather in July but having it they were!

Sunday morning I took off, despite the heat, for another visit to the Rodin museum. What talent! These artists must all be a little bit mad and oppsessed with their work; how else could they produce the enourmous body of work they do?

I had a nice weekend going out mostly in the evening with a nice new friend and having a July 4 picnic for him in my local parc (spelled correctly if you are in France. Then this graceful,African lady sauntered by with her children. I grabbed my camera and snapped away. (photo)

My friend, Robbin and I had a lovely,calm dinner on the Seine on Monday evening. We sat on the embankment facing the back of Notre Dame. It was so peaceful and lovely and the food and wine we each brought delicious I wonder why I wouldn't do that every night if I lived closer to central paris. That has been the key problem (besides weather) for me this trip. I despise getting on those crowded, over heated metros.

Tuesday night I went to a new Bunco group out of this area and had a lot of fun with friendly people. On Wednesday I led the hiking group I belong to. I have spoken of them before; what a great group of people! I themed it America's July 4and they came with picnic fare and American flags etc. We started at the canal near my home three metro stops from me and walked the canal and several parcs in the l9th ending up in a children's playground getting in touch with our inner child. Everyone was most receiptive to the day, applauding their leader when it ended, hours later. (See photos)

The Dog Days of Summer

"Summer time and the living is easy." Whoever wrote that apparently did not experience summer in Paris. My activities have come to a screeching halt and the weather is so exhausting it leaves no energy for anything else! I am a weather wuss; I can't manage to do anything when I am really hot. And hell is the metro in the summer. Gads! It is going down to the furnace, squeeze yourself in like a sardine and watch the sweat drip off your nose. Help Me, I'm melting. Heat in Paris, however, means something different (see photo of couple who is well-adjusted to Paris weather.).

While I have curtailed my schedule, I still manage to get out most days. The best thing one can do in Paris is walk (even in the heat). I stumble upon all sorts of fun things when I do that. Last Saturday there was a neighborhood "flea market" and out of nowhere comes this little entertainment group marching along. (photo)

Later that day I was in the first arrondissement and stumbled upon a wedding. The people were dressed to the hilt. With hats like this young woman wore, I thought maybe the Queen was expected. Very uppercrust. (photo)

I also ran into a huge group of people on strike. There were police everywhere. But from what I could see they it was like a big party. The government workers are fighting the age barrier to be raised for retirement. (photo)

I fortify myself on ice cream cones and because there is so much less exercise than I had last fall in Paris, I am putting on weight! Eeegads! If the weather breaks so I can resume my normal exercise routine I will be skinny by the time I get home...if the weather breaks....

I went to a MeetUp dinner last Sunday and it was fun. And a different Meet UP group on Tuesday night was held in an artist's studio.

Last Monday my girlfriend, Robbin, and I went to a hammam in my area. We steamed and sauna-ed, were scrubbed by a brunhilda-type woman who I called Mama (respectfully) and then they poured clay all over us. After this we fell asleep in the "Relaxation Room" and finished off with a short massage. My skin felt great.

On Tuesday I went to Musee D'Orsay to take an English tour. It is such a crowded museum that the challenge of not letting the crowds get you is concrete. But I am a member who plans to get a lot out of her membership so I put up with it. They are renovating the entire upstairs so that really makes it very condensed.

On Wednesday I took off with my hiking group to a town called Saint Germain en laye, a half hour train ride to the west. Our leader took us to another forest and we traipsed around in there, in the shade, thank god, and enjoyed ourselves. Next Wednesday I am the leader in the hiking group. I asked everyone to wear Red, White and Blue and for the Yanks to bring a picnic item to share with the French. It is a wonderful group. (photo)


Last night I listened to a wonderful one-hour concert by the Le Choeur du Monastere, Saint Alexandre Nevsky de Saint Petersbourg, Russie. Got that? Basically, it was a group of nine priests (I think) all young and singing in Russian religious chanting, almost. Hard to describe. It was at Paris' St Geraine de Pres Church. I didn't understand a word they sang but their voices were beautiful and in this venue it all felt very holy, very touching. To think these nine young men have pledged a life to God of poverty, chastity and obedience and then soujourn across the world to spread His Word. It was my version of going to church. Before that I went to Cafe Des Magot for drinks and dinner.

Today, Friday, I inspired my girlfried, Robbin (who never exercises) to go bike-riding with me along the canal. Then we came home and talked about what we want to accomplish - food wise - in the next and final month of my stay in Paris. Two foodies: that we be!

I am off this evening to meet another friend. It just started to rain; perhaps it will break the weather (?) Yeah, perhaps hell will be air conditioned! Probably not.

HAPPY JULY 4 TO ALL OF YOU!

Help Me! I am melting....