tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65923841159165636712024-03-13T15:03:17.491-04:00When You Wish Upon a StarMeg Allison and Pam Dow are 2013 Global Teaching Fellows. They are studying the landscape of fairy tales in France and Italy during the summer of 2013.
This blog will chronicle their journey to Europe as well as the place-based curriculum they design during the 2013-14 school year at The Moretown School.
“This Rural Trust Global Teacher Fellowship was made possible with funds from The Rural School and Community Trust, helping rural schools and communities grow better together.”Meg Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305357288205438428noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592384115916563671.post-60991351179516543552013-07-04T18:16:00.001-04:002013-07-04T18:16:50.338-04:00Venice: Alive with Stories and Characters<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Arriving to Venice via train is considered the most ecologically sound way to enter this water wonder world. Built upon over 120 islands, Venice has been surviving and thriving for over 1600 years (at one time it was the richest city in Europe), but despite enduring epic floods, wars, conquest by Napoleon, invasions by Nazism, its biggest threats in the new millennium are twofold: global warming and tourism. With only 58,000 Venetians living in Venice, and an aging population at that, Venice sees 16 million tourists a year, upwards of 150,000 a day at its busiest. Would we be able to find a sense of magic and mystery, we wondered, amid all the flotsam and jetsam of the tourist industry? Would we find that Venice, a city with a long and romantic history, as just a caricature of itself, reduced to a museum instead of a vibrant, pulsating city? What we discovered was a little bit of both, and a whole lot of inspiration of how to bring its essence and spirit alive for our students.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">We made the right choice by staying in the quiet Cannareggio area, in a working mosaic foundry that runs also classy bed and breakfast, Domus Orsoni. The last maker of handmade tiles in Venice, this foundry was founded in the mid-19<sup>th</sup> century and produces tiles in more than 2500 colors. A tour of the facility showed us an authentic side of Venice, one of craftsmanship and artistry, one of handmade in favor of factory or machine made. It was stirring and reminded us so much of the tradition in Vermont of fine craftsmanship and artisans, still producing items in the face of almost insurmountable odds and economic pressures. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHNPxG7Fs3OadZy3M-8uKuqmIzwwttkxL6tRL3l9QIIZT_fjNACBM9hm9L2Rzk5mhiUSa2Hg4zxKyMeler6ZqVEUQWsKK6N56FhGkMkak0iVoiTB-kzm1UxRADg3UBEYXjTYUy7Jj2Xsy/s1600/Venice+(and+Europe)+1032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHNPxG7Fs3OadZy3M-8uKuqmIzwwttkxL6tRL3l9QIIZT_fjNACBM9hm9L2Rzk5mhiUSa2Hg4zxKyMeler6ZqVEUQWsKK6N56FhGkMkak0iVoiTB-kzm1UxRADg3UBEYXjTYUy7Jj2Xsy/s400/Venice+(and+Europe)+1032.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> After settling into one of the most stylish rooms in Venice, we happily let ourselves get lost. Wandering into the heart of Cannareggio, we discovered a quiet, residential area of canals and tunnels. We were awestruck by the sense of elegant decay, peeling paint perhaps hundreds of years old set against a proud windowsill of geraniums. We loved seeing all of the Italian grandmothers and grandfathers, walking with grandchildren or, more likely, walking their very small dogs. Hungry and fatigued as we were, we made the mistake of eating not at an osteria, but restaurant along a quiet canal that we soon figured out was more tourist trap than local, but enjoyed pastas and raised a toast of the local sparkling wine, Proseco, to our first evening in Venice. An after dinner stroll found us happily exploring authentic mask shops, where we tripped the light fantasia, if you will. These masks, designed to celebrate Carnivale, are a symbol of Venice and are much more than a caricature of this unique place. Designs are often based on traditional characters from old stories and the Carnivale itself, celebrated on the eve of Lent, is a time for Venetians to mix and mingle with people from all walks of life and social strata. It is a time to pretend to be someone you are not, and the masks never failed to fill us with awe and astonishment, no matter how many mask shops we explored. There was always something new to see in each one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">The next day, we explored (and tried to get lost) in the Santa Croce and San Polo areas on the other side of the Grand Canal. Much narrower alleys and canals opened up into both small and large squares, or campos, filled with not just tourist stalls, but fishermen. Lots and lots of fishermen. This is the oldest part of Venice, and we discovered again that sense of elegant decay, with crumbling statues adorning window and door frames, and absolutely outstanding works of Gothic opulence hidden behind humble church facades. We dined on authentic Venetian pastries and cappuccinos (cheaper than Coca-colas, yes it’s true) and Paninis for lunch in a dark tavern that provided some relief from the hot Adriatic sun.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">After more explorations of some of the more than 2000 registered artisans in Venice, including printmakers and mask makers, we found the perfect spot to launch out on our gondola ride. Negotiating a route, time, and price with a gondolier in a quieter corner of Venice allowed us to see secret canals only accessible by boat and to get a little history to boot from our charming gondolier. We discovered that this trade is one of the most prestigious in Venice, with gondoliers owning their own boats and belonging to a trade association. Our gondolier was clearly in love with his city and his profession, and we so enjoyed our sojourn from the crowds and the sun as we explored quiet canal after canal in the oldest part of Venice. A turn onto the Grand Canal and a pass under the most famous of famous bridges, the Rialto, gave us an experience that equaled, and perhaps surpassed, our stroll along the Champs-Elysees. Lining the Grand Canal are palazzo upon palazzo, with intricate Gothic facades made with gold and marble and a traffic scene of vaporetto (water buses), police and ambulance boats, other gondolas, and more was a feast for our senses. No cars or trucks, not a one. Not a one in the whole city of Venice. The only honks were of the gondolas as they call out when rounding a blind bend. Nothing has been experienced like that before, and perhaps nothing will since.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">A stroll to San Marco Square and St. Mark’s Basilica through the labyrinth of streets made us dizzy. We’re not sure if the pigeons outnumbered the people, but all were there with us to take in the magical sight of the basilica and campanile. Taking over 800 years to build, the basilica is a fantastical mix of Gothic, Byzantine, and Renaissance architecture, and glitters in the sun from the 24 carat gold mosaics all over it. A jewel like no other, we bypassed the long queue by reserving tickets and upon entering, we were again struck with the sense of quiet and stillness amid the crush of humanity just outside the walls. St. Mark’s Basilica has such an interesting history and perhaps our next visit will afford us the time and stamina to visit its treasury, among its relics including a lock of the Madonna’s hair and the arm that St. George used to slay his dragon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">The Doge’s Palace, next door, was covered from head to toe with Gothic arches and statues, ornate windows and doors, and fully matched the basilica from head to toe in elegance and beauty. If a building could be an ornate wedding cake frosted all in white, such was this most decorated palazzo. We can only imagine what people from years ago must have felt upon seeing these sights for the very first time, arriving from the lagoon to the harbor marked by the winged lion on high. How could one not believe in magic and fairytales with sights such as these? Of hope and perhaps redemption? Perhaps most striking of all is this icon of Venice - the winged lion. Viewed on high from San Marco Square, we found it everywhere, a mysteriously proud lion holding in its paws a book. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Venice has cast its spell on us. We might never be the same.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div>Meg Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305357288205438428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592384115916563671.post-86983593381654536482013-07-01T16:59:00.000-04:002013-07-01T16:59:26.789-04:00Lovely Lucca<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We first want to thank our lovely art teacher, Lisa
Brunini-Harvey, for recommending the medieval walled city of Lucca to us as we
researched magical places to visit in Italy.
Lucca, known as “love at first sight Lucca”, charmed us upon arrival,
and kept on charming us with delights during our short and sweet stay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We stayed in a most comfortable and charming bed and
breakfast, <a href="http://www.bedandbreakfastevelina.it/inglese/home-page-ING.html" target="_blank">B & B Evelina</a>. Decorated
tastefully with antiques and sweet touches such as tassels, old Lucca postcards,
and dollies, it was like staying with a beloved Italian grandmother. And the view from our terrace included a
campanile, an Italian bell tower, one of many in this magical city.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The winding, cobblestone streets were magical and mysterious. One could only imagine the stories they could
tell. Established by the Etruscans, this
beautiful old city is hidden being Renaissance walls became a Roman colony in
180 BC and a free, self-governing city in the 12<sup>th</sup> century. It miraculously escaped bombings during WWII,
so the fabric of the city, the ancient walls, and sublime architecture has remains
unchanged for centuries, including the Piazza Anfiteatro, so called after the Roman amphitheater that was located here in Roman times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our first night included an opera arrangement in the
stunning church of San Giovanni, the church where Lucca-born Giacomo Puccini was baptized.
Inside the church, an archaeological dig has unearthed walls built during the Roman times. Seeing these walls simply
took our breath away. To be so near
something so old was a first for us all.
The opera selections - Puccini, Verdi, and more - were simply arranged,
and the baritone and soprano, accompanied by an extraordinarily talented
pianist, sounded like Lucca itself: classic, classy, pure, and fine. Dinner at a traditional trattoria was a feast
for the senses, with pastas and salads and desserts prepared with care and
love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next day included a highlight of our stay in Europe thus
far, a bicycle rental to ride along the city walls, built around the old city
in the 16<sup>th</sup> and 17<sup>th</sup> centuries. The ramparts are lined with old trees,
benches, and a stunning view of the Apuane Alps. We loved weaving around the tangle of streets,
passing through piazzas both quiet and bustling. A hike up the ancient Seven Oak campanile
awarded us with stunning views of Lucca and beyond. The campaniles were an essential feature of
these old, medieval cities for defense as well as time-keepers. The bells truly ring out on the hour, every
hour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lucca - old, cobbled, medieval Lucca- is a fairy-tale
destination. In search of the traditional
craftsmen, such as Carlos Collodi’s beloved Geppetto from Pinocchio, we found
Lucca filled with sleek modern boutiques instead. But, in our meanderings, we happened upon a
local artisan's fair, where craftsmen and women sold their wares with pride. We found a wood carver and selected some
special trinkets to remind us of this wonderful place, the lovely “love at
first sight” Lucca.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Leaving Lucca was hard to do, but arriving in Venice has filled us with a sense of magic and wonder. In a city without cars or trucks, we've already wandered around our neighborhood for the next few days, the Cannaregio, and every turn has filled us with wonder and awe. We are staying at the very lovely and stylish <a href="http://www.domusorsoni.it/" target="_blank">Domus Orsoni</a>, a bed and breakfast at an old mosaic foundry near the Jewish Ghetto. We are excited to explore this wonder of a place tomorrow after a good night's sleep. We simply cannot wait to explore. Buonanotte!</span></div>
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Meg Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305357288205438428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592384115916563671.post-74428898742039171992013-06-29T08:44:00.001-04:002013-06-29T08:45:07.391-04:00Florence: The Birth of the Renaissance<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We arrived in Florence, Italy after 11 pm with other travelers from Paris. We were surprised to not go through customs, and waited for a taxi. Our driver whizzed into the heart of Florence, Piazza del Duomo, where the majestic and unreal Duomo and Baptistery still held court to swarms of people and our bed and breakfast's door was right smack in the square. After buzzing in, we trudged up three flights of stairs to our quaint room, where we opened the shutters to what seemed like a painting view of the Duomo. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Those stairs were no match to our cravings for gelato, and we dropped our bags and went back for a few gelatos in the square for our first taste of Florence. Bueno!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next morning, a polite knock on the door signaled breakfast, brought to us by the lovely Mariana on a tray overflowing with cappucinnos, teas, juices, apricots, fruits, croissants, rolls, yogurts, nutellas, jams, butters, and more. We enjoyed our Italian breakfast on our own private terrace before heading out for our reservations at the Galleria del Accademia to see Michelangelo's David. Upon entering the gallery, we saw other statues by Michelangelo, but it was David that stopped us in our tracks. Over 17 feet tall and carved with a chisel and hammer from one piece of marble, this masterpiece carved by Michelangelo when he was 26 years old in 1501 is a feast for the eyes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">After our viewing, we strolled the streets of Florence, looking at all the leather bags and shoes, and found a mama and papa spot for lunch, where we dined on spaghetti. We headed back out to find the Palazzo Riccardi, because Moretown School has our own Riccardi, classroom teacher Patty Riccardi. This was one of the main palaces of the Medici family which ruled Florence for hundreds of years. We noticed that in Italy, the grandeur of the palazzos, or palaces, is often hidden from view from the 1000 year old streets, but it is within the courtyards reached through strong iron gates where the magic lies. Our walks in this labyrinth city always had us stumbling upon an ancient scene, be it a fountain, a piazza, a church, or a statue. And in the height of the tourist season, we weren't the only ones from afar stumbling around!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our Friday was filled with a full day tour with the Taste of Florence. We met our Florentine guide, Tina, at a local meat shop and spent the day sampling salamis, meats, balsamic vinegar, olive oils, cheeses, pates, local bakeries, the pasticcieria (the coccholi, one of our favorites, made with tomato and mozzarella), local wines, freshly fried fish from the Ligurian Sea as we strolled the ancient food markets and streets in search of hand-crafted chocolates, and her secret spot for the best gelato in town. It was an exploration of the tastes and flavors of this ancient Renaissance city, where food is prepared simply, with simply ingredients, from locally sourced farms and markets. Delizioso!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We've only just arrived in Lucca and already are feeling a sense of serenity and calm in this medieval walled city, called "lovely" Lucca. Ancient winding cobblestone streets led like a river to our sweet bed and breakfast, <a href="http://www.bedandbreakfastevelina.com/" target="_blank">Evelina</a>. Sitting now with a terraced view overlooking an ancient campanile, laundry blowing in the breeze, we are looking forward to our evening out to listen to Puccini in the church where he was baptized, San Giovanni.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592384115916563671.post-41939207132424761632013-06-27T16:47:00.002-04:002013-06-27T16:54:26.473-04:00The Loire Valley<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">After arriving by train from Paris into Tours, we
navigated our way past fields upon fields of vineyards, wheat, and poppies to</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Chinon, a small medieval city on the banks of the Vienne in the Touraine section of the Loire Valley.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> What seemed a mirage in a distant field was actually our bed and breakfast in a real-deal chateau. If one is in the Loire Valley to tour the
chateaux, it is only fitting to stay in chateau, n’est pas? Chateau Charge is now run as a bed and breakfast
extraordinaire by a most lovely family.
Charlotte popped her head out of her Dutch door to welcome us, and we
immediately started pinching ourselves as she showed us to our room. Records of ownership date from 1429, the same
year Joan of Arc visited Chinon to meet with the King of France, and our
windowsills had etchings in the stone from the 1600s, a sort of ‘Philip was
here, 1629’. We enjoyed walking the grounds, meeting the
menagerie of pets, chickens, sheep, including Caesar the donkey and Lola the
goat and eased into what would become our ritual of dinner at the chateau, four
courses prepared by Chef Franc for the exclusive enjoyment of the lucky guests
at the small and charming Loire Valley Retreat.</span></div>
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Chinon Fortress</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And, oh, the chateaux and history of the Loire Valley! It is simply too much to do in just one
visit, or even a year’s worth of visits.
We choose to start with the medieval city and fortress of Chinon. It creates a formidable and impressive
impression along the steep banks of Chinon, and we spent well over four hours
exploring turrets and dungeons, spiral staircases and ancient rooms that
relayed the story of the fortress through tasteful vignettes played onto the
old stone walls themselves: it literally was as if these walls could speak. It was here that Joan of Arc road her horse
to convince the King of France to go to war.
Her history is so entwined into Chinon’s story, and we look forward to
exploring her biography with students, as she is an incredible female role
model. A brand new dragon installation added a little bit of fun and flair, so we
also took away the names of some dragons from many traditions, and thought of
the myriad of ways we can weave their imagery into the study of fairy tales.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Entrance to Chinon Fortress</div>
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Chinon Fortress overlooking Vienne River.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We had just enough time left in the day to explore a chateau
only ten minutes or so away from Chateau Charge, the Chateau du Rivau. It’s an absolutely stunning structure from
the outside, with the classically pale-colored Touraine stone, a drawbridge,
turrets, and a bounty of gorgeous roses growing up its sides. The eclectic collection of art on the inside
had us puzzled, but the outside and gardens did not disappoint. Every girl’s dream is to have a turret to
call home, and the ones at Rivau fit that image to a tee. It is not so far off to imagine Rapunzel
resting her head inside one of these towers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Chateau du Rivau's drawbridge</div>
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Chateau du Rivau</div>
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Chateau du Rivau</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The following day took us further afield to the chateaux and
gardens of Villandry, Langeais, and Chateau d’Usse.
The Villandry’s symmetrical gardens were perhaps our favorite in all of
France, with their absolutely perfect alignment of herbs, vegetables, flowers,
and roses. Oh, the roses. The Villandry Rose was especially stunning -
a flower fit for a princess. A water moat surrounding the grounds is the stuff
of legends, indeed. Langeais, situated in the middle of a medieval town along
the Loire River baring the same name, rises up in the heart of its medieval
city, with a massive drawbridge and formidable grey stone towers befitting a
royal marriage. Inside, winding
stairways inside turrets led to room upon room filled with stunningly intricate
medieval tapestries and artifacts. Last,
but not least, a meandering drive along a sleepy road alongside the Loire led
us to the d’Usse, Charles Perrault’s inspiration for the story of Sleeping
Beauty. The soaring spires certainly are
the stuff of dreams, and the interesting, albeit tired, looking wax figures
inside the rooms retold the classic Sleeping Beauty story in all her glorious
Renaissance detail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Loire Valley is an ideal playground of chateaux and
fortresses, inspiring us to bring this era and these stories to life with our
students. While we simply scratched the
surface, we leave feeling invigorated, charmed, and above all, filled with
dreams.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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Villandry's moat</div>
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Villandry's garndens: Pam, Emily, Josie, and Meg</div>
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Villandry</div>
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Villandry Rose</div>
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Langeais's drawbridge</div>
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Langaeis</div>
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Chateau d'Usse</div>
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Chateau Charge: Loire Valley Retreat</div>
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Madeleine Rose</div>
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Feeding baguettes to Caesar and Lola at Loire Valley Retreat.</div>
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This picture was taken at 10:15 at night. Look how bright it is.</div>
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Meg Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305357288205438428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592384115916563671.post-87088070639747632342013-06-23T13:40:00.001-04:002013-08-16T23:38:48.765-04:00Paris: But only a Dream...<span style="font-size: large;">Paris, be still our beating hearts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We've had more magical moments in Paris. Days 3 and 4 have been a whirlwind of activity, but also filled with moments of rest and relaxation as we ease into a whole new way of doing things. We are navigating Paris's world famous metro system quite well, thank you very much. It is like a puzzle to figure out each time we set our sights on a destination and so far, so good. There's something to be said for a solid and dependable public transportation system. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We started our third day here with a visit to the second most recognized symbol of Paris, the Arc de Triomphe. Commissioned by Emperor Napoleon to mark his victories and surrounded by the world's largest round-a-bout, it is a bustle of energy, tourists, pickpocketers, doubledecker buses, and Vespas going round and round and round. Undoubtedly, it is an impressive monument and climbing up the narrow spiral stairwell rewarded us with an outstanding 360 view of our new favorite city, and our first "Wow" sighting of the Eiffel tower. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Strolling along the Champs-Elysees was a sight for the senses, especially a stop in one of the most famed patisseries in all of Paris, <a href="http://www.laduree.com/">Laduree</a>. One can easily imagine a queen strolling in to order a tart. We opted for a box of macarons, each making hard choices about which of the delicious flavors to try. I don't think a wrong choice was made.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Macaron box in hand, however, we sought a place to sit and rest, warm up a bit (it has been unseasonably chilly, n'est pas?) and the Jardin des Tuilieres was straight ahead. Created by Catherine de Medici in 1564 for the Tuilieres Palace, it became a public park after the French Revolution. Nestling under the trees at Cafe Renard, we sipped on chocolate chaud, nibbled on croque monsieurs, and enjoyed watching the people strolling by. But, no rest for the weary, as we had a mission. Where was Charles Perrault?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, here was right here beside the Carousel we spied as we ate our lunch. Surrounded by overgrown yellow irises, we paid homage to the founder of of the fairy tale genre. Surrounding his bust was the most delightful trio of dancing children with the precocious Puss in Boots. We blew kisses in thanks and made our way to the Louvre at the end of the garden.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">With the iconic glass pyramid as our beacon, we queued right into the Louvre without any wait at all, being it was 5 pm and all. Once inside, words simply cannot describe our awe and enchantment as we moved amid Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Canova, Venus de Milo, and room upon room of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman statues dating from the 6th century. This former fortress, begun in the 12th century, is beyond anything we had ever experienced before: we were equally humbled and awe-struck.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our last morning required an early-morning rise to catch the Eiffel Tower before the rest of the 12 million or so visitors a year it gets. It didn't seem quite real to be standing under this massive structure, and over 340 steps later, plus an elevator ride to the top, we were afforded a windy and wondrous view of the City of Lights. The top of the Eiffel Tower sees, on average, 3 marriage proposals per hour. Lots of love birds in the air, for sure. Tres romantique!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Having built up our appetite, we wandered to Rue Cler (thanks for the tip, Rick Steves!), a road for the senses in the 7th arrondissement, a cobbled pedestrian street filled with flower stalls, boulangeries, patisseries, chocolatiers, poissonneries, and more. We settled into a classic Parisian bistro for a relaxing lunch, but couldn't resist chocolate croissants, an assortment of pastries and another baguette from the boulangerie across the way. A trip to a fromagerie to select cheese for dinner topped off our afternoon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">After afternoon tea and treats at Rue Montgolfier, we soldiered on. The Musee d'Orsay for some Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet, Manet, Degas, Cassatt, as well as some entertaining street performers as we bandaged up blistered feet to then take an evening stroll along the left bank of the Seine, visiting the bouquinistes for postcards and trinkets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We finally crashed well after midnight, with laundry drying on the line and visions of Loire Valley dancing in our heads.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Think trains, planes, and automobiles. We took the metro to Gare d'Austerlitz for our 2 hour train ride to Tours, then waited anxiously for a taxi on a Sunday to our car rental at the airport, and a successful car ride to Chinon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We've only just arrived at the <a href="http://www.loirevalleyretreat.com/" target="_blank">Chateau de Charge</a> already we are in love. The photo below is of our bed and breakfast. Records date from 1429 , it is a former fortified manor surrounded by stone lookout towers. Surrounded by endless rolling fields of wheat, sunflowers, and poppies, we were warmly greeted by Charlotte, our lovely innkeeper. As we warm ourselves by a fire stoked by Jerome, Charlotte's husband, we will soon be dining on a four course meal, including roasted quail with apricot sauce and creme brulee in the chateau's dining room. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Bonne journee, mes amis!</span><br />
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Meg Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04305357288205438428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592384115916563671.post-27304723316151357532013-06-20T18:22:00.001-04:002013-06-20T19:31:01.889-04:00First 36 Hours in Paris ... Oh, la, la!<span style="font-size: large;">So many pleasant surprises (all the very friendly Parisians we have met) to the incomparable sights and experiences of Le Marais neighborhood, the Notre Dame, and Versailles, we don't know where to begin, except to say that our first 36 hours in Paris has been exhilarating, overwhelming, glamorous, and foot-weary. We have only seen but a sliver of the City of Lights, but already we are smitten, and well, frankly in love. L'amour! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Our apartment on Rue Montgolfier in the 3e arrondissement is a gem: charming, awaking to the sounds of children playing the schoolyard across the narrow street to the immense green door welcoming us to our Parisian home. We are living like Parisians, visiting the market for groceries, and soaking up the late evening sunshine as we dine on fresh baguettes and brie from our quaint dining room table. C'est la vie!
The Notre Dame is celebrating it's 850 year old birthday this year. It's not showing its age one bit: the gargoyles are breathtakingly eerie and surreal, the stained glass within takes your breath away, and its not a bad place to duck into in the middle of a Parisian thundershower. Words simply do not describe it. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">And then, there's Versailles. After successfully navigating the metro system, or not, we find ourselves 10 miles outside Paris, but in another world altogether. With its gold-plated gates welcoming us (and the rest of humanity, or so it seemed), it ushered us into a world of kings and queens, king Louis XIV and Marie-Antoinette surely know who to build themselves a home for the ages. Wow. Room upon room upon room astounded us with beauty on every square inch: floors, ceiling, chandeliers, tapestries, and mirrors. And that was just inside the Palace. Outside, we were star-struck by the first garden and fountain we saw, which led us to explore as much of the vast grounds as we could. Imagine a statue at every turn, a topiary every other foot, fountains where mermaids, cherubs, and Greek gods frolic. We thought we saw it all until arriving at Marie-Antoinette's estate, a hamlet built for her as a reincarnation of her country home. Her temple of love filled us with joy, but it was her simple kitchen gardens, the mills, the cows, and the beauty of a rose bush that had us each picking out which home we would call our own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> With blisters on our feet, we begrudgingly left, back for Paris for another joyous meal at our table, with delicious, but simple food. If only we ate like this every night.
Tomorrow, we plan on seeing the Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries, and climbing up the Eiffel Tower, to take in the grand sweep of this city that has swept us off our feet. </span><br />
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