Practicing Charades before traveling

It occurred to me on the bus yesterday that it would behoove a peraon traveling to a foreign country, especially one where you don't speak the language, to practice charades before leaving. On Saturday night after the front desk closed and I was getting ready for bed, we realized that housekeeping had forgotten to leave us towels. Not one towel, not even the bath mat. I washed my face, dripped dry for a little bit and then finally dried my face with toilet paper.

We had an early day on Sunday so I set the alarm for 6:30 and threw on my clothes to get towels. I beat the receptionist in and was waiting for her as she opened the door into the courtyard. She greeted me and then I proceeded to explain my predicament. She didn't understand. So, I tried charades. Have you ever had to explain with actions that you need towels? I did this patting on my arms, she looked perplexed. I then tried to show her by taking my hand and running it down my arm. I repeated the word many times and I think she put 2 and 2 together at that point.

We made it to the bus on time but no coffee or breakfast for us. So next time we travel we will practice charades for a few weeks before.

It was only a request

Mary and Ann

Have met many nice folks on this tour...there are a few more memorable than others. Ann is a world birder, she goes all over to look at birds. She and her sister-in-law Mary are on the tour together. The first night we met I asked her if I heard her right that she is a birder and she launched into a story about going to Belize and getting butt larvae! That was at dinner! Needless to say, she is a colorful character.

She and Mary went to Paris prior to joining the tour like we did. They had a different hotel than we did, I think that is a good thing. Anyway, she was telling us that when they checked in they were handed their key and they headed to their room. When they got there, they had a queen bed. Ann went back to the desk with her confirmation in her hand which clearly said that they would like separate beds. The desk manager looked at the Ann as she showed her their paperwork and she replied very calmly that, "it was only a request". Ann stood there dumbfounded and said "but I requested separate beds and you confirmed that". The desk manager said that it was only a request and they are not obligated to oblige them.

So sometimes the language differences can be very glaring...like the french often say "it is impossible" when they really mean "i don't want to do something".

Ann also came on the tour hoping to see a stork. The storks nest in the area around Colmar. They have huge nests and usually lay their eggs in the spring and head out by this time. However, there are some that hang around year round. Dar and Tom saw about 15 of them out of the bus window two days ago. Ann, who was looking out the same side of the bus didn't see them. So Tom and Dar have to submit their applications to the Audubon society because they have seen the first bird on the "life goal list". I am thinking they will not be accepted since both of them would rather shoot them than mark them off a list!

Market day in Beaune

Mary and the countess

The chateau where we had a wine tasting and picnic

Some of the picnic items

The chateau bakyard for our picnic

Beautiful

Cilla, the French Raffetto

Another Beret moment

The courtyard at the Chateau

Didn't miss the wake up call this morning, it was market day in Beaune. I am not sure how to describe it but let me tell you they sold everything from the spice anise to mattresses. We passed stalls with beautiful fresh flower bouquets and stalls with dead rabbits and chickens. The produce here is fantastic, the artichokes are huge, at least twice the size that we see in Albertsons. They have the coolest pumpkins, very orange-red and the tops are rounder. There were sausage vendors, and yes Dad we had boar sausage... Oh, speaking of boars, our tour guide told us that the worst enemy of a vineyard is a boar. They not only eat the fruit but they also pull up the vine. Last year in the Alsace wine region, the government opened up boar hunting and paid a bounty for each hide. They shot 31,000 of them and they are planning to do the same this year.

I bought some mustard at the market, they have the best mustard...much like hot chinese mustard but maybe a little more aromatic (read into it that it has a nice wine flavor)!

At 11:00 we headed out to a Chateau and we did another wine tasting. The chateau looks like a castle, it sits on a hill. Very beautiful view. The castle was from the 15th century...and some of the outer buildings really needed maintenance. The countess of the estate took us around and her son, the new count did the wine tasting. Wine was very so-so. But we did have a beautiful picnic in their garden which our guide bought at the Saturday market. Foie gras is pretty good, especially the goose foie gras. We had cornuchons, comte, tomatoes, raspberries and strawberries. Not to mention boar sausage, bread, figs, six different cheeses, carrots, hot mustard and the best damn chocolate you can imagine! Our bus took us back the scenic way, through many small villages. This area is like Napa Valley only it is prettier and a lot older!

Colmar to Beaune

Lunch in Beaune

Hotel Dieu in Beaune

Medieval hospital beds

Courtyard of hotel.

Dinner in Beaune at a 12th century abbey

The chapel at Hotel Dieu

Typical architecture in the city

Woke up in Colmar, overcast and cool. We jumped on the bus and within 10 minutes we had sunshine coming through the windows of the bus. It has been a beautiful day, sun most of the time and the temperature has been very pleasant.

Our drive was about 2.5 hours and we went through rolling hills of farm land and forests. This part of France is beautiful. Very pastoral and one little quaint village after another.

We arrived in Colmar in time for lunch with a late check-in at the hotel. We found a small brasserie that had outside seating in the sun. Each time we are given a menu we spend 20 minutes trying to decipher what it says. Last night Tom and Cilla just asked the server what was his favorite was and they got 6 different meats with saurkraut. Dar had meatballs in white sauce and I ordered stew. Today we managed to decipher the menu and soup and salad for Dar, Cilla and me. Tom, still on his quest to eat himself through France ate salad and beouf bourgoinne ( beef burgundy).

The waiter was kind of snobby...made us use our limited French and he corrected our accents. He actually forgot Tom's second plate and made us wait quite sometime. No problem, we were in no hurry. When he finally came with l'additicione (the check) we engaged him in conversation. Turns out the whole nonsense of the French and American disliking each other was started by Oprah. Evidently she came to France on a vacation and during one of her shows she said the French were rude...now they are taking it out on us peasants. I think I might have to send her an email....

This afternoon we spent time at the 15th century hospital built by a Tax collector so he could go to heaven. It is really beautiful. Pictures to come later.

I am excited for tomorrow morning, Saturday market!

You can't ride a grape



Even the grandparents get involved in the harvest



When we were in Colmar yesterday we walked through a beautiful hillside of grapevines. We tasted the various grapes and we heard all about caring for a vineyard. The local guide, Jean Claude had a family vineyard that his father lovingly cared for until about 2 years before his death. Jean Claude explained that the roots of the plants got up to 100 meters down in search of water and that gives the grapes their intense flavor. He also showed us how to pick and prune the grape vines. Growing and tending grapes is a lot of work...Jean Claude and his sister sold the vineyard to their cousin because neither of them was fond of the process.

Dar and I had been throwing around the idea that when the horses went feet up we might grow grapes. Sounds very romantic and a nice end result, wine. But after yesterdays education, Dar announced as we were getting back on the bus that he thinks we should forget growing grapes. Tom piped up and announced, "You can't ride a grape!"

Everyone laughed and now, if something unfortunate happens on the bus, someone in the group says, "you can't ride a grape"

Colmar and the German influence

Colmar is in the Alsace region of France, just 20 miles from Germany. The germanic influence is strong here...much like the Dolomites in Italy. Think sauerkraut and sausage, dry white wine and pretty good beer.

We started the morning with a walk through the town. About 70,000 inhabitants but they have a city center that dates back to the 14th century. There is a canal system that goes right through the middle giving it a very Venetian feel. The flowers are beautiful...they standardly have their first freeze in late October. Geraniums are obviously their favorites.

Colmars city center

Tom and Cilla in front of museum

Altar polyptyque

Wine Barrels

We were able to see their bi-weekly market... colorful fruit, lots and lots of sausage and bread. We then took in their church, impressive cross hanging from the middle of the church with statues of Mary and their patron saint, St. Anthony hanging from the rafters beside Jesus. We then went to the museum. They have some beautiful 15th century altar artwork.

We then had lunch, the best french onion soup ever and off we went to tour Keysbergers, where Albert Schweitzerm was born. Lovely little town, smaller that Colmar with a rich history from WWII. It is hard to imagine that Allied tanks could even negotiate the skinny roads.

We then took a 45 minute walk through a beautiful vineyard. We actually tasted grapes off the vine, watched workers harvesting the grapes and our local guide, Jean Claude told us how to cut a grape plant, harvest grapes and what weatther conditions are best.

Lastly, we tasted Reisling, Pinot Blanc, Gerwerstreminer, and something else that completely slips my mind....might be the wine...!

Tom, Cilla, Dar and Mary in Keyeserberg

Pinot Noir grapes on the vine

In berets eating grapes

Rose bush at end of row of vines. Planted so that if there is some kind of disease t will show on the rose bush first.

More beautiful flowers

Owner of winery with his son

Great day! This is a lovely area, wish the weather were a little warmer...it seems to hover around 60 to 63 degrees but rainy and damp. Just keeping the jacket and scarf on!

Colmar...pretty as a picture

Colmar has a canal system all the way through the town.

15th century building in downtown Colmar.

Market day in Colmar, the vegetables are beautiful

Anothe 15th century building, built by the butcher, his likeness is at the top

Floor the bus driver.

For all of you that went to Italy with us, think Kastelroot with a french twist. We are in Colmar, a sleepy french town very close to Germany. They love sauerkraut and sausage! We got here right at dark, we hit rush hour traffic in Strasbourg and that put our driver, Floor over his alotted time to drive so we had to spend 30 minutes at an autogrill. Floor is Danish and he speaks impeccable english but his eye sight must be bad, he thinks Dar looks like George Clooney! Stop laughing!

This is a town of about 70,000 people with a strong german influence. Many streets that are pedestrian only and the coolest thing is, there is a cathedral in the center of town that chimes on the hour...we can hear it from the hotel!
Had a great dinner, Tom licked his plate clean...seriously. We have been asked a few times to recount the story of the family trip to Italy...no one can believe it...from Caleb to Pop and that we had 24 friends and family that wanted and could spend 19 days together! Which always makes me homesick. Hope you are all doing well and missing us as much as we miss you!
Tomorrow sounds great...we take a tour of the town, hit the local museum and then tour the wineries in the area in the afternoon. Nothing like a nice walk with fresh air, a taste of good art and incredible wine...should be a great day!