Speaking Engliano

Saturday, May 28
After a good night's rest, we are feeling pretty chipper!  (Personally I had hit a wall!  I was afraid I wouldn't be able to enjoy this place as I should.  But this morning...I am ready!)
We're meeting John's relatives at 1:00 for lunch at their home.  What a privilege to spend time with an Italian family in Italy.  I love to visit with locals when traveling, but this is taking that dream to a new level!  We enjoy their beautiful yard on the lake and then sit down outside to partake in a feast.

the view from the Riella backyard...WOW!

Out comes a rice salad (with tuna, ham, capers and artichoke hearts) and a green salad with walnuts and chunks of Parmesan cheese and fresh green beans.  This was followed by an amazing assortment of meats and cheeses and breads.  They made sure that we got to taste some of the most local meats and cheeses. What a treat!

looks what awaits us!

What a treat!

Enjoying lunch at the Riella homestead...such fun!

Angelo, Giana, Jacque, John, Nicoletta, me, Stephano

We visit the local church where John's father had his first communion.  John's father and his father's sister lived here for 15 months when they were about six years of age.  The "new" part of the church was built in 1657.  But the "old" part of this church is from the 13th century.  Wow!  We also visited the local cemetery to see where many Riella's were laid to rest.  

the Gravedona church

We see two wedding parties pass by with cars decorated and honking (as we used to do years ago).  The first party was led by a decorated John Deere tractor...so cute!
We knew we couldn't speak Italiano but now we can't seem to speak English either. When trying to converse with locals...especially John's family...we try to keep our statements "simple". Instead of a 10 word sentence, we try to say it with 4 words. Simple.  Instead of using a 10 letter word, we try to think of a 4 letter synonym (which sometimes takes some thinking time). Simple. But what's comical is that we find ourselves talking to each other this way. We're dropping all adjectives and articles and staring at the sky while we try to think of a simple word to say. We ain't speaking Italian and we ain't really speaking English either. Mathematically speaking it looks like this...
+5 words I remember from three years of high school Spanish
+6 words I've learned in Italian
- half my English vocabulary
= speaking Engliano.

Sweet Giana, our fabulous hostess

Giana and Nina

We had a comical conversation with Giana when we left the restaurant.  She's speaking rapidly in Italian. I have no idea what she's speaking about but I hear the words "Obama" and "Gravedona". I wonder....President Obama has visited Gravedona?  But after much exchange we realize that she's explaining that the guy in the fancy car is like the Obama of Gravedona (mayor).
We try to decide what to do in the evening...find a nice restaurant? go to the local faire in town?  or sit outside our hotel room and stare at the lake?  We vote for the latter. We enjoy the beautiful view and watching the towns on the hills light up as the sky darkens. We sip some vino and chat about the wonderful experiences we've enjoyed.

enjoying our balcony overlooking Lake Como

our home in Gravedona, Hotel Tullio, right on Lake Como

owned by a relative of a relative of the Riella's...of course

Buon giorno Gravedona

Friday, May 27
Knock!  Knock!  Knock!  Buon Giorno!  We've arrived in Milan.  As we wrestle to wake up and get our things together to deboard the train, we have luggage falling on our heads and other mishaps in our tiny compartment.  But we manage!
Although riding in a night train is an "experience", it's not the greatest for a restful sleep.  So we're all a bit groggy when we arrive in Milan at 5:50 a.m.  Since I had reserved the car for 10:00 a.m., (thinking when I was at home and feeling very energetic) that we could venture into Milan Central and see the famed duomo.  But right now...none of us much care about another church...so we eat a little breakfast and head to the car rental.  But where is this place that's supposed to be 200 meters from the station?  We have to ask several people...which there aren't many about at this hour...but we find it, and get our car at 8:00 a.m.
John is our travel guide for the next few days.  We are going to visit with some of his family in the town of Gravedona on Lake Como.  We go to our hotel, and much to our surprise no one was in our rooms the night before so they let us check in.  We freshen up and head to see the relatives.
The view from our hotel room is stunning.  We are right on Lake Como, with a view of the Alps, and small villages on the hillsides.  Can you beat that?

Meeting John's relatives was a treat!

Giana, John's cousin, greets us warmly and with lots of Italian.  I can't understand a word but smile a lot.  She is so sweet and if you concentrate and watch her eyes and gestures, you can sometimes figure out what she's trying to say.  We also meet up with Nicoletta (who speaks English!!), Angelo, Stephano (who also speaks English!) and his wife Betty and their three children, Elia, Nina, and Milo.  They are so cordial and friendly and offer us wine...and more wine...and more wine.  My tummy is still doing flips from the Beef Tartare, foie gras, and spicy mustard I had eaten the day before, so I can't handle much wine...or food for that matter.

The children were so excited about the gifts Jacque brought.

Giana, Nicoletta, Nina, Betty, Elia

Sweet Milo

I love Nicoletta!  We had met her at Janelle's wedding and developed a friendship.  I have communicated with her when planning this trip.  She is just a doll!  She notices that we're getting droopy and suggests we go back to the hotel to rest.  You don't have to tell me twice!!  We will meet again at 7:00 p.m. and go to dinner.

Nicoletta loves her nephews and niece. 

And they adore her!

Nicoletta and Elia

We go to dinner, which is a 3 1/2--4 hour experience...just a typical Italian dinner.  We share a risotto featuring a local perch from the lake.  Among us we enjoy Veal Milanese with a red onion jelly, gnoccho with rabbit sauce, octopus with cannellini beans, and fresh mozzarella with tomato purée.  And of course, we end the meal with gelato.

Our dinner with familia

Elia, Nicoletta, John, Jacque, me, Stephano, Milo, Giana

Night Train...an Experience

Friday, May 26
We're sleeping in!  We're sleeping in!
After we leisurely get ready and get re-packed, Larry and I head out to see what can be done about my phone.  We only got international coverage and a data plan for my phone because there was really no need to pay for this for two phones.  But a few days into this trip my new phone decided to die.  Not only have we lost contact with the outside world, John & Jacque can no longer text us...so we've lost contact with each other.  It's kind of unsettling.  So...off to the Apple Store we go!
And the people there were more than kind.  They got my phone to work but worried it would happen again.  So they gave me a new phone.  Hurray!
Tonight we will be traveling by night train to Milan.  So we do a bit of shopping for picnic goodies to enjoy on board.  Then we head to Gare Lyon, the train station for another "adventure".
I had asked John and Jacque several times if they were game for this because I knew what traveling on a night train was like.  I think it's really fun...Larry and I laughed almost non stop the last time we tried it...but it's not for everyone.
After man-handling our luggage on board, we are introduced to our cabins.  If you've ever watched any old movies and have seen train cabins...this is nothing like that.  The cabins are so tiny with two single beds that drop out of the wall (and when they're down they take up the width of the tiny cabin).  I can see that John & Jacque are a bit surprised.  But then they start to laugh...along with the many other Americans on board...and all is good.
There are great advantages to traveling by night train.  You don't need to pay for train tickets and a hotel as they are combined.  You get to see the lovely countryside passing by...until it gets dark. You've got your own personal cabin...with a small sink! (But no toilet...that's down the hall) so you can enjoy whatever food and drink you thought ahead to bring.  I think our American neighbors are jealous of our wine, cheese, baquette, and pastry picnic.
My tummy is upset so I go to bed early, but I can hear the party next door.  John and Jacque are entertaining the other Americans on board and it sounds like quite a party!  Some things never change...whether you're at home or abroad.
So tonight we go to sleep in France and wake up in Italy!

Moving Day in Normandy

Wednesday, May 24
I am proud to be an American!  And today patriotism is coursing through my veins. We have visited Normandy and have seen the American D-Day invasion sites, as well as the Normandy American cemetery. I have been horribly saddened by the tales of what has happened on these beaches. But moreover, I am incredibly grateful for those who served.

Omaha Beach

We visited Omaha and Utah Beaches, as well as Pointe du Hoc. During the D-Day invasion, over 4,000 Allied forces' lives were lost. About 2,000 of those were American. (About 10,000 German lives were lost.)
At the cemetery, over 9,000 Americans are buried. The families of the service men who lost their lives on the European front were given a choice of whether to be buried in an European American service cemetery or returned to the USA. About 40% of the Americans lost in Normandy are buried in the Normandy cemetery.

Our tour guide, Floyd, did a fabulous job of sharing a great deal of information. He was certainly passionate about his job!  He also shared tales of particular men, which made the true stories so much more personal and meaningful.
I am thankful for each and every man and woman who served our country in the armed forces. Jacque's father, Jack, landed on Utah Beach the day after D-Day. He served under General Roosevelt. I know that Jacque must have a deeper sense of appreciation for what he went through. I also appreciate my dad's service on the European front, in a much more acute way. And we were the lucky ones...our fathers returned home.

 Omaha Beach

We left our apartment at 6:00 this morning to get to the train station in time for our train. And we will return to Paris at about 8:30 p.m.  It's been a long, sad day...but an experience I will never forget.

Some general observations:
*One of the reasons our ground troops had such a difficult time advancing was due to the hedgerows.  These are so much more than bushes.  Their thick trunks intertwine to make fencing that is about 4 feet thick.  And they are very tall.  I never understood this before when I had read the term "hedgerows".
*"Hobart's Funnies", as they were called, were really amazing inventions that made this invasion possible.  Hobart invented a tank that could roll across ditches, he added a version of hedgerow cutters to tanks, and designed an armored bulldozer to "eat up" obstacles placed on the beaches...just to name a few.
*Jewish American soldiers did not have their religion placed on their name tags, knowing that if they were captured by the Germans they would receive worse treatment.
*American soldiers seem to be very appreciated in the towns that were liberated.  There are many statues of American soldiers, American flags, and even paintings on store windows.
*One of the most poignant scenes shared by Floyd took place in a church in a small town.  Two American medics, one trained for two weeks and the other trained for two months, set up a camp hospital in this town church. The German battalion that was occupying this town (I can't remember the name but it was something like Faustenheizer) was a more humane division than most.  They were known to follow the rules of war, which was unusual for the Germans during this war.  They allowed the medics to take care of the wounded, and the medics cared for the American and German wounded.  Respect was shown between opposing forces at this small church in this small town.  The two medics are honored greatly in this town.
*What an amazing example of strategy was the D-Day invasion!  The Allied Forces wanted Germany to think that the attack would happen at a different location.  Calais seemed the most logical position for an attack as the channel is the narrowest at this point.  So they did everything they could to make it look like the attack would take place there, including using blow up tanks (inflatable) to make it look like that would be the spot for an invasion.

At Utah Beach there is a restaurant called The Roosevelt.  As vets of the D-Day invasion visit this café, they sign their names to the walls or the furniture.  It was so moving to see these brave men's signatures throughout the building.

A table full of vets' signatures at The Roosevelt Café

We finally return to Paris, and though we're certainly not dressed for fine dining, we don't feel like going back to the apartment to change.  I remember that the Goularts had recommended a restaurant in our neighborhood, Au Vieux Paris d'Arcole, so we decide to give it a try.
Donna had told me to find Freddy at the restaurant, which we did.  And we also met his sidekick whose name we missed but he jokingly referred to himself as Odette.  These two are a little comedy team...and they mostly crack themselves up.  They are quite jovial and make for a fun evening.

"Odette", me, Freddy, and John enjoying our evening at d'Arcole

You are invited to pick your own bottle from their wine cellar, but first you have to brave the stairs.  This is a very steep spiral staircase.  But John braves it...because, after all...there is wine at the bottom! We have a very good time and start to wonder...where are the stuffy French waiters people talk about?  We haven't seen one yet!

The sights....c'est Bon!

Thursday, May 25
We have a reservation for the Eiffel Tower at 11:00 and we're in no hurry to do anything before that time.  It's nice to slow down a bit and enjoy our beautiful apartment.
Jacque is not fond of heights and isn't quite sure about going to the summit of the Eiffel Tower, but she's a sport and heads up with us.  When we get to the top though, she clings to the building rather than venturing close to the edge for a better view.  Aw Paris!  The view is always mesmerizing!

Tour de Eiffel

One of the views from the summit

This was close as Jacque wanted to get to the view

Dreams come true!

Once we leave the Eiffel Tower, we decide to stroll about and find a place to eat.  We find a cute little brasserie and sit outside to people watch while we dine.  The others are ordering Boef Bourguignon, and I probably should have also. It looks delicious.  But I wanted to be a bit braver, so I order Beef Tartare (raw beef, chopped up with other "stuff" in it).  It's actually quite delicious, but very rich.  I can only eat less than half, but I enjoy my new experience.
Noting the time, I think we may be able to catch the 3:00 English speaking guided tour of the Opera Garnier.  So we head there.  This building is amazing!  This building is opulent!  During our last trip we happened to arrive here about a half hour before closing and we just quickly walked around on our own.  I'm hoping that the guided tour will give me more information about this amazing piece of architecture.  And I am not disappointed.

One of the "hanging out" areas at the Opera House.

It is fashioned after the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

Our English speaking guide is doing a great job, but her English has a heavy French accent and I need to concentrate a great deal to follow along.  She takes us through the emperor's private entrance (which was built for an emperor who didn't live long enough to use his grand entrance) and the season box holders' entrance.  She explained that among the upper crust, going to the opera was more about being seen than actually watching or listening to the opera.  She said that personal boxes would be theirs for the whole season and some brought their own furniture and decorations to make it especially their own.

I make my entrance up the grand staircase to the

applause of the "normal people"

The "normal people" as she called them, would enter through the front entrance and line the grand staircase to watch the upper crust work their way to their boxes...with much pageantry of course.
This is the opera house of Phantom of the Opera fame, so they have box #5 reserved for the Phantom as it is in the book. There is a huge chandelier weighing 8 tons, which never actually fell as it did in the book, but a counter weight from the chandelier did fall and caused injury.  There isn't a lake with a labyrinth of passageways under the building, but there is an area of water under the seating part of the house to act as a counterweight to the much heavier front and back of the building.  Firemen use it for drills and there are a few catfish in it.
This building was built in the 1860's but in the 1960's someone had the great idea to update the marvelous opera house.  So he had Chagall repaint the ceiling in a modern way.  To me, it just looks out of place.

The chandelier of Phantom of the Opera fame

with the Chagal painted ceiling above

The Opera House along with its sister theater, the Opera Bastille, employ over 2000 people.  They make all their own sets and costumes.  They even employ their own firemen so there won't be any mishaps. There is a presentation each evening at the Opera Garnier.  But since it would be a strain on opera singers' voices to do the opera two nights in a row, they have opera one night and ballet the next.  This means there is a lot of changing of sets and props each day.

I am so glad we went on this tour.  We saw so many more parts of the building than we could when we were racing through on our own.
After the tour, we relax a bit and then head to a restaurant that Ivan, the apartment owner, had recommended.  Another delicious meal.  And since we had dinner rather early for these parts, 8:00 p.m., we decide to grab some sweet crepes for a late night snack. Yum!

Exceptional Property

Monday, May 23
We are saying Au Revoir to our castle and heading into Paris, the City of Light.  We need to return our rented car and take a high speed train to Paris.  And all goes well!  I'm always shocked when that happens.
Our accommodation in Paris is an apartment rental from AirBnB, and it is entitled "Exceptional Property--Notre Dame"...and is it ever!!  It is a gorgeous apartment with the most amazing view of Notre Dame!!  We meet Ivan, whom we are renting from, when we arrive.  From what I've read, he has two homes...this one in Paris and another in Amboise (Loire Valley).  He is a photographer and I can tell from this wonderful place that he truly has "an eye". The furnishings are stunning!

Everything is so beautiful!  And the view! We have a tiny balcony where you can sit and enjoy the lit Notre Dame.  All the windows afford such amazing views.

 the view from our balcony...awww amazing!

We enjoy a late lunch and a little people watching from a local cafe.
Our apartment is so close to Notre Dame (literally across the street) and since John and Jacque never saw the interior of this amazing cathedral on our last trip...we decide to visit.  This French Gothic cathedral was built from 1163 to 1345.  The stained glass and all of the side chapels are beautiful.

 Notre Dame, Paris

And the architecture...amazing!  I had read in Pillars of the Earth, that the goal of architecture at this time was to build the cathedrals as tall as they could, so that they would be closer to God.  The grand heights were causing collapses, until flying buttresses were invented.  This cathedral is a great example of the use of flying buttresses.  (And we get a grand view of the grand buttresses from our living room!)
We eat dinner at our favorite little cafe from our last trip.  It affords a great view of the River Seine and Notre Dame…and is great for people watching.  We all order Beef Bourguignon and enjoy our food and company.  Aw Paris!

Beauty and the Genius

Sunday, May 22
Today we are heading to Chateau de Chenonceau, the most beautiful and famous of the palaces.  It is built extending over the River Cher (which is an off shoot of the River Loire).  It is nicknamed "the Ladies Castle".
From the moment we step on the grounds, I am in awe.  Everything is gorgeous...even the walkway we're currently stepping upon.  As we approach the palace, I think that it isn't as large as I had anticipated.  But then I realize that that is because we are basically entering the side of the palace and the bulk of its size is extending over the river.

Chateau de Chenonceau

The rooms and furnishings are beyond beautiful.  Again, there are stunning fresh floral arrangements in each room.  They have a floral workshop on the grounds that employs two full time florists year round to make these arrangements each day from the bountiful flowers that grow on site.
This castle seems to have been the home to three queens over the course of time.  And each one felt the castle needed additions, which is how it came to grow out over the river.  One interesting fact (at least interesting to me) is that the grand hall which was usually used for entertaining, was used as a hospital during WWII.  The beds for convalescing were lined up facing the windows, where the soldiers could throw out strings tied with bells to fish in the river.

Chateau de Chenonceau...built over the Cher River

Boats would bring supplies up river and unload through windows into the kitchen.  The kitchen rooms were the lowest in the building so there was fear of flooding in these rooms.
It has been pouring rain, but we have been inside.  Now it's time to venture outside and fortunately there is a break in the rain.  We enjoy the amazing gardens...floral and vegetable...and the farming area.  We have been touring this place for over four hours. What a beautiful site!

Yes, we really were there!

We're tired.  We should head back.  But there's one more place I'd like to visit.  Do I dare mention it? Larry says, "We're heading back, right?" with a tone that means I should agree.  I tell everyone that we "could" head to Clos Luce, the home of Leonardo de Vinci in his later years.  We go...but I'm not sure how enthusiastic everyone is at this point.

Clos Luce in Amboise, Leonardo de Vinci's home for his last years

Clos Luce's garden

But in the end, we all think that this visit was well worth the effort.  It is a smaller chateau, and impressive, but at this point I don't think we really care.  It is the models of Leonardo's works that amaze us.  Such a genius!  An inventor, artist, botanist, anatomy master, and engineer...all rolled into one person!!  He was drawing plans for inventions that wouldn't come into existence for another 500 years. He invented the life preserver and the first scuba gear.  The parachute and many canons were his inventions.  He designed a bridge that could roll away for defensive reasons and another bridge with wheels that could be portable and travel.  He drew plans for such futuristic items as an army tank, bicycle, car, and helicopter.

A model of one of de Vinci's many, many inventions...a war tank

There were some small models inside the building that were built by IBM from Leonardo's drawings.  Then outside, in the beautiful park area (the gardens for this chateau) were full-sized models demonstrating how many of them worked.  Mind boggling!  We left there in awe of deVinci!

A Gardener's Paradise

Saturday, May 21
At our hotelier's suggestion, we are heading east from our hotel for one day of touring and then west for the other.  He directs us towards Villandry today as it is known for its gardens and today there will be sunshine.  (Rain is expected on Sunday.)
So, off we go in our rented car to try to find our way to Villandry.  My phone is not working here, but fortunately Jacque can use her phone's GPS so we manage to arrive in a timely manner.
Chateau de Villandry is beautiful, and we tour its many rooms.  Since I am a "wonderer," I start to wonder how the ladies of these manors got around.  The staircases are usually spiral, as was common for this locale at this time...1700's).  And the staircases are narrow.  (With my big feet, I always had to use the outer edge of the staircase or my feet wouldn't fit! ) So I wonder...how did those ladies maneuver these staircases in their large dresses and maintain the dignity expected of a queen? The audio guide does not answer my question.
This chateau was the home of the Minister of Finance.  John quickly assumes that there must have been some "taking off the top" to afford such an amazing palace.  I think about it and realize that Hampton Court was built for Cardinal Wolsey, which was the English king's first advisor.  Evidently it paid really well to be that close to a king!

enjoying the grounds at Villandry...

and it's sunny!!

Jacque and I quickly notice the gorgeous flower arrangements in every room.  Are they all real?  Yes, they're real...and fresh...and amazingly scented!  I have to sniff them in every room.  Ahhh...lovely!
After touring the beautiful rooms and furnishings, we head outdoors to the gardens.  I knew they were vast, but still I am taken aback!  Acres and acres of manicured gardens...the sculpted gardens, the flower gardens, the herb/vegetable garden (which is presented in a most stunning manner!), the garden maze (does every castle have its own garden maze??  maybe these were used in hopes that the kids would get lost for awhile??), the greenhouses, and the forest paths.  I must Google how many full time gardeners it takes to maintain these grounds. Amazing!!

 Just a small view of the sculpted gardens at Villandry

Chateau de Villandry

Next we head to Chinon, where there is another chateau.  We do a bit of wine tasting in the town of Chinon.  Then we visit the chateau.  We don't bother with audio guides here, we just do a quick tour of the rooms and call it a day.  This castle was the home to a queen (Which one?  I have no idea.  There are way too many kings & queens around here!) and her fourteen children.  Where was the king?  I don't know...maybe gone to war.  But it seems to me that the queen may have been lonely because she collected quite a few pets, including rabbits that she walked on leashes.

 Chateau de Chinon

We fit right in, don't we?

This evening we are dining at our own chateau.  The food is excellent, but I'm so tired I hardly notice it.  I hope the rest of our group is enjoying their dinners more than I'm tasting mine.