Beautiful, beautiful Barcelona

(We had trouble with the power at our hotel and none of our devices charged while we slept, so we ended up running out of power on the ipad. The following pictures have been copied from the internet. We have to wait until we get home to post our pictures from our cameras.)
Seeing ourselves lounging beside the pool in Barcelona, we booked the Marriott for two nights. However, we arrived late on the first night, and on the second we were so busy touring the city that we didn't get back to our hotel until after dark. One of the things we have learned in life, and especially when travelling is to roll with whatever comes our way.
We set out on the Hop on Hop off bus, which picked us up right outside our hotel. We enjoyed seeing the lovely Meditteranean beaches and the Olympic Village, which have now become condos for the locals. We got off the bus downtown, and found ourselves in the middle of a huge fiesta. Thousands of people had gathered to watch a couple of hundred people enjoying a Catalonyan street dance called the Sardona. This is a traditional dance, in which young and old join hands in a huge circle, and follow the very precise steps of this traditional dance. The dancers were accompanied by a group of musicians playing lively music. Watching them was pure magic!

A little further down, we came upon a woman singing Ave Maria in the most beautiful voice. It was enchanting, and at that moment I fell completely and totally in love with Barcelona! Soon we were caught up in a huge crowd, and before we knew it, we were in a huge square where different teams were taking turns building human pyramids. These pyramids are called castells, and have been part of Castelonian culture for over 200 years!
As we continued through the square, we came upon the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Daint Eulalia. This church was built between the 13th and 15th century, and it perfectly captured the sense of wonder that we felt in being in such a beautiful city. We sat at the back and allowed God's peace to wash over us as the priest conducted mass in Latin.

The landmark that Barcelona is probably the most famous for is the La Sagrada Familia. This is an incredible church that was started by the Catalon architect Antoni Gaudiand in 1882 and is still being built today. It is the most amazing piece of art, taking up a full city block, with colourful bobbles of fruit on the spires. The way that the exterior stone walls are built made me think of a gigantic sand castle.

We took one look at the line that circled around the block and decided to skip seeing the inside. After our experience at Notre Dame, churches and noisy huge crowds just don't go together for us! This is one more thing that we will have to add to our list for the next trip!
Although we could have stayed in Barcelona for several days, we had already booked our hotels at the next two towns, so we had to say good-bye although there was so much more to see!

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Montpelier to Barcelona

What bliss, to have a completely relaxing day. After walking across the street to buy our breakfast supplies, we enjoyed a leisurely meal beside the pool. Our only job for the day was to return our little Fiat by 3:00 pm and get to the train station.

After packing and spending some time getting organized for the Spanish leg of our trip, we headed back to the super marché to get some sliced chicken to add to the baguette and cheese, and to spend another leisurely hour besided the pool. Since we were all packed, we decided to head to the rental car return an hour early, telling ourselves that we might as well relax at the train station.

Montpelier is a lovely old city, but after driving around and around the same city block for an hour looking for the rental return place, we were both ready to scream! Adding to our frustration was that it was a very warm day, and we were both starting to lose our good humour. After stopping and asking for directions a couple of times, we were finally told that the rental agency was INSIDE the train station! Argh! No wonder the GPS had us driving around and around the same block!

The train station at Montpelier was modern and clean, but nowhere as comfortable as the one in London. There was a shortage of places to sit down, and it was very hot inside. We did, however, find a little café that had tables, so Bryce bought a double expresso, and we sat and relaxed while waiting for our train.

The rapid transit trains are painted in delightful designs. I loved this flower power version!

After our experience on the London-Paris train with the two chatty Cathy's, we decided to spring for first class going to Barcelona, and we were glad that we did. It was very comfortable, and the 3 hour ride went very quickly.

Giant loaves of bread

We arrived at our hotel around 8:00, but fortunately, there is some sort of music festival going on right beside the hotel, so after unpacking we went out to join the fun. We enjoyed a falafel from a street cart and bought our bread and cheese for tomorrow's breakfast before settling in for the night.

Giant sized buns!

 

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St. Emilion to Montpellier

St. Emilion is a lovely little town that is mostly made up of vineyards and wineries. The views stretching across the valley are breathtaking, and the vineyards go on for miles.

We set out early in the morning looking for a Boulanger to buy our breakfast baguette, but the only shops that we could see in town were wineries. Hmmm, that wouldn't be so good for breakfast!

While the town is truly delightful, and we enjoyed navigating the narrow streets

and looking down on the lower village,

our hungry stomaches told us that sight seeing wouldn't do the job. Finally, we found a small grocery store that sold everything we needed; baguette, camembaert cheese and fruit. The bread and cheese here has to be the best in the world, and this, our standard breakfast, has made us excited to jump out of bed every morning that we have been in France! And the grapes of course, are the best in the world. Trés bon!

After driving around in circles, and getting caught up in the snare of the busloads of tourists coming into town to tour the wineries, we finally made it onto the highway heading toward Carcasone, 3 1/2 hours away.

While it was hard to believe that this castle fortress could be anywhere as awesome as Le Mt. St. Michel, we were dumbstruck when we finally saw it from a distance. It is so huge that two pictures don't even capture the width of the entire castle!

This site was inhabited from ancient times. Even though the fortress has amazing protections, including turrets for viewpoints, a moat and a double wall, it changed hands many times throughout the centuries.

In 1208 the Pope declared that a crusade should take place against the current inhabitants of the area, and it was taken over as a royal possession. From this time on, the fortress grew into a medieval town.

From the lookouts, the Pyrenees Mountains stand in the distance. One of the main purposes of Carcassone in the 1600s was to protect France from the Aragones in the south.

Much of Carconne had fallen into ruin by the 19th century, and many of the stones had been carried away to build the newer town below the castle. In 1835 a group of academics saw the fortress for the treasure that it was and sought tto have it restored. The French architect Viollet-Le-Duc undertook restoration of the castle taking 58 years, with Le-Duc dying before its completion, and one of his pupils finishing the work.

This is now a UNESCO world heritage site, and has been identified as one of the finest examples of medieval architecture in the world. As we walked around the outer wall, the word that kept coming to our minds was "magic, absolutely magic!"

After exploring the old castle for a couple of hours, we jumped back in our little Fiat and headed off to Montpelier, our stop for the night. It is always a delight to discover a truly lovely hotel at the end of a long tiring day, and La Maison Blanche was wonderful in every way.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner on the patio, and a lovely warm evening on our last night in France!

 

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Le Mont St. Michel

In 708, the Bishop of Avranches decided to build a sanctuary on the small island of Mont-Tombe in honour of the Archangel Michael. This soon became a popular pilgrimage for many people, including kings and queens. The people of the Middle ages regarded this site as a representation of heaven on earth.

In the 10th century, the Benedictines settled in the abbey, and a small village began to grow at the base of the walls. Over the centuries, the village and the abbey continued to grow and be continually added on to until it became the incredible structure of today.

The location of the monastery, with its inpenetrable walls, and the island impossible to reach at high tide made it a stronghold during the Hundred Years War, and it was able to resist attacks by the British.

How amazing that Bryce and I were able to make a pilgrimage of our own, taking the shuttle bus over the paved parkway that now leads to the island. We walked through the medieval village on our way to the top.

During the French Revolution, the abbey was abandoned, and it was taken over to be used as a prison. We were able to tour the dark, damp dungeons where prisoners were held in tiny cells for many years, usually for speaking out against the government or the king. Thank goodness times have changed!

Six prisoners would walk inside this giant wheel in order to get the pulley to haul supplies up from the base of the mountain. It was a brilliant plan for moving supplies, and it saved the prisoners from having to work out on the treadmill at the gym!

High walls kept invaders and the sea water out!

 

Chastity belt from the 14th century; sure looks uncomfortable; that's some sort of metal, possibly iron!

It was a lot of stairs to get to the top but it was worth it!

The view from the top. We wouldn't want to try to cross at high tide!

Inside the cathedral

The monk's dining hall

We drove from Le Mont St. Michel through charming litle villages full of old homes made out of stone, all the way through to the Bordeaux Valley, a 6 hour drive. We stayed in this lovely old hotel in the town of St. Emilion, just outside of Bordeaux.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Juno Beach

It's impossible to describe the emotions that hit us as we toured the site where 21 400 Canadians landed on June 6, 1944, taking on the German army that had occupied France for the previous four years. Although I have attended a Remembrance Day service almost every year since I was born, and have read many books and seen many movies about the Second World War, it was not until I stood on this beach looking back at the still standing German bunkers that I really FELT what an incredible sacrifice our young Canadian men have made. Although they knew that the Germans would be waiting to pick them off as they jumped into waist deep water, they bravely plunged ahead, braving artillery fire from the Germans, land mines that had been planted on the beach, all the while carrying 70 pounds of heavy equipment.

The beach today

The beach today

The same spot on D Day

340 Canadian men were killed on and 574 injured on the first day of fighting. In spite of this, the Canadians were the only ones to break through the German lines, doing so in under 3 hours. The Americans and English were not quite so lucky in their fighting several miles away at Omaha, Utah, Sword and Gold Beaches, so the Canadians were on their own behind enemy lines as they hoped for the Americans and British to join them.

An example of some of the obstacles that the Germans had on the beach to slow the Allies down.

Inside the German bunker.

The Canadian War Memorial is exceptionally well done, with films and displays to explain the lead up to the war, the impact on civilians in France and back home in Canada, and the aftermath of the war. Two things really impacted me: a film that showed smiling and joking young men as young as 16 heading off to war; so many of them did not make it back; the other showing the city of Caen, where we are presently staying, under attack by the allies. Most of the civilians were killed and almost every building was destroyed. The only building left standing was the cathedral! So very very sad.

Outside of the Memorial building is a display of markers honouring all the Canadians who died liberating this part of France.

Although he made it past the first German lines at the beach, Bryce's uncle was killed on D Day as his troop was engaged in fighting inland.

We also visited the Canadian War Cemetary at Beny Sur Mer to see Bryce's uncle's grave.

It was touching to see the little stone that Bryce's sister Judy had laid there when she came to visit a couple of years ago.

This is a beautifully kept cemetary, and it was once again a solemn reminder of the many young men who died so that we could enjoy the amazing freedom that we enjoy today.

I was struck throughout the day at the impact that this war had on people from my parent's generation; all of those who lost brothers, sweethearts, husbands; all of those who survived but came home forever changed. I thought of people in my own generation whose fathers were angry, violent, alcoholic, never receiving help, but visiting their pain upon their own children. Today's visit gave me a profound sense of gratitude to those of my father's generation, but also a deep sense of sorrow at the high cost of war on future generations.

 

 

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Off to Normandy!

I was a bit anxious about navigating the traffic leaving Paris, but with the help of good directions from the car rental agency and our GPS, it went beautifully. The roundabouts that look so confusing are actually quite easy to navigate, and the other drivers are very patient and courteous. I would way rather drive here than in New York!

Once we got out of the city in our cute little rented Fiat, it was a relaxing 2 1/2 hour drive through farms that reminded us of the Canadian prairies. It is impossible to drive this route without reflecting on what it must have been like when Hitler's army marched through here, claiming this land as its own.

We arrived in the city of Caen, and after unpacking, went to explore the city. It is quite a large city, but with good directions from the lady at the desk of our hotel, we headed downtown to talk to the people at the visitor's center.

We saw this amazing chateau and got some great information about some of the war memorials that we want to visit tomorrow, but before we could do any more exploring, we needed to plug in the GPS. Uh oh, we left it in our hotel room. Oh no, how do we find our way back to our hotel.

After studying the map and making many wrong turns, we finally stopped and asked for directions. After finally retrieving the GPS, we decided to go out to just take a look at Juno Beach where the war memorials are. This is about a half hour drive, but well worth it! It is a quaint little town, with a lovely beach with lots of sunbathers, swimmers, and people enjoying drinks on sunny pub patios.

We are looking forward to going back tomorrow and paying tribute to the thousands of Canadian, American, British, Polish, Belgians, New Zealanders, Australians, Norwegians, Czechs, Greeks, Dutch and French soldiers who lost their lives here as they stormed the beachead. What a different world we would be living in today if they had not been willing to make this sacrifice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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