Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
The French have a way of saying that it is not the locations that you visit but the people that you share it with.... ..That has been the sum of our experience to date. We've just finished a week of staying with our French friends in their houses. It is such a treat as a tourist to have the opportunity to reconnect with friends, see the time since the last visit disappear and remember why they have forged such special memories in our lives.... We have been lucky enough to share with our friends their favourite spots, meals and activities and they have enriched our memories for us. We have asked all the bizzare questions that come up as we travel, seen them accept the weird Canadian habits ( drinking coffee or tea in the car in transit, or stocking the fridge for anything more than 6 hours worth of food seems very Canadian to them) . Perhaps best of all is watching our kids try to navigate through the French that they know and forge friendships that surmount language barriers.
We spent two nights with Rhian's friend Laurence and her family. We were delighted to find out that they live on the "main drag"of a small town of 500 people in a former store that they are renovating; complete with 3 very friendly chickens in the back yard who occasionally enter the house (Colette, Sue-Ellen, and Madonna), two cats, a mannequin head hanging from the ceiling in the kitchen for some reason , and her daughter Soraya setting the table while roller blading in the house- love it! It was hard to think that 20 plus years had past since our last visit and I was so sad to leave not knowing when the next visit would come.
We rented bikes one day to ride along the Loire Valley to Angers to visit with Mme Touzard at the house that Rhian stayed in for a year in 1989. She is a wonderful woman. At 81 years old she is still very spry and managed to figure our children out pretty quickly.
Next we zig zagged our way north to Britany to spend time with Laurent Bellec and his family in Corseul. I got to know Laurent in 1994 when he was visiting his cousin Marc in Winnipeg. We We were lucky enough to be able to see the amazing places that make Bretagne a special place... Mont st Michel, Fort La latte, St Malo and best of all their hospitality. We were even treated to a crepe and cider lunch with Laurent's brother Manu (and his family) and their parents. I was spared the "privilege" of having andouille (intestine but smells like anus) in my crepe.
We have been truly humbled by the way these friends have played host to us and can't wait to return the favour when they come to visit!
- comments
Mya I finally had a moment to read up on your adventures! So thankful for a little window into your trip which sounds like it has totally surpassed your expectations. Keep enjoying and savouring every moment. xoxoxo
margot christie Loved to hear about Laurence-- did you remind her of the pineapple lamp? I got a wonderful card from Kaya, sent from Paris-- th'll go in a lake scrapbook Have fun-- I am starting to really need too see all of you Toots
Erin What an adventure. Colin be careful - you may ruin your engineering cred by writing so nicely. I have always wanted to see Bretagne; what a treat to hear about it, looking forward to more. Wpg misses you all but it will be here in a few weeks time.