Just Because I Like a Laugh- and I Love the New HBL Library

Sleeping Beauty's Castle

This was The Ussey Chateau- or the Sleeping Beauty Castle. Not the one the castle in the Disney movie is based on (that one is on the Rhine I think). The man who wrote Sleeping Beauty stayed in this castle around the time he wrote the story- so it is said this is what he was thinking of when he wrote it. And since Sleeping Beauty is my favorite princess we had to go.

It was on of the most charming of the places we visited. And it had a moat! I also loved the courtyard- the roses and I was a little sad that we were a little too early for the hydrengeas.

The best part was how much this place reveled in the cheeseyness of Sleeping Beauty. Music from the Disney movie was piped through out the half of the castle that was for SB. You were allowed to just wander around peering in rooms with scenes from the movies set up with mannequins. It was WONDERFUL. One of the rooms had lots of glitter- tons of it. And just to make it a little crazier apparently every year the castle hosts a historical weekend where people wear a different decade's clothing. And so some random rooms just had people wearing clothes from the twenties or the 1830s just scattered among the Sleeping Beauty panoramas. Very strange and enjoyable. You also toured a more traditional wing and the family still leaves in the third wing.

These wheat fields were on the way to this castle. I loved how the wild flowers were mixed into the fields. Just lovely and magical.

The road to the Ussey Chateau.

I found these guys in the crazy wing- very funny.

There was also a charming little chapel. I really loved this Madonna made of Florentine Ceramic. I love Florentine ceramic a great deal and this was a charming little find in the French countryside. I wondered about the woman who commissioned this piece. Did she travel to Italy? What other things did she collect? Or did she just get this because she saw one like it at her sister's home? Note- I assume it was ordered by a woman.

Our French Farmhouse

This was a working farm- so the boys of course got to spend many many minutes watching tractors. This is pretty much all you need to ensure a successful vacation for Coen.

All day we would tour these amazing chateau- but this was what made the vacation for me. I was very happy just wondering around the farm with the boys after dinner.

These are the sights that feed a country girls soul.

Most nights we would take a walk to watch one of these:

A little cowboy would join us for the walk- but then he would demand someone carry his rifle and then he would demand that someone carry the cowboy.

We loved the cows- and as usual for goats these two were crazy. They would race coen up and down the length of the fence.

Oh did I mention there were bike rides too?

Heaven on Earth.

Chambord

This was the first of the castles we visited. There was a little group of cafes that served huge portions. I think if we had come here later in the week we would have been a little disappointed. But since it was the first we loved it. There were very few furnished rooms- but I actually really liked the big open room flooded with light and there was some of the best modern art pieces- very modern but with a obvious inspiration in history.

This was the little stream- traveling with kids means that you take lots of breaks to just sit and watch the river go by and trying to find frogs or fish (we got both!).

It also means when there is a big field you take time to run around like a monkey.

While we played in this field they were setting up a stage for a series of opera performances to be preformed here over the summer. I really want to go back to do this. Also the chateau is in the center of a big park and there were bike trails everywhere. I want to come back with older kids and do the bike ride and the chateau and the opera (I may have to do that alone).

Notice Coen checking out the double stairway designed by DeVinci- he thought they were spy holes. We were very into spies for much of this trip. Also the boys loved the dragon drain spouts and running around on the roof. We liked the roof the best as a group (the art was my personal favorite). This also may be the only picture of our entire family taken on the trip.

This is some of the art I liked so much.

I keep feeling the need to post. And I have tons of pictures and lots of stories. But when I first got home I was not in the mood. The last couple days of the trip stunk and the flight home was awful. Just more reason for me to hate Germans. (not any I actually know- just evil Germans on planes and in lines).

But today I thought I have to at least write a little something. And then I thought about the best part of the trip. Ice Cream. We were in France only a few days when Alma looked over at me and said I know why you like France- they have pistachio flavored Ice Cream everywhere (I hadn't taken him in a patisserie yet so he didn't know about all the pistachio flavored pastry!)

And he was right. I love pistachio Ice Cream (with a scoop of chocolate- the darker the better) And while the little ice cream shops are charming and I visited a great many of them- the Nestle Extreme Chocolat Pistache was really my favorite. Now in the US I don't really like pre-made cones like this- but this little confection is why we are on earth. God did say men are that they might have joy. And this is joy in a box. It is alternating layers of pistachio and chocolate ice cream in a cone dipped in dark chocolate with a little nut/nugatty sprinkle. DIVINE. There was a box in our freezer most of the first week (they were half off at the Grocery store! if they weren't a frozen food I would have shipped an entire case home). And I found an excuse to regularly indulge. Oh sweet Chocolat Pistache Extreme how I miss you. If only I wasn't the only interested consumer in the US you might be sold here too.

Rumors and rumors of rumors. Are the Black Eyed Peas preforming tonight at the city wide musical festival (mostly consisting of Native American groups, tango music, and a salvation army band as far as I can tell)? Will there be a museum strike for this week in Paris. Best as I can tell- NO and maybe. We just wandered home via Notre Dame (the supposed location of the BEP concert) and there were hordes and hordes of youngins milling around. Quite a large group for the chorale concert I enjoyed, and no signs of imminent singing of a lady hump. Then again the chorale group was singing in Latin and French- so I may have been surprised.

Other highlights of the day- a cruise on the Seine- a lot of second guessing of self. Hind sight is 20/20 and I could have planned the day a lot better. Lots of strange music, a very short nap, too little shopping, crepes with nutella, and just being in gorgeous Paris!

We are well- Coen only took a week to leave California time behind- but we are finally going down by 11 instead of some time between 2 and 4 am. We net with the rest of the crowd today paid a TON to do two loads of laundry and are trying to adjust to busy city life after a week in the Loire Valley. Here are a couple of favorite shots from the last week. Just a brief peek- and maybe if I am not like my usual self I will actually post about the trip when I get home.

A couple of quick little memories- after four days Coen started to ask to go home. He misses California and all of his animals I wouldn't let him bring. The boys have been troopers- just amazing. The french love little children and the boys got lots of attention where ever we went. Lost of good food- but my favorite so far is the Nestle extreme Pistache- much more on this later and a meal in Blois- squab stuffed with rabbit served with a pumpkin souffle and root vegetables. Being told my french was very very good- HAHAHAHAHAHA. (twice) My mind is mush right now so I will write more as I remember. I must be off to bed if I am going to do anything fun before lunch tomorrow.

Okay I am finally finishing this later in the week. We have been blessed with good weather. And I think if it weren't for the boys and universal love of children I would have visited these amazing places without really talking to anyone, but kids are a great way to make a connection with a stranger. Here in Spain- especially the old men love the little boys and Coen wearing his FCB jersey gets attention where ever we go. We are starting to get tired, but I hope my love for Paris will rekindle my energy- or the lbs and lbs of pastries I plan on eating. We have some amazing pictures- but the internet in our room is SLOW- and it is too distracting to sit in the lobby watching the train of American Hussies some in and out of the hotel. So hopefully better internet in Paris.

Went to the plaza (or placa) outside of the cethederal tonight and watched local Barcalonians dancing some Catalan folk dances, we were right next to the band and it was just wonderful. Coen stood in front of the band and danced with Charlie- he broke danced. I think it is the only dancing he has seen her in Spain (on the Rambla) and so it made sense to him. It was mostly only middle aged and elderly people dancing- and I was a little sad there wasn't more kids and young people. It made me think of college- and the folk dance class that I failed. I will post videos when I can upload them in less than 2 hours.

Well off to finish more high priced laundry.

Sorry for spelling- the spell checker is in Spanish- so not much good to me.