trying to be quick as I am spending a fortune in this internet place...I am currently in Bayeux, home to the Bayeux Tapestry which depicts the events of 1066 in which William the Conqueror (originally known as 'William the Bastard' - and with a handle like that wouldn't you want to try to change it too?) conquers England. It is very very cool...over 900 years old and 70 metres long and still in amazing condition; the colours are still almost as bright as they were when it was created.
This weekend I am staying at a Benedictine monastary (the building I'm in dates from the 16th century, I'm told) which is fabulously cheap and fabulously cold but there's loads of hot water and I get a huge room all to myself. I showed up last night just before dinner without a reservation; the door was answered by the tiniest most ancient nun I have ever seen who demanded "what do you want?" (it doesn't sound quite that rude in French) and "what is your nationality?" before disappearing for a few minutes to confer with her peers. Finally she returned and told me they would take me (whew!)...I was passed on to Sister Cecile who is very young...I would like to ask her why she is a nun but I sense this would be somewhat impertinent.
I spent the past week with Jane on our Ibis/cheese/cemetery tour of northern France. Amiens, Arras, Lochnagar Crater, the British WWI cemetary and monument at Thiepval - site of massive British casualties in the battle of the Somme (where we were interviewed for a local magazine), Vimy Ridge where the monument is closed for repairs but we were able to take the tunnel tour which is pretty crazy, Rouen where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake and which is also home to 'Monet's Cathedral' - the one he kept painting and painting...Rouen has a pretty great Beaux Arts Musee but you can probably skip the Joan of Arc wax museum...I did it so you don't have to. Rouen is also the location of our second run-in with the press; as we are cornered outside the cathedral by a local tv guy who wants to know what we know about Ingrid Betancourt. Sadly I believe I came off as an uninformed foreign imbecile, as I know absoulement rien de Ingrid Betancourt.
Finally yesterday we visited Omaha Beach (one of the beaches stormed on D-Day in WWII) and the American Cemetery there. We also went to the German WWII cemetery which is nearby...there are over 20,000 German soldiers buried there. It's rather a stark place; I will post photos when I can connect my camera to a computer.
I am very close to Dieppe but I don't think I will go although I hear the Canadian Juno Beach centre is quite good...it's too late today, tomorrow is Sunday and I don't know about the bus schedule; it's REALLY fricking cold here...and quite frankly I'm a bit warred out. Driving along the highways from place to place you see so many WWI and WWII monuments, plus so many military cemetaries scattered about the countryside.
Tomorrow I plan to chill with the nuns and prepare for the potential nightmare that will be Monday _ spend the day in Mont St Michel; then catch a train to Paris and another train to Bayonne near the Spanish border to arrive approx 6a.m....then try to find the bus station where apparently I can take a bus to San Sebastian (SPAIN FINALLY) to eat tapas until I burst. I feel myself inexplicably drawn to a warmer climate. Then hopefully a day in Bilbao and then I will get to Madrid to meet the parents! Looking forward to that too.
However, this plan hinges entirely upon my ability to get up at 6 am monday morning to catch the train from Bayeux to Mont St Michel. Cross your fingers for me.
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Have you stayed at a castle yet? it sounds rather extravagant but there tons in france at reasonable prices. I went to one in Cherveux. It was called the Chateau Cherveux. It's near La Rochelle on the west coast. It's absolutely beautiful and cheap. the rooms are huge. The couple that own it Mr. & Mrs. Redien are very nice and you get to practice your french over dinner. The best meals I've ever had were the cookings of la madame of the house. He loves his castle which is also a working farm. They have a website. I'd look for you if the net wasn't so slow over here.
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