This has been a pretty amazing school year for the Mommacita so far. The littlest Duckling started at the Maternalle (the all-day French pre-school) and since I have been going to French class, all the Ducklings have been attending Cantine or school lunch. Now for any Americans out there you may be thinking big deal, everyone goes to school lunch, but here in France, your child only goes to Cantine, if you work, go to school, or can prove that for some reason,you are unable to pick up your little darlings at 11:30 and return them at 1:30. This is a very effective way to ensure that ones day is broken into two 3 hour blocks, neither of which is long enough to really accomplish anything.
So last year we began completing the copius paperwork to enroll all of the Ducklings in Cantine. Unfortunately, we did not complete it properly, or provide proof of my schooling. This led to us spending many hours rushing around, gathering paperwork so we could stand in line at the school district lunch offices and prove we were worthy enough that our children could attend Cantine. After returning once with our children's birth certificates (yes, birth certificates for lunch) we received approval for our children's lunch room education to begin, and begin it did.
I have always wondered how French families teach their children to behave in restaurants as they don't often take their children out. It turns out, they don't. The school teaches them to behave at the table. As the lunch break is 2 hours, the children have plenty of time to eat and still play. There are no tater tots and hotdogs here, the meal itself consists of 4 courses each of which is served by the lunch room wait staff. (I think this might be why the lunch ladies are always the first to take off on strike days) The first course, or entree (appetizer for you Americans) consists generally of a vegetable, beans or cucumber in a salad. Next, is the plat (main course) which is a meat and rice, potatoes or couscous, followed by a cheese course and then dessert. Dessert is usually a fruit, but can be anything from cake to ice cream. Fridays there is no meat served (Good Catholic country that France is) but eggs are sometimes offered instead of fish. All of this is served with baguette and water. The teachers and aides eat in the same room as the children with the children 6 to a table. There is no messing around tolerated at all.
What amazes me, is that my children like it. And especially for the littlest Duckling, they are trying new things that I could never get them to eat at home. The menu consists of fish, lamb, beef etc. It is varied and it is amazing. Every day the Ducklings return home and share their culinary adventures. They don't love everything but generally they try everything and that is a good thing. Yes, they would rather be home with me, but for now at least, I know that they are eating a nutritious lunch and are learning something in the process. The best part? Instead of being rushed like they would be in the U.S., they have time to go play and have fun after lunch. I think Cantine is something they will miss next year when return to the States. I am sure I will hear a lot about the noise and craziness of the US lunchroom as well as the fact that they are rushed and don't have an hour to play. Just one of the many differences we will be adjusting to next year I am sure. Oh well, it will be good to be back to a country that has a Target, and Starbucks, and Nordstrom and.....
Monday, November 15, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
A Perfect Day in Le Revest
After much rain (very unusual this time of year) the beautiful blue skies and sun have come to Southern France. Each day, I wake up, look at the sky and just breathe. This it what makes living here special. Few places that I have lived have this amazing blue sky, no clouds and not too hot yet, ability to make me feel wonderful. It was on a recent day just like the one described, that we had one of our most special days in France.
I am sure to our friends who live in a beautiful little village called Le Revest les Eaux it was a normal day, but for us it was almost magical. A quaint little village tucked up against the mountains, behind Mt. Faron, Le Revest is filled with little springs that pop up everywhere. Newer houses tumble down toward the old village, where a town square and fountain surrounded by trees greet visitors. Each year this little village has a featival honoring a different region in France. This year the honoree was Corsica, a small island south of France surrounded by the beautiful water of the Med. Our French friends, Sabine and Bernard, invited us to join them in their village for the festival. We would meet some of their friends, the children would play and we would eat and drink the foods and wine of Corse. It turned out to be a nearly perfect day.
The sun was shining, but the tree filled village was cool and shady. The three families gathered on a terrace and as the children sat and played, the adults planned the meal for the day, pizza for the children (not Corsican, but really how many kids want boar pate) and an assortment of foods from Corsica for the adults, salami, meats, cheeses, bread, soup and most importantly wine. Although our friends thought it was not as big a feast as other years, we enjoyed relaxing talking and getting to know everyone better.
After lunch, the older children took the younger children to play fair-style games, ride the carousel and play at the park. How wonderful for us to be able to relax knowing that the children were fine in this fabulous little town. Would we have let the children have this independence in the US...no. Because, let's face it, in the US, people do not give their children nearly the independence they do here. By 14, many French teenagers are headed by train to other towns to explore with their friends. Life seems so much more simple here and this may be what I miss the most when we leave.
As the children played, the adults headed up the hill through the old town. We were given the VIP tour of this beautiful village. We saw the church both of the other couples were married in. As Bernard is a mason, we enjoyed seeing the houses he has worked on and the ones he will soon be starting work on. We saw the lake that used to provide water to Toulon and I guess is now just a beautiful area to picnic and hike. We saw the medieval tower that tops the hill and has a gorgeous view. From many spots in this amazing town, you can see all the way to the ocean. From this point you can also see the historic pigeonnier (pigeon house), on the opposite hill, recently refurbished and quite beautiful although it no longer houses pigeons. We finished our stroll by checking out the vendors tables, looking at the jewelry and other things, were impressed by the man carving beautiful works of art out of stone and using the towns fountain to rinse it as he went, and finally, we joined the children at the playground before heading back to our friends house for drinks and a snack.
Yes, we spoke French and some English when necessary, but it was the first time here that I felt really comfortable in an all French setting. What a great accomplishment for me. And, one that would not have been possible if our hosts we not so willing and welcoming.
It was really a leisurely, wonderful day. Of course, it wouldn't be my family if there were not a few hiccups, one of the twin ducklings fell and scraped herself, the littlest duckling threw up after a few too many spins of the park merry-go-round etc. But all in all it was the perfect day. Many thanks to our friends for including us and showing us such a special place.
I am sure to our friends who live in a beautiful little village called Le Revest les Eaux it was a normal day, but for us it was almost magical. A quaint little village tucked up against the mountains, behind Mt. Faron, Le Revest is filled with little springs that pop up everywhere. Newer houses tumble down toward the old village, where a town square and fountain surrounded by trees greet visitors. Each year this little village has a featival honoring a different region in France. This year the honoree was Corsica, a small island south of France surrounded by the beautiful water of the Med. Our French friends, Sabine and Bernard, invited us to join them in their village for the festival. We would meet some of their friends, the children would play and we would eat and drink the foods and wine of Corse. It turned out to be a nearly perfect day.
The sun was shining, but the tree filled village was cool and shady. The three families gathered on a terrace and as the children sat and played, the adults planned the meal for the day, pizza for the children (not Corsican, but really how many kids want boar pate) and an assortment of foods from Corsica for the adults, salami, meats, cheeses, bread, soup and most importantly wine. Although our friends thought it was not as big a feast as other years, we enjoyed relaxing talking and getting to know everyone better.
After lunch, the older children took the younger children to play fair-style games, ride the carousel and play at the park. How wonderful for us to be able to relax knowing that the children were fine in this fabulous little town. Would we have let the children have this independence in the US...no. Because, let's face it, in the US, people do not give their children nearly the independence they do here. By 14, many French teenagers are headed by train to other towns to explore with their friends. Life seems so much more simple here and this may be what I miss the most when we leave.
As the children played, the adults headed up the hill through the old town. We were given the VIP tour of this beautiful village. We saw the church both of the other couples were married in. As Bernard is a mason, we enjoyed seeing the houses he has worked on and the ones he will soon be starting work on. We saw the lake that used to provide water to Toulon and I guess is now just a beautiful area to picnic and hike. We saw the medieval tower that tops the hill and has a gorgeous view. From many spots in this amazing town, you can see all the way to the ocean. From this point you can also see the historic pigeonnier (pigeon house), on the opposite hill, recently refurbished and quite beautiful although it no longer houses pigeons. We finished our stroll by checking out the vendors tables, looking at the jewelry and other things, were impressed by the man carving beautiful works of art out of stone and using the towns fountain to rinse it as he went, and finally, we joined the children at the playground before heading back to our friends house for drinks and a snack.
Yes, we spoke French and some English when necessary, but it was the first time here that I felt really comfortable in an all French setting. What a great accomplishment for me. And, one that would not have been possible if our hosts we not so willing and welcoming.
It was really a leisurely, wonderful day. Of course, it wouldn't be my family if there were not a few hiccups, one of the twin ducklings fell and scraped herself, the littlest duckling threw up after a few too many spins of the park merry-go-round etc. But all in all it was the perfect day. Many thanks to our friends for including us and showing us such a special place.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Les Bottes/The Boots
I am sure that most anyone who knew me prior to my move to France will be shocked by what I am about to tell you....shocked. First, let me say, that I am a normal mother of 4 children, or at least as normal as one who has 4 children can be. Before we arrived in France, I dressed pretty much like all the other Moms I knew and hung out with. A lot of work-out attire and tennis shoes, with the occasional jeans and/or pants with a sweater. Whatever has happened to me? I do not claim to be "tres chic" by any stretch of the imagination, but I will say that I only wear work out clothes when I am actually working out, and lets face it, that is a pretty rare occurrence. However, my ever developing sense of fashion has manifested itself in a new and sudden interest in boots. Well, purses and wool coats too. I am not sure, if it is the fact that every woman here wears boots almost daily, or if it is that it is hard to buy clothes here if you are larger then a size 8, and everyone that knows me, knows I haven't been a size 8 since age 12, but, I will say it now, I am addicted to boots.
I know my boot addiction is shocking. You will be really shocked when you find out what now resides in my closet.
When we arrived, I had 3 pairs of boots, one brown, one black and one reddish. The black and brown boots were from Target, my US shopping mecca. The red boots I still have and they are pretty beautiful. So beautiful in fact, that I had to buy myself a purse to match...thanks Nonna. They were pretty expensive by my pre-France standards and were actually purchased at Macy's.
However, this is what I have become.........
Purchase #1......Brown boots, for walking around town in. They go with everything (except my black wool coat...I must wear my blue pea coat). These boots were more expensive then my red boots, but I wore them almost everyday last winter. Because I wore them everyday, I had to find a cordonnier, that's what they call a trained shoe repairman in France. Although for some reason, they make copies of keys as well. My brown boots have visited the repair place 3 times, but are still holding together, barely.
Purchase #2....made shortly after purchase #1. I had to have a pair of black walk around town boots....to match my grey wool coat. Unfortunately, the heel, at 3 inches, although perfect for a French women to walk around in, is too tall for me.
Leading to Purchase #3, but I did wait until after summer, a pair of low-heeled black boots. They even have a pointy toe. Of course, this lead to the purchase of a long black wool coat as I decided that my grey one is just too short to go with my pointy boots.
And then, a gift, from the Grand Canard, a pair of thigh high, black boots. I am not sure who was more excited about this purchase. When they finally arrived, I was thrilled. I put them on with black leggings and a long sweater and off we went to Toys-r-Us. I know, this is where all the fashionistas go in thigh high boots. However, this being France, I was not out of place. Unfortunately, the boots are a size too small, and I only lasted about 2 hours in them. I think though, that I could train myself to last longer if only I had the time. Still, for the occasional trip to Toys-r-Us, what could be more perfect?
So, after my closet was filled with boots of all different colors, I thought I was done, but then came the Soldes and with it purchase #4. The Soldes is the bi-annual sale that takes place across France for 2 months per year, once in the summer and again, the first week in January through the first week in February. In January, I saw one of the other Mommy's wearing the cutest pair of knee high brown boots and I just had to have them. I looked everywhere, in vain, for these boots, and finally 2days before the Soldes ended, I asked the other Mommy where she had gotten them. Apparently I was not the only one that loved her boots and had to have them. She doubted I could still find them, but, as I have giant feet, at least compared to the French, the trade off for not being able to buy clothes here, I was victorious. Well, mostly anyway, as these beautiful boots were located in a teeny tiny boutique....so teeny tiny, that I had to leave all 4 girls standing on the street while I shopped. It was also a very expensive teeny tiny boutique. Still, they were 1/2 price...my most expensive pair of boots ever, but I got them for 1/2 price.
And then finally, purchase #5....rainboots.....that's a boot right? Ordered from Target. I waited weeks for their arrival, and since they got here, it has hardly rained at all. Only twice have I been able to wear my beautiful, black and red plaid rain boots and new black trench coat. Come on rain!
And, now I think I am finished buying boots.....but, I did notice the toe of my red boots are a little last season, and what if my casual brown boots become unfixable, or I see another pair I love, or maybe if....well, you get the picture.
And, now I think I am finished buying boots.....but, I did notice the toe of my red boots are a little last season, and what if my casual brown boots become unfixable, or I see another pair I love, or maybe if....well, you get the picture.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Rome
It takes me awhile, but I eventually get organized enough to finish another Blog entry. I cannot believe it has been a month since we returned from Rome, and already, we are preparing to leave again on another European Adventure, or as we like to call it F-cubed, Forced Family Fun. However, I thought I should finish up my thoughts on Rome, before they get all mixed up with my thoughts on our upcoming trip.
Rome, it was everything one would expect it to be, beautiful, historic, and amazing. It was also a few things one would not expect it to be, or at least I did not expect it to be: Huge, crowded, hard to get around, and rain, lots and lots of rain. Who would have thought that Christmas would be busier then summer in Rome? Ok, maybe I would have, but that is not my travel style. My travel style goes something like this, "Hey, the girls have another break coming up next week. Where should we go? How about Rome? That sounds good, I will make reservations." Then, we get to Rome, with no itinerary whatsoever, and voila', we make it work.
And, it worked this time as well, with one exception. Our rental apartment was really far from the Metro. Who knew? It looked a lot closer on google maps. Thankfully, the horses of the Rome Police were between our apartment and the Metro, so that was good for a few moments of fun each morning. When you travel with 4 kids under 7, it takes awhile to walk anywhere, so being close to the sites is essential. Unfortunately, we weren't. I suppose it would help to be organized as well, but again, not really our travel style.
So, Rome, as I said, it is everything you would expect it to be and more. On the first day, we saw the Colosseum and a bit of the surrounding area. The ducklings loved it, and especially, the animal bones found during excavation. I was a little hesitant to mention that the ostrich bones were there because the Emperor at the time had them hunted for the spectators, so we just glossed over the details and enjoyed the bones. Another essential at the Colosseum, and really anywhere in Rome, is the rented headset. Signage does not appear to be a strong suit of the Italians (as mentioned in the Naples blog, they thrive on chaos), so having the headset for the basic info is vital. The only problem, is that to return the headset one must stand in the same line they already stood in to pick it up, and then, go all the way back around to the exit.....chaos, but a great time, rain and all.
Lunch was preceded by another hugely long walk, that allowed us to see more of the city. The restaurants in Italy are great for families, and Da Sergio's, in the Campo de'Fiori was no exception. Like a lot of things in Italy, it was hard to find but totally worth it. The food was fabulous and the children were welcomed. The littlest Duckling even has a new favorite dish....Fritto Misto or small, fried, whole fish: yummy. Another long walk returned us home after passing all the must-see sights, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish Steps etc. Truly, there are hundreds of must-see sights, and no way to see them all.
Day 2 brought us to the Castel St. Angelo. Another favorite of the ducklings. The little one however was a little confused by the castle label, and kept asking, "where is the princess." No princess here sweetie, just a big statue of an angel, and a big fortress to protect the Pope in case of attack. The Castel was originally built as Hadrians tomb, but has become best known for the Passeto, or walled passage that runs directly to the Vatican, and, historically, was used to lead the Pope to safety. The highlight, besides the amazing views, was a special art exhibit highlighting works by Cezanne, Van Gogh, Renoir and others. We saw more art at the Castel then in all our time in Paris. Four kids=no Louvre.
After our tour (and yippee, no rain), we were off to lunch again. This restaurant was also highly recommended and did not disappoint. Alfredo e Ada's was described as, "like being at your Nonna's house". We knew we had to check it out. There is no menu, and they just bring out what they have made that day. OMG, so good. Girls loved it, we loved it. Most amazing part? The food came from a kitchen that was tops, 5ft by 8ft. The dishes were washed, by hand, in a small utility sink across from the kitchen, by a real Nonna. It was just like being at our Nonna (and Nono's) beach house. Nonna makes food for the masses and then washes the dishes by hand. Of course, another long walk followed, but we cut through the park, so the ducklings were (mostly) happy.
Our final day was spent touring the Vatican Museums. I am certain that I have never been in such a crowd of people as I was that day. The line to enter was over 2 hours long (apparently quite normal for high season) and, we were told, that the museum will see up to 20,000 visitors per day, also in the high season. We will be forever thankful that we joined a tour. Our guide was great, and we got to skip the long line....key with the girls. As it was the whole thing took almost 4 hours, so the patience of little ducks was wearing thin by the end. However, 20,000 people shoved into a museum, no matter how large the museum, is pretty crazy. If one was claustrophobic, I would think it would have been a horrible experience. People were quite literally right up against one another in many of the rooms. Our guide was great at getting us together and out of the way, but it was sheer chaos. That being said however, the artwork was, of course, amazing. I would love to return just to stare at the Sistine Chapel ceiling. One of the highlights for me? The spiral ramp that exits you out of the gift shop and museum. It is 6 or so levels and I found it slightly ironic that it spiraled down, down, down. I felt as though I was descending into the depths of hell, an apt description after being battered by the crowd. Luckily, after a quick lunch, we were fortified for another long trip home.
Our final trip on the Rome Metro was exciting if nothing else. It was New Year's Eve, and upon our exit, I experienced the first time I have ever, in Europe, felt singled out for being American. As we exited, a group of guys in their late teens, started shouting "Americano, Americano" and pushing against us as we pushed out. The Big Duck easily escaped, but I had a tougher time, screaming in my really pathetic Italian, "the children" as I grabbed the eldest ducklings hand and pulled her through the crowd while practically using the littlest duckling as a battering ram. As we were all ok, it ended up being more annoying then scary. I did however feel quite pleased, when it started pouring rain shortly after our arrival at the apartment, knowing that those nasty boys were standing somewhere and getting quite wet. That is called Karma.
With this, our visit to Rome ended, but we look forward to returning and exploring some of the hundreds of places we did not get to see this trip.
"Every one soon or late comes round by Rome." Robert Browning
Rome, it was everything one would expect it to be, beautiful, historic, and amazing. It was also a few things one would not expect it to be, or at least I did not expect it to be: Huge, crowded, hard to get around, and rain, lots and lots of rain. Who would have thought that Christmas would be busier then summer in Rome? Ok, maybe I would have, but that is not my travel style. My travel style goes something like this, "Hey, the girls have another break coming up next week. Where should we go? How about Rome? That sounds good, I will make reservations." Then, we get to Rome, with no itinerary whatsoever, and voila', we make it work.
And, it worked this time as well, with one exception. Our rental apartment was really far from the Metro. Who knew? It looked a lot closer on google maps. Thankfully, the horses of the Rome Police were between our apartment and the Metro, so that was good for a few moments of fun each morning. When you travel with 4 kids under 7, it takes awhile to walk anywhere, so being close to the sites is essential. Unfortunately, we weren't. I suppose it would help to be organized as well, but again, not really our travel style.
So, Rome, as I said, it is everything you would expect it to be and more. On the first day, we saw the Colosseum and a bit of the surrounding area. The ducklings loved it, and especially, the animal bones found during excavation. I was a little hesitant to mention that the ostrich bones were there because the Emperor at the time had them hunted for the spectators, so we just glossed over the details and enjoyed the bones. Another essential at the Colosseum, and really anywhere in Rome, is the rented headset. Signage does not appear to be a strong suit of the Italians (as mentioned in the Naples blog, they thrive on chaos), so having the headset for the basic info is vital. The only problem, is that to return the headset one must stand in the same line they already stood in to pick it up, and then, go all the way back around to the exit.....chaos, but a great time, rain and all.
Lunch was preceded by another hugely long walk, that allowed us to see more of the city. The restaurants in Italy are great for families, and Da Sergio's, in the Campo de'Fiori was no exception. Like a lot of things in Italy, it was hard to find but totally worth it. The food was fabulous and the children were welcomed. The littlest Duckling even has a new favorite dish....Fritto Misto or small, fried, whole fish: yummy. Another long walk returned us home after passing all the must-see sights, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish Steps etc. Truly, there are hundreds of must-see sights, and no way to see them all.
Day 2 brought us to the Castel St. Angelo. Another favorite of the ducklings. The little one however was a little confused by the castle label, and kept asking, "where is the princess." No princess here sweetie, just a big statue of an angel, and a big fortress to protect the Pope in case of attack. The Castel was originally built as Hadrians tomb, but has become best known for the Passeto, or walled passage that runs directly to the Vatican, and, historically, was used to lead the Pope to safety. The highlight, besides the amazing views, was a special art exhibit highlighting works by Cezanne, Van Gogh, Renoir and others. We saw more art at the Castel then in all our time in Paris. Four kids=no Louvre.
After our tour (and yippee, no rain), we were off to lunch again. This restaurant was also highly recommended and did not disappoint. Alfredo e Ada's was described as, "like being at your Nonna's house". We knew we had to check it out. There is no menu, and they just bring out what they have made that day. OMG, so good. Girls loved it, we loved it. Most amazing part? The food came from a kitchen that was tops, 5ft by 8ft. The dishes were washed, by hand, in a small utility sink across from the kitchen, by a real Nonna. It was just like being at our Nonna (and Nono's) beach house. Nonna makes food for the masses and then washes the dishes by hand. Of course, another long walk followed, but we cut through the park, so the ducklings were (mostly) happy.
Our final day was spent touring the Vatican Museums. I am certain that I have never been in such a crowd of people as I was that day. The line to enter was over 2 hours long (apparently quite normal for high season) and, we were told, that the museum will see up to 20,000 visitors per day, also in the high season. We will be forever thankful that we joined a tour. Our guide was great, and we got to skip the long line....key with the girls. As it was the whole thing took almost 4 hours, so the patience of little ducks was wearing thin by the end. However, 20,000 people shoved into a museum, no matter how large the museum, is pretty crazy. If one was claustrophobic, I would think it would have been a horrible experience. People were quite literally right up against one another in many of the rooms. Our guide was great at getting us together and out of the way, but it was sheer chaos. That being said however, the artwork was, of course, amazing. I would love to return just to stare at the Sistine Chapel ceiling. One of the highlights for me? The spiral ramp that exits you out of the gift shop and museum. It is 6 or so levels and I found it slightly ironic that it spiraled down, down, down. I felt as though I was descending into the depths of hell, an apt description after being battered by the crowd. Luckily, after a quick lunch, we were fortified for another long trip home.
Our final trip on the Rome Metro was exciting if nothing else. It was New Year's Eve, and upon our exit, I experienced the first time I have ever, in Europe, felt singled out for being American. As we exited, a group of guys in their late teens, started shouting "Americano, Americano" and pushing against us as we pushed out. The Big Duck easily escaped, but I had a tougher time, screaming in my really pathetic Italian, "the children" as I grabbed the eldest ducklings hand and pulled her through the crowd while practically using the littlest duckling as a battering ram. As we were all ok, it ended up being more annoying then scary. I did however feel quite pleased, when it started pouring rain shortly after our arrival at the apartment, knowing that those nasty boys were standing somewhere and getting quite wet. That is called Karma.
With this, our visit to Rome ended, but we look forward to returning and exploring some of the hundreds of places we did not get to see this trip.
"Every one soon or late comes round by Rome." Robert Browning
Monday, January 11, 2010
What French Stereotype are You
A little quiz to brighten your day...or not depending on the results. I thought it was pretty funny, of course, I am the Parisian Suductress. C'est vrai! Enjoy. And maybe next time, I will get around to sharing our journey to Rome. Click on the sexy image below and you too can find out what French stereotype you are. Be sure to let me know.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Naples, Italy 2009
We just returned from a week in
Just a little over two hours from our house is the Italian border. The biggest advantage of the new EU stuff, besides everywhere having the same currency, is that there is no check point at the border. However, if you miss the little sign, you still know that you are in
After visiting Italy twice now, it is a common opinion in our family that the Italians thrive on chaos. This is especially true south of
In Italy, I was pretty impressed by the sense of community that existed everywhere. Small groups of people were gathered on nearly every street talking and laughing. Children played nearby and everyone just seemed pretty relaxed. And, everyone seemed to know their neighbors. There was much kissing, greeting and friendship. The Italians also treat children as a blessing. No matter where you go children and family are welcomed. We never entered a restaurant where the children were not smiled at and made to feel welcome. This is a contrast to France, where we rarely take our children out to eat, especially for dinner. I know I have said this before, but some restaurants here would rather have your dog at it then your children. Maybe the child aspect just adds to the chaos the Italians love so much.
Italy really was a lot of fun and a great place to visit. We were only in
Also, while we were there we decided to visit a few sites….mainly
All in all Naples was a fun couple days. Our next adventure took us to Rome, and that is where the fun really began. Until then...au revoir.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Our First Year....
It is definitely Fall in the South of France. The leaves are changing, the days are cooler and most important, the stands that sell ice cream in the summer are now selling crepes and chichis (deep fried donut-like pieces). Yum! Fall also means we have been in France for 1 year. So, in honor of this momentous occasion, I have compiled a list of things we have learned, things we will never get used to, and things we will really miss when we leave in 2 years.
Top things I have learned in France:
General:
1-Sidewalks are for dog poop and car parking, so watch out. As David Liebovitz writes in his book, The Sweet Life in Paris, when a French person says "I am a socialist", they mean "I do not pick up my own dog poop." So true.
2-Having your one good french phrase be "I do not speak French" saves you from many a telemarketer. However, a surprising number speak English. How is it that even the telemarketers are bilingual??
3-Even a mediocre baguette tastes amazing with butter and salami.
4-Favorite breakfast for French children...a glass of chocolate milk with a baguette for dipping. They don't eat again until lunch.
5-Favorite after school snack for the French (but don't call it a snack...the French don't snack) a third of a baguette with a large chunk of chocolate. Not all that surprisingly, my girls like it too. Nutella will do in a pinch.
6-If your child does not want to wear a coat and it is under 75 degrees, you will hear about it from every little old lady. If the temperature drops below 75, all babies will be bundled and with a knit cap. All French children will be wearing a warm coat with a scarf. My children will be wearing a cardigan. Please don't tell me they are cold. We lived in Canada for a year. That is cold.
Safety:
1-Bike helmets are not mandatory. However, if you want to ride at night, you must have a reflective vest and several lights. Seems as though the helmet should be required too. Very few children wear helmets, and the French seem a little puzzled that ours do.
2-It is perfectly acceptable to ride a bike or scooter with your child clutching you from the front or rear. If it is a bike, no one will be wearing a helmet. If it is a scooter, only the driver will be wearing one. Surprisingly, helmets are required for scooters or motorcycles, but I think that has to do with socialized medicine. I have heard that if you are injured while riding without a helmet, you will not be covered by the medical system.
3-Car Seats: Although there is a law mandating car seats they seem to be somewhat optional. I have seen many an acquaintance with their smallest children crawling on the floor of the minivan in traffic. Also, the tiny cars here do not fit a car seat so many baby seats are turned sideways. Maybe it doesn't say that the car seat actually has to be safe.
Fashion:
Yes, the French have style. They don't wear sweats or tennis shoes in public and even if they don't look what we might consider great, if they wear it with confidence, then they are fashionable. The French woman is supremely confident.
1-Wearing jeans that stop at your knees and boots that go to your knees is very chic. It must be paired with a wool, leather or fur coat that goes to mid-thigh.
2-What has happened to me? I now own 2, no 3 pairs, of black boots (dressy, casual, over the knee), 2 pairs of brown boots, and 1 pair of red boots. I also now have purses to match each set of boots and about 12 scarves. For a 4 day trip to Barcelona, I took 2 pairs of boots and 5 scarves. I also now have wool coats in blue, black and grey as well as 2 dress coast and a poncho style dress coat. I figure that I am pegged as an American everywhere I go, so I should at least be a classy one.
Things we will never get used to:
1-Everything is closed on Sunday afternoons. Most stuff never even opens. Luckily, the mini-mart down the street (where I do most of my shopping) and the market are both open Sundays, but forget about running errands at say, Ikea.
2-Carrefour, the giant Wal-Mart style grocery store, is always packed. I have been there at 8:30 on a Friday evening, and all 30 open check out lines were 6 deep. It is the same at 9am on a Wednesday or 2pm on a Thursday. It still amazes me.
3-Carrefour is self-bagging and the cashiers sit. They must have a great union. Everyone knows it is self bagging, and yet they are never ready to bag. To top it off no one (except me) ever has their Carte Bleu (the most popular debit card ever) ready for payment, nor do they have their Carte Fidelity (frequent shopper card ready).
4-How can everyone wait so patiently in all of these grocery lines, but when they get out on the street, watch out? It is like the Indy 500, motorcycles and scooters weaving in and out, horns honking. In a word, crazy.
5-How many people speak English, but are unwilling to admit it until you have completely butchered the French language. Really it is just easier to say that I don't speak much French, ask if they speak any English and go from there. They almost always fess up to speaking "a little English". It is almost always better then my "little" French.
6-Could the tequila and in turn, the margaritas be any worse? The rum is not that great either. We make do, but I sure miss a good margarita.
Things I will miss:
Sadly, most of the things I will really miss are food related, and the food hasn't changed my life or anything, although it has all been good.
1-Lardons: Small chopped up pieces of bacon that you can fry up. Perfect for eggs, salads or quiche. On the other hand, no regular bacon or turkey bacon either.
2-Wine at lunch and dinner and midmorning if you want.
3-"Junk" Food: It seems to be much less junky here. There are fewer preservatives and things just taste good. The ducklings faves? Chocolate crepes, Special K with Chocolate chunks, chocolate pretzels and well, I see a theme here. Chocolate is a big part of our lives.
4-Chocolate: Even the crappy generic stuff from Carrefour is better then most anything in the US.
5-Wednesdays off school: I thought it would be silly to have a day off in mid week, but I and the girls love it. Morning is ballet for 1 hour, and afternoon is whatever.
6-No rushing: I drive, tops, twice a week. School ends at 4:30, and that is really too late for after school activities. Snack at 5, playtime, homework, dinner at 7ish. Bed at 8. All in all pretty awesome.
7-Inexpensive wine: Anyone want the Gold Medal Bordeaux from the Paris wine show?? I can get you some for about $10 a bottle.
8-Good Rose wine: An awesome wine. Totally cheap and very much a southern French thing.
Now that I look at my list I realize we will really miss it here. And we will be leaving just when I can finally speak the language. All this work for nothing. Oh well, I am looking forward to the next 2 years and hope that we enjoy them as much as we have enjoyed the first.
Top things I have learned in France:
General:
1-Sidewalks are for dog poop and car parking, so watch out. As David Liebovitz writes in his book, The Sweet Life in Paris, when a French person says "I am a socialist", they mean "I do not pick up my own dog poop." So true.
2-Having your one good french phrase be "I do not speak French" saves you from many a telemarketer. However, a surprising number speak English. How is it that even the telemarketers are bilingual??
3-Even a mediocre baguette tastes amazing with butter and salami.
4-Favorite breakfast for French children...a glass of chocolate milk with a baguette for dipping. They don't eat again until lunch.
5-Favorite after school snack for the French (but don't call it a snack...the French don't snack) a third of a baguette with a large chunk of chocolate. Not all that surprisingly, my girls like it too. Nutella will do in a pinch.
6-If your child does not want to wear a coat and it is under 75 degrees, you will hear about it from every little old lady. If the temperature drops below 75, all babies will be bundled and with a knit cap. All French children will be wearing a warm coat with a scarf. My children will be wearing a cardigan. Please don't tell me they are cold. We lived in Canada for a year. That is cold.
Safety:
1-Bike helmets are not mandatory. However, if you want to ride at night, you must have a reflective vest and several lights. Seems as though the helmet should be required too. Very few children wear helmets, and the French seem a little puzzled that ours do.
2-It is perfectly acceptable to ride a bike or scooter with your child clutching you from the front or rear. If it is a bike, no one will be wearing a helmet. If it is a scooter, only the driver will be wearing one. Surprisingly, helmets are required for scooters or motorcycles, but I think that has to do with socialized medicine. I have heard that if you are injured while riding without a helmet, you will not be covered by the medical system.
3-Car Seats: Although there is a law mandating car seats they seem to be somewhat optional. I have seen many an acquaintance with their smallest children crawling on the floor of the minivan in traffic. Also, the tiny cars here do not fit a car seat so many baby seats are turned sideways. Maybe it doesn't say that the car seat actually has to be safe.
Fashion:
Yes, the French have style. They don't wear sweats or tennis shoes in public and even if they don't look what we might consider great, if they wear it with confidence, then they are fashionable. The French woman is supremely confident.
1-Wearing jeans that stop at your knees and boots that go to your knees is very chic. It must be paired with a wool, leather or fur coat that goes to mid-thigh.
2-What has happened to me? I now own 2, no 3 pairs, of black boots (dressy, casual, over the knee), 2 pairs of brown boots, and 1 pair of red boots. I also now have purses to match each set of boots and about 12 scarves. For a 4 day trip to Barcelona, I took 2 pairs of boots and 5 scarves. I also now have wool coats in blue, black and grey as well as 2 dress coast and a poncho style dress coat. I figure that I am pegged as an American everywhere I go, so I should at least be a classy one.
Things we will never get used to:
1-Everything is closed on Sunday afternoons. Most stuff never even opens. Luckily, the mini-mart down the street (where I do most of my shopping) and the market are both open Sundays, but forget about running errands at say, Ikea.
2-Carrefour, the giant Wal-Mart style grocery store, is always packed. I have been there at 8:30 on a Friday evening, and all 30 open check out lines were 6 deep. It is the same at 9am on a Wednesday or 2pm on a Thursday. It still amazes me.
3-Carrefour is self-bagging and the cashiers sit. They must have a great union. Everyone knows it is self bagging, and yet they are never ready to bag. To top it off no one (except me) ever has their Carte Bleu (the most popular debit card ever) ready for payment, nor do they have their Carte Fidelity (frequent shopper card ready).
4-How can everyone wait so patiently in all of these grocery lines, but when they get out on the street, watch out? It is like the Indy 500, motorcycles and scooters weaving in and out, horns honking. In a word, crazy.
5-How many people speak English, but are unwilling to admit it until you have completely butchered the French language. Really it is just easier to say that I don't speak much French, ask if they speak any English and go from there. They almost always fess up to speaking "a little English". It is almost always better then my "little" French.
6-Could the tequila and in turn, the margaritas be any worse? The rum is not that great either. We make do, but I sure miss a good margarita.
Things I will miss:
Sadly, most of the things I will really miss are food related, and the food hasn't changed my life or anything, although it has all been good.
1-Lardons: Small chopped up pieces of bacon that you can fry up. Perfect for eggs, salads or quiche. On the other hand, no regular bacon or turkey bacon either.
2-Wine at lunch and dinner and midmorning if you want.
3-"Junk" Food: It seems to be much less junky here. There are fewer preservatives and things just taste good. The ducklings faves? Chocolate crepes, Special K with Chocolate chunks, chocolate pretzels and well, I see a theme here. Chocolate is a big part of our lives.
4-Chocolate: Even the crappy generic stuff from Carrefour is better then most anything in the US.
5-Wednesdays off school: I thought it would be silly to have a day off in mid week, but I and the girls love it. Morning is ballet for 1 hour, and afternoon is whatever.
6-No rushing: I drive, tops, twice a week. School ends at 4:30, and that is really too late for after school activities. Snack at 5, playtime, homework, dinner at 7ish. Bed at 8. All in all pretty awesome.
7-Inexpensive wine: Anyone want the Gold Medal Bordeaux from the Paris wine show?? I can get you some for about $10 a bottle.
8-Good Rose wine: An awesome wine. Totally cheap and very much a southern French thing.
Now that I look at my list I realize we will really miss it here. And we will be leaving just when I can finally speak the language. All this work for nothing. Oh well, I am looking forward to the next 2 years and hope that we enjoy them as much as we have enjoyed the first.
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