a year ago...
Friday, July 25, 2008
It is hard to believe that it has now been two years since we were well into our tasting of Europe. The past year became filled with "a year agos." A year ago we were landing in Zurich, a year ago we were celebrating the Swiss National holiday, a year ago we were riding bikes around the walls of Lucca, a year ago we were celebrating Thanksgiving with our Italian friends....and on and on we went. It was so easy to remember what we were doing on particular dates because everything was so new and remarkable for that year. But earlier this month, July 4th, marked the two year anniversary of all things Europe. Do we continue the cycle? Two years ago on this date we were.... While our year in Europe changed us in many ways and will always be with us, we have moved on from lingering on that year to focusing on the now. And dreaming about "in a year from now"...
Who knows...maybe it will be in Europe. ;)
posted by tammy @ 10:21 PM,
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where one journey ends, another begins
Monday, February 18, 2008
For anyone interested in following along in our new journey of parenthood, I have a new blog at http://andyetanothermommyblog.blogspot.com/
posted by tammy @ 10:10 PM,
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a good year
This post is long overdue. I apologize for not updating sooner....one thing after another and I just never managed to make it back here.
When I last left off, our time in France had come to an end. We had not quite confirmed a place to stay at our next planned destination - the Netherlands. So, we took our rented car and drove from one end of Europe to the other - from the south of France to the Netherlands. Long story short, we ended up without a place to stay in the Netherlands and after visiting several tourist offices and several realtor offices, it seemed vacation homes are not the norm there outside of Amsterdam. On our drive up there, we happened to spend the night in a small town in Germany that we instantly fell in love with. So when the Netherlands fell through, we didn't have to think too hard about an alternative option.
The town of Gengenbach, Germany is surrounded by gorgeous rolling hills which Germans enjoy by the abundant jogging/biking trails. The town itself has cafes, cute shops, small groceries. Unfortunately tourist season had started and so while we were able to find places to stay, none for three months remaining duration of our trip. It seemed our trip was destined to end early anyhow....
The day after Easter I discovered "Ich bin schwanger." I was pregnant! The digital pregnancy stick read out "schwanger" which I had to look up just to make sure I was understanding correctly. While we were extremely excited about the news, we weren't quite sure what that meant for us. Should we stay in Europe until our planned June exit date? In the end we decided to cut our trip short. With no place to settle the entire time, traveling was getting tiring enough as it was, much less with pregnancy symptoms beginning to show. Besides, we had no idea where we would plan to settle once we got back to the U.S. Over the course of the next few weeks, we made our plans to go home early and met our good friends from Italy a final time in Brugge, Belgium to say farewell.
We landed back in the States in mid-May. While we didn't quite get to spend an entire year in Europe, the 10 months we spent there made for the best year of my life. We saw so many amazing places, met so many wonderful people, opened our eyes to such different ways of thinking. On our plane ride back home, ironically they showed the film "A Good Year." Watching on screen (albeit the tiny airplane one) scenes of places that had become so familiar to us, I felt a mix of sadness of our time coming to an end and an extreme gratitude for all the memories we were taking back with us.
I appreciate all of the notes I have had from readers and all of you have followed along on our journey.
Happy travels!
posted by tammy @ 9:39 PM,
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cliff hanger
Friday, March 30, 2007
This past week we visited the town of Cassis and then proceeded up to the cliff with spectacular views of the ocean and the town. The pictures do not do the scenes justice and it was definitely one of the most beautiful places I have visited.
posted by tammy @ 9:52 AM,
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french mex
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Peter Mayle writes about a particular phenomenon in his book "A Year in Provence." Being in Provence includes not only beautiful scenery, days of harsh mistral winds, delicious food, but also...guests. There is something about being in Provence with a spare bedroom that will draw out those you know (or don't know for that matter!) and encourage them to pay you a visit. For the past two months we have had guest after guest with only a couple days here or there in between. Interspersed with long-time friends, we have made some new ones as well since our paths happened to cross with several of those we have met online that are doing or have done a similar trip to ours. We have really enjoyed spending so much time with people, but it has left little time for paying attention to my blog.
So, to ease back in, I bring you the French take on "Tex Mex." As always with French cuisine, presentation is everything:
French fajitas (sans salsa, sour cream, peppers, onions...more or less chicken in a tortilla shell, but delicious nonetheless)
French tacos...which proved that when the French want to do spicy, they can really do spicy!
posted by tammy @ 4:03 PM,
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when life hands you lemons....
Sunday, March 11, 2007
....have a big party!!!
Last weekend we headed to the seaside town of Menton to help celebrate the 74th Annual Lemon Festival. In all due fairness, the lemons would not have had success if not for their citrus friend, the orange. The town created statues and displays all made from these yellow and orange fruits. This year's theme in particular was India, including statues of Brahma, an elephant and the Taj Mahal. The day was sweetened with a parade in honor of these fruits.
posted by tammy @ 3:21 PM,
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the accidental tourist
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
This past week some friends from Italy came to visit and get a glimpse of provencal life. After a couple of enjoyable days together, we decided to send them off by joining them for lunch somewhere along their route back home. We quickly glanced at a map and picked what appeared to be a small town along the way. My trusty Lonely Planet guidebook on Provence did not seem to feel this place was worth a stop, but the location was convenient, so we did not let it deter us.
The town was small, but adorable. Before lunch, we paid a visit to the local Basilica. The inside was beautiful, but our empty stomaches were calling us, so we did not linger. Several of us grabbed brochures of the church on the way out. As we read the description while wandering for a restaurant, we learned that this was the church that housed the remnants of Mary Madeleine. It took us a bit more reading to overcome our disbelief that Mary Madeleine was indeed the French name for the woman we all know as Mary Magdalene. As much controversy that has surrounded her, especially since the release of "the Da Vinci Code," this town seems to have escaped the usual flock of tourists.
So often it is the places randomly stumbled upon that make for the best visits.
posted by tammy @ 4:55 AM,
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salon de provence
Saturday, February 17, 2007
I sat in the chair waiting. I could feel my heart beating loudly. My stomach felt queasy. A dozen thoughts raced through my head. Was I making the right decision? Why hadn't I been more diligent about learning French? Why hadn't David talked my out of this? Why, oh, why was this lady wrapping tin foil around my hair?!?
Today was the day I finally took the plunge. My first haircut on our European adventure. I had put it off way too long. And, much like a cat that binges and then purges, I went too long without one and then chopped it off all at once. Or so it feels.
I wanted something lighter. Something fun. Something European. Something, anything but what my hair had become. And so that is how I lost ten inches of my hair. All at once.
The ladies in the salon spoke zero English, so all we had to go on was a picture I had brought in. They asked me various questions, none of which I understood. I shrugged. "Je ne sais pas." It was all in their hands. In the end, my look is not quite what I had planned...not quite like the picture I had picked out. Not quite as long as the hair in the picture I had brought in. It will definitely take some getting used to. But, at the very least, it will be months before I need another haircut again.
posted by tammy @ 9:30 AM,
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the shepherds
Monday, February 12, 2007
This past weekend as we were driving into the village of Entrechaux, we turned off the main road onto Helen's (see prior post) windy side street. A cheerful lady in a neon yellow vest held out a sign indicating for us to stop. From behind the bend (hidden by a building), a small black dog soon appeared followed by a woman on a donkey. The donkey swerved back and forth, taking up the entire road as a result.
As they passed us, our friend Luis in the back seat told us to go on ahead. As we started to drive on, the lady in neon yellow came over and said something in French which, of course, neither David nor I understood. Luis, fluent in French, could not hear her, but encouraged us to continue on our way. He knew this to be a relatively untraveled street and assumed the donkey ride was the cause for the stop.
Driving a few yards ahead, as we turned the bend we quickly realized that the donkey was just the beginning. The entire street was filled with sheep! David quickly backed the car up (no one in our party happened to want lamb's brain for dinner) and we got out to enjoy the parade of shepherds, sheep dogs, sheep and goats. 
Later that evening, after Helen had treated us to delicious food and wine, as we stood outside we could hear the clanging of the goats' bells. The group was camping out not far from Helen's house.
According to Helen, shepherds use to pass through this town annually years ago. The shepherds have since found other routes or other means of transport, so it was a welcome surprise for her as well. 
posted by tammy @ 2:30 PM,
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helen of entrechaux
Sunday, February 11, 2007
In northern Provence, surrounded by vineyards and faced with magnificient views of Mont Ventoux, rests the small village of Entrechaux. The village lies flat, nestled at the foot of a castle perched on a hill towering above. Many pass through on the main road to or from a visit to the Roman ruins of the neighboring town Vaison-la-Romaine, but few make the stop in Entrechaux (population 900) itself.
It is in this quintessential small Provencal village that we had the honor of spending the day with native villager, Helen. Helen is the long time and dear friend of Luis, who is a longstanding friend of David's family. Luis moved from the States to Paris 30 some-odd years ago and has lived there ever since. He took the TGV train down from Paris to spend the weekend with us and we then all piled in the car to visit Helen.
Helen's family was originally from Avignon, a larger city in Provence famed for its Palace of the Popes. Then came the war and Avignon was fast-becoming a target of the Germans. Helen's family took off, seeking the safety of Entrechaux, unsignificant and thereby ignored by the Nazis. They sought shelter in the barn of a close family friend where they lived for several years. With no central heating, in the winter they brought wood in to huddle around the fire for warmth. The town did not get the luxury of running water until 1965, so even on cold winter nights they journeyed outside for the "facilities." Their own house back in Avignon, meanwhile, was completely destroyed.
After the war ended, Helen moved back to Avignon and even spent some time in Paris. She eventually came back to Entrechaux and inherited the barn her family had sought safety in. Over the past decade she has tranformed the 150-year old building into a beautiful house with few remnants of its days as a barn. As a result, we dined where there used to sit hay. We chatted and drank Kir where there use to stand horses. Helen generously gave me some fresh sage as a gift, which I watched her clip from a plant that has been growing for over 100 years.
The town of Entrechaux has recently published a book filled with the memoirs of the residents. Helen's own story is in there among many others of residents who have lived in the village even before the war, including pictures as far back as the late 1800s. Unfortunately the book is only in French, but I'm sure its pages are filled with many fascinating and beautiful moments of history along with Helen's own.
posted by tammy @ 8:57 AM,
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barcelona
Monday, February 05, 2007
This past weekend we headed to the Land of Sunshine, Siestas and Sangria...Spain!
With Barcelona less than 5 hours away, it was an opportunity we couldn't pass up. Truth be told, I know very little about Spain. It's one of those few countries that neither of us ever had much interest in, which is exactly why we decided to go. And we are very glad we did as it far exceeded any of our expectations.
We quickly realized that a weekend is not nearly enough to do the city any justice. Every turn we took we stumbled upon something interesting and worth returning for. The city is an amazing blend of Gothic and contemporary, with something for everyone. Endless museums, Europe's largest aquarium, interesting architecture, shopping galore and tapas everywhere.
One of the most charming facets of the city is the famous boulevard La Rambla. On paper it sounds like a typical street in a large tourist town - tree-lined pedestrian area filled with street vendors, street performers and a market. In reality it is much more interesting. While certainly there are the typical vendors selling jewelry and art, many of the vendors are selling fish, birds and even roosters!
Street performers have heavy competition. A typical mime outfit or standing still in a marble-painted statuesque costume will not do here. Instead the street performers paint and costume themselves in the most elaborate of ways, lining the street with sculptures that, with a drop of a Euro, will often bring them to life. 
And then there is the market, filled with the most gorgeous rainbow of fresh strawberries, oranges, bananas, kiwis, plums and eggplants. Roy G. Biv at his very finest. 
As if my list of "must see" places had not already been long enough, this weekend added Spain, including a lengthier time in Barcelona to give it the full attention it deserves.
posted by tammy @ 5:15 AM,
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little luberon
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Before Provence was hit by a week of mistral winds and cold weather, David, Bailey and I managed to spend a day in the "Little Luberon" area of Provence. Stretches of vineyards (both olive and wine) and fields that will be filled with purple in July's lavender season provide a peaceful drive in between tiny romantic villages. These hillside towns appear more as ghost towns this time of year. We had the towns of Bonnieux, Lacoste and Menerbes practically to ourselves. Bailey was greeted time and time again by the local dogs, many of them welcoming her and following us as we made our way around. Few locals were in sight and even fewer tourists. Come summer, however, according to Peter Mayle, the now empty roads will have traffic jams and the now deserted sidewalks will be packed with the 16 million tourists that flock to Provence each year. The beauty of being here this time of year is that it is so much more romantic to wander these towns and take them in without the crowds. The downside is that much of these towns have closed shop for the winter, leaving few cafes or shops open to mingle with the locals.
<---drive from Apt to Lacoste
Lacoste ----> 
<--- Lacoste
Bonnieux --->
(Removed the previous photo "gadget" since it didn't seem to work all the time.)
posted by tammy @ 3:01 PM,
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french kiss
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The other day we drove into town, me practicing my newfound skill of driving a stick shift (which, while at times can make driving so much more work, can actually be a bit fun). Approaching a pedestrian cross, I came to a stop to allow several students and professionals make their way to their post-lunch destinations. Crossing from the right side of the street, a girl dressed fashionably Parisian. From the left side, a girl with a backpack and hair pulled back. Their paths crossed front and center of our car. Without saying a word, and barely coming to a stop, at their point of meeting they kissed one another's left cheek, kissed one another's right cheek and without skipping a beat, continued on their way. The beauty of the French greeting!
posted by tammy @ 6:32 AM,
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bon appetit
Friday, January 19, 2007
A core part of learning about a culture and truly experiencing a place involves one of my favorite pastimes...eating. In Switzerland we indulged in cheese and chocolate, occasionally supplementing these dishes with potatoes or bratwurst.
In Italy, truth be told, we were disappointed to discover that the Italian food that I grew up loving is more a reflection of southern Italy cuisine and that the Tuscan region (where we were staying) is actually not known for its flavorful dishes. An American/Italian acquaintance told us one night the story of dining out with a cousin of hers. Said cousin had received her entree and discovered something smallish of the green variation on it. She immediately called the waiter back to find out this "green" thing was actually an herb of some sort. While Tuscans may put an ever so small dash of spices in their food, they are not really meant for viewing or tasting. And in reality, many of what have been our favorite Italian dishes were to be found nowhere on any local menus (such as chicken parmigian or fettucini alfredo).
Coming to France, I honestly didn't know what to expect. My exposure to French food up until now has been very limited. Most French restaurants in the States that I know of are on the upscale side, which David and I don't tend to frequent. So, with our lack of understanding the cuisine and our limited French vocabulary, we dove right in. It Italy at the very least we could understand a good portion of the menu since American Italian restaurants have adopted many of these terms. Not so with French. Without a translator dictionary on us, the first night we were on our own to hope that whatever we chose would be somewhat edible to us.
In all my research of France, one thing I have learned is that a key to French cuisine is that they do not believe in being wasteful. This not being wasteful translates into eating pretty much every.single.bit.and.piece.of.an.animal. Take for example one of France's most popular dishes - foie gras. This is a prominent dish consisting of duck liver. Not something I personally tend to crave.
One afternoon last week we were visiting the local English book store. Seeing a Provence recipe book, we picked it up, curious to try our own hand at cooking the local food. The first page we opened it up to was a recipe for "Lamb's Brain." Yes, that's right...a recipe for lamb's brain. With this quickly filling my head with Hannibal Lecter crooning, "What became of your lamb, Clarice?," I searched the book no further. It's not just my reluctance to try lamb's brain, mind you. It's that one day I will want to bring this cookbook back to the States and fill our kitchen with meals of places we've been. I can only imagine the reaction of my butcher, who has always been so kind and helpful, were I to come to him one day and ask: "Do you have any lamb's brain in stock today?"
With this leeriness, we go through the menus here guessing what we are ordering and hoping for the best. That first night I thought I was ordering chicken. The texture was not chicken-like, although whatever it was was delicious. I cautiously ate bite after bite, not quite sure what it was I was enjoying, not quite sure I wanted to know. We guessed eel or snail. When we could take it no more, we called the waiter back over to find out. Mushrooms! Not like any mushroom I had had before, but very good indeed.
So it has been meal after meal of those we have eaten out. We are never quite sure what it is we are getting. But, I do have to say this for the French - we have yet to have a sit-down meal that was not absolutely delicious. The food here has been some of the best I have ever had. And so we continue to explore the food here, enjoying the unique preparations....but not asking too many questions along the way.
posted by tammy @ 10:00 AM,
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december in review
Friday, January 05, 2007
December turned out to be an extremely busy month...therefore, the complete lack of blogging. Choosing a career in corporate finance as I have leaves December not only a busy month for Christmas shopping and holiday planning, but many more things work-related. I won't bore you with the details of tax planning and budgeting.
On top of work, December was an extensive travel month for us. We spent some time in Germany to experience the world-famous Christkindl markets (Christmas markets), taste
testing gluehwein, stocking up on handmade wooden ornaments and finishing our Christmas shopping.
Then we headed back to the States to spend the holidays with our families. Bailey meanwhile spent Christmas in Switzerland with our landlady. We missed her terribly, and when we went to pick her up, she was exhausted from two weeks of playing with her new friend, Mex, and hiking the Swiss mountains. It was wonderful to see everyone we have been missing on our journey, although admittedly a bit of culture shock to go back to our own home country. Things we had forgotten about that used to be everyday occurrences - Emeril and Rachel Ray, the experience of gigantic shopping malls, and even being able to walk into a store without planning how to say what you need in another language first.
We arrived back in Europe just in time to ring in the New Year. Back in Lucca, we spent New Year's Eve at the house of an Italian couple with some American friends. I have time and time again teased the Italians for their lack of timeliness - it's just not a priority in their lives. New Year's Eve was no different. Two minutes before the striking hour, David and I announced it was time to get ready. But, the Italian couple continued on with their current conversations seemingly unconcerned. Ten minutes later, they prepared the champagne and we toasted in the New Year on our own schedule, rather than that of the clock's.
And so while December was filled with many wonderful travels, it was a bit exhausting to be going non-stop. Having just arrived in France a couple of days ago, we are recovering a bit and taking some time to relax and soak in yet more new adventures that await us.
posted by tammy @ 6:18 AM,
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