Simple Things

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Monday, April 25 2022

We awoke to a beautiful morning and the sweet sounds of birds chirping in the courtyard below. A tarte citron, coffee, and milk made a yummy breakfast. We didn’t have big plans for the day, as Desmond would have to go to work that afternoon. A long walk beside the Loire that morning was just perfect and the weather couldn’t have been better. 

A pretty blooming tree

Swans float serenely on the Loire.

Craig and Desmond on the river path

On the way home, we cut through the Jardin des Plantes and enjoyed seeing the gorgeous blooms and unique plants. Des veered off to a market to pick up items for lunch, while Craig and I ambled through the gardens. 

For lunch, Desmond made a delicious dish of goat cheese ravioli topped with grilled eggplant. He left for work while Craig took a nap. I threw a load of clothes into the washer and after Craig awoke we had afternoon coffee and a game of Scrabble before taking our clothes to a nearby laundromat to dry. The laundromat was directly across from the Loire, so we had a nice view while we waited for our clothes to dry. 

Desmond had made pizza dough before he left the house, and for dinner that evening we had a treat. Pizzaclettes! This was a little invention of his, using a raclette oven to bake the dough. We then cut the dough into small wedges and topped them with fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, red bell pepper, and grilled eggplant. The filled raclette trays were placed under the heat until the cheese bubbled. It was such a fun and tasty meal. For dessert, we enjoyed oranges and some bread topped with Desmond’s homemade chocolate spread.

Pizzaclettes!

Baking pizza in the raclettes oven

Back to Orleans

 Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Sunday, April 24 2022

We were up early to clean our apartment prior to catching a train to Orléans. It didn’t take long, and soon we were in an Uber on the way to Gare d'Austerlitz. The train station was nearly unrecognizable with all the construction going on inside. We had to weave our way through a maze of partitions and closed-off areas just to find the waiting room. We purchased coffee and something to munch on. We were glad to leave the noisy station and board a quiet, comfortable train. As we rolled through Paris, I listened to the happy chatter of some children who were seated nearby. It looked as if they were on an outing with grandma. After about an hour, we arrived in Orleans and made our way to Desmond’s home by tram. It was wonderful to be back and we greeted Azur with soft pats and a scratch under the chin. He such a sweet and cuddly cat.

 

Flags in support of Ukraine line the street
leading to the cathedral in Orleans

A familiar sight in Orleans.
It was good to be back!

I unpacked as Desmond prepared lunch using ingredients he had on hand. He created noodle bowls made with a delicious sauce and some roasted sweet potato along with a fried egg. It was a tasty lunch. That afternoon, we went for a lovely walk along the Loire. We followed a path along the river, and it was quite peaceful down there below street level. 

Desmond in the woods along the Loire

A peaceful scene along the Loire

This was our view from
the little riverfront bar in Orleans.

After a while we climbed stairs up to a sidewalk and continued on to a little outdoor bar. A cold beer and a view of the river made for a pleasant break. For dinner that evening, Desmond served brandade de morue. It was a dish of cod and potatoes mashed together with olive oil and then baked. It was very good. He served it with some creamed spinach, and we had clementines for dessert. We watched some cute videos on TV and then Craig went to bed. Desmond and I stayed up a while longer, chatting while he played a video game. He made a little snack for us of his homemade cashew butter which he spread onto a piece of dark chocolate.  A small glass of fresh raw milk went well with that tasty treat!

A sleepy Azur

A Perfect Day in Paris

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Saturday 04-23-22

We began our day with coffee and nibbled on some bread and snack cakes. Rain was in the forecast, but we didn't let that threat slow us down. Des had a treat in store for us. Our son told us that we were going to Angelina for what he said was the best hot chocolate in Paris. We rode the metro to a stop not far from the famous tea room, which is located on the Rue de Rivoli across from the Tuileries. A visit to Angelina is an indulgence not to be missed. For over a century, those elegant rooms have hosted aristocrats and celebrities from all over the world. After the very first sip, I was entranced by that hot chocolate. It was as decadent as Desmond had described, yet not overly sweet and was served with a dish of whipped cream on the side. The interior of Angelina is absolutely gorgeous and the salon in which we were seated was beautifully serene and sophisticated. What a lovely way to begin our last day in Paris! 

The hot chocolate at Angelina
 is not to be missed!

After leaving Angelina, we entered the Jardin des Tuileries, where we would meet Vincent for the first time. Since we had arrived a bit early, we wandered the beautiful landscaped grounds. The extensive gardens were created by Catherine de Medici in 1667 but were only opened to the public after the revolution. We passed the colorful carousel as we strolled the wide, graveled pathways and paused at a large fountain where many delighted children were playing with little rented sailboats, pushing them out into water using dowels. The wide basin of the fountain was ringed with chairs, where parents and grandparents watched their little ones. It was a scene which had been played out for over 170 years. 

The charming carousel at the Tuileries in Paris

Sail a boat in the fountain at
 the Tuileries in Paris

As we continued on, we admired the beautiful flower beds, statuary, and manicured trees. Before long, we saw Vincent walking toward us, looking quite handsome in his uniform. He carried a colorful package which contained an enormous praline brioche, still warm from the oven. Vincent had made a special effort to acquire this treat and we got acquainted over soft, warm hunks of the delicious bread. Afterward, the four of us strolled through the gardens, out toward the Louvre, and down to the Seine. 

There is beauty everywhere you look
 in le Jardin des Tuileries.

There were dozens of people, mostly couples, picnicking on the concrete embankment, their wicker picnic baskets and bottles of wine at hand. They relaxed in the sun, idly watching barges and tour boats floating by. Desmond and Vincent left for a short time to find something for us to eat so that the four of us could enjoy our own little picnic on the Seine. Soon we were munching baguette sandwiches and sipping soft drinks as we watched the boat traffic. 

The Louvre, across the Seine

Our lovely lunchtime view on the Seine

I had noticed that the stone wall along the river had an unusual feature. Windows! But why? I asked Vincent if he knew why there were windows set at intervals in the stone and concrete walls. I picked the right person to ask, because he answered that they were the windows of the train tunnels along the Seine. He is a conductor for the SNCF and would shortly be working a train through those very tunnels. He told us that in places the tunnel is more of an open trench. You could be walking at street level and peer over the wall to see the trains passing by. He also told us that on stormy days when the wind is high, water splashes from the Seine and through the windows onto the train.

In the lower right of this photo you can see
 one of the windows in the train tunnel along the Seine.

After our enjoyable time with Vincent he headed off to work while Craig, Desmond, and I boarded a bus to go across town where we would be attending a matinée performance of the Lion King Musical. The venue for this was the historic Mogador theater, which was inaugurated in 1913. Among the dignitaries at that opening were president James Garfield and future president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It’s a beautiful and luxurious music theater which seats 1800 people on three tiers. The velvet-covered seats were small and very close together, with little legroom. The beautiful theater was teeming people and the air grew warm but we soon forgot our discomfort as we watched the amazing performance. It was truly magical.

The historic Mogador Theater in Paris

As we made our way out of the Mogador, I saw that the floor and seats were still spotlessly clean. There wasn’t a single empty cup or crumpled wrapper in sight. Sadly, we rarely find that kind of politeness and respect in America these days. We exited the theater to find that the forecasted rain had come and gone while we were inside. What great timing!

The metro soon delivered us to our little Montmartre apartment, where we freshened up and relaxed a bit. For dinner, we walked a few blocks to an Italian restaurant which had been recommended by our host. Piccolo Rosso Trattoria Pulcinella is a big name for such a tiny place! It was still early and we had no trouble finding a table, though it wasn't long before the restaurant was filled to capacity and waiters were passing by with heaping plates of pasta and other delights. We soon understood why the place was so popular. We had each ordered a pizza and they were outstanding! Mine was similar to a pizza Margherita, with fresh mozzarella, house-made pesto, and tomatoes, topped with fresh roquette. The crust was flavorful and tender with just the right amount of chewiness. We were all impressed and agreed that this was a place worth remembering. Too full for dessert, we waddled happily home.