Saturday, 29 November 2014
Busy week
We have arrived in Barcelona, couple quick apartment changes and we are settled in. feels like today is the first time we have just sat and relaxed for awhile. The last stop in France was a perfect place to stay and relax Narbonne seems like a great spot to visit again when we have more time. Looking back on the trip we would return to every place we have been so far no disappointments only minor frustration in a couple cities. Barcelona is big and loud but people seem great and the weather is perfect little bit of rain but very warm. We are staying close to apartment for the next little while attending some spanish lessons and getting to know the neighbourhood. Attached are a few pictures of our local area and market we can walk to for anything.
Sunday, 23 November 2014
no post since ireland?
"Every child is born a naturalist. His eyes are, by nature open to the glories of the stars, the beauty of the flowers and the mystery of life." R. Search
We have been enjoying the last week surrounded by the beauty of the hills and mountains of Germany, Switzerland and now France, specifically the town of Chamonix. The boys, especially seem to be appreciative of our new scenery, wanting to write and get out cameras. it is off season right now, which amazes me as it isn't until December 20th that things re open, and the streets are bare and dry. We can see snow up on the mountains but have no way of achieving those heights! We may take a cable car half way today to a hike that is open and see a bit more of this valley. The train ride up to this village was something else, Amber and I were not prepared! While we clung to the edge and stared at the wall beside us, Ross dove from his seat with us to the one on the side with Sheldon and dad that hung over the precipice of the mountain we were climbing. It was crazy! It drifted slowly through, stopping at these tiny villages that it links through the mountains, people getting on and off acting as though it were nothing to be so high! Anyway, I am happy that my boys are happiest in nature, that they get the connection. I am happy that we've had this opportunity to bring them here, to see some different mountains. I know that we have all this back home, the streams, the rivers, the hills, the mountains, the beauty...and I am truly grateful for that as well, that when we leave these gorgeous places we get to return to a different but similar, beauty.
"Today I will stop and listen to their laughter, I will breathe in their joy. I will play and be a part of their memories, not just the memory maker."
Now you are thinking "what about Amber? Doesn't she like nature?" Of course she does, she appreciates it differently though because she is herself. If given the choice of going out or staying, she will probably choose to stay, but once out she is happy and silly and makes us laugh and enjoys being with us and being outdoors. However she WOULD pick hanging out, playing board games, drinking hot chocolate and laughing over a funny movie. That is perfect, because we need that balance between hiking and rest. While we were in Paris I had a wonderful day with her, the boys, tired of museums and not city dwellers themselves stayed home for a change and Amber and I hit the Louvre! It really is an amazing building, something that would take a month to get through but we skimmed it, and had a nice snack in the cafe and then later lunch out in the park in front of the museum. It was surreal, lunch with my baby in a park, in Paris. We watched the people and remarked on the fact that roses were still in bloom and that we were looking at Paris! It was interesting having this time just her and I, it almost felt like being with a friend rather than my child, watching her grow and change right before my eyes.
Sometimes when you see things for the first time, there is a moment where you may feel a little bit of disappointment, you know, it's not what you built it up to be in your mind? I felt that at a couple paintings in the Louvre, but then some other painting that I never knew existed would have me gaping and breathless and completely enthralled. The Eiffel Tower was one that I wondered if it would be like that, but from the moment we saw it on the horizon as we walked towards it I was impressed. It was bigger than we imagined (really big when we started to climb it!) more impressive, and really pretty and intriguing. It completed the landscape, it is what you picture when you think "Paris" and here we were, immersed in that landscape. It was surreal for me. I bought a baguette while it was still hot and we ate macaroons. We also ate McDonald's, hey, it can't all be perfectly parisienne. I got ripped off at a store, we saw a guy peeing on the street and we encountered a few "schemes" but we made it through unscathed...except for the 50 euros...oops. Maybe 'we made it through a bit wiser' would be a better phrase.
"If adventures do not befall a lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad." Jane Austen
We have seen so many neat old places, more castles than I could have imagined, most when we are whipping by on trains! Germany and Switzerland are SO beautiful and the people friendly and helpful. The train rides are amazing because of the scenery, it is unfortunate that I can't stop at ALL the towns that take my breath away! France has proven to be beautiful as well and we are regretting our stubbornness in high school when we could have kept taking French as a class and communicating with the people here.
So, we are off again tomorrow for another French town and then on to our final destination in Spain. Right now we are excited to 'stay put' and as Kelsey has mentioned we have a week of Spanish lessons to stay for, but I have a feeling we may take a couple of day trips before our rail pass runs out and see some other areas of Spain. On the other hand, having a "home" for more than a week sounds good too! Missing you all and thinking of you everyday, love Wendi
We have been enjoying the last week surrounded by the beauty of the hills and mountains of Germany, Switzerland and now France, specifically the town of Chamonix. The boys, especially seem to be appreciative of our new scenery, wanting to write and get out cameras. it is off season right now, which amazes me as it isn't until December 20th that things re open, and the streets are bare and dry. We can see snow up on the mountains but have no way of achieving those heights! We may take a cable car half way today to a hike that is open and see a bit more of this valley. The train ride up to this village was something else, Amber and I were not prepared! While we clung to the edge and stared at the wall beside us, Ross dove from his seat with us to the one on the side with Sheldon and dad that hung over the precipice of the mountain we were climbing. It was crazy! It drifted slowly through, stopping at these tiny villages that it links through the mountains, people getting on and off acting as though it were nothing to be so high! Anyway, I am happy that my boys are happiest in nature, that they get the connection. I am happy that we've had this opportunity to bring them here, to see some different mountains. I know that we have all this back home, the streams, the rivers, the hills, the mountains, the beauty...and I am truly grateful for that as well, that when we leave these gorgeous places we get to return to a different but similar, beauty.
"Today I will stop and listen to their laughter, I will breathe in their joy. I will play and be a part of their memories, not just the memory maker."
Now you are thinking "what about Amber? Doesn't she like nature?" Of course she does, she appreciates it differently though because she is herself. If given the choice of going out or staying, she will probably choose to stay, but once out she is happy and silly and makes us laugh and enjoys being with us and being outdoors. However she WOULD pick hanging out, playing board games, drinking hot chocolate and laughing over a funny movie. That is perfect, because we need that balance between hiking and rest. While we were in Paris I had a wonderful day with her, the boys, tired of museums and not city dwellers themselves stayed home for a change and Amber and I hit the Louvre! It really is an amazing building, something that would take a month to get through but we skimmed it, and had a nice snack in the cafe and then later lunch out in the park in front of the museum. It was surreal, lunch with my baby in a park, in Paris. We watched the people and remarked on the fact that roses were still in bloom and that we were looking at Paris! It was interesting having this time just her and I, it almost felt like being with a friend rather than my child, watching her grow and change right before my eyes.
Sometimes when you see things for the first time, there is a moment where you may feel a little bit of disappointment, you know, it's not what you built it up to be in your mind? I felt that at a couple paintings in the Louvre, but then some other painting that I never knew existed would have me gaping and breathless and completely enthralled. The Eiffel Tower was one that I wondered if it would be like that, but from the moment we saw it on the horizon as we walked towards it I was impressed. It was bigger than we imagined (really big when we started to climb it!) more impressive, and really pretty and intriguing. It completed the landscape, it is what you picture when you think "Paris" and here we were, immersed in that landscape. It was surreal for me. I bought a baguette while it was still hot and we ate macaroons. We also ate McDonald's, hey, it can't all be perfectly parisienne. I got ripped off at a store, we saw a guy peeing on the street and we encountered a few "schemes" but we made it through unscathed...except for the 50 euros...oops. Maybe 'we made it through a bit wiser' would be a better phrase.
"If adventures do not befall a lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad." Jane Austen
We have seen so many neat old places, more castles than I could have imagined, most when we are whipping by on trains! Germany and Switzerland are SO beautiful and the people friendly and helpful. The train rides are amazing because of the scenery, it is unfortunate that I can't stop at ALL the towns that take my breath away! France has proven to be beautiful as well and we are regretting our stubbornness in high school when we could have kept taking French as a class and communicating with the people here.
So, we are off again tomorrow for another French town and then on to our final destination in Spain. Right now we are excited to 'stay put' and as Kelsey has mentioned we have a week of Spanish lessons to stay for, but I have a feeling we may take a couple of day trips before our rail pass runs out and see some other areas of Spain. On the other hand, having a "home" for more than a week sounds good too! Missing you all and thinking of you everyday, love Wendi
Saturday, 22 November 2014
Back in France
No pictures to post today, there are none that would do the view from the train yesterday justice it was amazing. We travelled west from Lucerne to Lausanne which has got to be the city with one of the best views ever. The city, complete with all the vineyards, takes up the south side of the valley built on the hillside, overlooking a very large lake, the backdrop for the lake is snow capped mountains. We travelled south from there to Martigny a small village in the alps and then hopped on a train to Chamonix. This was the part of the trip that was unexpected, it was more like a thrill ride than train ride. It literally climbs up and over the mountain. The scenery was amazing and at a few points a couple of people in our group could not look out the window because we were on a cliffs edge. We found another great place in Chamonix for a few days, the owner is a Canadian from Toronto. We are starting to get to the point where we have arranged the last part of our trip, booked our last train rides and our last place to stay last night. Feels a little bitter sweet that we are done, I am tired of the research and coordination it takes booking and organizing the next stop, but we are really enjoying the trip so it feels like it is coming to an end already. The next few days will be our last train rides with back packs and the last few times we need to learn a new town or city, but we have 5 weeks to spend in Barcelona and Spain exploring learning some Spanish and day trips with small packs.
Thursday, 20 November 2014
Swiss Alps
Took advantage of our train pass today on went to Zermatt for lunch and saw the Matterhorn.
Swiss cheese fondue for lunch!
Room in Lucerne
A few pictures of the view from our room way more modern than anything we have stayed in so far, was a great deal for $200 a night.
We had a private cabin for train ride to Lucerne
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
Apartment in Fussen
As soon as I saw this in the add I rented it without even asking wendi I assumed she would enjoy the colors. Turned out to be a great place and the owners we super friendly, as usual it's hard leaving these areas. While hiking the other day we ran into a couple from Vancouver island on the side of the mountain over looking the castles, enjoyed talking to them about some areas back home and their adventures here so far. We arrived at our place in Lucern tonite and we are in what feels like penthouse suite on the 27th floor over looking the city.
Sunday, 16 November 2014
I am wandering towards the mountains and it’s getting colder, but that’s okay, I missed the cold. I missed the sharp air of winter, the sight of my breath turning in to a pale fog as it floats away and the low humming of the earth that seems to come with the snow. It warms me, in a way. See, Everything can live in the summer: insects, birds, plants and trees, but then Autumn comes and the insects die, the birds fly south, and the plants and trees wither. The aftermath is winter, with it’s harsh presence everything is either gone, dead or resting. Everything, except for me.
For I am one of the few blessed beings on this planet that gets to experience the embrace of winter. Therefore I invite winter and immerse into it, and within its harsh presence I dwell, it’s where I belong.
By Ross Nordell
For I am one of the few blessed beings on this planet that gets to experience the embrace of winter. Therefore I invite winter and immerse into it, and within its harsh presence I dwell, it’s where I belong.
By Ross Nordell
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