More from la vie en Paris

Our last days in Paris were rather dreary...it was rather rainy and quite cold. We went over to the Latin Quarter and walked around for a little while, but then it started to rain quite hard. There's not much you can do in the rain, so we scooted in for a nice lunch. It was still raining, but we found this lovely church and decided to go in. Rainy days are perfect for church viewing! The church was Saint-Severin, and it was very lovely and quite interesting, as it was filled with information on its unique history.

Outside the church, we heard chants (I thought it was monks or something), so we went outside to see what it was. There were about 50 kids at least all in a circle. It appeared that we were experiencing some sort of French girl scout/boy scout induction ceremony. It was neat to see.

French girl scouts!

Other than that, we kind of just hung out, ate lots of croissants and drank lots of cappucinos! We had to do some chores for part of our last day....it was time to do laudry, book our train tickets to Belgium, etc.

Paris at Night

As you may already know, we've been in Bruges, Belgium for the past two days....we'll have to tell you all about it another time!


Hoping everyone is doing wonderfullly!


Bisous,

Trip to Normandy

   We took a day trip to Normandy, France while staying in Paris. We took a train to the city of Bayeux in order to visit the famous Omaha Beach, the D-day invasion site in Normandy during WWII. We got to see the beach where the Allies retook France from Germany by invading this huge beach. This is also where the American cemetery is located. Over 9,000 soldiers died that day. There is also a very nice memorial monument and an exhibit, filled with artifacts and stories from the war. I wasn't really aware of this place at all, but this was on Joey's bucket list and something he very much wanted to do. We were very glad we went; it was amazing to see the actual beach and to remember what countless men and women did for the freedom we enjoy today. Here are some photos from our day at this special place.




The American soldiers who died that day are buried here



Omaha Beach, Normandy

Sand meets the land at Omaha Beach, D-Day

American Cemetery at Omaha Beach

The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves memorial statue

Nous Arrivons a' Paris!

Bonjour! We had quite the interesting time getting to Paris from Greece. We didn't leave Santorini until about 10:30pm this past Wednesday night. We said goodbye to Yorgos & the Aretousa Villas, where they treated us like family. We'll miss them for sure! That flight into Athens is about 30 minutes, however, the way our plane schedule worked out, our fight from Athens to Paris didn't leave until 8:00am THE NEXT MORNING. Well, ya gotta do what ya gotta do I guess. "You are young," as Yorgos lameted...So that's what the youngins did. We tried to sleep in a 24- hour McDonald's which blasted cheesy nightclub music all night and into the morning....we're trying to sleep, people! I think I slept about one hour. We got onto to our plane on time, but it was delayed almost an hour due to a strike in France (does everyone in Europe go on strike?). Anyway, we made it there about 11:30am. We were just getting ready to buy our train passes into the city, when a girl stopped me and asked if I spoke English. Yes, I replied. She and her parents were from Toronto staying in the Loire Valley. They had planned to spend a day in Paris, but because they were flying home tomorrow, they were worried they wouldn't be able to get out of the city because of the strike. So they offered their tickets to us, plus their tour tickets for the day! They wouldn't let us give them any money for it. Yay, Toronto! We were very grateful for this bit of good fortune. It saved us $25 at least, plus a free tour, so many thanks to those who have prayed for us!



We easily found our hotel in the city, and although we desperately wanted to sleep because we hadn't in about two days, we had to go on the tour because it was only good for that day. Waste not, want not, eh? It was one of the Cars Rouges tours (red buses...probably didn't need a translation there) that drive you around the city showing you the main sites, plus you can hop on and hop off. I like to take these tours at the start of a trip to a new place whenever I can, but they're pretty pricey. Luckily for us, ours was free this time! Before going on the tour, we also walked through the Parc Monceau and ate some lunch. I had  lovely carrot soup and Joey had a chicken sandwich. On the tour, we saw the Louvre from the outside, Notre Dame, l'Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Musee d'Orsay, Champs Elysees and much more. I definitely passed out at some point while on the bus and missed a few things, but that's okay. Here are a few photos from the tour.



Looking like death from lack of sleep...and yes, we're tourists.

L'Arc de Triomphe

La Tour Eiffel

Notre Dame

I guess we got back to the hotel around 5pm or so and PASSED OUT. We slept for about 16 hours....we were beyond exhausted. This backpacking through Europe is not for the faint at heart! But totally worth it.


The next day we visited the Louvre. This place is huge....it would take weeks to see all the art and artifacts within her walls, but we gave it our best shot. Of course we saw Mona Lisa, which was really neat to see, even if there's nothing terribly remarkable about the smallish painting itself. The fact that you're actually seeing the real thing is pretty incredible.

Mona Lisa in the flesh

Inside the Louvre



Outside the Louvre, by the famous glass pyramide



Since it was a nice day (for the moment), we decided to head over to the Eiffel Tower in hopes of getting to the top and seeing an aerial view of Paris. This really is a sight to see, and I wanted Joey to experience it. Unfortunately, once we got there, it started to rain hard, and also the line to get in the tower was astronomical. So we just took some photos and waited for the Tower to sparkle, as it does at night. If we have time, we'll try to go back.

La belle Tour Eiffel

Eiffel Tower at night

I am enjoying speaking French again! Although I am out of practice, I can definitely get by. This is definitely a new experience for Joey, not being able to communicate properly and even more so, having to rely on someone else (that would be me) for information. He's trying very hard to learn the language and is doing a great job, but he's humbly said repeatedly, "I don't know what I would do if you weren't here..."


Well honey, I feel the same!

Beaucoup bisous a' vous,

La Dolce Far Niente

I just had to share this photo, taken on the last day of our stay in Greece. It is an image that will live in inphamy and one that we may never see again:

Joey with a kitty!

Suffice it to say, Joey has never been too fond of felines, and so this little encounter just cracked me up! This little guy would not stop loving on him. He was not interested in me at all, but loved snuggling up to Joey all afternoon long. It was too cute...I think Joey even liked it a little :)



Joey has been actively trying to pursue la dolce far niente, or "the sweetness of doing nothing." He is an extremely active person at home; you will rarely see him lounging in front of the TV. He always has to be moving, accomplishing and producing. So his goal on this trip, especially in Greece, was to practice this art of relaxation and pleasure of doing nothing. I, on the other hand, have this practice down pretty well already, I know the sweetness of relaxation very well. In comparison with my partner in life, sometimes I feel like I practice it too much! But not to worry, we have left the land of relaxation and have returned to busy streets, pretty people with their slim cigarettes, butter croissants, countless cafes, marvelling history, et bien sur, l'amour. Donc, c'est Paris!
 
 

Long Story Short...without the cake. Joey's Take

Santorini, Greece is nice. The weather is great and the people are very hospitable. The sunset is beautiful here and living is relatively cheap. Joey's take: To hell with Sandals, come to the greek islands and ride around on scooters and play in the black sand beaches.

Joey

I decided to upgrade from the quad for the last leg of our trip.

The Williams Perplex a Nation

I love Greek & Lebanese food...I've eaten it all my life. In Baton Rouge, there is a multitude of Greek/Lebanese restaurants. One of my favorite things to get is grilled haloumi cheese as an appetizer, and this is available at pretty much every Greek restaurant in Baton Rouge. Many of you probably know what I'm talking about, and if you haven't tried it yet, stop what you're doing right now and head over to Arzi's or Albasha or Serop's or whichever one you prefer and order the "fried cheese!" It's amazing.

So naturally, I assumed that haloumi was a staple of all Greek cuisine, so I was looking forward to having it here during our stay. Oddly, it's not available in too many restaurants, but it just so happened that the first restaurant we ate at, did. But then after going to many restaurants, we realized it wasn't readily available. I looked for it fresh in different super markets, but didn't have much luck, until one night. We have a kitchen in our little villa, so we can stock up and even cook sometimes if we choose. So we bought a variety of things, including the haloumi. When the cashier saw the cheese, she immediately started chattering in very fast Greek to the other workers...obviously the only thing we recognized was the word "haloumi" over and over again. After we left, we wondered what she was saying, but didn't think too much of it. Maybe she thought it was at a low price for this time of year...

The next day or so later, Joey was grilling some on our stove. The wife and her daughter, Debbie, of the hotel came in for some quick cleaning, and the daughter (who speaks very good English) remarked that whatever we were cooking smelled very good, but she didn't know what it was. I told her it was haloumi. The wife, who doesn't speak much English, started chattering in much the same way that the cashier did, again, us only catching the word "haloumi." Debbie looked at us quizzickly and said, "Haloumi is from Cyprus, Greece." Almost like, "why do you know this cheese?" I shrugged and replied, "I have an uncle from Cyprus." And although this is true, this isn't really why I know about haloumi. 

It's because it's all over Baton Rouge. But I have a theory. The majority of Greeks who opened restaurants in Baton Rouge must be all mainly be from Cyprus! Which would make sense. My uncle met my parents and my family, and of course eventually married my aunt; but I believe they met him as a result of his working at a Greek restaurant while he was in school.

So since haloumi is a cheese of Cyprus and since every Greek restaurant in our area has it, I must conclude that much of the Greek population that lives in Baton Rouge is from Cyprus. Or, because it's so popular, perhaps the other owners decided to offer it as well.

But it still puzzles Santorinians why these two white people know about Cyprian cheese. Everytime we order it at the few restaurants that have it here, we hear shouts from the kitchen with "haloumi's" sprinkled in, and we just laugh. When the waiter brings it, he pronounces it cheese from Cyprus, and he usually asks us where we are from. I feel like we should say we're from Cyprus or something. We would if we could pull that off, but no speaka the Greek. 

So I'm still not sure why they get all in a tizzy when we order it, and I guess I'll never fully understand. But all this to say, Joey and I have managed to perplex a whole island's worth of Greeks. Debbie asked me to be sure and email her when we arrive safely in Paris....she told me to say in the email that we're the "haloumi people" so she'll be sure to know who we are.

I don't mind being remembered that way.

Breakfast I put together on our balcony. Grapes, chocolate croissant, and of course fresh haloumi on toast!

It's so Beachy!

We've spent quite some time at the beach while here, which probably comes to no surprise. I love going to the beach and getting in the water...Joey tolerates it, but the sun really wears him out. He's perfectly happy lounging under and umbrella all day in the shade. He's my little albino :) Although, as he reminds me, I am whiter than he. At least I'm trying :)


As I've said before, we're staying in Perissa, which has the largest stretch of beach, and it is black sand....well, technically it's black rock, but it's not at all uncomfortable. Actually I could see why people might prefer it over sand, because little rocks are easier to get off you than sand. I like to look at the smooth little rocks in the crystal clear water. There are red and white rocks mixed in with the black rock so it's pretty.

Here are more photos from one of our days at the beach in Perissa.


Joey in the Aegean Sea!



Me in the Aegean Sea!

Some puppies on the beach! There are dogs everywhere here. Makes us miss our Polly!

Have a wonderful day!



Santorini: A Good Place for Wine

We visited a winery today, Santo Wines. The owner of our hotel, Yorgos, recommeded it. Santorini has a flourishing wine business. Apparently, the ashy grey soil is extremely fertile, and doesn't need much water (obviously because it never rains here I'm told!) Yorgos has given us huge cucumbers from his garden, and says that all their vegetation is able to grow without water because the soil is so fertile and because they get moisture from the sea. As I said before in an earlier post, when we first arrived on the island, Yorgos gave us some of his wine that he makes himself...I think this is a common thing for the islanders to do (make homemade wine). It sort of jolted us at first because it is extrememly sweet, but we're used to it now. We've been stocking our fridge with bottles of Santorini wine all during our stay :) The grape growing season lasts only one month, in August. I'm not sure how that compares to the grape season of somewhere in Napa or in Italy...


Anyway, we took a tour of the factory and of course did a few tastings. The wines were very beautiful, we enjoyed it very much. A very famous wine of theirs is called Vinsanto, and it's a very sweet wine...it was delicious! The winery is set right on the sea, so you know what that means: more beautiful scenery plus wine! Bella!

Santo Wines

Ah, wine!

With my Vinsanto

Wasn't expecting to find wine vineyards in Greece, but there you have it!

Grecian Sunsets

Santorini is famous for its sunsets, and for good reason. They are gorgeous. And, I guess it's also because there's nothing blockading the view---you can see the entire sunset from start to finish from the island. We've watched three sunsets from two different points on the island. One place we've gone is the famous town of Oia (pronounced EE-ah), which is where you see the picturesque pictures from Greece---the white houses with blue accents and the churches with the blue domes stuck into the cliffs of the island. These images are what I think of when I think of Greece, and now I've gotten to see it in true form. I love Oia, it is my favorite place in Santorini. Isn't it beautiful?

Sunset in Oia

Oia after sunset

We also went to another high point on the other side of the island one evening, and the sunset was equally beautiful. It wasn't in the middle of a town, so there weren't as many people watching it. Very romantic!



Sunset at Akrotiri

Joey getting a candid shot of me watching the sunset

 We watched our final sunset tonight, as we leave our little home in Greece tomorrow. We went to a cafe that overlooks the Caldera.

View of the Caldera