After Sardinia, I made my way to France to stay with Letizia, who became a dear friend after sharing an apartment in Siena together for just two months, now more than six years ago.
Getting to Letizia
The best things in life aren't easy. My flight to Paris was delayed, meaning I would miss my train connecting me to Angers, the town about 1.5 hours outside of Paris where Letizia lived. I didn't have an international phone plan, but was able to coordinate with Leti over wifi from the airport in Sardinia. It was learned that the last train option for the day, which I had only a slight chance of making, left not from Charles de Gaulle airport, but from Montparnasse station in the middle of the city, close to an hour away. I figured it was worth a shot, and if I didn't make it, I'd get a hotel and try again in the morning.
So I made it through the delayed flight, not-so-patiently waited for my luggage to come around, and hurriedly lugged my bags through the rainy pathways of the airport to the metro station. I had gotten my bags at about 8:15, and the train was to leave at 9:27. The ticket lady helped me with which train I needed to get on to make my way to Montparnasse, handed me a train map, and off I dashed. Once on the train, surrounded by my bags, I diligently studied the map, comprehending that I would actually need to change lines to make it to the right station.
At my connecting station, kind gentlemen helped me lift and lower my overweight bags as I navigated the stairs. The train came immediately and I realized I might actually have a chance. I made it to Montparnasse with time to spare and was feeling so ecstatic that I started to calm down. I hummed a little ditty on the escalator. I walked. Once at the ticket machine, at about 9:19, I realized that I had mistaken the time of the train and it was actually a few minutes earlier, at 9:23. Suddenly, I was down to the wire again. I grabbed my ticket and my bags and rushed to the center of the station to check the monitors for which platform I needed. There were so many different screens and types of trains in that huge station-I couldn't figure it out. I almost started to cry, not able to believe I'd gotten that close and would still miss the train.
I collected myself, asked a man near me for help, and realized I needed to run all the way to platform three. I barely said merci as I fled madly towards the platform, now with only two and a half minutes left and tons of passengers blocking my way. I made it to the platform only to find two men closing a gate. It turns out that the platform actually closes two minutes before the train is set to depart! I refused to break stride and desperately cried "Nooooo!" The men were so shocked by my behavior that they opened the gate and allowed me onto the train.
They gestured me to the first available cabin, which turned out to be first class. Not caring, I dumped myself, gasping for breath, in the first seat I could find. I couldn't believe I'd made it! It was a crowning achievement. Of course, I didn't really have a way to let Letizia know my status. I decided to just try turning on data, got her for two useless seconds, and then lost her in a tunnel that lasted another half hour. Finally, I was able to get her on the phone again and reassure her that we actually would see each other that night, after four years and one terribly stressful evening of travel. There were lots of squeals and hugs at the station, to be sure.
Her apartment in Angers was very cute, especially the little garden out back where we ate breakfast the next morning!
Bicycling along the Loire River
Our first day together we packed a picnic, rented bikes, and rode along the Loire, stopping to take in the sights and chat with the locals. We rode through Bouchemaine, continued on to Savennières, and made a final stop on the tiny island of Béhuard. I have no idea how far we biked, but it's safe to say our booties were feeling it after just half an hour.
The theme of the day was the kindness of strangers, which we encountered time and again.
We stopped to eat in front of this house in Bouchemaine with a lovely view over the river. The kind, basket-weaving home-owner arrived while we were lunching, and offered us freshly picked pears and peaches from the orchard, in the case that we had forgotten dessert.
Next, we stopped by a gentleman's hall where they play a version of bocce ball specific to that region, with a curved court and balls that aren't quite round. It was just Letizia and me, watching a dozen old Frenchmen kick balls around, learning what we could from them about the history and strategy of the game. I couldn't help but wonder what their wives were left to do all day while they were ballin'.
We found a calligrapher around the corner, who allowed us to practice her technique of dipping slate in paint to create designs. Letizia still has our creation! (This lady was better at art than personal hygiene-it was painful to lean in too close.)
It was warm that day, and many of the paths are narrow. We exhausted ourselves along the journey but were excited to see more, so we pressed on!
In Savennières, we stopped at Château des Vaults for a self-guided tour of the grounds and a free wine tasting.
For our final stop, we cruised over to the island of Béhuard, which was incredibly picturesque:
This al fresco church on the island was a highlight of the day. I've never been to one! Surrounded by trees that form the impression of architecture, and leading up to such a towering altar, we felt we were on sacred ground. So peaceful!
Around Angers
We spent most evenings and one morning around Angers. One of the funniest moments of the trip happened in this cheese shop. For weeks before and the entire week I was there Letizia had been dedicated to this metabolism diet where she could only eat certain things each day, and definitely no cheese. She was so diligent all week, offering me pastries and watching me drink wine while she refused to partake. Fast forward to this cheese case, where we perused the options, and noticing sample squares, I grabbed a toothpick and popped one in my mouth. Letizia excitedly followed suit, and as if in slow motion, my eyes grew wide and I started stuttering objections until she realized her grave mistake and spat it out. It was if she had entered an alternate universe where cheese was allowed and had no recollection of her diet. We almost died laughing.
I got to meet several of Letizia's friends at an aperitif one evening, both French and Italian, and I also finally got to meet her boyfriend Olivier, who generously had us over for dinner another night. He's not just into cooking, but presentation. The ratatouille was cylindrical, and check out that appetizer! They met through photography, and you'll see a few film photos from them integrated into this post.
The city was gearing up for Angers' annual festival while I was there, and art installations were popping up everywhere-a huge painted dragon along the banks of the river; real boats created to look like they were folded up newspapers; performance art with people the world over parading around in their handmade vehicles (very Mad Max). It was fun to see the modern images against the back-splash of the old city.
Steak time
Château de Serrant
Letizia, Olivier, and I visited a nearby chateau one afternoon. The most notable features were the unique copper cookware, an exquisitely detailed piece of wooden furniture with dozens of secret compartments of which there exist only a handful in the world, and the dressing room, which the Queen of England used when once she stayed at the chateau. We loved imagining preparing for an outing in the beautiful, brightly lit corner room!
We may have enjoyed our photo shoot on the grounds with the leaves and chickens more than anything else!
Another day, we intended to visit the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud (a nearby abbey), but we messed up the public transportation and it turned out it wasn't possible that day. Instead, we ended up in Saumur, exploring, shopping, and snacking, which turned out to be perfect, really.
I can't underscore how much I regretted that luscious cheese later
Indoor equestrian center-
Saumur is famous for its equestrian school
More glutinous goodies
Being fortunate enough to have been to Paris several times before, I didn't feel like I had to visit any specific attractions. Instead, we wandered the city, starting at the Orangerie Museum (built to display Monet's Water Lilies cycle), lounging in several city parks I'd never visited, shopping a bit, and finally ending up in romantic Montmarte for dinner.
Monet & me
Asian tourist attack (that's me, in the middle)
Feeling that my last supper with her in France was getting too somber, Leti decided to lighten things up. Literally. Her napkin caught the flame of the candle while in her hands! She started hooting and hollering, and before I could be helpful in any way, the proprietor told her to drop it on the tile, and as ash swirled and Letizia flitted about, I figured I could be most helpful by documenting the incident.
The evidence
Thank you, Leti, for putting so much into my visit and as always, being the best company! Can't wait to see you next.
Montmarte
No comments:
Post a Comment