R.L. Stedman's Blog, page 19
September 12, 2013
Wine: Cheaper than Water
Reasons to visit ProvenceThe wine is cheaper than water. (2 Euros for a glass of wine, 2.50 Euros for a small bottle of mineral water at the Papal Palace in Avignon today).The wine is really good. And the tasting at a vineyard - a cave - is free!Food is taken extremely seriously; a lunch break lasts for two hours. So although this means that all the tourist information centres are closed from 12 - 2 for lunch, the markets are excellent, and most shops are open until 6.30 pm.The weather is amazing - in September, its warm, almost hot, in the middle of the day, but pleasant and comfortable by 4 pm.Although English is spoken infrequently, pidgin Franglais is common. So if you speak 'un peu Francais' and your communicator speaks 'a little English', it seems to work okay.There's plenty of hiking and cycling, but as no village is more than around 10 km from another, you are never too far from excellent food and wine.
The Papal Palace, Avignon. Image from Wikipedia - unable to post my own image due to technical issues with wifi and camera!
The Papal Palace, Avignon. Image from Wikipedia - unable to post my own image due to technical issues with wifi and camera!
Book Review: A Year in Provence
A Year in ProvenceWell I'd put off reading this as I thought, travelling to Provence, and reading A Year in Provence? What a cliche!
But, I loved it - it was a lot of fun, and extremely useful, prior to travelling... For example, there's a phrase 'payments noir'. We bought some sandwiches at a small cafe on Sunday. And we paid in cash for them, they were excellent (half a baguette, split lengthwise) - jambon avec crudites (ham with vegetables) - the kids had just jambon sans crudites (the thought of vegetables on a Sunday was a bit too much). The woman wanted to be paid in cash (pas de Visa, Madame) because it was 'dans la noir'. We had an interesting discussion of 'under the table' which means, I think, roughly the same: a way to evade the tax man.
The only problem with this book is that it leaves you feeling immensely hungry. So don't read it with an empty stomach!
September 8, 2013
Paris for Teenagers
Teenager's Recommendations for Paris
These recommendations are from my travelling teens:
Climbing the Eiffel Tower (NOT the lift).Crepes - they thought the creperie at the base of the Eiffel Tower was the best.Eiffel Tower at night.The modern art at the Pompidou Centre.Seeing the 'famous stuff' at the Louvre.Chocolaterie on the road to Montmartre (between the funicular and the metro station).Window shopping on the Champs-Elysee - especially the Toyota store, you can go inside and see the prototypes.Bon journee
These recommendations are from my travelling teens:
Climbing the Eiffel Tower (NOT the lift).Crepes - they thought the creperie at the base of the Eiffel Tower was the best.Eiffel Tower at night.The modern art at the Pompidou Centre.Seeing the 'famous stuff' at the Louvre.Chocolaterie on the road to Montmartre (between the funicular and the metro station).Window shopping on the Champs-Elysee - especially the Toyota store, you can go inside and see the prototypes.Bon journee
Book Review - Phantom
The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux
This is an oldie but a goodie and would make ...a great musical.
According to Wikipedia, the novel was first published as a serial, which explains the many, sometimes unnecessary twists and turns of plot. The story opens with the narrator recounting the mysterious death of a Comte, the disappearance, presumed death, of the Vicomte and the disappearance of opera singer, Christine Daae from the Paris Opera House. The pace of the novel is maintained by the drama of the Opera Ghost (is he a man? Or a phantom?) and the tension of the inevitably doomed couple.
While a product of its time, the attraction of the novel is really the descriptions of the Opera House, of the city-within-a-city. It was a great book to read when travelling through Paris, with its stratified society still present today.
And now I want to see the musical.
This is an oldie but a goodie and would make ...a great musical.
According to Wikipedia, the novel was first published as a serial, which explains the many, sometimes unnecessary twists and turns of plot. The story opens with the narrator recounting the mysterious death of a Comte, the disappearance, presumed death, of the Vicomte and the disappearance of opera singer, Christine Daae from the Paris Opera House. The pace of the novel is maintained by the drama of the Opera Ghost (is he a man? Or a phantom?) and the tension of the inevitably doomed couple.
While a product of its time, the attraction of the novel is really the descriptions of the Opera House, of the city-within-a-city. It was a great book to read when travelling through Paris, with its stratified society still present today.
And now I want to see the musical.
September 4, 2013
Begging
Begging
This is not what you read in the guidebooks but - everywhere you go in Paris, there are beggars.
I kept a list today: one man on his knees in the subway with a sign saying 'J'ai Faim'. A woman crouched near the entrance to the Arc de Triomphe, huddled as if in prayer. 2 young men asleep: one in the metro, with a dog and a loud woman, one in the Champs Elysee, also with a dog. A young woman with old eyes, and in a beggar archetype, a man with no legs. The city feels like something out of a Dickens novel.
The most concerning...three young women (sometimes with a boy) who've approached me three times: at the Eiffel Tower; at Notre Dame; at the Pompideau Museum. They speak excellent English and carry a poorly photocopied 'petition' which, they say, is for the children. They were charm itself until I gave them 50 cents. 50 cents, it appeared, was insufficient.
Who runs these teenagers? There are too many and too organised to be a spontaneous group. One woman at the youth hostel said they were Romanian. They didn't mind having their photo taken.
Whoever they are, I pity them. Because instead of asking for money today, they asked for my left-over grapes, huddling into a group in a corner of the square to eat them. When I gave them a sandwich also, they were all smiles.
This is not what you read in the guidebooks but - everywhere you go in Paris, there are beggars.
I kept a list today: one man on his knees in the subway with a sign saying 'J'ai Faim'. A woman crouched near the entrance to the Arc de Triomphe, huddled as if in prayer. 2 young men asleep: one in the metro, with a dog and a loud woman, one in the Champs Elysee, also with a dog. A young woman with old eyes, and in a beggar archetype, a man with no legs. The city feels like something out of a Dickens novel.
The most concerning...three young women (sometimes with a boy) who've approached me three times: at the Eiffel Tower; at Notre Dame; at the Pompideau Museum. They speak excellent English and carry a poorly photocopied 'petition' which, they say, is for the children. They were charm itself until I gave them 50 cents. 50 cents, it appeared, was insufficient.
Who runs these teenagers? There are too many and too organised to be a spontaneous group. One woman at the youth hostel said they were Romanian. They didn't mind having their photo taken.
Whoever they are, I pity them. Because instead of asking for money today, they asked for my left-over grapes, huddling into a group in a corner of the square to eat them. When I gave them a sandwich also, they were all smiles.
September 3, 2013
The Inevitability of Queues
Queues...A Necessary Evil?
There's no way out of them, not in Paris at the end of summer. Here's the line at the catacombs:
However, there are some queues you can avoid:
Visit the Louvre on the first Sunday of the month. It's free and there's no one queuing for tickets. However, its very busy because everyone goes there .. because it's free.Access the Louvre through the Louvre Carousel (metro: Palais Royale). This way you don't have to wait in the hot sun.To go up the Eiffel Tower, take the stairs (escalier) This queue was only 5 minutes long! - the queue for the lift snaked all the way under the tower.
Arrive early at the Catacombs. You'll still hit the queue, but it won't be as hot as later in the day. And take water and a sun-hat for your wait.
Entrance to the CatacombsAnd remember... you'll never see these attractions anywhere else. So its worth the wait!
September 2, 2013
Paris!
Epiphany Means 'A Sudden Realisation of Great Truth'Yesterday's epiphany was - don't overwhelm the kids.
Yesterday we travelled from Amsterdam to Paris. Got out of the Gare du Nord and stepped...straight into Mumbai. There was a festival to Ganesh and the streets were closed and awash with women in brightly coloured saris, helium balloons and loud, cracklingly loud, Indian music.
It was a relief to get to the youth hostel.
Whereupon we went straight out again and went to the Louvre. It's free on the first Sunday of the month, and yesterday was...the first Sunday. The Louvre was even more crowded than the streets.
We decided early on that we were not going to try to see everything at the Louvre. It's impossible. So along with everyone else, we just went to the famous things!
Crowd at the Mona Lisa (it's the small black rectangle in the distance)By 5 pm we were exhausted and had to resort to Starbucks for therapy. And Starbucks in Paris is hideously expensive.
Moral of the story: We should have paid to go to the Louvre. And not done anything in the afternoon.
Guards ushering visitors from the LouvreToday we're just chilling. Here's the Paris Pajol youth hostel. It's brand new and much more comfortable than any other accommodation I've ever had in Paris.
Yesterday we travelled from Amsterdam to Paris. Got out of the Gare du Nord and stepped...straight into Mumbai. There was a festival to Ganesh and the streets were closed and awash with women in brightly coloured saris, helium balloons and loud, cracklingly loud, Indian music.
It was a relief to get to the youth hostel.
Whereupon we went straight out again and went to the Louvre. It's free on the first Sunday of the month, and yesterday was...the first Sunday. The Louvre was even more crowded than the streets.
We decided early on that we were not going to try to see everything at the Louvre. It's impossible. So along with everyone else, we just went to the famous things!
Crowd at the Mona Lisa (it's the small black rectangle in the distance)By 5 pm we were exhausted and had to resort to Starbucks for therapy. And Starbucks in Paris is hideously expensive.Moral of the story: We should have paid to go to the Louvre. And not done anything in the afternoon.
Guards ushering visitors from the LouvreToday we're just chilling. Here's the Paris Pajol youth hostel. It's brand new and much more comfortable than any other accommodation I've ever had in Paris. 
August 30, 2013
Book Reviews - Two Houses
Simone van der Vlugt - Safe as HousesI've finished Simone van der Vlugt's
Safe as Houses.
While it was okay, it would probably have been better in the original - the translated version was pretty weak (not helped by jet lag). The ending was good, but I skimmed a lot in the middle and didn't really miss much. The story is about a woman who is held hostage in her own home by an escaped criminal. I read it because I thought it would be set locally, and give an insight into the area. Unfortunately, because the protagonist was held hostage in her house, I didn't get a sense of place at all.
Anne Frank - Diary of a Young Girl.Safe as Houses provides a rich contrast with Anne Frank's classic. I went past the Anne Frank House today - the queue stretched far past the house, which now has a modern exterior. So I don't think I'll go inside - but what a gift that poor girl had, and what a sad but beautiful read her diary makes. And despite being mostly set in one tiny house, there's a strong sense of place - the bells of the nearby church, the sunsets, the bombing and the fires.
Anne Frank - Diary of a Young Girl.Safe as Houses provides a rich contrast with Anne Frank's classic. I went past the Anne Frank House today - the queue stretched far past the house, which now has a modern exterior. So I don't think I'll go inside - but what a gift that poor girl had, and what a sad but beautiful read her diary makes. And despite being mostly set in one tiny house, there's a strong sense of place - the bells of the nearby church, the sunsets, the bombing and the fires.
Amsterdam!!
Travelling with Teens
So here we are in Amsterdam.
We went to the Stedelijk Museum - the modern art museum of Amsterdam. Less busy than its neighbouring Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museusm, its great for older kids. Easy to understand, really interesting and interactive displays; a great way to spend a morning.
Which leads me to the next thing:
Which Amsterdam Pass?
There are three - the Holland Pass, the I Amsterdam and the Museum Kaart. There's a good blog that analyses the different passes: Diy-OE So I won't go into the pros and cons, and to fully analyse the differences I think you'll need a spreadsheet! We got the Holland Pass. It seems to be pretty good - today, we went on a canal boat ride as well as the museum (included within the cost of the pass) and rode the trams all day.
Staying in a camping ground.
Stupidly, I assumed the camping grounds here were the same as at home - with facilities provided for folk who wish to cook. Alas, they are not. The cabins here include bedding and lighting but that's about it. However, they are much much cheaper than an alternative within the canals of Amsterdam - and we're only one tram ride away from the central city. So we've had to make do and have a meal that doesn't involve cooking or a fridge. As you can see, we didn't starve!
So here we are in Amsterdam.
We went to the Stedelijk Museum - the modern art museum of Amsterdam. Less busy than its neighbouring Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museusm, its great for older kids. Easy to understand, really interesting and interactive displays; a great way to spend a morning.
Which leads me to the next thing:
Which Amsterdam Pass?
There are three - the Holland Pass, the I Amsterdam and the Museum Kaart. There's a good blog that analyses the different passes: Diy-OE So I won't go into the pros and cons, and to fully analyse the differences I think you'll need a spreadsheet! We got the Holland Pass. It seems to be pretty good - today, we went on a canal boat ride as well as the museum (included within the cost of the pass) and rode the trams all day.
Staying in a camping ground.
Stupidly, I assumed the camping grounds here were the same as at home - with facilities provided for folk who wish to cook. Alas, they are not. The cabins here include bedding and lighting but that's about it. However, they are much much cheaper than an alternative within the canals of Amsterdam - and we're only one tram ride away from the central city. So we've had to make do and have a meal that doesn't involve cooking or a fridge. As you can see, we didn't starve!
August 28, 2013
Last Night Blues
Last Night...
So tomorrow we're off to Amsterdam. Before we go, here's some more tips on travel in Holland.
Holland is a great place for families - its not cheap but its clean, well-organised, easy to get around and in mid-summer, its very pretty. Here's four things we've discovered so far:
Tip One: Get on a Bike. We hired two cycles for 25 Euros for a week from the cycle shop down the road. He's not really into hiring but we asked nicely and he agreed. This has been so useful - free transport, easy parking and gets the kids out in the fresh air. Everyone cycles here so the cycle ways are really safe. This is the bike map for the area, and you can go as faaaaar as you like.
Tip Two: Ask the locals. Most people speak English, and the best places so far have been word of mouth recommendation. Highlights have been: Xantan's Archeological Musem, Devil's Berg Pancake House and the rather surprising medieval festival.
Tip Three: Eat in. Eating in cafes is expensive, so make it a treat - try to avoid ordering whole meals. Have cake and coffee only. And gelati is CHEAP. Other local treats are krocketten (crocquets) and pomme frites (french fries). In Nijmegen, the locals eat at the Hema, a department store with a buffet. We didn't try it this time, but apparently its still good.
Tip Four: Get out of the Car. There's heaps of things you just won't see from the windows of a car. Like the gardens, cemetaries (yes, really), the many archeological billboards. We found a totally random installation on acqueducts set up above an ancient Roman trench. There's walkways through forests and oh yes, lots and lots of churches - and these are all FREE!!
So tomorrow we're off to Amsterdam. Before we go, here's some more tips on travel in Holland.
Holland is a great place for families - its not cheap but its clean, well-organised, easy to get around and in mid-summer, its very pretty. Here's four things we've discovered so far:
Tip One: Get on a Bike. We hired two cycles for 25 Euros for a week from the cycle shop down the road. He's not really into hiring but we asked nicely and he agreed. This has been so useful - free transport, easy parking and gets the kids out in the fresh air. Everyone cycles here so the cycle ways are really safe. This is the bike map for the area, and you can go as faaaaar as you like.
Tip Two: Ask the locals. Most people speak English, and the best places so far have been word of mouth recommendation. Highlights have been: Xantan's Archeological Musem, Devil's Berg Pancake House and the rather surprising medieval festival.
Tip Three: Eat in. Eating in cafes is expensive, so make it a treat - try to avoid ordering whole meals. Have cake and coffee only. And gelati is CHEAP. Other local treats are krocketten (crocquets) and pomme frites (french fries). In Nijmegen, the locals eat at the Hema, a department store with a buffet. We didn't try it this time, but apparently its still good.
Tip Four: Get out of the Car. There's heaps of things you just won't see from the windows of a car. Like the gardens, cemetaries (yes, really), the many archeological billboards. We found a totally random installation on acqueducts set up above an ancient Roman trench. There's walkways through forests and oh yes, lots and lots of churches - and these are all FREE!!
