Not so slowly going crazy: August 2010

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Versailles, 17 July

Is it wrong of me to not love such a cultural touchstone? Let's just say that the huge crowds and the French disdain for efficiency combine in this place to make it rather less than pleasant to tour.

Charlemagne. They're not impressed

gold gates. sparkly!

Halls of fancy furnishings, expensive paintings, fabulous tapestry, amid the hordes of people who stop right in front of you to listen to the audio tour. Sadly, the famous hall of mirrors is dingy and many of the mirrors have been vandalized. It was reminiscent of our Loire trip where the stairwells of the fabulous chateaux were defaced with graffiti. We ended up skipping the one part I really wanted to see--the gardens, because we were fed up with the whole experience.

Mont St-Michel, 16 July

Mt St-Michel

The abbey built at the top of the hill was once only reachable at low tide. Nowadays, however, the modern causeway allows access day and night and for ample tourist parking. I want to come back in the slow season to stay here and watch the tide come in.

Look! Deanna is nearly smiling!

Omaha Beach, 15 July


Mine Eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord

Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes

Driving for hours on end is enough to make even the most patient of our children a little feisty and restive, so we try to make sure that even on driving days we spend some time outside. This trip to tidepools and rocky beach was a complete accident, and we only found the shore due to my ability to remember what Rue de la Mer meant. We watched families fill mussel baskets and the storm quickly making its way up the channel. Even the prospect of seeing the sun set couldn't keep us there once the thunder ventured closer and we realized we were in for a thorough soaking if we didn't get ourselves back to our motel. Our tiny rooms and the pod bathrooms looked more welcoming as the kids examined their treasures of shells, stones, and knees skinned from running over the rocks.