Seraphim
Come share our voyage
e-mail us at: sailingseraphim@gmail.com
What
could be more enchanting than Thanksgiving in Paris? Absolutely nothing. Unlike
previous years in countries with limited provisions, Paris offers every
ingredient we could wish for right down to fresh cranberries.
We were even able to make soupy corn casserole, a specialty of Sharon’s
Mom’s. This being our first
Thanksgiving without her, the casserole was important.
So we celebrated in style and invited two other Americans in the marina
to help consume the smallest turkey we could find, 3 kilos.
We were frantic when we realized the bird wouldn’t fit in the oven.
But a quick dash to the supermarket for a crushable boiler pan solved the
problem while adding another “Thank You” to our gratitude list.
Even without the Macy’s parade, a football game or a crackling fire,
Thanksgiving in Paris was wonderful.
Of
course December was spent taking in the magic of Paris and Christmas.
Paris was just alive with Christmas.
The annual nationwide telethon kicked off Paris’ Christmas season.
Some of the activities used our marina as a venue, so we were treated to
floating spectacles, several bands, even a high-wire act out over the boats
moored along the canal.
There
is no end to the beauty of Paris’ shops adorned with beautiful things, window
displays and perfectly coiffed shoppers. Sometimes it’s more fun to study the
shoppers than the merchandise! Every
street was lit, every doorway was decorated.
Sharon combed the neighborhoods for the best décor.
St. Germain won the prize, decked in champagne flutes.
St. Louis came in a close second, dressed mostly in purple.
With
our Christmas shopping complete and packages in the mail before Thanksgiving, we
were well into the Christmas spirit, loving the crowds of shoppers.
So we often strolled the back streets of our neighborhood just to take it
all in, again. It almost seemed
like we were Parisians. We felt so at home we even took to helping a struggling old
lady with her bags.
We
were fortunate enough to attend the Christmas concert at Notre Dame.
The music was largely traditional French songs, and unfamiliar to us, but
the spectacle and the venue were fabulous.
Sharon says one of the best parts was seeing the cathedral lit only by
its elegant chandeliers.
You
know, there actually is something more enchanting than Thanksgiving in
Paris: Christmas in Germany with
the Shrys. This is our fourth Christmas together; this year in picture-perfect
Landstuhl.
We
were pretty well charged with the spirit of Christmas before we arrived, but the
welcoming of two very enthused children, the smell of warm Christmas cookies and
a tall sparkling tree topped us up. It was time to visit German Christmas markets, get in some
last minute shopping, nibble on some flammekuchen and frites and generally stand
by ready for Santa’s arrival. There
was some disagreement on the spelling of “Noël,” as the stockings were
hung.
After
Christmas Eve’s reading of “The Night Before Christmas,” – Eric only
editorialized once, reading “…as visions of sugar plums danced in their greedy
little heads…” - we joined in the work of the elves readying the house
for Christmas morning. The children
decided they would wake us all by 6:00 a.m., so the adults retaliated by sealing
up their bedroom doors with an alternate schedule. (Note the message in the photo.)
It should also be noted that Ethan was not impressed.
The
Shrys had the idea that the menu of the week should be an international one
since we have spent Christmas together in Turkey, Tunisia and now Germany. We
had Italian one night, Thai another, even Mexican. When it was our turn to prepare the meal, however, our
assignment was “Estonian.” We
are still unclear as to how Estonia made the list, but with a little help from
the Internet we managed to convince those assembled that our meal of pork and
potatoes qualified.
We
do love being with the Shrys. The
entire family is in motion. Christmas
Eve was spent tying Audrey’s long hair into tight twists so it would be
special for Christmas. After
opening presents Christmas morning, Ethan (age 12) retired to his room with one
of his new Christmas books; he completed it before bedtime. While he was reading, Audrey (age 10) is peppering Sharon
with questions about fashion and showing off her newest dance routines.
The next day, while Sharon, Rachel and Audrey locked themselves into a
“Project Runway” marathon, Ethan pulled out his Legos and built not one, but
three operating robots, complete with ultrasonic sensor and color analyzer.
Between these playful pursuits, he was busy creating apps for his iPad
and iPhone.
Back
to Paris for New Years. We’re not big fans of New Years’ Eve celebrations,
but how can you not celebrate when in Paris?
So we had a delightful evening with three guests.
And then we headed for the Champs-Elysées.
It was unseasonably warm and the streets were packed.
We roamed for a while before grabbing a spot across from the Eiffel
Tower. Midnight struck.
The corks flew, the crowds cheered and kissed and danced.
And the Tower twinkled. Perfect!
Stay
tuned for our spring plans!
Paris!
Is this really going to be our winter home?
Pinch me so I know I’m not dreaming.
But
before we get into Paris, we had some other adventures.
And what adventures!
First
off we grabbed the train and met Bernard and Judy, our oldest and dearest
friends, in Poitiers in the west of France.
Bernard is writing a book about one of the battles fought here (there
have been several over the centuries). The
weather cooperated beautifully and we walked the battlefield in warm sunshine as
he did his research. We picnicked (or
“fait un pique-nique” as the French say) under lovely old shade trees along winding
brooks and rivers. There seems to
be a ruined chateau or abbey around almost every bend in the road.
Speaking
of “chateau,” Bernard chose one spectacular chateau for our accommodation.
Not only is the chateau itself fabulous, the restaurant sports a few
Michelin stars, too. Needless to say, we dined elegantly. But the real joy
of the reunion was just being with our friends who never cease to make us laugh
and love.
We
no more returned home from Poitiers than our next adventure began: our niece
Rachel came to visit with her daughter, Audrey.
Audrey is 9 and was our guest for a week while Mom returned to work.
Sharon and Audrey have a shared passion: Fashion!
So all week the two of them traipsed from one end of Paris’ fashion
parade to the other, window shopping. There
was the obligatory trip through the Louvre, of course, and several other
distractions which included Le Musee de Chocolat, various trips to nearby
playgrounds and a few bead and buttons shops but the rest of the week was
Fashion. They even attended the
weekly fashion show at Galeries Lafayette, the glitzy department store.
After
her week’s vacation with us, Audrey had to return to school.
So we rented a car and drove her back to Landstuhl, Germany and
reluctantly gave her back to her parents. We
all had a fabulous week together, if an exhausting one.
A
week to catch up and our next set of friends arrived. Joyce is Sharon’s oldest friend from high school. She came
with her husband, Ron. Ron has an
old friend and business partner who lives in Paris, and they stayed with him at
his elegant home in the 16th arrondissement, clear across the city
from us. Each day we would meet
either here or there and walk/talk the day away.
Again, the weather cooperated beautifully so we were able to go where and
when the mood of the moment directed. We
even biked all the way across Paris for a ride through the Bois de Boulogne.
If you know Paris, try to imagine riding a bicycle through the traffic at
Arc de Triomphe or Place de la Concorde! (It
only took 3 days to recover from the trauma.)
Between
visitors we have been getting to know our new neighborhood.
We have found our favorite boulangerie now, so life can begin.
Everywhere we turn there is something new to see or experience.
We are constantly bowled over by the architecture throughout the city.
From one corner to the next you can shoot a dozen photos. Sharon has an
obsession for windows, doorways, iron railings and almost anything French!
Sharon
came running home one morning almost unable to breathe. She had just discovered
that we live a stone’s throw from Place des Vosges. Place des Vosges
is the 17th century perfectly symmetrical square of thirty-six
identical houses built under the reign of Henry IV for himself and his
government. Supposedly, the more important cabinet members lived nearest to the
King. (Turns out, his wife lived in
the diagonal corner, about as far away as one can get.) The buildings themselves are grand. It is a real escape
from city noise where pigeons guard their fountains and people swarm to the
quiet arcades and cafes.
So
we’re really wildly fulfilled aesthetically and culturally. The
week we arrived we became “Friends of the Louvre” so we can pop in any time.
We
have a wonderful book that takes us walking to the “Unexplored Paris.”
Here’s an example. Ever hear of a caryatid? It is a sculpted female
figure used as a column in a building. This
one is a favorite. She is called
“Lady with a Bag”, holding a sprig of myrrh in one hand and a small handbag
in the other. She offers a
reassuring representation of charity, ever ready to give to the needy.
There’s
also Loïe Fuller, the famous 1880s dancer who was described "not as just a
dancer but the essence of undulating movement floating through
light." She fascinated many, including Pierre Roche who depicted her
as the dance artist she was with her cheerful disposition. These
sculptures were later incorporated into a fifth floor balcony on a Left Bank
building.
Oh,
have we shown you what we wake up to every morning?
Ouch!
That pinch hurt, so I guess we’re not dreaming after all.
