Saint Germain en Laye

Despite the fatigue that always comes with travel to Europe, (as I say-"It's the price of admission"), our travel was reasonably straight forward, particularly considering the tales our friends and colleagues have shared with recent summer travels. We had a delay upon arrival in Montreal and carried that forward with departure for Paris. Aside from that. Air Canada was great. Clean, pretty new plane, great legroom and service and I was not freezing which was a miracle. I had taken my small carry on with my camera and extra lens (Most precious possession that I always carry with me) and all my clothes, and then checked my extra bag with some items for Cherie that she had ordered from California, delivered to my house to bring her. In addition to that, I filled the rest of the suitcase and half of Kathy's with Cher and Foy's favorite Mexican foodstuffs that they can't get here- Two 2.5 kilo bags of raw flour tortillas that can go in the freezer, a kilo of corn tortillas to make enchiladas and lots of Foy's favorite spicy things-hot salsa, jalapeño and green chiles. I also brought a couple cans of pumpkin puree for Cherie to have for Thanksgiving baking.

Cherie met us at a cafe in the airport near the exit for the train to Saint Germain which we'll utilize in our return to the airport for travel to meet up with Anita in Stockholm in a couple weeks, and then our return to Saint Germain for a couple of days before returning to the US. We will be well-practiced by then.

Upon arrival, Foy set out an unbelievable repast for us. Quintessential French "food to go", little bits of this and that. Delicious restoration of our energies and spirits. Feast for eyes and bellies.

All the beautiful produce that Foy purchased today. Some to be used for dinner.

Marinated artichokes, champignon-mushrooms, olives

radishes

Wonderful selection of cheese: 48-month gouda, Rebluchon a soft cow's milk cheese and Saint marcelain cheese from Lyon, 2 types of Chèvre (goat cheese) another similar to parmigiana reggiano and Pecorino fresco.

Kir royale- Prosecco with Cassis

After about an hour nap, Cher, Kath and I headed over to the Chateau gardens for a walk before dusk, working at shaking out our jet lag. It's nearly Fall and much of the garden's have bloomed out and the lawns are manifesting the effects of very little rain. Still, there was plenty to experience and photograph.

Panorama of the Chateau from the side

Chestnuts

Downy oak acorns

Hydrangeas

Broadleaf spindle tree berries

snow berries

3 phases of thistles

Hollyhock

spent rudbeckias

Late summer dahlias

As dusk approached we headed back towards home and had a glass of wine (when in France....do as the French do) and watched the onset of evening with beautiful sky behind the chateau.

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Stockholm in the Fall- Millesgarden/ Stockholm på hösten-Millesgården

Today, on day 4 in Stockholm we plan to visit Millesgården which is the home of the famous sculptor Carl Milles & his wife Olga. Millesgården is an oasis just 20 minutes from downtown Stockholm. We took the Ropsten stop from Farsta on the subway & then transferred to a bus which got us close to Millesgården. It is located on the island of Lidingo. With its restful park, rippling sculptor fountains & flower-decked terraces, Millesgården is a unique environment that offers both relaxation & cultural experiences. The 5-acre museum park features sculptures, fountains, the artists's home, a collection of antiquities & an art gallery. The internationally renowned artist's most important works are installed here. Weather was quite cool walking from the bus, but the day warmed & skies turned blue. Unfortunately in her pursuit of the best photos, Kathy fell on uneven cobblestones & fractured her foot. We were so fortunate to be with Anita who...

Tending the heart, soul, mind & body/ Prendre soin du cœur, de l'âme, de l'esprit et du corps

Today is Cherie and Foy’s anniversary so we began the morning by walking to the Hotel d’ville or city hall with it's beautiful gardens across from the Chateau where they had their civil ceremony. After a photo session, we began the day’s adventures. The Musée (museum) Rodin was opened in 1919, primarily dedicated to the works of the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. The collection included 6,600 sculptures, 8,000 drawings, 8,000 photographs and 7,000 objets d’art. The gardens around the museum building contain many of the famous sculptures in natural, wooded settings. Rodin’s sculptures are the work of an artist who chose to defy the norms of his time; a bit out of step with contemporary aesthetic norms. This absence of artifice guarantees the timelessness of Rodin’s works. The Thinker or Il Penseur is perhaps the most famous of Rodin's sculptures. The pose is one of deep thought & contemplation and the statue is often used as an image to represent ...

Stockholm in the Fall- Katharine's church, Parish of Gustav Vasa and Royal Palace/Stockholm på hösten, Katarina kyrka, Gustav Vasa kyrka, Kungliga Slottet

After toast & coffee we bundled up for the day and headed down the hill to the Subway or Tunnelbana. This morning we were headed to central Stockholm & the Katarina kyrka or Katharine's church. The original church was constructed from 1656-1695. This Lutheran parish is where Anita was christened. In the surrounding neighborhood there are several very old buildings as evidenced by the dates on their facade. Many had really unique metal chimneys. The views looking back across the water were breathtaking. We continued in our church exploration mode & headed to the parish of Gustav Vasa ( remember the Vasa museum?) We encountered one of the parish ministers who Anita had met previously preparing for a baptism. She had spent a year in San Diego at UCSD. It was lovely to see several family & friends in attendance attired in their native dress. We headed back towards Gamla stan (Old Tow...

Paris in the Fall / Paris a l'automne

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