WE’RE “FUNNY” PEOPLE

One thing that Jan and I truly respect about the German people is their command of English, even when it’s been 20-30 years since their High School studies have been completed.  They have an excellent language curriculum, and just as important, every opportunity to use it.  They seem to enjoy the challenge and most would prefer to use their English to our German.  But it’s not always perfect...

As residents of New Jersey, we get to take the full monty of German driving classes. Theoretical exam, CPR training, eye examinations, U.S. license translation, and finally the Practical exam.  But before the practical, we need on the road driving instruction, and this is where we met Herr Schultz.  He doesn’t normally work with the English speaking students, but due a shortage, he took us on.

As I casually rolled thru the first Stop sign that we approached, he sat up a bit more straight, and informed me that that was not “funny”.  I totally agreed, mumbled my lame explanation and pressed on.  A few more missteps here and there, drew similar responses.  Driving thru a zebra crossing that a pedestrian was about to enter also reaffirmed my lack of humor.  I finally found my groove, managed to make it back to the driving school, and awaited my instructors pronouncement of whether or not I was fit to proceed on to the Practical Exam.

“Robert, you and Janice will both do well with the inspector, because you are “funny” people.  You need no more instruction, you will do fine!”  Not wanting to question his affirmation of us being capable, we decided not to ask about the relationship between our humor and our driving abilities.  He said, “enjoy your holiday, and I will see you in 3 weeks for the exam”.

Today - 3 weeks later

My phone rings and it’s Herr Schultz.  “ Robert, how was your holiday to Spain?  Did you have a “funny” trip?“  Now we get it, don’t know who led him down this path but for him, funny = good.

Beautiful Seaside Village

I had to add a post about a seaside village we stopped at for lunch on our way out of France. After seeing so many beautiful spots in France we almost missed this one. Needing a rest after driving for hours we decided to head all the way to the coast before heading south to our destination in Barcelona. Thought we would get lunch and get a peek at the sea in France. We stumbled upon the town of Collioure. It became Bob's new favorite village in France. It was quaint and unique, with a look that was a combination of french and spanish. This late Sunday afternoon was just perfect - warm and sunny with people everywhere just enjoying the spring weather. There was a small carousel on the waterfront, lots of cafes, colorful shops with wares pouring out the doors, beachfront walk that included an old wall, chapel, and a large cross at the end of the wall. Of course there were musicians around playing music and check out the sails decorating and shading a beach front cafe. We got our first taste of what would become our problem throughout our time in Spain - no real food served in the afternoon from 3-8. Siesta time, with businesses only serving "snacks" during those hours. We settled on fruit filled crepes which had to be breakfast and lunch until we reached our destination of Barcelona and found a restaurant at 9 pm ready to serve dinner.

Six Days in the Countryside of France

Six days into our long vacation. Have driven off the beaten path in the Loire River Valley and Lot Region in France. Beautiful countryside, incredible chateaus, gorgeous gardens, and great food. What more could you ask for? First destination was a '10' at Chateau de Nazelles. The present owners have been slowly renovating rooms from the chateau and out buildings - rustic, but not in a country way. Unique and authentic! The rooms are simply furnished, but all the details are right on. We stayed in a single room cottage with a bath that was across the courtyard from the main house. Just perfect. The grounds were beautiful with woods across the back that you could just wander in. Since it is up on a hill in the tiny town, there were great views from anywhere on the property. Highly recommended for a place outside of a town - peaceful and serene.

The Loire River Valley is mostly rolling farmland with chateaus and manor houses scattered throughout. There are so many chateaus to tour you could stay for quite sometime and not get to them all. Many of them also have beautiful gardens, some quite formal. The one we toured inside was Chenonceau and the number of fresh flower arrangements was awesome. You could smell them as you entered the rooms.

Chenonceau Chateau

The Lot Region is more mountainous and rocky. It reminds me a little of Ireland. It is famous for its beautiful, picturesque villages, foie gras, walnuts and wine. It was pretty quiet in May, but many of the homes are owned by people from the city, or other countries and they get used primarily in the summer months. We spent three days just driving from village to village, stopping for a walk or bite to eat. In Autoire we hiked out of town down the river's edge and came upon cascades of water. You could hear it before you could see it. There are trails for biking and hiking all over the region. The weather was very unpredictable while we were here, so the one hike was all we fit in, though we walked miles through and around the villages, umbrella in hand.  Many of these beautiful towns are perched on top of cliffs or rock ledges which make them breathtaking to see on the drive in, long before you get there.

Village of Autoire

We really enjoyed getting out of the big cities and just meandering through these areas of France. Today we think we found a village even Bob could see himself  living in - Martel. We entered town and went for a walk right into the Saturday market in the center of town. Bought some bread, cheese, and wine. We are set for dinner tonight!

Next stop, Barcelona.