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The Places In-Between

8/25/2016

9 Comments

 
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"Happiness is a place, not a direction." Sydney J. Harris, journalist.
*****
NUMBER ONE RULE OF TRAVEL:
  Don't move so fast you miss the good stuff.
NUMBER TWO RULE OF TRAVEL:
 Your first choice isn't necessarily the best.

Reflecting on past experience, I realize that some of our
favorite adventures have been in "the places in-between". 
These are the stops that tie your itinerary together, sometimes just a quick
pause, other times a few nights in a town that's not necessarily your first choice.

Case in point.
  On a rather long journey from Nice to Annecy, I presented my case
for a stop in Entrevaux, a sleepy village with a fantastic legacy
left by the great Vauban, legendary military engineer who advanced
 some of the best fortified urban architecture of the 17th century.
Vauban's work contributed in large part to Louis XVI's legacy, boosting
the Sun King's long-term vision -- France, cultural leader of the world.

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The first time I laid eyes on Entrevaux, I was overwhelmed.
In an old book of black and white photos of ancient French
villages, the town practically called my name.
The moment I spied the zig zag trail that led to its famous
landmark -- a citadel perched high on the plateau -- I knew
it was meant to be conquered (by moi).
 
Situated in the beautiful Alpes-Haute-de-Provence -- the key word being
  Alps -- you need to be part billy-goat if you hope to spend a lot of time here.
You enter the village through a gate house, crossing a
pretty bridge into the town's medieval heart.
  It's everything you hope for in an ancient town -- fountains, squares,
drawbridges & canals, tall houses, several of them covered with decorative tile. 
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Traveling with my husband and then 16-year-old-daughter, I was confident
they'd be as smitten as me, ready for the thrill of the climb.
  I was wrong. 
They stayed in the valley, promising to have a sandwich
and a glass of wine ready for my return.

  Up, up, up I climbed, seemingly the only person crazy enough
to take the rocky path on such a hot summer day.
  I kept turning around to see the village grow smaller and smaller,
all the while worrying about stumbling and injuring my ever
graceful self, never to be heard from again.....

When I reached the top, my anxiety quickly vanished,
all thoughts turning to the impressive fortress.
  Without question, the views from here are the best part but once inside,
the place quickly induces goosebumps -- medieval shock & awe --
the creepy-crawler kind for those of us with over-ripe imaginations. 

The dungeon, used as recently as WWI, was dark and menacing --
a place where you could be locked up and forever forgotten.
  From there I made my hasty escape, suddenly
   longing to see my loved ones at the bottom of the hill.

On the way back down, I finally ran into one other lonesome traveler
who appeared too absorbed in his climb to stop and chat.
  My rather sheepish daughter was happy to see me, feeling guilty
about hanging back and wondering what was taking so long.
  After all that drama and the accompanying workout, I was ready
for what was possibly the best sandwich of my life.

 Entrevaux was a sensational choice and proof that spending a few hours
in-between our home base and final destination was the smart thing to do.
  The best part -- it wasn't anything like where we had just been (NIce) or like
where we were heading (Annecy) so it felt like an extra day of recreation.

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The stress of planning the "perfect getaway" sometimes
takes over a vacation -- if you let it.
 
I was determined to stay in Quimper,
picturesquely christened the oldest city in Brittany. 
But for whatever reason, I couldn't find the right accommodations.
  Frustrated that my taste and budget rarely match, I began to look at nearby towns.
  I finally settled on Bénodet, a resort village less than 15 miles away.
  It looked nice enough but left me feeling a bit peeved since I didn't see
any great historical treasures or hidden landmarks.
  I assumed I was settling for second best.

  Little did I know my runner-up was anything but second-rate.
  In fact, Bénodet turned out to be a first-rate champion. 
Right from the start, we noticed it's filled with french vacationers -- those
in the "know" about where to find the best distractions and the most pleasure.

It's the perfect spot to watch the sun set on "top" of gently bobbing boats,
  engage in endless people watching and enjoy crepes in a gorgeous old villa.
  Ice cream, oysters, and a sparkling sea make for a healthy marriage of satisfied,  smiling visitors -- not necessarily the norm in occasionally aloof France.

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Quimper is one of Brittany's most celebrated towns -- for good reason.
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Long walks with lighthouse views make irresistible memories in beautiful Bénodet.
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Of course we visited the big gun of the region, Quimper,
the reason we were in this neck of the woods.
Its wonderfully tipsy buildings and atmospheric St-Corentin Church
were worth the frustrating adjustments we had to make.
  Luckily we arrived on a Saturday, Quimper's big market day
so the pedestrianized medieval quarter was really hopping.
I still love to wear my now badly stained Quimper apron and its
equally blemished kitchen towels purchased that day from the market.
It takes me back in an instant.

We visited faience champion H-B Henriot, touring the impressive factory
and even managed a quick trip to Paul Gauguin's little slice of
heaven -- Pont Aven, stopping to admire the pretty Moulin de Rosmadec.

Yes still, with all that heart-stopping Breton flavor, it was
little Bénodet and their romantic port that stole our hearts,
proof that when you take a chance, you might surprise yourself.

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Sometimes "the places in-between" are chosen with one central purpose in mind.
The Loire Region is teeming with famous towns that are also
jam-packed with too many day-trippers.
So it's lovely to get off the typical tourist route and find something a bit different.

Chinon is a town best known for its chateau,
notably the meeting place (in 1429) of Joan of Arc and
the Dauphin Charles -- soon to be King Charles VII.
  Visiting the restored royal fortress, it's easy to imagine the scene where young
Charles hid from the future saint, testing her -- willing her -- to find him.
  As they say, the rest is history and soon enough the troops rallied
to fight the British and re-write the history of France. 
 
True, Chinon as an historical city is impressive enough
but we stopped there for a different reason.
  Chinon is spectacularly situated, surrounded by some of the most
glorious vineyards in the Loire Valley.
This is the perfect place to let your free and easy side kick in for a few days. 

Delicious Chinon wine and a nice array of restaurants
featuring fine Loire cuisine made for a lovely couple of quiet
days for a pair of lazybones in the mid-point of their vacation.

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Definition of Travel:
  • : to go on a trip or journey : to go to a place and especially one that is far away
  • : to go through or over (a place) during a trip or journey
  • : to move from one place to another
    Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary
It's funny, but sometimes we overthink our travel plans and fool ourselves
into thinking we always need to go one better - achieve greatness,
fulfill every dream -- dot every "i" and cross every "t" on our itinerary...
That's what I called an ego trip, not a vacation.

Wouldn't it be better to look for a little pleasure,
a little peace of mind, a little enlightenment?
Try, instead, to go through a door where you're not
entirely sure what's on the other side.
  And if it turns out it's not a great fit, there's always another door....

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Yummy Chinon wine pairs magically with the regional cuisine.
  The enchanted setting -- miles of plane trees, a shadowy river (the Vienne)
and a café on every corner -- is
the answer to a weary travelers' prayers.

  This is where you let happy-go-lucky you kick in and make like
Jimmy Buffet -- except trade in his margarita for the local Chinon
or next-door-neighbor Bourgueil, two incredible sips of red.
And for you white wine lovers, try the nearby Vouvray
or a sparkling Cremant de Loire.
You'll be so glad you're not a wine snob.

    Chinon wine is terrific, certainly as good a reason as any
to spend a few days kicking back and enjoying life.
And when you pair it with the fine local cuisine, you'll soon
understand why the Loire is know as the "Garden of France."
Feast on the local goat cheese and rillettes (local interpretation of paté),
the superb seasonal vegetables and unforgettable local fish and game.
Or consider visiting a mushroom cave museum in nearby
St-Hillaire-St-Florent to get your Loire appetite gloriously in gear.

This is chateau country so it's hard to decide where to spend your time.
With dozens of choices, don't get too caught up in a classic blunder
of travel -- a forced agenda designed to consummate a castle-crazed course
 where you can't tell one chateau from the other at the end of the day.
Sure, we saw our fair share of castles in the area. 
But we also visited troglodyte caves, mushroom farms and
a well-rounded mix of vineyards, tasting rooms and churches
with plenty of lazy lunches -- and a nap or two -- in-between.

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it."
Sydney J. Harris, American Journalist

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The Chinon countryside is captivating -- just you & the locals.
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There's a tendency to always go for the sure thing, wanting
nothing less than the sun, the moon and the stars.
While it's good to aim high, it's an attitude that
  puts a lot of pressure on a traveler.

  So when it comes to places like chateau country in the Loire -- or long drives
in between destinations -- or mainstream towns where you can't quite
book the right accommodation -- the choice is simple.
  Open the door to a new experience
and you just might find the crown jewel of them all.
Give yourself a chance to connect with an environment you weren't expecting,
one with its own "language" and off-the-beaten-path fun.

Bien sûr, the places in-between are special. 
Though you may only have time to scratch the surface,
these are the touchstones that expand your "big picture"
of France and make for a happier experience.

"Happiness is a direction, not a place."
Sydney J. Harris, American Journalist

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9 Comments

Small Paris Pleasures

8/18/2016

9 Comments

 
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NOURISHMENT FOR A TRAVELER'S HUNGRY SOUL
  You won't find it on the pages of a travel brochure
or wrapped up in a long line at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
  A better way to satisfy your Paris hunger is to concentrate
on the ordinary, the unembellished, under-reported places
that seem to emerge, like magic, out of thin air.

Pay attention to little things -- the everyday minutiae
that connect you to the city in ways you've never imagined.
  It will bolster your Paris awareness, helping you experience
 the city like a local -- and isn't that what we ultimately crave?

For a change, concentrate on the straightforward, small-potatoes stuff.
Remember the tv show about "nothing"?
Seinfeld's concept was simple -- episode after episode about the
every day absurdities of life like hanging out in a 
parking lot or waiting for a restaurant table.
Of course, in Paris, you'll look for something a bit more elevated -- yet
it is those wonderful little moments -- les bonnes choses de la vie --
that make life in the french capital so interesting.

Yes, in a city best known for its overwhelming monuments, sometimes a day
doing "nothing" is exactly what you need to make your heart go pitter-patter.

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Hanging out with 'da boys at The Moose.
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Place von Furstemberg is a wanderer's dream.
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Salvadore Dali's interpretation of Place von Furstemberg.
There's nothing quite like finding a favorite bar
where English is spoken without regret.

  My husband loves The Moose*, a cosy Canadian sports bar where
beer and friendly conversation welcome all those who long for a taste of home.
  It's an "everyone knows your name" kind of place -- good beer, good cheer
and a warm welcome make it a treasure for those far from home.
*officially named The Moosehead
 
Of course, if you're a scheming wife, The Moose offers ample
opportunity for a few hours of freedom.
I get the privilege of solitary wandering while my grateful husband
is exempt from what he calls the "forced march."
  We're both happy.

Tracing the streets of my favorite neighborhood or chancing on
a new jewel is the only priority on easy days like these.
  A favorite pharmacy on rue du Four is a must
when I have a few hours to "kill".
This melting-pot of fancy french skincare goo holds court to my
feminine side, nearly as enlightening (I'm lying) as
the great works of art at the Louvre.
Aaah, but it's Paris -- where laugh lines are celebrated....

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Rue des Barres is especially lovely in the early morning light.
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Finding the best streets for a slow and easy wander is an entirely different matter. 
  I'm not referring to the Champs-Elysées or Place Vendome type destinations.
  For these relaxed "less is the new more" days, target less
  complicated addresses like Place Dauphine and rue des Barres
  which then lead you to the spiritual calm of St. Gervais-St. Protais
church which then leads you to .... get the picture?
  Romantic, utterly Parisian, ridiculously beautiful,
these are the wanders that you'll cherish forever.
Some of the best "reality shows" in all of France are the hidden-
in-plain-sight spots where locals gather and tourists overlook. 

Like slathering chocolate icing on a freshly baked cake,
you know it's going to be good.

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Speaking of cake, food shopping is one of the very best ways to get plugged in.
The french way of life is on parade and it's yours for the taking.

Whether it's an outdoor market, a candy store or
a café, if it whispers your name, heed the siren's call.
  One of the fringe benefits of searching for the small stuff is that
you'll never feel like you're in a competition.
Happy endings are your blue ribbon and they come as
easily as saying yes to your imagination.

 Taste something you've never before tried. 
It will open you up to something ELSE. 
And that's exactly when and where the real magic happens.

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Pause to read the historical plaques on buildings as you pass by -- They matter.
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Give yourself an immense bouquet of flowers in the middle of the day.
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Some of my most memorable "destinations" are silly little surprises
 that popped up when I least expected them. 
Like the "pee pee" picture just above that points the way to the WC.
  Or the charming little alleys and courtyards
that you chance upon on an early morning walk. 
Don't follow a script, just lead with your gut.
This is the real Paris. 
You won't be able to get enough of it.

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Flea markets are the perfect setting for doing "nothing".
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Lazy days are meant for Parc des Buttes Chaumont.
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"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop
and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Ferris Bueller, man-about-town, high school wise guy philosopher


So there you have it.
  Even in an imposing superstar city like Paris,
so often it's the small stuff that fuels your travel joie de vivre.

  Grab the small change.
  Go to the perfume counter.
  Or sit in a tiny neighborhood park.
  Find your spiritual calm.
  Bookstore, library, shoe store -- no matter, just about any
small Paris pleasure is worthy of your time.

Some may call these diminutive gifts "guilty pleasures".
  Not me, this is air, this is living.
Liberate your confined conceptions of travel.

"What's my guilty pleasure? The thing is, I never feel guilty about my pleasure."
Tom Hiddleston, British Actor

A day of doing nothing can be the best day ever.
You never know what doors will open for you.
And believe me, that's no yada yada yada....

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Don't walk past Saint Gervais Saint Protais Church without taking a long lovely look.
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9 Comments

Shipshape in Saint-Malo

8/7/2016

2 Comments

 
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In a world that seems to constantly rearrange itself,
it's comforting to visit the timeless Breton town of Saint-Malo where
thick granite walls and bulky ramparts act as sturdy reminders
of the strength and invincibility of ancient fortifications in days gone by.
Snug as a bug in a rug. 

Well, not exactly. 

 In 1944, the seaside city was devastated right down to its primordial bones,
pounded to near extinction by American fire bombs targeted to lay
 waste to the Nazi occupiers and their strategic defense systems.
  In an extraordinarily long battle that culminated in hand to hand combat
on the streets of Saint-Malo, the Allies bravely disposed of the Nazi threat.
 Regrettably, the battle produced dire consequences for much of the civilian
population, killing scores of locals as fires wreaked near ruin on the town's
awe-inspiring mansions, shopfronts and 13th century cathedral.
War is hell -- and then some.

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You'll hardly believe any of it happened when you see its spectacular restoration. 
After the war, France took extraordinary pains to re-build her cities.
  In the now shipshape Saint-Malo, it's obvious they have over-delivered.
The town has reclaimed her ancient glory, a long-awaited victory for its citizens.

  Brittany is forever stunning -- the sea, the sky, storefronts and townhouses
covered in the local gray granite, dripping with flowers and charm -- and here, contemplating Saint-Malo's war-torn biography, the beauty feels even more intense.

The walled citadel and miles long beach are glazed with happy holiday-makers,
many of them launched from just across the English Channel.
  Ferry service from Portsmouth to Saint-Malo delivers the Brits
in droves, just adding to the juiced-up fun.

Saint-Malo is now a harbor of peaceful contrasts -- a mix
of both tranquility & festivity, and for that we can give thanks.
These days, the only war you're likely to wage is over which seafood plate
to choose --  moules mariniere, oysters from nearby Cancale, coquilles
 St-Jacques -- but then again, all those creperies look very inviting.....

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Petite Bé, the amazing view from our hotel window.
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Mayhem on the high seas was practically invented in Saint-Malo. 
In days of old, pirates and privateers (slightly less terrifying pirate-merchants
  considered somewhat legitimate because they owned mansions nearby)
made their living in these streets and on the beaches.

  Apparently, sins and seaworthy men go together like baguettes & butter. 
The slave trade in the early to mid 1700's managed to launch some
100 malevolent ships filled with enslaved African hostages and
bound for plantations in America and the Caribbean.

But these days, it's hard to imagine pirates and slavers, Nazis and crusty
old outlaws as you experience the easy-going pleasure of this spectacular city.
  Yes, there is a "modern" (19th century) town outside the walls but other
than the beach, you'll be tempted to remain intra-muros*.
  And if you're like me, you'll never figure out which buildings are original
and which are the perfect replicas so painstakingly constructed after WWII. 

*
within the old fortified walls

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The beggar birds just outside our hotel window -- nicknamed Gertrude & Heathcliffe
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New friends offer advice on local landmarks and book titles
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Saint-Malo's holiday atmosphere has a serious side, too. 
Discover seafaring traditions and local history through
any of a number of choice activities.

After all, this is where explorer Jacques Cartier set sail,
  in due course becoming the hero of Canada.
  Writer Chateaubriande (Francois-René de), long considered the
father of French Romanticism, no doubt found his inspiration
in the romantic view of the ancient harbor. 

Though the old seaworthy taverns and brothels have long since been
converted into restaurants and souvenir shops, you can still satisfy
your inner pirate by visiting the Demeure de Corsaire, an 18th century
mansion that claims secret stairways and even a pirate's chest or two.

Saint-Malo offers a grand aquarium (of course) as well as a local history museum filled with all manner of nautical displays including model ships and a short
history of cod fishing -- much more interesting than it sounds.

But our favorite, without a doubt, was walking across the sands
at low tide to the prison island called Fort National. 
Built in the 1600's, this was key to King Louis XIV's blueprint
to protect Saint-Malo and the Atlantic coast.
  The plans were drawn up by brilliant military architect Vauban and a big part
of the thrill is the thought you're taking your life into your own hands (not really)
to walk across the beach that had just been raging with high waves hours earlier. 
The fort is not always open so you have to check to see if the flag is flying --
  meaning it's safely at low tide -- mostly during summer months --
and make sure you leave when they give the word.

  Fort National's diminutive stature contrasts with its colossal escapades
in history, including a place in the military books of WWII.
  In 1944, as American bombs rained hell on the coast, the Nazi occupiers
imprisoned 380 locals from Saint-Malo, later adding still another 150,
forced to face the devastating bombs as well as food shortages.
Imagine being on a teeny island at sea facing a fusillade of bombs....
 
A second island, Grand Bé, is also located just off the ramparts
but we didn't have the opportunity to see it due to the tides.
  The remains of Chateaubriande are buried here, romantically facing the sea.

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Wind surfing, boat excursions -- even a surf school for those so
bravely inclined -- confirm the sanctity of this brilliant coastal city.

 The streets become very quiet at night -- the day-trippers long gone,
my pirate-partner finally weary of echoing "arghhh" all day long....
As for me, I'll put on my Breton stripes (ya gotta buy the t-shirt!),
sit in a bona fide maritime tavern and sip on an Armorik* as I listen
to the wind whip and the waves crash against the high granite walls.
And I will count my many blessings. 

*single malt french whiskey made in Brittany

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A kouign amann a day keeps the doctor away....
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Strangely, my best souvenir of Saint-Malo came long after returning home.
  Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize winning novel "All the Light We Cannot See"
brought me back to the shores of Saint-Malo in ways I had not imagined.

  His beautiful story created a picture in my imagination more vivid
even than what I witnessed with my own two eyes.
  If you have not yet read this gorgeously written novel about the little blind girl forced to leave Paris bound for her uncle's "tall house by the sea"-- well,
  just suffice it to say - run, don't walk to your local bookstore or library.
 
Marie-Laure, Werner, shattering rooftops, the channel breaking against
the wall... this story and Saint-Malo's larger-than-life history
during the dark years of occupation will leave you speechless.

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Don't miss the chance to see Saint-Vincent Cathedral, first built in the 12th century and restored after WWII.
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Bien sur, Saint-Malo is a prize, an important stop on any visit to Brittany. 
Inhale the hearty sea air and watch the tide roll in.
  Romantic, beautiful, this is Brittany at its best.

"Marie-Laure can sit in an attic high above the street and hear lilies
rustling in marshes two miles away.
She hears Americans scurry across farm fields, directing their huge cannons
at the smoke of Saint-Malo; she hears families sniffling around hurricane lamps
in cellars, crows hopping from pile to pile, flies landing on corpses in ditches;
she hears the tamarinds shiver and the jays shriek and the dune grass burn;
she feels the great granite fist, sunk deep into the earth’s crust, on which
Saint-Malo sits, and the ocean teething at it from all four sides, and the
outer islands holding steady against the swirling tides;
she hears cows drink from stone troughs and dolphins rise through the
green water of the Channel; she hears the bones of dead whales stir five
leagues below, their marrow offering a century of food for cities of creatures
who will live their whole lives and never once see a photon sent from the sun.
She hears her snails in the grotto drag their bodies over the rocks.”

Imagine what it was like to be here when the city was nearly destroyed.
Now imagine the enthusiasm you'll feel to see it restored to its full potential,
feeling privileged to witness a man-made miracle.

Thank you, France, for restoring Saint-Malo to her former glory.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."
Jimi Hendrix

  My advice:
  Drop anchor, stay awhile and as always,
PRAY FOR PEACE.

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    AUTHOR
    MICHELLE MOGGIO

    Thanks for visiting  my blog!

    I've been experiencing the joys of Paris since the ripe old age of eleven.
    As a big fan of duck fat, raw oysters and bad French movies, my long career in advertising helped pave the way for drinking at lunch. When not living la vie en rose, my husband Gary and I live in Brentwood, TN, where we stay busy planning our next travel adventure and offering unsolicited advice to our daughter.

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