Le Puy-en-Velay - Haute Loire

Bonjour mes amis! Saturday, le 19 mars, Lee and I visited our friend, Diane, who is doing a Fulbright Exchange, while living in the Auvergne. She took us to Puy-en-Velay, which was an interesting town in the heart of Haute Loire. Le Puy-en-Velay's most striking attraction is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy, which dates from the early 12th century. The façade, which is decorated with striped white sandstone and black volcanic rock, is reached by a flight of 60 steps. Le Puy Cathedral has been the main starting point in France for the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. According to a legend dating from the 8th century, a woman suffering from a fever in the 1st century, was inspired by a vision to visit the rock on which the cathedral now stands. The woman fell into a feverish sleep. When she awakened, her fever was gone and the Virgin Mary was seated on a dolmen next to her. The Virgin said that she wanted a church built in that place, thus the subsequent building of the church. Inside the church is the Black Virgin of Le Puy which is a replica of the late 18th century and is carried in procession on feast days of Mary. There is a beautiful bronze statue of The Virgin Mary overlooking the town which was designed by the French sculptor Bonnassieux. It was presented to the town in 1860. Pilgrims starting their journey to Santiago de Compostela gather at this statue to be blessed each morning. Le Puy-en-Velay is also known for its Dentellières who are the ladies who make beautiful hand-made lace designs. There were beautiful hand-made lace items throughout Le Puy-en-Velay. This was another interesting French town and a great visit with our friend, Diane.

Mme. Wallace

Athens - Birthplace of Civilization

Bonjour mes amis! Lee and I ended our days in Greece by spending our last night in Athens, Greece's capital and largest city. Organized life in Athens dates back to between 3,000-4,000 BC when its first inhabitants settled on the Acropolis. We spent the morning of March 13 exploring the Acropolis, the Parthenon and other remains of buildings from history. Acropolis in Greek literally means "the highest point of the town". Many of the city states of ancient Greece were built around an acropolis where the inhabitants could go as a place of refuge in times of invasion. It was the safest and most secure place in town. It's for this reason that the most sacred buildings were usually on the acropolis. After climbing the steps to the Acropolis, you arrive at the entrance or Propylaea, which was completed in 432 BC. To the right is the tiny temple to Nike Athena which represented the Athenians victory over the Persians. The Parthenon and other main buildings on the Acropolis were built by Pericles in the 5th century BC as a monument to the cultural and political achievements of the inhabitants of Athens. The Erecthion sits on the most sacred site of the Acropolis where Poseidon and Athena had their contest over who would be the Patron of the city. Even having seen photographs, we were struck by the immensity of the Parthenon. The building was designed as the home of the giant statue of Athena. It took 15 years to build and was completed in 438 BC. Originally as a temple, it became a church, a mosque and finally a storage facility for Turkish gunpowder. In 1687 the Venetians bombarded it from below and blew it up. Standing at the flag, on the Acropolis, Athens stretches out below. You can see the Plaka, the temple of Olympian Zeus and the Olympic Stadium below. On the other side of the Acropolis, you can see the Aegean and the various ships leaving for the islands. It was a very clear, beautiful day, and we could only imagine, for a moment, being a part of Athenian life thousands of years ago. What a step back in history!

Mme. Wallace

Exploring Santorini- Fascinating!!

Bonjour mes amis! Friday, March 11, Lee and I explored the sights of Santorini by driving the island. We started our exploration in Imerovigli. This quiet, traditional village provides visitors with a glimpse into everyday life in Santorini. It has stone houses and chapels and great views of the flooded caldera. Next we visited Pyrgos, a hilltop village of white and blue houses built around a Venetian castle. Pyrgos is also known for its Monastery of Prophitis. We loved walking the narrow streets in Pyrgos and especially the views of Santorini from the top. We also stopped at Perissa and Agios Georgios Beaches with their black sand and clear water on the east coast of Santorini. We drove to ancient Akrotiri which is a late Neolithic-era city and is one of Greece's most important. This city was buried by volcanic lava in the late Minoan period. The history of Santorini was fascinating. I wanted to show you a picture of the Phaistos Disc which is a disk of fired clay from a palace on Crete, most likely dating from 2,000 BC. A reproduction of this disc was found in various places throughout the island, even one in the hotel where we stayed. This, evidently, is one of the most famous mysteries of archaeology. The 45 unique signs were made by pressing hieroglyphic "seals" into a disc of soft clay in clockwise sequence. These signs are most likely an ancient alphabet or a syllabary. Archaelogists are still trying to decipher the code! Enjoy the photos.

Mme. Wallace

Meet Mama, and other Greek friends!

Bonjour mes amis! While in Greece, Lee and I met some wonderful people, native to Greece. One of our favorite personalities was Mama, at her restaurant, Mama's House, in Fera, Santorini. She greeted everyone who entered her restaurant with, "Hello, children, are you behaving yourselves?" As well, our hotel owner, Alexander, took us to a taverna, which is a family-run restaurant, in Fera, Greece where you can sample the delicious specialities of Greece. We sampled Greek salads, a delicious Greek dip made with fava beans, grilled spicy peppers with olive oil, white eggplant made with garlic, onions, and olive oil, baklava pastries, and on and on. We met many kind and friendly people in Greece, people very welcoming to visitors. We were so impressed at how friendly the Greek people were and how excited they were to share their culture. Enjoy pictures of our new Greek friends!

Mme. Wallace

Sunset in Oia

Bonjour mes amis! Lee and I stayed in the village of Oia on Santorini. Oia is the second-largest settlement next to Fira, Santorini's capital. Oia developed on the edge of a cliff with a marble-paved road running through its center. As we wandered through the cobbled roads of this little town we saw old houses, domes of churches, and the white, blue, and ochre composing a picture of unique beauty. The sunsets in Oia are beautiful. Each evening people gather at the tip of Oia to watch as the sun falls into the sea. Enjoy the photos.

Mme. Wallace

Santorini - A Jewel in the Aegean Sea

Bonjour mes amis! Tuesday, March 8, Lee and I flew to Santorini, Greece. Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands, which is the group of Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. This island has villages with dazzling white houses that, from a distance, look like many sugar cubes. The Cyclades were so named from the ancient Greek word meaning "to circle" or "surround" because the islands circle Delos, the birthplace of the god Apollo. This island is one of contrast: the natural beauty of this island is contrasted with the man-made architecture of white and blue. These white villages contrast with the blue-domed chapels and the fiery sunsets over the cobalt sea. Santorini is also known as Thira and has a population of approximately 7,000 people. Santorini is quite unique as it is crescent-shaped and owes its formation to a massive volcanic eruption which destroyed this once circular island in 1450 BC. The resulting underwater crater has been associated with the lost city of Atlantis. Santorini has quite a history - it has been inhabited since Minoan times and was named by the Venetians in the 13th century. Many feel that the key to Atlantis's existence may lie in the once and future fury of this fascinating island.

Mme. Wallace

Le Musée Olympique - The heart of the games

Bonjour mes amis. Our friends, Lisa & Kris LaMontagne, visited us from Onancock, Virginia for a weekend in the French Alps. Sunday, March 6, we traveled to Lausanne, Switzerland, to explore the Musée Olympique in Lausanne. The exhibits at the Olympic Museum span a range of more than 2,200 years, starting with the ancient Greek games and continuing with the modern Olympic Games from 1896 to present day. There was a complete collection of Olympic Torches and Olympic Medals, which, by the way, were not hung around the necks of winners until the Rome Olympics of 1960. Other interesting items on display included Carl Lewis' "golden shoes" from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and Jean-Claude Killy's skis, boots, goggles, and helmet from the 1968 Winter Games in Grenoble. The museum is situated in the Olympic Park on the shores of Lac Léman in Ouchy, Switzerland. The founder of the museum, Juan Samaranch, wanted to promote and spread the Olympic spirit. The museum shows that "the Olympics is much more than a sporting competition. It is a philosophy of life which includes sport, art and culture as the traditional pillars of the Olympics." After exploring the museum we walked down into the heart of Ouchy and sampled traditional buckwheat crêpes for lunch. Délicieux!

Mme. Wallace

The thrill of a lifetime - Aiguille du Midi

Bonjour mes amis! Wednesday, March 2, we traveled with Jill & Craig Crabtree to Aiguille du Midi, a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps. We decided to take the most thrilling and spectacular téléphérique (gondola) to the top. Approximately 75 people pile into the gondola and soar to the tip of a rock needle 12,600 feet above sea level. The town of Chamonix shrinks as trees fly by, then rocks, ice and snow until you reach the top. You take the 1st gondola half-way up then you get off and take a 2nd gondola the rest of the way up. The final ascent is straight up the rocky cliffs. This journey is not for the "faint of heart" or those with a fear of heights. You travel from 2000 feet to 12,600 feet in a matter of 20 minutes. No matter how sunny it is, it is quite cold. The temperature drops from 45 to 15 degrees in a matter of minutes. The air is also quite thin. When we got off our gondola at the top, we followed skiers who had brought their ski equipment with them. The skiers walked through an "ice cave" and then, after securing their ski equipment, exited the cave and skied down Aiguille du Midi. We met one Frenchman on our way up who was planning to spend 3 days camping as he explored Aiguille du Midi. From the observation decks you can see the Alps spread out before you. First, you see Mont Blanc, the Alps' highest point at 15,771 feet. More than 2,000 mountain climbers scale this mountain each year. There is a rusty tin-can needle which serves as a communication tower. Aiguille du Midi is Europe's tallest lift station. There were yards of tunnels which lead to a gift shop and cafeteria. The views were absolutely sensational and merely viewing these mountains was exhilarating. Enjoy the pictures. We truly felt "on top of the world"!

Mme. Wallace

Le Palais des Papes - Avignon

Bonjour mes amis! Tuesday, March 1, Lee and I and the Crabtrees went to Avignon to explore the Palace of the Popes. Pope Clement V, a French pope, was elected in 1309. Since the new pope was tired of Italy, he moved to Avignon for a more secure rule. The Catholic Church purchased Avignon and the popes resided there until 1403. At the same time, Italians demanded a Roman Pope so from 1378 there were two popes, one in Rome and the other in Avignon. This caused a problem in the Catholic Church which lasted until 1417. Le Palais des Papes was originally built to accommodate 500 people as the center of the Vatican and the home of the Pope. The Palais des Papes is the largest surviving Gothic palace in Europe. The last Pope left in 1417, yet the Vatican owned Avignon until the French Revolution in 1789. Avignon residents, many of whom had come from Rome, spoke Italian for a century after the Pope left, making Avignon a "linguistic island" within France. This was the most fortified palace of the age since the Pope left Rome to be more secure. It was quite interesting to visualize what life might have been like in the palace 600 years ago.

Mme. Wallace

Le Mistral - VICIOUS!!!

Bonjour mes amis! While we were in Provence with the Crabtrees, we encountered Le Mistral winds. These strong winds blow 30-60 miles per hour, about 100 days during the year. Local people say that these winds blow in multiples of three: either 3, 6, or 9 days consecutively. These winds are strongest between 12:00 and 15:00. The mistral starts above the Alps and the Massif Central mountains and gathers momentum as it heads south. The Rhône Valley acts like a funnel between the Alps and the Pyrénée Mountains before dying down as it hits the Mediterranean. While Le Mistral travels through Provence and the Riviera, it is strongest over the Rhône Valley. The good news is that the Mistral always brings clear, blue skies. Enjoy the amusing pictures of "Le Mistral-blown Américaines!!!

Mme. Wallace

Friends without Borders

Bonjour mes amis! (original title, Jill & Craig?!!) We brainstormed with the Crabtrees about the title of this blog. We visited the Damien family with the Crabtrees in Aix-en-Provence Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, Feb. 27, 28, and March 1. We know the Damien family because Kendall lived in the their home during college, studying and learning French. Monday evening, Feb. 28, we had a wonderful evening with the entire family. One of the most heartwarming discoveries during this year in France is the fact that "people are people everywhere." No matter what your culture, people share common feelings, concerns, habits, and just a bond of being "human". Monday evening the Damiens had another guest from Manchester, England, who was also visiting for awhile. The Crabtrees, Lee and I, our new friend, JoAnn, and the Damien family interacted the entire evening, discussing many subjects, both French, American, and British. We laughed and laughed at each other and with each other. We discussed with the Crabtrees how much fun it was observing "family life" in France. How wonderful it is to have shared this experience! Enjoy the photos from a great evening together.

Mme. Wallace

Cassis, an ancient fishing port

Bonjour mes amis! Monday afternoon, February 28, we visited the fishing village of Cassis. Cassis is located east of Marseille in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône in the Provence-Côte d'Azur region of southern France. Cassis is famous for its cliffs and sheltered inlets called callanques. The site where Cassis is now located was first occupied between 500 and 600 BC by the Ligures who lived by fishing, hunting, and farming. The village was rebuilt on these old ruins in the 18th century, resulting in a more regular layout than most other medieval villages. A walk through the old village streets reveal some interesting old buildings, some dating back to the 16th century and some restored with the colorful pastels of Provence. We had lunch in the harbor area which is the prettiest part of Cassis. Ah, la vie en Provence - c'est magnifique!!

Mme. Wallace

Notre Dame de la Garde, guardian of Marseille

Bonjour mes amis! Monday, February 28, the Crabtrees, and Lee and I, traveled with the Damiens to Marseille. We drove along the Mediterranean coast and the views were spectacular. Then Gilles and Christine took us to see Notre Dame de la Garde. As we drove along the Bay of Marseilles, a limestone peak rose to a height of 162 meters. At its summit stood the basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde. This ornate Neo-Byzantine church is considered to be the guardian and protectress of the city. Since many ships enter and leave the port of Marseilles, Notre Dame de la Garde is believed to protect these ships on their voyages. This basilica was built by the architect Espérandieu and was consecrated in 1864. The basilica consists of two parts: a lower church dug out of the rock in the Romanesque style, and an upper church of Neo-Byzantine style decorated with mosaics. A tall statue of the Madonna and Child made from copper gilded with gold leaf decorates the top. Enjoy the photos from Marseille.

Mme. Wallace