France: Summation

France: Summation

Remember, way back, when this blog was to be a series of "a-tions"---observations, exclamations, proclomations?  Well, now we come to the summation.

How to make a concise, yet short, overview of our wonderful 6 weeks of travel in France?  It is not possible.   We had hoped the adage "a picture is worth a thousand words" would cover it...but, I'm afraid we gave you the "thousand pictures"---and now I need the thousand words too. 

We covered much of France in our rental car starting in the northern Normandy Region, across west to Brittany, down the Atlantic, back inland to the Loire Valley, back southest to the Atlantic, then inland into the Dordogne Valley, south to Languedoc Region,  then over to Provence.  We met up with the tour group to return north via a river cruise  on the Rhone and Soane Rivers through the Ardeche, the Beaujolais, and Burgundy Regions before going into Paris for our return home. 

Kathi Teel wrote a very comprehensive poem, and another account describing the many aspects of our trip.  With her permission I share it here, although, I am taking only excerpts lest you accuse me of using all of the "thousand words" 

       We didn't see all, but we did see some

We heard stories tall and had some fun

Our French was small, but our joy outdone

Not  a single mall, and we learned a ton.

Driving was really not all that crazy

However, beware, it's not for the lazy

Refer to the guidebooks

Find crannies and nooks

Stop here, go look

What's a tourist hook!

In six weeks we saw the grain fields change

From newly planted, to harvested, was the range.

Blooming flowers, red poppies--our best memory, long range

Adventure, fun, laugher--and Euros to exchange.

Ah, these six weeks, would we do it again?

Would we drive 3000 plus miles..and then

Board a boat that goes through locks more than ten

To see the perimeter of France--her valleys and glens?

We eat too much in each single day

Walk the boat's gang plank to go and play

We listen to all the guides have to say

Yet millions of dates will soon fall away. 

Relaxing on the Rohne, our trip comes to an end

We wonder and plan as the Soane does its bend

We think about home and the projects it sends

We're thankful for work and the gardens to tend.

We loved our tour and we loved the chance

To explore with friends this country called France.

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Kathi continues with these observations:

This has been a TRIP OF 'EST as in BEST:

Oldest. Longest, Biggest, Tallest,

Cutest, Shortest, Smallest, Loveliest,

(Nothing has been second-best)

Widest, Broadest, Narrowest, Grandest

Largest, Busiest, Fartherest, Deadliest,

Greatest, Noisiest, Highest, Most

Those 'est-words' goes with the accompanying words:

Village, City, Tapestry, Cave Paintings, View, Street, SandDune, Door, Cars,

Vineyards, Sites, Beaches, Locks, Cathedrals, Chateaus, Fortress, Ruins

Jerry says we have seen lots of ROCKS..

Heaped and piled in organized fashion

Called by Fortress, Castle, or Chateau, Caves

Some called Ruins, some Archeological Digs

With French Tourist Promotion we mostly agree--

France is: Most Pleasant, Enjoyable, Agreeable

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And, oh, the FOOD! Have we mentioned...

Breads--fresh! crispy crusts, plain, or filled, buttered or with cheese

Cheeses: Hard or soft, warm or cold (and lots of Chevre--goat cheese)

Fresh Fruit--in abundance at all the open markets

All kinds of fish and shell fish, beef, lamb and pork, and especially DUCK

Sauces, Flavorings, Herbs, Walnuts, pates (especially foie gras)

Ice Cream (Glaces), sorbets,  Pasteries (especially eclairs)

Even--dare we say--McDonalds--Mais Ouis--(typically French, even the McDonalds was of a higher quality)

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Thank you, Kathi, for your creative recording of our travels

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Have we used the thousand words yet?  Probably, but who's counting? 

The memories are fresh of the art everywhere, the architecture, the rich history--from the prehistoric cave paintings to Roman ruins..to great cathedrals to WWII memorials...the list is endless.  We so enjoyed seeing the land and the people---both are diverse from region to region.  Our senses, our minds, our hearts, (not to mention our bodies) were filled and we still smile when we think of France!

AU REVOIR