Random pictures & middle of night thoughts
Trip Start
Sep 11, 2010
1
7
29
Trip End
Oct 10, 2010
Beaune, Burgundy, France
Sunday, September 19, 2010
See many people traveling with iPads and they love them for travel. Two problems: WiFi access can be awful in hotels unless you are traveling American style with big hotels. Numerous cafe WiFi spots but not as convenient or quiet as hotel. Figure out how to use foreign keyboard in US before leaving home, so we can convert French computer to US style keyboard for touch typing. All of the changed placement of keys and extra symbols drives you nuts- of course, you have to know touch typing to make it work as US style keyboard. Hotel computers are going away--since so many people travel with their own.
Love iPod Touch for small size and access to same old stuff the same old way but hate typing one finger at a time on tiny keyboard - the iPad wins that contest hands down. But would hate to use big iPad for listening to podcast tours and carry it around.
Cell phones and a new world - everyone in France runs around with a cell phone in his/her hands, texting or calling. Even in the old-fashioned sidewalk cafes that abound, many are sitting together and texting instead of talking. End of cafe culture coming?
Verdun was troubling site. It was such an awful loss of life and the land was forever changed for miles around by the exploding cannon shells. Most dead were never identified thus the memorial of bones in the huge ossuary. (We looked through basement windows from outside and saw stacks of bones and skulls.) Gruesome site yet beautiful French countryside now as land has become forest-covered and will never be built on. So much sadness for so many years in so many French and German families. They still come to remember but memories are dying out. It is important to remember our past so we don't repeat it.
Manners are so important here. One must always greet people in shops, grocery stores or wherever with "Bonjour Madame, Monsieur, etc" and say "au revoir" when leaving shops. One must never touch food or goods in shops (especially small shops, as in most of Europe) but shopkeeper is honored to try to pick the best for you or invite you to touch. Running a shop is a very important position to the French and they love their special shopkeepers.
Handicapped access is horrible, as in most of countries other than US that we have been to. Can't imagine anyone taking or being allowed to sell hotel room with 62 steps to room with no rails and then a dark 16 stone steps to bathroom, also with no rail. Of course, legal issues would also cause US owners to be more careful.
Education is excellent here. Graduating from high school is like having two years of college and students attend 40 hours a week. The children are very well dressed and fit and well-mannered. And what else could we say about health care than what we already said. It is obvious that the routine dental care is not as "fancy" as ours but most seem to be healthy. Have only seen one drunk and two beggars.
Most people live in larger urban areas but tax system works to preserve small historic areas and farming. Weekly markets are terrific and we will see another one in the next day or so. Do we have something to learn about protecting our farmers livelihoods from the French?
Having a bad foot is a bum deal. But Bob is getting better.
Not everything is perfect, but, like other Rick Steves tours we took, this is a special group with a special guide and we are having a great time together. Even though fewer meals are provided than trips in prior years, we are finding that quite okay as we gather in smaller groups for varying dinners and lunches. She gives recommendations, too. And sometimes, like last night, we are free to eat a baguette for dinner. But we do notice that we are not as "hearty" as travelers as we used to be. But we are having fun!
Enough random thoughts--almost time to rise & shine.
I have also added random pictures with the random thoughts. Kids, dogs, markets, wine, food, storks. Just random stuff.
