The past week was vacation for the city of Rennes. I thought there was going to be a stampede of revelers last Friday afternoon at 5 o' clock as people fresh out of work and school paraded the town. I waited 'til the crowds had cleared and boarded the train for Gevena. The ride across France was one of the most beautiful I have ever taken. Everything is so green this time of year and there were puddles and rainbows. I was charmed. Despite being rural, the hand of man is firmly there; you can tell that the land has been worked for a thousand years which is a very interesting sensation.
Erin and I spent Geneva day one trying to find something to eat on a Sunday. We also visited the Red Cross Museum and took a walk along the lake. The next day we made ourselves all day sandwiches and took a really iffy hike at my insistence before gratefully boarding the train to Venice.
Venice was lovely, jammed with French tourists and offered a combination of sun and surprisingly enough snow. I loved watching the guys in boats. They had such comraderie and would shout stuff to their friends on shore as they rode past. It seemed like everyone knew each other and they were so kind to tourists. Wandering the streets was the most fun, but I also enjoyed the Doge's Palace and the Naval museum.
Florence was just like the movie Room with A View. I had the sound track running through my head as I climbed about on the bridges and the hills. Beautiful. I walked around in a kind of euphoria clutching my ever present gelato cone. I also visited all the museums of stautes and church art and had several really nice meals. I sampled a tripe and pig ear concoction and found it good. I have several new pasta sauce ideas including one with pumpkin and rosemary which was far removed from the mid-western pumpkin loaf. Who'd of guessed?
For the way back I took an overnight train from Florence to Paris. We all woke up early to some French lady insisting to the conductor that we were actually in Switerland despite the fact that we had crossed into France. They talked for a long while and slowly everyone filed out of their "couchettes" to stand in the corridor with them and watch the sun rise over the decidedly French hills. It was lovely.
For pictures try: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=302855&id=637287248&l=8f25029f02
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