Birthday Girl

The Birthday Girl with her entourage.

Today was Susan's birthday and Wes planned a special day.

A local French chef, Manuel, arrived late morning and spent the day at the Villa.

First, he prepared a light lunch, including Chicken gizzards (French word to be substituted in future update) and prosciutto, and a green salad with tomato, cucumber and onion.

All local ingredients, of course.


After lunch Manuel began working in earnest on a four course traditional country French dinner.The table was set with candles and fresh picked flowers from the grounds of the estate. In the meantime...




The ladies dressed to kill. The meal itself ...

... was a feast for the senses. In addition to the fine food, there was moderate excessive consumption of alcohol, primarily wine from Chateauneuf-du-Pape (although a new drink was also invented for the occasion, with the working name "Martini Provencale" - more details as we refine the recipe).

After dinner...


Gifts were exchanged ...

...for the collective birthdays and anniversaries...

as were kisses...


and other tokens of of affection.

The ladies show Manuel their heart-felt appreciation.

Antiques and (surprise!) more great food.

This morning we checked out the famous antique market in Isle-sur-le-Surge. Small town, big market. Working on an inside tip, Wes secured lunch reservations at [RESTAURANT-TO-BE-NAMED-LATER], the best restaurant in town.

Appetizer.

Main course.

Dessert.

Another fantastic meal, as the garden setting and prix fixe meal exceeded even our high expectations.


Sigrid and I rode with Wes and Susan, invoking comparisons to our rides in the the Land Rovers on the Mali tour. Susan adapted the Sahara sun shade technique to the French countryside.

By the time we returned, Dwight and Lois had left for Paris. We managed one last group shot before they headed out.

Afternoon sun permitted some short but quality pool time in the afternoon, allowing a brief respite before the evening drinking binge.

We eat and drink some more.

Lois takes control of the kitchen, and whips up a delicious pasta with red sauce while Sigrid assembles a spectacular antipasto platter.


Dining was enjoyed in the pleasant outdoor evening temperatures under the pergola.


After dinner entertainment included Boulle', rhythmic gymnastics on the lawn, a Vulcan mind meld seminar and...

...an impromptu karaoke performance. The lead singer was unfortunately incapacitated for most of the next morning. We hope for a speedy recovery.

Shift Change

The first crew - Mike, Margaret, Wes,Susan, Sigrid, Lois, Nora, Philippe, Dwight.

Some of the guests may have drunk to excess last night, resulting in a slow start and a somewhat more relaxed pace today. Phillipe and Nora were heading home, so we organized the group shot above shortly before their departure.

The second shift arrived in the afternoon. Geegee, Carolin and Molly.

We eat and drink

Foie Gras mousse (?) with grapefruit.

Wes and Susan arranged for a wine tasting and gourmet dinner to be catered, sampling from the foods and bounty of the region. Eric the sommelier served the food, and managed the proceedings with an extraordinary selection of local wines. Details of the menu and wine selections will be updated when available.

Wine

Dessert

After dinner I team with Eric to continue my life-to-date undefeated record at the game of boulle'. The hard fought match was played on the gravel driveway lit by the car headlights.

Dwight enjoys a Habana Partagas Romeo y Juliet and shows his boulle' form in a losing effort.

Touring Provence

Chateauneuf du Pape

Friday morning five of us struck out to explore some of the French countryside in Provence. We all fit comfortably in the Citroen Picasso, with Sigrid, Susan, and Margaret in the back, Wes rode shotgun and navigated, and I drove. It has been a while since I drove a stick shift, and learning how to correctly manage the roundabouts was challenging, but with a little unsolicited guidance from Wes, I started getting it together with only one or two clutch-smoking events. Weather was cool, rainy, windy and blustery, but did not dampen the day. Some of the sights:

The view from the top.

Pont du Gard

Margaret on the Pont du Gard

Lunch at Trattoire in Uzes

Wes admires my sandwich - The "Catalane" - Marinated sardines, with garlic pickled tomatoes and pesto. Really good.

The Villa

We first met Wes and Susan on the Mali tour portion of our West Africa trip last fall and became tour buddies during the adventures (and misadventures) that ensued. In March, they sent us a wonderful invitation we could not refuse.

"We would like to invite you to join us this summer in France to celebrate Wes’s 65th Birthday and our 20th Anniversary. Attached you will find a description of the chateau Villa Saint Albergati where we will be staying...We hope that you will all be able to come to Provence to celebrate with us!"

From the villa description...

"Constructed in 1756, this magnificent home is situated in the small hamlet of Althen-des-Paluds, in the heart of Provence, an area famous for its vineyards, its red and ochre rock formations, and its ancient villages perched on the top of steep cliffs. Located adjacent to a ruined monastery and mill with a tall smokestack that is a French National Historic Monument, this seven-bedroom, five-bath home sits amid sweeping lawns and carefully landscaped grounds. Long owned by the same family, the elegant salons of Villa Saint Albergati are filled with family paintings, furnishings, silver and porcelains dating back as far as seven generations.

Villa Saint Albergati is located about eight kilometers from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the pontifical residence of John XXII in the 14th century, and today the point of origin for the most famous of all the Rhone wines. The Medieval market town of Carpentras is equally close by, and draws gourmets from far and wide for its fine truffles. Carpentras’ 14th century synagogue is the oldest in France."

Wes and Susan show Sigrid our room.

More Airports

Sunrise over the North Atlantic

Once we leave the US my Verizon service becomes useless, so the blog will now move to less timely updates, but with higher quality pics. To fill out our "full house" of airports en route - we landed in the rain at...

Airport #3 Charles DeGaulle (CDG)

Where we caught a shuttle...

...for an hour and a half bus ride through heavy traffic to get to...

airport #4 - Orly Airport.

And another five hour layover, before we catch a short flight to...

airport #5 - Avignon.

Then we load the luggage into a rented Citreon Picasso, and drive to Althen des Paluds, where we get lost and drive aimlessly around town until some locals take pity on us, get in their car, and lead us to...

... our destination. A rented chateau where a worried Wes was standing outside trying to reach us on the cell phone. This last being an exercise in futility (see note regarding Verizon coverage above).

This is the second time in the last year that Sigrid has arranged a five airport day for one of our trips. I may have to fire her as our travel coordinator.

PHL - Airport #2 of 5

A three hour layover in Philadelphia before we board the redeye to Paris. Probably my last post from the TREO until we are back in the US. Verizon does not work in France. Thought I could get on-line with the laptop while here, but no luck in the gate area. Perhaps better luck at CDG or Orly. Another layover there.

Winging East

Flying by the Golden Gate bridge on the way to Philly.

UPDATE: A better pic from the flight out of SFO -

Big news this morning ...

I am referring, of course, to Chairman Bernanke's comments in support of the dollar. Just in time, as we are at the airport about to depart for France. It is going to be a long haul, and a five airport day. Airport 1 - SFO.

Winging West

And heading home. For one day.

The Graduate

Congratulations Erik!