December 20, 2022 Arrival, Horses, Raclette
The plane ride was long and uncomfortable, as one is when one is forced into a small space for 10 hours. We arrived at 7:45 am Paris time. It took 45 minutes to deplane and less time than that to get through customs. Everything is automated so there are no live bodies to check you out. Then we had to wait until 3:00 to take the train. We walked around, drank coffee , ate pastry, sat in cold chairs, read, walked around…. The station was sooooo cold.
We finally got on a very packed full train and 2½ hours later, we were in Strasbourg. Fabienne picked us up with smiles and hugs. Before long, we were pulling up to her little house in Bischheim, very near Strasbourg. Then there were more hugs from Francis. We settled in to the neighbor’s house. She rents out rooms to college students. There was one young American woman there who left this morning, so now, Sarah and I have the place to ourselves. The house is nice. It’s easy to walk back and forth between the houses.
Dinner at Fabi and Francis house began with a most delicious soup. It was followed by a Charcuterie plate with the most delicious meats and cheeses. I’ve been looking forward to the tastes of French cuisine for ages and it did/does not disappoint. We talked and drank good Alsacian wine and talked some more. Finally at 11:00, I fell into bed….31 hours since leaving my bed in Seattle. I slept 10 hours.
For breakfast, Sarah and I sat down to a basket full of pastry and real coffee….except that Sarah is a tea drinker. The pastries here are divine—Sarah and I shared 2 of them so that we got to taste a bit of different ones. Then we had some toast with the most delicious chestnut honey, made by Fabi’s friend with honey bees; and the most delicious blackberry jam, made by Fabi in Corsica (where they have another house).
After breakfast we went to see 11-year-old Mia, Fabi’s granddaughter, at horse camp. She’s been riding horses since she was 5 years old so is really good. At horse camp, they play horse games and learn more about horses. We stayed until we were frozen, then went back “home.”
Later in the evening, Franck (Fabi & Francis son) and Saundra came over and we ate a most delicious traditional raclette. So amazing. Sarah and Saundra hit it off with some common interests in music and art.
We ate until it was not possible to eat any more. Franck said that when you’re happy, you gain weight, and when your unhappy, you lose weight. I’spect I will be filled with ecstatic joy by the time I return.
Bedtime was again about 11:00 but I got up a bit early to write this before we leave for the Christmas Market in Riquewihr, a medieval village along the Route des Vins. The high temperature there will be about 52. YAY! A short heat wave. And this is where I leave it for today.
