Friends,
Took short walks Monday night with Daphne to get the baguette for dinner and with ANneAlexis to get Francois's newspaper. As usual her meal was fabulous--oranges follewed by a stew of lentils, carrots and sauages, a mixed green and avocado salad, baguette and a Pyranees bread that she makes, cheese plate, and an anise flavored Pyranees cake (she served it to you too Shannon) with bottled cherreis which are also eaten with the cheese. She servedtwo traditional mustards--one dijon-ish and one very vinegar-ish.
Tuesday morning I arranged my ticket to Prague where Iarrived this mornig after taking a luxurious Thalys train to Cologne and then sharing a sleeper with a young Korean who works in Germany and misses his family dreadfully and a young Frenchman who said goodbye to his girlfreind to take a carpentry job near Prague. There was also a couple on the lower berths who were VERY anxious about the presence of strangers in their sleeping quarters and would not talk to us but only to each other in whispers.
The Montparnasse tower was directly across from the train station so I used my free ticket, thanks, Greg, to ascend. It is the tallest building in Paris and has an elevator so smoothe that I had no sense of motion. Two floors per second. Not as exotic a view as that from the Eiffel tower, though it contains the same components. There is just something about having the wind on your face when you are taking in a view.
I went to the doll museum or Musee de las Poupees on high recommencdation from Anne Alexis and her girls. The Skipper on a skateboard in the temporary Barbie exhibit is just like one you had, Theo. Perhaps it is one of the dolls you said I really bought for myself but addressed to you!
According to the exhibit Barbie had over 100 professions. My favorites were the pregnant Barbie, the Barbie just delivered fo twins, Barbie shampooing an incredibly curly poodle. Best of all were Barbie's Mom and Dad who had come over to baby sit the twins while (apparently single mom) Barbie had a date. She was preparing for it in a purple see through negligee and garter top stockings!
There were tons of really fine dolls from about 400 years ago forward and just the sort of big wooden dollhouses with about l940s looking furnishings that I really really love. I pored over the paper dolls in the boutique and then with unaccustomed maturity decided to buy nothing.
There was a genuine accordion busker on the metro. Parisians hate them but I looked aloof and secretly enjoyed it very much.
Lunch was a bit of a risk at a Tabac--sort of the European urban convenience store. I had a wonderful salad with tomatoes and boiled eggs and rounds of baguette topped with chevre over the greens. For dessert I got an ice cream and lolled on the pavement in front of the Pompidou Center with dozens of other tourists. We watched an Asian man sing Let It Be and a juggler. When I moved on it was to watch a man make combination collage and pastel postcard sized "works." An idea for the gallery, Libba!
Then I circled the fountain there which is a pool filled with figures that are either all mechanical ribs of metal and cogs and springs and such or are rounded acrylic abstractions of colorful clownlike figures.
It is difficult to believe I wasted a monment's anxiety on where I was to go. In spite of the machine gun armed camo clad soldiers patrolling the train stations, the fact is, I love to be on my own in a station, feeling all smug and confident when I can figure out what to do and where to go and feeling a little on the edge when I can't.
Anne Alexis had sent me a picnic for the train--a sandwich of thin sliced ham, soft cheese, and lettuce on leftover homemade pizza--what a great idea, and an orange and some of the leftover anise cake. Luxury.
When we entered Belgium the houses suddenly became red brick instead of cream stucco and there was more variety in roof tile color. In Brussels I saw a huge building topped with a golden dome that reminds me of the cap on raspberry liquer. I loved suddenly seeing all the signs in Dutch too with its charming double vowels and -ens and -kers and such. There was a tall narrow very dark Gothic church with an onion dome atop a pointed spire. The dome had porthole style windows in it, making me feel it was preparing to submerge at the command of Captain Nemo.
The train station in Liege is made of high metal arches that curve a bit so you feel you are riding through the skeleton of a giant whale. And as we pulled out of Aachen a blue hot air balloon ascended over a very narrow dark Gothic church.
At the station in Cologne I encountered a huge group of boy scouts including a few girls, a helpful baggage man who directed me to the correct platform in what seemed almost like native english though, of course, he said he only speaks a little bit, and a friendly man who offered me an apple.
It was great to return to dear familiar, if somewhat seedy, sights and sounds of Prague--the easy subqway system, the bus to farkan that I got on automatically though Icould not remember its number, Pany Hana greeting me at the garden gate and returning me to the usual downstairs room that we have had so often before (Jim, Craig, Shannon), and my usual internet cafe which now has a new entrance. And there is a TGI FRiday's here at Andel. Hm. Too much moderninzing and Americanizing.
Off to eat and read a book.
Ahoj,
Lowell
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
La Poste III
This is just a bare beginning of trying to back up to Taize. First, the kids ended up having a good time and good attitudes with lots of frisbee playing and dirty feet and church attendance and living in rainy tents.
On our final night in Paris last week Greg and I had an excellent French meal but I no longer even remember it! Entrecote with pepper sauce, green beans and a rainbow over the Les Halles Forum is what my notes say.
I fell again on the badly bruised knee but did no harm and the blood from the original three week old bruise has finally completely dissipated. I had a black and blue right sock for nearly three weeks.
A German nun in my small group said that non Christians come to Taize to see how Christians act. If so, that is good news. Another group member named Kirsten who is a nonbeliever lost her billfold with all documents and money in the toilet but less than 30 minutes later it was returned to her intact! Rest of my group were a Catholic preist from India, another seeking non believer who says that he is looking for room to rent after hearing about the last woman in this list, two female California Presbyterian pastors, an Episcopal layman from Minnesota, and a German woman who says the church has always been her home.
OUr brother from the community was Fr. Wolfgang who does his own translation from German to English to French. HE is a native German speaker and is hilarious in English but really had them in the aisles in GErman. The French speakers did not laugh. OUr first night was so windy that we feared that our tents would be lifted and left in Oz but we survived that storm too. Saw a young boy on a black and yellow unicycle next morning.
Deep thoughts from first day included:
Every man who opens the womb of a woman is holy.
Sometimes people bring love to us but it is hard to bear because of our woulnds, history, and such.
Love**it is history. It is said. You can't put it back. In India all people have religion
Without religion how could they think? That was from Indian FR. Josef.
SEcond day
Presby pastor Susan was at Plum village last year in July but did not see or learn anything of the longevity stick exercises which I am now practicing and teaching. Probably because she was on the breakfast preparation family and we practiced at 7 am.
Ecclesiastes says unhappy is the man who falls and has no one to help him up. Fr. Wolfgang says when two sleep together one can keep the other warm. I love his Biblical interpretations!
Who has seen About A Boy with Hugh Grant? Everyone says I must see it in association with our study of interdependence. Every morning Fr. Wolfgang talks and in the afternoon the small groups meet to explore and respond. Sr. Maria Katerina is unsteady in her English and always calls God She. SHe want I should be happy. Right on, Sister.
Kirsten from my group told me about and showed me Globoli which are tiny pills that are part of German homeopathic medicine. She says they are sugar coated dilutions of chemicals that are supposed to work on your psyche more than your body.
The two lady Presbyterian ministers and I became good freinds sharing church employmetn horror stories. Amy finished and emailed her master's thesis while we were there so we all celebrated with some very fine chocolate at breakfast furnished by Ty who is an official of the diocese of Rhode Island and a freind from past Taize visits. HE was in Laura Holladay's small group.
My job was washing dishes under the supervision of Lucianna from Argentina in El Abiodh, the center where the sisters take in guests, operate an infirmary, cook for the staff, and generally provide help and hospitality. The staffers let me taste all sorts of goodies that had been prepared for the staff and returned uneaten--ham and cheese quiche, fish pie, sausages fo various sorts, and best of all a big handful offresh cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes! Lu supervised us in the use of long handled broooms and squeegees tomop the floors.
There will be more of Taize in another post but now I must try to recapture the last 36 hours before it vanishes from my sieve-head.
Love, Lowell
On our final night in Paris last week Greg and I had an excellent French meal but I no longer even remember it! Entrecote with pepper sauce, green beans and a rainbow over the Les Halles Forum is what my notes say.
I fell again on the badly bruised knee but did no harm and the blood from the original three week old bruise has finally completely dissipated. I had a black and blue right sock for nearly three weeks.
A German nun in my small group said that non Christians come to Taize to see how Christians act. If so, that is good news. Another group member named Kirsten who is a nonbeliever lost her billfold with all documents and money in the toilet but less than 30 minutes later it was returned to her intact! Rest of my group were a Catholic preist from India, another seeking non believer who says that he is looking for room to rent after hearing about the last woman in this list, two female California Presbyterian pastors, an Episcopal layman from Minnesota, and a German woman who says the church has always been her home.
OUr brother from the community was Fr. Wolfgang who does his own translation from German to English to French. HE is a native German speaker and is hilarious in English but really had them in the aisles in GErman. The French speakers did not laugh. OUr first night was so windy that we feared that our tents would be lifted and left in Oz but we survived that storm too. Saw a young boy on a black and yellow unicycle next morning.
Deep thoughts from first day included:
Every man who opens the womb of a woman is holy.
Sometimes people bring love to us but it is hard to bear because of our woulnds, history, and such.
Love**it is history. It is said. You can't put it back. In India all people have religion
Without religion how could they think? That was from Indian FR. Josef.
SEcond day
Presby pastor Susan was at Plum village last year in July but did not see or learn anything of the longevity stick exercises which I am now practicing and teaching. Probably because she was on the breakfast preparation family and we practiced at 7 am.
Ecclesiastes says unhappy is the man who falls and has no one to help him up. Fr. Wolfgang says when two sleep together one can keep the other warm. I love his Biblical interpretations!
Who has seen About A Boy with Hugh Grant? Everyone says I must see it in association with our study of interdependence. Every morning Fr. Wolfgang talks and in the afternoon the small groups meet to explore and respond. Sr. Maria Katerina is unsteady in her English and always calls God She. SHe want I should be happy. Right on, Sister.
Kirsten from my group told me about and showed me Globoli which are tiny pills that are part of German homeopathic medicine. She says they are sugar coated dilutions of chemicals that are supposed to work on your psyche more than your body.
The two lady Presbyterian ministers and I became good freinds sharing church employmetn horror stories. Amy finished and emailed her master's thesis while we were there so we all celebrated with some very fine chocolate at breakfast furnished by Ty who is an official of the diocese of Rhode Island and a freind from past Taize visits. HE was in Laura Holladay's small group.
My job was washing dishes under the supervision of Lucianna from Argentina in El Abiodh, the center where the sisters take in guests, operate an infirmary, cook for the staff, and generally provide help and hospitality. The staffers let me taste all sorts of goodies that had been prepared for the staff and returned uneaten--ham and cheese quiche, fish pie, sausages fo various sorts, and best of all a big handful offresh cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes! Lu supervised us in the use of long handled broooms and squeegees tomop the floors.
There will be more of Taize in another post but now I must try to recapture the last 36 hours before it vanishes from my sieve-head.
Love, Lowell
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
La Poste II
Dears,
There was no internet at Taize and I am so far behind
that I will have to come back to that part later.
AT Anne Alexis for tonight only and must make phone
calls for next home as Radek is in the hospital in
Brno and I can't stay with his family as expected
until at least the weekend. Am out of Czech phone
credit so will have to be creative in my arrangements.
Said goodbye to the St. Paul's group at 8*30 this
morning as they left the hostel to brave the rain for
the Metro ride with luggage during rush hour to the
bus which took them to the airport. Greg or Jim, tell
Laura that Anne Alexis and her girls were thrilled to
get the American magazines.
I sat in St. Eustache while they were tunikng the
organ this morning to get my bearings, then set out
for the Paris Opera House. The auditorium was closed
for a rehearsal but the ticket was free so I cannot
complain.
Ditto on the Paris Story which was a 45 minute film on
the history of Paris. I learned a few things and got
a few ideas for sights to see, but my favorite part
was the closing lines. I am a woman, take time to
love me.
Got disoriented finding way to Pompidou Center so
teamed up with some London schoolteachers on a day
trip for teacher education. We ended up following a
Chines man to the museum and felt a bit like a
children's book or a situation comedy where people
keep joining the party.
I adored everything about the Pompidou from the
picnickers on the pavment slanting down to it to the
primary colored architectural elements that outline
the exterior escalators in transparent plastic tubes
to the actual art itself. There was even a balcony
with leather armchairs overlooking the street fro
those weary of foot.
Saw losts of school children drawing a grotesque
papier mache bride sculpture. My favorites were a
huge blanket made of bottle caps and aluminum wrappes
from around wine corks and a raffia airplane shaped a
bit like a fish. It was studded with scissors and
knives and had fan*propellors blowing white silk
ribbon jet streams.
Went in a Dubuffedt cave of solid white with thick
back demarkations of every topographical change. Alas
the eye can only take so much of the feast of
BRancusi, Mondrian, Chagall, Kupka, DuChamp, Calder,
Miro, and Picasso before the brain fries. I am sure
there are many other treasures but I couldn't even
give the bookstore postcards a proper look!
I went to Drogerie which is my favorite bead and yarn
shop but there were too many choices so I left with no
thing but ideas.
Lovely French gentlemen carried my bag up the metro
steps and I saw an elderly couple walking like royalty
with their hands clasped behind their backs.
Lunch was gorgeous salad of greens, colored peppers,
tomatoes, lardon, and a poached egg with the first
croutons I have ever liked.
Francois and Zoe are back from their bike ride and my
laundry is through whirling so must bid you adieu and
hope hope hope for mail from you and for time to write
about Taize soon.
Lowell
There was no internet at Taize and I am so far behind
that I will have to come back to that part later.
AT Anne Alexis for tonight only and must make phone
calls for next home as Radek is in the hospital in
Brno and I can't stay with his family as expected
until at least the weekend. Am out of Czech phone
credit so will have to be creative in my arrangements.
Said goodbye to the St. Paul's group at 8*30 this
morning as they left the hostel to brave the rain for
the Metro ride with luggage during rush hour to the
bus which took them to the airport. Greg or Jim, tell
Laura that Anne Alexis and her girls were thrilled to
get the American magazines.
I sat in St. Eustache while they were tunikng the
organ this morning to get my bearings, then set out
for the Paris Opera House. The auditorium was closed
for a rehearsal but the ticket was free so I cannot
complain.
Ditto on the Paris Story which was a 45 minute film on
the history of Paris. I learned a few things and got
a few ideas for sights to see, but my favorite part
was the closing lines. I am a woman, take time to
love me.
Got disoriented finding way to Pompidou Center so
teamed up with some London schoolteachers on a day
trip for teacher education. We ended up following a
Chines man to the museum and felt a bit like a
children's book or a situation comedy where people
keep joining the party.
I adored everything about the Pompidou from the
picnickers on the pavment slanting down to it to the
primary colored architectural elements that outline
the exterior escalators in transparent plastic tubes
to the actual art itself. There was even a balcony
with leather armchairs overlooking the street fro
those weary of foot.
Saw losts of school children drawing a grotesque
papier mache bride sculpture. My favorites were a
huge blanket made of bottle caps and aluminum wrappes
from around wine corks and a raffia airplane shaped a
bit like a fish. It was studded with scissors and
knives and had fan*propellors blowing white silk
ribbon jet streams.
Went in a Dubuffedt cave of solid white with thick
back demarkations of every topographical change. Alas
the eye can only take so much of the feast of
BRancusi, Mondrian, Chagall, Kupka, DuChamp, Calder,
Miro, and Picasso before the brain fries. I am sure
there are many other treasures but I couldn't even
give the bookstore postcards a proper look!
I went to Drogerie which is my favorite bead and yarn
shop but there were too many choices so I left with no
thing but ideas.
Lovely French gentlemen carried my bag up the metro
steps and I saw an elderly couple walking like royalty
with their hands clasped behind their backs.
Lunch was gorgeous salad of greens, colored peppers,
tomatoes, lardon, and a poached egg with the first
croutons I have ever liked.
Francois and Zoe are back from their bike ride and my
laundry is through whirling so must bid you adieu and
hope hope hope for mail from you and for time to write
about Taize soon.
Lowell
Monday, May 28, 2007
La poste française
French keyboard is SO hard--forgive spelling errors, merci.
Will go bqckwards until I am at free English keyboqrd.
Grqnt and I are mqiling while Jim does laundry and instructs other Americqns in same--nice to have back-up profession in la belle france in case lumber business in USA goes bust! Saw an ivory soft top Rolls Royce on the way that will NOT be the luggqge taxi for tomorrow a.m. Our kids are very spoiled about eazrly rising and luggage carrying.
So-----late start this morning for Versailles where we encountered lots of rain so no gqrdens or either Trianon. My fqvorite is Marie Antoinette,s curtqins--turquoise and lime stripes with bouquets of ostrich feathers, ribbons, pansies, roses, & lilacs. Also loved vine-y tattoo on hand of Moslem seat mate on trqin back to Paris:
Greg, Duncqn, and I ate fabulous Lebqnene last night while others had pizza. We were on side of Leb. wedding pqrty & had much applquse between us & them. Best felafel & baba ganoush I ever ate.
In Louvre met interesting STeve who teqches English at NYU becque I could not remember name of Bosch,s %Garden of Eqrthly Delights: We spoke for all of 10 minutes but I know he is a seculqr Jew, practicing atheist who teaches a freshman course combining art, lit, philosophy & is consumed with teaching young people that current USA standards of beauty are not universal.
We also did Notre Dame, Monument a la Deportacion--HOLOCAUST--& half of qn open top bus tour before cold, sleep, & hunger overcame us.
Fridqy we forced Grant up the Eiffel Tower but he still will not admit that he liked it and saw pigeons having sex. Boudin and gateau chocolate for that dinner.
That afternoon,before other group arrived was strolling in Tuilleries and a teen near me swooped down & found a big 18K gold wedding band. She asked me what to do--no chance of finding owner--I said keep it. kShe said I am Evangelista & can not wear gold & gave it to me!
More when I am at better, free keyboard--maybe at Taize & maybe next week in Paris.
Love to some & fond regards to all, au revoir,
Lowell
Will go bqckwards until I am at free English keyboqrd.
Grqnt and I are mqiling while Jim does laundry and instructs other Americqns in same--nice to have back-up profession in la belle france in case lumber business in USA goes bust! Saw an ivory soft top Rolls Royce on the way that will NOT be the luggqge taxi for tomorrow a.m. Our kids are very spoiled about eazrly rising and luggage carrying.
So-----late start this morning for Versailles where we encountered lots of rain so no gqrdens or either Trianon. My fqvorite is Marie Antoinette,s curtqins--turquoise and lime stripes with bouquets of ostrich feathers, ribbons, pansies, roses, & lilacs. Also loved vine-y tattoo on hand of Moslem seat mate on trqin back to Paris:
Greg, Duncqn, and I ate fabulous Lebqnene last night while others had pizza. We were on side of Leb. wedding pqrty & had much applquse between us & them. Best felafel & baba ganoush I ever ate.
In Louvre met interesting STeve who teqches English at NYU becque I could not remember name of Bosch,s %Garden of Eqrthly Delights: We spoke for all of 10 minutes but I know he is a seculqr Jew, practicing atheist who teaches a freshman course combining art, lit, philosophy & is consumed with teaching young people that current USA standards of beauty are not universal.
We also did Notre Dame, Monument a la Deportacion--HOLOCAUST--& half of qn open top bus tour before cold, sleep, & hunger overcame us.
Fridqy we forced Grant up the Eiffel Tower but he still will not admit that he liked it and saw pigeons having sex. Boudin and gateau chocolate for that dinner.
That afternoon,before other group arrived was strolling in Tuilleries and a teen near me swooped down & found a big 18K gold wedding band. She asked me what to do--no chance of finding owner--I said keep it. kShe said I am Evangelista & can not wear gold & gave it to me!
More when I am at better, free keyboard--maybe at Taize & maybe next week in Paris.
Love to some & fond regards to all, au revoir,
Lowell
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