Blois (France) and “The Wedding” 7th – 17th July

Thursday 7 July

It was out of bed at 5am for our trip to Ljubjlana Airport.  We were picked up by the owner of the hostel.  He and his wife own four hostels in Slovenia and are developing a five star hotel in Ljubjlana.  He was a very nice and interesting fellow.  The two hour and thirty minute flight to Paris was smooth and Adria Airlines, the national carrier was brilliant. 

Our plane from Ljubjlana to Paris 

No customs checks at Charles de Gaulle, very casual so we were off to buy our regional train (RER) and Metro tickets into Gare du Nord and Austerlitz for our train journey to Blois, a 90 minutes train ride south of Paris.

The RER comes right into the CDG airport terminals.  CDG has excellent signage so it’s a painless process getting out.  It was a quick stop at Gare Du Nord and then onto Austerlitz by the Paris Metro.   Only one little hiccup; we purchased our train ticket to Blois at Austerlitz from the vending machine.  Expecting to get two print outs, we thought the machine had dispensed incorrectly so purchased another ticket, only to discover, when we got on the train, that we had three tickets for two persons J  Lucky for us, we had a very nice conductor who initialled the spare ticket and advised that we could get a refund when we arrived in Blois; another story getting the refund J but eventually we got it.

Cecile and Tanguy met us at the Blois train station.  It was wonderful to see them both; it has been three years since we last saw Cecile and 2004 since we saw Tanguy.

We picked up our hire car and it was a twenty minute drive from Blois to Chery and Cecile’s parents (Sylviane and Jacky) house.  That evening Sylviane cooked a wonderful meal and we joined the family and a number of Cecile and Tanguy’s friends for dinner.  After dinner, it was off to our new home for the next week.

Sylviane had rented a large house (three bedrooms and three bathrooms) in the nearby village of Chitenay, which we shared with Cecile’s friends from Toronto and Cecile’s sister, her husband and their three daughters.  It was great fun and the three girls kept us entertained with their singing and practising their English.

Our house in Chitenay

The lounge room

Sunflower field near our house

Friday, 8 July was a busy day with preparations for the wedding and picking up visitors from the Blois train station.  We also visited the local hairdresser and had a lot of fun trying to converse in French and English, it was an interesting experience making oneself understood as what exactly you wanted done.  We both walked out looking a little smarter and stylish J

Saturday 9^th July – the wedding day

The day was perfect for the big wedding, sunny and warm.  It was an early start for us, with a visit to the Blois railway station to pick up Laki and Tim, two of Cecile’s friends from Singapore.  We took them to their hotel and it was back to Chitenay.  Suits were pressed, hair styled and dresses ironed for the big day. French weddings are quite different from the Australian.  The bride and groom, family and their witnesses attended a civil ceremony at 2pm in the local town hall, officiated by the Mayor. 

Cecile arriving at the Civil Ceremony

The Civil Cermony

The bridal party then attended the village church in Chitenay (built in the 13^th century) for the religious marriage ceremony at 3pm. 

The church - Chitenay

Cecile looked absolutely stunning in her bridal gown, our French princess, and Tanguy was the handsome prince.  The witnesses, Cecile sister Helene and Cecile’s very good friend Safiya also looked stunning in yellow and white.  Helene’s three daughters looked very sweet in their pretty yellow dresses.

Marilyn with the three flower girls

At the church

Cecile and her Father, Jacky arriving at the church

Prince and Princess

A special moment with the bride

Laki and Phil were privileged to present the reading.  After the church service, it was a procession of cars, with honking horns and ribbons flying, to Chateau Laloin (see:  http://chateau-laloin.fr/Francais/_____Bienvenue.html), just outside of Blois, for the festivities. 

Chateau Laloin

The bridal party

Sylviane, Phil, Cecile, Marilyn & Jacky

The chateau was hired especially for the wedding reception and what the perfect spot.  On arrival, a group photo was taken of the bride and groom and their guests, this was followed by a cocktail reception from 6pm to 8pm.  The champagne flowed freely and perfectly prepared hor dourves were always available.  This was the opportunity to meet Cecile and Tanguy’s friends who travelled from many parts of the world (18 countries were represented) to make this, such a great day.  Starting at 8.30pm, we were treated to a fantastic four course dinner complemented by exceptional French wines in a room decorated in the wedding theme of yellow and white.  After a few wines any language barrier was non-existent.

Cecile & Tanguy arriving at the reception

After dinner it was the cutting of the wedding cake, the bridal waltz and dancing until 6am, the next morning!  No rushing the French.  Us oldies managed to fall into bed at the Chateau around 2am.  The room was magnificent and overlooked the front garden.

The wedding cake 

There was more to come on the Sunday with a champagne or two before a three course brunch, with, of course, the obligatory wine.  After brunch it was game time with Petanque being the popular game for the adults and older children and games on the lawns of the chateau for the younger children. 

Petanque - Marilyn in action

Decisions - which ball is closest

Petanque is a traditional French game, throwing steel balls, about the size of a cricket ball, to get closest to a kitty.  It is the French equivalent to bowls, but can be played virtually anywhere.  This was a great afternoon and what struck us was the way adults and children are involved in the festivities and positively interact together. It was a great two days and we felt very privileged to be part of Cecile’s and Tanguy’s wedding and the generous French hospitality.

Most of Cecile and Tanguy’s international visitors stayed on for the rest of the week.  Cecile had organised many activities including visits to the local Chateaux, a light and sound show at the famous Chateau Chambord, cycling along the Loire River with a picnic lunch, a visit to the local caves (winery) and many wonderful dinners out with a fantastic group of people.   Many friendships were formed during the week.  We will be catching up with Laki and Tim for dinner in Singapore on our return to Australia.

Chateau Chambord

Our group heading off cycling

Cycling along the Loire River

Our picnic lunch

An after lunch snooze needed before cycling back to Blois

Scenery along the way - one of the old bridges near Blois

Another highlight for us was witnessing the, Bastille Day fireworks in Blois at 11pm overlooking the banks of the Loire River.  The fireworks boomed and sparkled across the river and echoed through this beautiful city.  What struck us was the orderliness of the French crowd.  No police to cause bottlenecks and the crowd were very good natured.  Once the festivities finished, there was a quick exit with no hold-ups

Festivities came to end on Friday 15^th July when Cecile and Tanguy left for their one week honeymoon in Corsica.  In the evening we had dinner in the pretty village of Celletes with Sylviane, Jacky and the two grandmas, Yvonne and Denise.  The restaurant, in a 14^th century building, is Michelin recommended and lives up to this recommendation.  It is possibly the best dining experience ever.  A family business with friendly and knowledgeable service together with perfectly prepared and presented food.  Magnifique!  www.vieilletour.fr

Dinner at La Vieille Tour Restaurant

The presentation was magnifique

We were also very privileged to be invited to the tenth wedding anniversary party for Laurence and Mohammad, Cecile’s cousins.  The party was held in a very large farm shed, with much eating and drinking and of course the playing of Petanque during the afternoon.

The anniversary party

The following day, Sunday 17^th we left the little village of Chery for our drive to Carlux (approx. four hours) and our two week stay in our little house “Bequignol”.  More on that in the next blog post.

Slovenia - 2-7 July

Our train from Vienna to Slovenia left right on time, the Europeans manage to get this right.  No first class this time, but a very comfortable, six berth cabin for the six hour trip to Ljubljana.  The staff at our Vienna hotel had kindly arranged a picnic hamper for us, fruit, drinks, Viennese  pastries and rolls, enough  to feed us for a couple of days. Our compartment was never full, as passengers got off and on throughout the journey.  On the outskirts of Vienna the train climbed the breathtaking Austrian Alps.  It was never boring, as we passed through lush pastures, pristine forests, skirted magnificent mountain gorges and stopped at picture postcard villages.  The scenery didn’t change once we crossed the Slovenia border.  At 2.10 pm we arrived at Ljubljana station and it was about a ten minute walk to our hostel on the edge of the old town.  The hostel was not the Ritz, but clean and comfortable, having all that one needed including a comfortable bed and a self-catering kitchen.

Phil outside the YHA. We were on L2 middle window

What a hidden gem Ljubljana is; a compact, quiet city of around 272,000.  The locals are polite and friendly and very proud of their many cultural activities.  Outdoor classical music concerts are very popular, as is jazz.  It appears to be jazz lovers heaven. 

The food is excellent also the beer and wine; very cheap, 1Euro for a good size glass of wine and 2.50 Euro for half litre beer; tastes better the more you have.  Our first afternoon was spent orientating ourselves to the city, particularly the old town and purchasing supplies at the local supermarket. 

The old town is a beautiful historic area, bisected by the Ljubljanica River and linked by three bridges, which are masterpieces of a leading Slovenian architect, can't remember his name.  The buildings are a mix of modern architecture intermingled with Renaissance, Baroque and a touch of the art nouveau. The cobbled streets and laneways are full of shops plus great little cafes and restaurants.

Parliament Building

Along the river

The three bridges

On day two we explored the old town, browsed the food market and there was also a flea market along the river bank.  Lots of things I would have loved to buy but unfortunately, no room left in the suitcase.  We walked the steep hill to visit the Ljubjlana castle, which overlooks the city. 

The steep walk up to the Castle

Ljubjlana Castle

After climbing the winding stairs to the top of the tower we were afforded spectacular views of the city and surrounding Alps. 

Steps up the tower

The climb to the top

View over Ljubjlana

 After a light lunch, we went walking through Tivoli Gardens;  a magnificent green space on the edge of the city.  The gardens were full of cyclists, walkers, children playing; very European of course.  It was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours wandering.

Tivoli Gardens/Park

The following day we caught the bus to Bled and the magnificent lake.  It was a perfect day and the one and a half hour journey took us through beautiful villages and the most breathtaking alpine  scenery.  Although Bled is a tourist town, it remains unspoilt.  Magnificent mountain peaks form the backdrop to the lake, which is surrounded by huge forests and Bled Castle.

Bled Castle

Our view from the restaurant eating our Bled cake

When we arrived we had to try the famous Bled cream cake (Kremsnita) along with a coffee.  The cake has a puff pastry base, a thick custard type filling, topped with a thick layer of cream and more puff pastry.  Not good for the diet but very yummy. 

Coffee and Bled cream cake (Kremsnita) with Bled Castle in background

For our sins, we walked the seven km track around the lake, which has beautiful swimming and picnic spots scattered along its shores. 

The walk around the lake

We also spent an hour rowing across to Bled Island and its historic church in the middle of the lake. Also met the famous boat builder, Master Polack, who makes all the wooden (clinker style) boats in Bled and for other European traditional boaties.

Phil's rowing action to Bled Island

Our boat

Bled Island

Bled Island - Bled Church

Steps from the lake to Bled Church

Feeling a bit weary near the end of our trek, we stopped at a restaurant on the edge of the lake and treated ourselves to a magnificent BBQ lunch of grilled vegetables and local cheese (similar to Haloumi) and BBQ chicken with salad, all washed down with the obligatory wine and beer.  Bled is a centre for swimming and sailing in the summer and skiing the Alps in winter.  It’s not surprising the Slovenians look so fit, even after all the traditional cake.

The following day we set out by bus for the 2.5 hour ride to the coastal town of Piran, not far from the Italian border.  It was sunny when we left Ljubjlana, but raining when we arrived at Piran and no wet weather gear.  We got off the bus and found a shop nearby to buy an umbrella (20 Euro, which probably would have cost five dollars at home).  No sooner had we walked down the street, the rain stopped and it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day.  Being so close to Italy, Piran has a very Italian flavour, especially the restaurants. We walked around the town, had coffee and a late lunch, catching the bus back to Ljubjlana at 4pm.

"The Umbrella"

Piran

Waterfront restaurants - Piran

Rest break - Piran

On our last day, Phil decided he needed to rest.  I was up early and caught the bus to Postojna to visit the famous Postojna Caves.  The caves are the most visited in Europe and span almost 5 km.  The visit started aboard the “cave train” for a 2km ride into the caves to Great Mountain – temperature around 8 degrees. We got off the train and were met by a guide who took us 3 km through the beautiful passages.  It is an absolutely amazing display of stalagmites and stalactites, a real fairy tale world.  Unfortunately photos were not allowed.

Entrance to the Cave

Back to Ljubjlana around 2pm and met up with Phil for lunch and a relaxing afternoon soaking up the sun and a couple of drinks. Back to the hostel to pack and get ready for our 8am flight to Paris and another early start.  We will miss Slovenia, it was magnificent.