We are headed to France for a couple of weeks. We haven’t been to Europe since we had a layover in Turkey. That was several years ago. Between business, rehabbing, dogs, grandbabies, moving, and Covid we haven’t traveled out of the country.
We fly to Paris first. We have been there a few times before. The reason we wanted to go to France was to travel to Beaune to the Hospices de Beaune. Always wanted to check that scene out. I love the story of the burgundy auction during WW2. The French were going to cancel it. However, the minister of culture for Nazi Germany assured them that there would be no uniformed Nazis at the auction, and only he would attend. Hence, they had it all four years of occupation. It is the longest-running wine auction in the world.
We aren’t going to the auction just wanted to see the scene. You need to buy a quarter barrel of burgundy in order to get in the room where it happens. If anyone is interested in taking down 72 bottles of burgundy, let me know. I will take a case or two (24). My old friend from the trading floor, James Dean (DIXI), said he was not wealthy enough to collect burgundy and neither am I.
We are going to meet up with friends who reside around the country. We have one in Verzy near Reims that we will see. We have one in Cognac that we will see. We will spend a couple of days in Lyon and a couple in Bordeaux. We are hitting up the Paris flea market, too. Alas, there is no way to fit in a trip to Alsace this time.
It will be interesting to see the temperature of people overseas post-US election and after the recent riots in Amsterdam. Riots is an understatement. It was a pogrom that systematically went after Jews. I saw another video of a bunch of Hamas supporters beating a Jewish person on his way to services in New York City!
Never again they said. Right.
Daughter #2 got to do Study Abroad in Bath, England last fall. Towards the end of her stay, she and one of her housemates took a train to Southampton and a ferry to Ouistreham (the port for Caen). They rented a car and went to the Normandy beaches and Cemetery, then the next day, she went to Mont-Saint-Michel. Said it was the best day of her life (she's only 22, so she has a way to go). Made her history teacher dad proud. She also said that the people treated her and her friend wonderfully. I received a souvenir D-Day jar with sand she collected from Utah and Omaha for a Xmas present.
Have a fun and have a safe trip. Make sure you bring your Dog Style with you I'm sure they don't sell it there.