A family cooks, plays, and gives thanks together

I spent an enjoyable Thanksgiving with Margaret's family.  We had such a wonderful weather that we played outside early afternoon on Thanksgiving day and mid day on Friday. None of us was interested in shopping.  We just enjoyed being with each other under the sun.  It was a Thanksgiving to remember and give thanks always!

The entire field of this middle school was filled with our laughter!

We love and we give thanks!

Paris

One just can't do Paris in two days.  20 years ago I visited Paris with Rosanna.  Some of the scenes are still familiar.  But I certainly have a different outlook of life this time.  I did the Versailles again to keep Joan company, as this is her first trip to Paris. 

 

I still remember the Jardin Du Luxembourg that Rosy and I walked through in a rainy March day.  The Park is so beautiful with the yellow leaves. 

 I also made a friend: Rochelle, whose independent style intrigued and inspired me.

The walk climbing up to the Montmartre was very interesting with places where artists used and still to gather, and painted their famous paintings.  Renoirs painted his Moulin de la Galette here:

The tavern where artists got drunk: The painting was a rabbit jumping out of a pot holding a bottle of wine.

Of course there are the Norte Dame and the Eiffel Tower:

The river Seine:

Would I go back?  Yes I would like to.

Beaune

Beaune is our last stop before Paris.  The highlight in Beaune was a visit to Hotel-Dieu (Des Hospices Civils De Beaune).  This hospital, "a place for the poor", was established in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy and his wife, Guigone de Salins. The original principles were charity and cure.  The bishops who built the Pope Palace ought be ashamed of themselves!

Macon

Our ship originally was suppose to take us all the way to Macon.  But due to the high water level, we had to disembark the ship at Lyon.  (The ship could not safely pass under some bridges with the high water level).  One can see that the water front of Macon has been flooded:

The highlight of Macon was a walk around town, the restaurant where we had fish cake for lunch, and the visit to a Chateau. 
We saw many goodies when walking along the streets:

At the Chauteau: You know that I am not into these Chauteau and Palace things.  They do not excite me as much as food might be.

During dinner that evening, the six single/divorced/widowed ladies decided to take a picture together.

French Gastronomy

To enjoy the food while traveling is a given.  The French food we had on this trip alone would invite me to go back again.  Our chef, waiter and waitress took care of us very well, and every meal was an enjoyment.

Some soups:

 French onion soup:

 Spinish soup:

Main entrees:

 This fish cake is very light, tasted like our HuBei fish balls:

Some appetizers:

And wonderful desserts:

 

My favorite one below:  very chocolaty with chocolate liquor woo zing out when biting into it.  It was not "no sugar added" though!



 

 

And our chef demonstrating how to make crepe in an afternoon session:

 Our program director Jamil stood on the left. He left Syria for France when he was 9.  Although a Franch citizen, he bought an apartment just before the civil war broke out.  Now he has to move back to Paris and continue working .