Category: Trips and travel

Some different sights of Norway

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Trips and travel6 Comments

Every trip and every travel destination have their iconic places and views, yet it is the surprises that add the seasonings that make it memorable. Here are a few from our visits to Norway this year.

I did this sketch of the Troll King at The Troll Museum in Tromsø last June. The Norse troll stories are such fun. Once you learn that trolls love the darkness, because they know that they will turn to stone if they see the sun, you begin to find stone trolls everywhere you look. If you are ever in Tromsø be sure to visit The Troll Museum, it is well worth the time.

We left Tromsø on a cruise headed north. The terrain soon became barren and rocky. The weather got colder and more windy. Our first stop was Hammersmith. It was blustery and bleak looking so we decided to stay onboard. After a bit I got restless, so, leaving Tricia to the comfort of the cabin, I headed for shore and the town. Walking along the road into town I came to a gardening and flower shop. The thought of plants and gardens just seemed out of place, though the colors were nice. I am sure the growing season that far north is quite short.

A couple of weeks ago we visited the Fram Museum in Oslo. The Fram was one of the ships that Amundsen used on his arctic explorations, and the whole ship is restored and inside the museum.

Thanks Tricia for the photo.

The ship was well equipped, complete with indoor, sort of, plumbing.

The train ride from Oslo to Bergen had plenty of beautiful sites, but to some of us this was quite a delightful view.

AND, it was one of the best hot dogs ever – apologies to my friend Dave who bought me many Husky Dogs at the University of Washington football games we went to.

On our first day in Bergen we rode the Fløibanen funicular up to the viewpoint – great views and mountain goats.

If you want to spend the night in the company of the goats there is an accommodation for rent.

That evening we went out for one of our favorite meals, Spanish tapas. Even in far away Bergen the realities of the world were brought near. I took this photo through the window of the restaurant. There was a protest going on regarding the Israel Gaza war. A bit chilling to have it this close, but thankfully it was peaceful.

On Thursday we took a cruise up the fjord. Tricia took a photo of another rare site.

Thankfully I bought a stocking cap from a shop the day before; it was really cold. I rarely wear them, but the delightful economics major working at the shop explained to me some different ways to wear them – I guess living in Norway you know such things. So me wearing that cap and drinking hot chocolate on a boat in a fjord qualifies as a strange site.

That afternoon we did some shopping. We stepped out of a shop and saw fire trucks just a block or so away. A bit more excitement in Bergen. BTW, on the left is the tour boat we were on.

As Tricia so frequently reminds us in her weekly postings of travel quotes, travel broadens our minds and brings surprises we would never imagine, I can’t agree more.

The gift of surprise in Bergen

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Been there - places, Food and drink, Restaurants, Trips and travel11 Comments

The good traveler has the gift of surprise. W. Somerset Maugham

On Thursday in Bergen discovery was the entree, surprise the piece de resistance.

We started the day by discovering that there is amazing beauty in the fiords of Norway. Our travel in the far north was a stark arctic desert beauty, Oslo did not inspire me, but Bergen and the fiords we sailed were stunning.

Off the boat, a bit chilled and hungry, lunch was our priority – pasta puttanesca for me and risotto for Tricia at a snug restaurant seated by the window to watch the parade of people enjoying the cold sunny day. Sated, we wandered the waterfront a bit, shopped for a friend or two, then took a break at our hotel. We were staying at the Magic Hotel Kloverhuset.

The sun was hovering over the rooftops as we headed out, but where to go? Our hotel had a beautiful lobby bar, we looked at each other and said why not? So we settled in to one of the overstuffed leather couches at Sjø, it means “sea” in Norwegian. Soon, Sandra, the bar manager, set glasses of dry white wine and nuts on the heavy wooden table – the ambience was perfect. The next two hours were magical.

Thanks Tricia for the photo

We were enjoying the time and chatting about the day on the water when Sandra returned with two small coups of bubbles to try, they were a delightful surprise. It was Saint Martin de la Garrigue, a label of the hotel, which also owns the vineyard.

Bubbles are the perfect accompaniment for caviar, which I remembered seeing on their menu. I went up to the bar to place an order. Sandra was chatting with Gabby, the head server, who would become our new best friend. She was not sure if they had caviar at the moment as they were out the day before, so she headed off to talk to the chef.

When she returned she moved us to a table in the restaurant, explaining that the chef was going to do something special.

Thanks Tricia for the photo

After a few more sips and a bit more conversation Gabby returned with a plate of Antonius Cavair, a Siberian cavair from Poland. It was accompanied by smoked sour cream, chives, pickled red onions, and of course bilini – nous étions très contents. Tricia discovered that she loves caviar, bien sûr.

The only thing as good as caviar with bubbles is oysters, which of course Gabby recommended, and we accepted. She said the chef was doing something special for us, we were quite curious. The next plate she brought is best shown in a photo:

Each oyster was topped with a dollop of foam made from oysters and edible flowers. I love oysters but have never had anything like these, the foam gave it a slightly sweet flavor – a magical surprise.

Next we met Chef Mateusz. He came to the table to see how we liked the oysters. We realize now that we have most likely met a future Michelin Star chef.

We chatted a bit, thankfully the restaurant was not busy. He asked if we liked scallops, which of course we did, then he headed off to create the next bit of magic. Through all of this Gabby stopped by to chat and keep the bubbles from running out.

The uncooked scallop was topped with trout caviar, and mayonnaise made from the liver of the scallop. It was a taste of the sea, Tricia said “it had a taste like rose petals.” In a lifetime of experiencing impressive food this scallop pretty much tops the list.

What a day! We discovered that there actually was some green beauty in Norway, we discovered the best restaurant in Bergen, and we discovered an amazing chef. We hope to taste his food again one day.

Thank you Sandra, Gabby, and Chef Mateusz. You gave us the gift of surprise from the time we walked in at 5:00pm until we left two hours later. Most of all, your smiles and kindness will be one of the best memories of our time in Norway, thank you again.

What about Norway?

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Trips and travel2 Comments

This week we have been in Oslo; tomorrow morning we catch an early train to Bergen. This train is considered one of the most beautiful routes in the world, so we are looking forward to it.

Even though there’s some Norwegian blood in my veins, I’ve never been particularly inclined to visit Norway. Yet I’ve now been to Norway twice: in June we departed Tromsø (above the Arctic Circle!) on a cruise (Tricia wrote a blog with photos), and this week we met friends in Oslo.

On that first visit to Norway (the cruise from Tromsø), we anticipated steep, forested mountainsides that pitched down into fjords. And we realized such scenes early in our cruise. Here is Tromsø, a beautiful place and so far my favorite place in Norway:

Yet as we sailed north, the terrain became barren, even bleak. No more charming fishing villages, clinging to the edge of the fjords: the views quickly became stony, treeless, windswept—a kind of beauty that I wasn’t expecting. You can see here the bleakness of Longyearbyen, in Svalbard, the most northerly point we went:

Now on our second visit to Norway, we had no particular expectations of Oslo—Nordic population, maritime history, modern Scandinavian architecture, yes. Yet…yet… Folks in Tromsø warned us that their countrymen in southern Norway were not especially friendly—which has been our experience. What we have experienced is that the most conversational, outgoing, friendly folks are not native Norwegians, but immigrants, or children of immigrants..

I guess Norway just doesn’t dazzle me.

Except, maybe, its cuisine. In Tromsø:

The food in Oslo has been wonderful.:

So here’s hoping that Bergen is all of the picturesque Norway we have hoped for. My sketchbook is ready to capture that wonder.

Eating Our Way South

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Food and drink, France, Trips and travel5 Comments

We left Normandie last Wednesday for our long anticipated road-trip to the South of France. Any trip is just an excuse for some good food, and so far our expectations are not disappointed.

Our first stop was Montmorillon, to visit friends and to explore a town we felt we had missed in April when we were there but everything was closed. Well, it is September and there still are not a lot of things open, I get the feeling that is the kind of place it is. We arrived about 15H00 after a four hour drive. Our only food was pre-made sandwiches from an aire, the brilliant French amenity on the A routes, that have gas and food.

When we got to Montmorillon we were hungry. Of course, since it is a small village in France, nothing was open. Even the places that were serving beverages had closed their kitchens until at least 17H00 or 19H00. After a lot of walking, we discovered a bar that had food, Le Commerce. The rather nice man on duty pointed out what was available from the menu. We both ordered the chicken in some kind of sauce, with frites, and salad.

Mine didn’t taste bad, just not good, nor did Tricia’s. I felt like mine had an odd flavor and really ate only a few bites. We found better food later. When we told our friends, who we had come to visit, where we ate they reacted pretty negatively, we assured them we would not die, and so far we were right.

We started the next day with breakfast at our BnB.

Thanks to Tricia for the photo.

Then we we drove to Saint Savin, about 20 minutes from Montmorillon. It is home to an amazing church and abbey. The restaurant Le Carafus is actually built into the abbey. This turned out to be one of those places that ranks among the best meals ever.

The entree was fois gras, aubergine, and a shiitake mushroom purée. We shared one serving, but certainly could have each had one just fine.

As is often the case on a hot day, I had the steak tartar. This was easily one of the best ever, seasoned just right, and presented beautifully. It came with frites – bien sur. Tricia took the photo and I note that the fries are more in focus than my plate. Personally I think it just an example of Freudian-Slip-Photography as she really likes frites.

One afternoon we stopped at Salon De The. I had a peach milkshake, French style, not Baskin & Robbins. I also had carrot cake which was about as moist as I have ever had. We sat outside on the terrace, with the ancient church looming overhead. I know Jesus used bread and wine, and I get the symbolism, but this cake and shake was quite a celebration.

Our next stop was Carcassonne, to visit one of the largest walled cities in Europe, and what a place it is. Cassoulet is the regional food. Carcassonne, along with Toulouse, and Castelnaudary argue viciously over what is the proper mix of ingredients – lamb and sausage always playing star roles – but the real star is the creamy white beans. Most say that the dish was invented in Castelnaudary.

After another day with a bit of driving we were hungry, and since our hotel was across the street from the Castle we headed there for food. Of course it was mid-afternoon again so we had limited choice, yet found a place open and they had cassoulet. How can you go wrong with sausage and lamb?

We rarely go out for dinner in the evening, we prefer an elegant lunch, then we have cheese and wine for dinner, with baguette. But, we stumbled across Chez Christine, thankfully Tricia was game to have a dinner out, even though we had already had a decent lunch. I am so glad we did.

Smoked trout, with a cucumber sauce, and salmon eggs for an entree. Then I had the most delicious and tender lamb along with thin slices of roasted aubergine. Of course i finished it of with un café. Tricia had pasta with more morels than both of us could eat.

Last night I had a burger, yep a burger. The first one I had in France a year ago was quite a disappointment, then I had a couple from Buffalo Grill that were passable by American standards, but this one was great. It had Camembert cheese, how could you go wrong. I picked it up and ate it with my hands, American style – the French eat their burgers with a knife and fork, somehow it just does not seem right.

So our trip is off to a good start. We are in Arles now, sitting on the terrace of our BnB. We stopped to have lunch with a friend in Olonzac along the way. We got there early enough to catch the market, so we are quite stocked up on cheese, olives, fruit, and other necessities.

I hope you are enjoying fall, and taking some time to wander and eat.

Birthday in Honfleur

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Food and drink, On the road, Trips and travel6 Comments

Last Friday, 18 August, was my birthday – don’t even think of asking how old. We planned a trip to Honfleur. This was a dual-purposed journey – celebrate another trip around the sun and a dentist appointment in neighboring La Havre. Before you send sympathy comments regarding a dentist visit and joyeux anniversaire, remember that we are foodies and teeth are tools of the trade, so it was all good.

The dentist was on Monday, just before we drove home. Our dentist spoke some English, and we some French, so it went quite well. We both really like her. The dental office and procedure was similar, yet different, than in the US – it seemed more casual, which I liked. She repaired a filling of mine, part of which fell out while we were in Reykjavik. No anesthetic was needed. Now to the important stuff.

Honfleur is a port town on the mouth of the Seine. The heart of the city is built around a small harbor. It is a city for food folks, especially if you like seafood as much as we do.

Friday we ate lunch, our main meal of the day, at Restaurant Le Sainte Catherine. Tricia, ever alert for things I like, spotted grilled sardines on the chalkboard, so the search was over. Sitting at a table next to the harbor was a bonus. Sadly, I was so in a rush to eat them I did not take a photo.

One friend already commented that sardines did not seem like a very good birthday meal. If your only exposure to this wonderful fish is the small, flat cans that you see in most grocery stores, I can understand. As an aside, seafood in those cans is quite different in Europe. There are stores that specialize in canned seafood, and it is all amazing.

Sardines are plentiful in any poissonnerie here in France. They are between six and eight inches long, sold cleaned, with the head on. The most common preparation is grilling, until the skin is browned, and best when over charcoal. To eat you cut across at the tail, then peel the top half toward the head, leaving the bones behind. Then the bones and head are easily discarded, leaving you with a delightful fillet. Here is a stock photo from the internet of how the sardines look.

On Saturday we visited Sainte Catherine’s church, the largest wooden church in Europe, and composer Erik Satie’s museum. Watch Tricia’s blogs for a post in the near future about this eccentric fellow.

Churches and museums work up quite an appetite, so it was time for lunch. We found a table right on a pedestrian street at Homme De Bois. We shared raw oysters for an entree. Langoustines, along with lobster, are never high on my list, but I decided to give the langoustines a go, and it was well worth it.

Sunday we wandered through a couple of parks, then headed for lunch back near the water – Cote Resto. After another plate of oysters, I had grilled octopus. Octopus is a delicate thing to cook just right, you want it charred, but if it is cooked too long it gets rubbery. This one was perfect.

Yesterday we drove home, about a two-hour drive. For lunch, we stopped at one of our favorite French amenities, the aire de repos. These wayside stops are placed every 20-40 kilometers on the Autoroutes, so you do not have to leave the toll road for gas, food, or a break. Since it is France, coffee is available either from machines (yes plural, lots of machines) or from a counter complete with enough baked items to make many boulangeries proud. But our choice is usually a packaged chicken salad sandwich, and if we are feeling decadent a bag of chips. It is a simple fare, but quite enjoyable as we head out down the 130k/hour Autoroute for home.

It was a memorable weekend. Fortunately the dentist found a small cavity, so we will get to go back for a day or so at the end of October. Oh darn.

Basel Ticked All the Boxes

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Been there - places, Trips and travel6 Comments

Basel was our first introduction to Switzerland, and what a pleasant place to start. Stereotypes of mountside cottages with goats and cows ringing their bells would have to wait, Basel is a big city.

Bicycles and pedestrians rule, crossing and swerving with no rhyme nor reason. Driving our car was a two person job – I watched the street and listened to the GPS directions, Tricia watched for pedestrians ready to step out in front of the car with no warning, or cyclists coming up on my right as I was starting to turn. Once our Dacia was tucked safely away in the underground City Parking we joined the chaos on foot.

My mornings started at the Confiserie Bachmann on Blumenrain street, next to the Rhine River. One lesson from our European travels is how coffee differs from region to region. I know how to order in France – un cafe, un double, un café crème, une noisette. In other countries it is not always the same.

My first morning I ordered a latte with an extra shot, I dislike most American lattes because all you get is coffee flavored hot milk, so at Starbucks I always add an extra shot or two of espresso so as to be able to taste the coffee – thankfully caffeine has never had any effect on me. Look at what the server brought me in Basel – on a tray, nice serviette, small glass of water, a small baked nibble, and the coffee beautifully layered in a tall clear glass. This is why I like coffee in Europe, no paper cup with a plastic lid.

The next morning I asked for a cappuccino. Thankfully many of the better coffee shops in Seattle serve them just as well, though, with the exception of one shop I know of in Mill Creek, the water and the tray are missing.

Tricia is the travel photographer in the family, she posts her enticing work on her blog site, Travels Through My Lens. However, while in Basel, I was drawn to people in doorways and on the streets that got me to wondering what they were thinking or feeling.

The food in Basel was equally impressive. One meal that stands out was this spicy steak tartar at ONO Deli Café Bar. It tasted just as good as it looks; when it is done right, food can be such a joy.

Our Brit friends have a phrase, “It ticked all the boxes.” Basel ticked all of my boxes: morning coffee while observing the city and sketching, people to watch, and excellent food to share with Tricia en plein air. As Bob Hope sang, “Thanks for the memories…”

Alsace/Lorraine – A Long Way From Longyearbyen

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Trips and travel7 Comments

We are in Lesseux in the far east of France. The proximity to Germany and Switzerland is evident in the architecture. We are a long way from Normandie with its resemblance to southern England. We are even further from Longyearbyen, where we were just over two weeks ago.

Longyearbyen was 78N latitude, here it is 48N. The sun will not set today in Longyearbyen, but today it will set here at 2134 and come up again 0538 tomorrow morning. It is 74F in the evening here, it is 55F in Longyearbyen.

Eastern France is a world away from the far north. It reminds us of the Pacific North West, green forests and hills. It has architecture from another century. Longyearbyen’s structures are utilitarian.

My granny, my dad’s mom, was a woman ahead of her time. A single mom in the 30s and 40s, a master tailor, a executive assistant – when they were still called a secretary. On Sundays she and I teamed up against dad in a game of chess, and she was a vicious croquet player. She would have loved to travel, but she did very little.

Granny had a subscription to National Geographic. We would sit on the couch and dream of far away lands. I remember spending many hours looking at a thick book she had with black and white photographs of places around the word. In her imagination Granny was a world traveler – maybe that is where I got it from.

Thankfully, Tricia and I share a bit of wanderlust, and we travel well together. We have a rhythm that works well and we like similar things. Granny never met Tricia, but I know she would have liked her as much as I did.

I suppose the day will come when we don’t travel as often, and that will be just fine – quiet days have their own attraction. But for now we have a few more plans on the horizon, and we will enjoy each one. We have been blessed with a lifetime of travel – our life is the trip of a lifetime.

When that day comes, and we slow down a bit, it will be just right. For there is another thing we have learned, the days of a quiet routine are just fine. Cooking together, working on our photos and art, seeing friends and family, these will all be quite satisfying. In the end, each day is what you make of it, that is our plan. Thank you granny for planting the desire to travel, and for living each day well.

Cruise Dining, Part II

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Trips and travel4 Comments

We have four days left on our third cruise. This time it is on the Norwegian Star from Tromsø ending up in Iceland by way of Longyearbyen, the northernmost inhabited village.

The Star had a few of the same restaurants we saw on the other ships – an Irish Pub, Le Bistro, La Cucina, and of course the Garden Cafe.

The Garden Cafe continues to be avoided if at all possible. As I said in my last blog about food on our cruises, the buffet food is not bad, it is just not very good. Well except for the one time on the Sun when I thought biscuits and gravy for breakfast sounded indulgent. If I could have cut or bitten through the biscuit it just might have been a treat, even the gravy did not soften their impenetrable shell, they were bad.

Yet, more than the mediocre food, it is the crowd. On this cruise, I have been there at 0600, 0700, 1000, once or twice to actually eat something, usually just passing through, grabbing a cup of coffee, then heading for the bow to watch the ship come into port. The buffet is always a chaotic crowd, and both Tricia and I have observed that they are aggressive; God forbid you get between them and their bacon. We have been pushed and shoved multiple times. Tricia had one guy forcibly tell her, “get out of my way.”

In defense and fairness the made-to-order omelets and the deserts are actually quite good, but they are not worth the crowd hassle for me. And then there is my lifelong dislike of buffets.

I would rather eat at a sit-down restaurant with a view and take my time. Of the restaurants on the Star that is included in your basic package, The Versailles is our favorite. One evening we had this view and I had this for my entree.

Even though we were not next to the window, as we usually are because we get there early, we had a nice view of the water. My sea bass was cooked just right. The server remembered us and we chatted about her home country. Sure beats the rumble and tumble of the buffet line, and the cramped tables that would do a school caffateria proud.

On this ship the Asian restaurant is included, which has been a treat, complete with hot saki. For a few dollars more I had unagi sushi for an appetizer.

We always buy the food upgrade that includes two meals at the Ala Carte places. We used our first at La Cocina. A good Italian meal for sure, but the best part was Hazel, the wine steward. She was so much fun, and we connected. Since the staff work at multiple locations around the ship we see her often and she is always greets us enthusiastically.

Our second reservation will be on our second to last night on the ship, at Cagney’s. Cagney’s is a fixture on most Norwegian ships, but we have avoided going to this most popular of the restaurants since we don’t go to steak houses, and we live in France where steak is c’est normal.

I took too long to write this, so we had no choice but to go to the buffet. We dodged the people, and tried to ignore the noise. I decided to have pancakes, not something I have often, but what the heck. Tricia got her plate, I got mine then we looked for an empty table. Five minutes later we found one, conveniently located so the traffic went by on both sides just inches from our seats. At one point, I warned Tricia because a man was standing there gazing around, probably looking for a table, while holding his plate about six inches from her head. By the time we found a place to sit, my pancakes were cold. My views on buffets remain unchanged.

Chez Moi, Often the Best Place in Town

On By Terry ChristophersonIn cooking, Food and drink, Trips and travel6 Comments

Often the best eatery is Chez Moi, our place. As much as we love eating out, some of our best meals are when we cook. We never have those discussions some people have about whose turn it is to cook or do the dishes. We both love to cook and neither of us mind the dishes.

Recently, after watching an episode of Ina Garten, I adapted one of her dishes for us, shrimp with fennel. I would never have dreamt of pairing shrimp and fennel, but wow, it was amazing.

I sautéed diced fennel in olive oil with a bit of garlic and red pepper flakes. Then sautéed the peeled shrimp, added a splash of French sparkling wine, and a handful of parsley from our garden. To quote Ina, “How easy is that?” Then served it with fresh, local, brocoli that was steamed and topped with a bit of butter and salt.

Spring means asparagus, We don’t eat asparagus the rest of the year because it is just not worth eating; fresh local asparagus is such a treat. At the risk of offending my French friends, I do proclaim that Washington, USA grown asparagus is superior, but the stalks from France are quite nice.

One of the wonderful conveniences at the Supermarché are the premade doughs and crusts. They come in a package rolled around paper. To use you simply unroll the dough onto your baking sheet and you are set. For this tart I used puff pastry dough.

The first layer was crème fraîche. Then asparagus, leek, and sliced zucchini. It was seasoned with a bit of salt and red pepper flakes. (Yes, I do put a bit of red pepper flakes on most everything. Not enough to make it spicy, but even a bit enhances the flavor better than black pepper.) I topped it off with grated Parmesan cheese and baked.

In March 2022 we were in Paris on our way home from Faro, Portugal. We stayed for a few days at a newer hotel in the Montparnasse area, The Drawing House. A great place to stay if you want to try something with a real art vibe. It was late so we just ate in the hotel. Tricia had curried squash soup, which inspired her to do her own version at Chez Moi.

She topped it with mini-croutons, and a drizzle of olive oil. From my totally biased objectivity it was better than at the restaurant. Some slices of baguette and a glass of vin blanc made the perfect meal.

Cooking and eating has been an integral part of our life for as long as I remember. It is our hobby. Food brings us joy, which, when we get the opportunity, we love to share with friends and family.

Chartres – Cathedral a 10, Food ??

On By Terry ChristophersonIn France, Trips and travel5 Comments

On Thursday we took the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Chartres. It is a big, modern, and clean city; quite nice. After lunch we went straight to the Cathedral, the city’s main attraction for most visitors thanks to its historical importance. It has some of the best Gothic construction ever, according to those who know such things. We would return multiple times during our stay. One of the most memorable visits was when we went on a tour of the crypt, which is not actually where people are buried but is a series of chapels built under the church. It serves as the foundation for the structures above.

Even in the presence of such a beautiful, as well as spiritual, icon, we soon were searching for food. Our lunch at the first bar/tabac we saw was actually one of the better meals. We sat outside in a lush courtyard accompanied by un petit oiseau with a nest in a decorative sculpture. The server was friendly, easily interpreting our French. The portions were just right, which for Tricia and me means small.

The next day, we tried one of the restaurants near the Cathedral. It was OK but not great. I fear we were the recipients of tourist fatigue, little attempt to speak French to us, just English. As is often the case in tourist areas, the cuisine is just passable since most customers will never return. However, to France’s credit, that is not as common as in some tourist places we have visited over the years – the French are proud of their food.

We ate at the Cafe Blue for both lunch and snacks. Even though it as close to the Cathedral as possible, it had great service and food. Its setting is perfect for gazing at the church and watching the people parade by.

On Sunday, needing some variety, we ate at an Italian place. Sadly, the service did not live up to the ambience of the shop/restaurant. Our French is understood most everyplace we go. Tricia is often complimented on her French, and occasionally even my much less elegant elocution is given positive marks. Yet for some reason it appeared the servers were snickering at us. When I told one man that the meal was délicieux, which was a stretch, but I was being kind, he cocked his head as if he didn’t understand. They must have understood, as they brought us our orders and such without ever a word of English. I could have overlooked the less than stellar food, but the arrogant attitude kind of took the glow off of the meal.

Walking along the river, we spied a couple of cafes and bistros perched above the water. Both of them were away from the Cathedral, which may make them more local oriented. So my conclusion is that the Cathedral is a 10. The food, however, is still inconclusive. We may go back to Chartres one day. If we do, it will be to visit some of the less famous churches and explore the food in more depth. Both of those pursuits are worth a trip.