Freiburg im Breisgau

It might seem that the past few months have been spent traveling, when in fact we’ve spent quite a bit of time at home. Somehow the recap of our Amsterdam trip spread out over the last two months, and most of the every-day was condensed into a few, long posts with the Jāņu celebration stuck in the middle. Looking back at spring, our time here was hectic, it just wasn’t spent traveling as much as it might appear from this blog.

If it wasn't for the baby bjorn carrier we would have to buy a double stroller...

That being said there is one last trip that we took on a long weekend while the Kalamazoo grandmother was visiting, and I do want to include some pictures from it, as it was a pretty spectacular trip for such a short period of time.

With the in-laws, Freiburg, Germany

The boys were happy to have grandmother come visit (as was I), but we were sad that grandpa couldn’t come with. He was scheduled to attend the annual delegates meeting of the Latvian organization Daugavas Vanagi, the Latvian Welfare Association in Freiburg, Germany. The not-for-profit, charitable membership organization assists Latvians in need, supports and promotes Latvian culture, education, and youth development and honors all the soldiers who fought on behalf of Latvia’s freedom and independence among other goals. You can read more about the US branch of the organization here and about the branch in Germany here.





So since he couldn’t come to us, we decided to go to him! Freiburg im Breisgau is about 6 hours northeast of Clermont-Ferrand close to the French and Swiss borders (the point where the three countries meet is called Dreiländereck). We didn’t drive straight there, in fact our detour added on quite a few miles and hours, but more on that in a later post. Located in the hills of the Black Forest and home to a 500 year old university, the city has managed to keep its old town intact despite the wars.

Bērzaine

The Latvian Daugavas Vanagu (DV) property there is called Bērzaine (named after the birches of Latvia), and originally was meant to be a home for war veterans. As the years progress and less veterans utilize the facilities it has morphed into a guest house offering long-term housing for Latvian families and students in Freiburg, as well as rooms for board for travelers. Located at the base of Zähringer Castle hill, the ruins are but a short hike from the center and we couldn’t resist a look.

The Zähringer castle ruins and tower

The location was home to a hilltop settlement called Alemanni, named after a young king, sometime at the end of the 5^th century. First mention of the name Zähringen dates from shortly after the year 1000, and the first definite mention of the castle was in 1128. Between 1275 and 1281 it was destroyed and rebuilt several times and in the Peasants' War in 1525 the completely destroyed castle became the property of the House of Baden. The remaining ruins with a large round tower (13^th century) have viewing platform that luckily was open while we were there, giving us an opportunity to see a grand view of the city and surrounding Black Forest. (The key can be borrowed from a neighboring café and restaurant, if I correctly understood the German of the nice couple that waited for us to take a look before locking up.)

The Black Forest

We participated in a few of the lectures and meetings, but mostly enjoyed spending some time with Kalamazoo grandpa and in a Latvian atmosphere. Lauris made some new friends as Bērzaine is host to a little Latvian school, but our stay ended on a sour note after he took a nasty tumble down a flight of stairs, bumping his head and skinning his cheek. Mikus had to trump his brother, running a fever and prompting a late night pharmacy run, so the next day our tour of the city was short and sweet.

Possibly the most famous building in the city is the Münster Cathedral, and this was our first stop upon arrival downtown. Construction of the Romanesque cathedral was begun in 1200, but only the transept and two flanking towers remain of the original. The West Tower has beautiful stone masonry, and small detail like the 14th century tympanum (illustrating the theme of Original Sin), and statues of the Apostles and Old Testament kings contribute to form an amazingly ornate façade.

Münster Cathedral

Although we didn’t climb the tower that morning, we did enjoy ice cream on Münsterplatz, the square on the south side of the cathedral. With a view of the Archbishop’s Palace (1756), the Historical House of Trade and Wentzingerhaus (1761), the time was spent pleasantly.

The Historical House of Trade

Next we stopped in the town hall square, with the fountain featuring Berthold Schwarz, said to have invented gunpowder in Freiburg in 1350. As Freiburg was founded in the 12th century, I can imagine there might be some truth to the claim.

Boys with boats playing in the canalization

We had a beautiful stroll through the city culminating in yummy sandwiches to-go for our trip back to France. Despite the skinned cheek Lauris enjoyed the day, with the trams and the canalization competing for his attention. The gutters that have for hundreds of years channeled water through old town still function today, and after seeing a few young boys playing with boats on strings in the mini-canals we searched for a toy store as a little sailboat would have been a perfect souvenir. Sadly no stores were open on a Sunday and so although we left empty-handed save for the sandwiches and a few knick-knacks from a tourist shop, the memories of this quaint little German town will stay with me during the rest of our time in France.

No More Bad Photos

This is day 11, the second week of solitary confinement with a toddler and an infant while my husband is abroad. Everyone is still alive.

Lauris has run over Mikus once with the scooter, once with the tricycle, and once with a chair when I had taken the first two away. He has climbed out of his bed 231 times (calculated by multiplying yesterday’s count by 11). He has spilled his juice, dropped his ice cream, and gone digging in the kittie litter box.

Mikus has started to crawl, more like inchworm his way across the floor. He has slept less than ever, waking up earlier, staying up later. This could be due to the heatwave but probably has more to do with his brother giving him a wake-up-call (a lion’s roar right in the ear) when he does fall asleep. An infant, acting alone, has produced two monster loads of laundry.

Me? I have cried out of frustration, anger, fatigue and for no reason at all. My showers consist of one minute affairs as I try to keep Lauris away from Mikus, and Mikus from screaming away those last shreds of my patience. I am on a great diet; it’s called I don’t have time or the energy to eat. And when I do get out of the house it’s a free ticket for both boys to become unmanageable, for passers-by to give me ‘that’ look (the “my children never act like that,” “how can she leave the house,” “évidemment une femme américaine” look). I would love to eat a meal uninterrupted or go shop some of the soldes; but I will settle for washing my hair.
 

This is me in 2003. It was my last year earning my degree in forestry at University of Illinois. I was a member of the Illini Foresters; we attended conclaves (forestry competitions) in other states, participated in log-rolling contests, built giant bonfires, camped out in the winter during our Christmas tree sale fundraiser and generally were a tough, party-hard/work hard crew just starting our lives as adults. The extremely out-of-focus picture was taken on our very last trip as a group, a ten hour road trip to Michigan’s upper peninsula (UP) - I’m chopping away at a 4x8 post in the speed-chop competition. Today I’m sharing this picture and submitting this post to the “No More Bad Photos” competition at In Search of a Life Less Ordinary.

I wish I could recapture this moment, as it is probably the last picture taken of the old me, the care-free girl with a smile on my face and the axe in my hands. I was tough! I didn’t win the speed chop that day, but I finished and set a personal best. This picture represents the girl who would become a wildland firefighter, dreamt of hiking the Appalachian Trail and was convinced Alaska would be the life for her. Not a trace in the picture of a stay-at-home mother living in an apartment in central France – who would have known?

These days I have a harder time finding that girl in the person I am now. Some things haven’t changed since my forestry/firefighting days (two weeks without a real shower) but mostly my life is the opposite of those days ten years ago.  I’m washing my laundry not to get the sweat and blood out, but to wash the spit-up off. I’m not buckling myself into a harness to hang out of a helicopter; I’m buckling two squirming noodles into car seats. And I’m having a hard time feeling “tough” when a mere two weeks sans husband have me wrecked.

Thankfully, this is it. This is day 11 of my husband’s trip to the US, and this is the day he comes home. It is with the relief of an ordeal survived that I’m looking at that picture and seeing that girl I used to be. I wish I had a good photo of my achievement that day in the UP, because despite the occasional longings of an expat mom I know that the things I see in that picture are what have brought me here today. Strength, determination and a healthy dose of no fear are the traits that have ensured my happiness and success, and will continue to enrich my life as a mother, a wife and a woman on a journey.

* Thanks to Russell Ward at In Search of a Life Less Ordinary: Adventures in Making a Home Away from Home, for hosting the No More Bad Photos competition.

** Update 07/02/2012
This essay took first place in the In Search of a Life Less Ordinary competition! Here's the announcement, and a huge thanks to Russell and his wife for awarding me this honor (and the awesome prize of a new Sony camera)!

Montpeyroux and the farm

After a gorgeous day spent at our friends’ house barbecuing, in and out of the pool, and relaxing, we had decided to meet again the next day as the weather forecast was favorable and the company pleasant. Marine had talked some time about a farm in Montpeyroux that the children would enjoy. I’ve been to Montpeyroux once (when my mother was visiting) and enjoyed the village immensely despite the cold weather, so I was enthusiastic to return now that it was warmer.

Ferme pédagogique “la Moulerette” was a fun Sunday excursion for the kids. Less than 30 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand and within walking distance from the historic Montpeyroux district, there are goats, pigs, cows, horses, geese, rabbits and chickens, as well as pony rides and cheese-making activities. Upon paying the minimal entry fee each child received a bucket full of stale bread that the animals greedily devoured, and for an additional few euros could have a pony ride. We were able to have a try at milking a goat (which Lauris wanted nothing to do with) and see some baby piglets. Lauris especially liked feeding the goats, although the play area (with little tricycles and other toys) came a close second…

Once the kids had their fill of visiting with the animals and the adults had their samples of the chevre made right there on the premises we continued on to Montpeyroux for a nice afternoon stroll around the town. The sunlight on stone was warming and picturesque, and as the evening approached we decided to stay for dinner at the La Vigne.

The atmosphere was charming, with stone walls and archways separating the two dining rooms from the entryway. In the winter I can imagine the giant fireplace probably radiates heat, and during the summer months the outdoor seating area would be full as the restaurant is in the heart of the village. The food was delicious and the service excellent! I had the lamb and was delighted with the seasoning (garlic and herb) as well as the accompanying veggies, but best of all was the fresh chèvre appetizer and the moelleux au caramel dessert with warm oozing caramel sauce and cool crème fraîche to sate my taste buds.

As we began our descent from the village to our car the sun was setting, disappearing behind the chaîne des puys. With only a short ride home the excursion amounted to a perfect day trip, combining fun for the whole family with child-friendly activities, beautiful sights and a delicious meal. Now that we’ve been in the winter and spring, maybe a summer trip is in order?

Fontainbleau

After a brief Jāņi interlude, here is one last post about our trip through Belgium and the Netherlands.
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About 35 miles south of the center of Paris, and therefore on our route from Belgium

back home to Clermont-Ferrand, is Fountainbleau. Famous for the grand château de Fontainebleau, it is also known for the large and scenic National Forest. As we had seen quite a few sights that morning in Brussels, our arrival at the gîte I had found online was quite late. The host was waiting however, and soon we were settled into a very basic, but clean room. Breakfast the next morning was wonderful, coupled with fresh croissants and jams we were treated to an informative discussion with the owner. We knew we wanted to see the royal palace of the French monarchs, but we were urged to also spend some time in the Forêt de Fontainbleau, famous worldwide for the bouldering there. I recommend Le Clos du Tertre to anyone visiting the area; close to the palace, the price and accomodations were ideal. 

We were soon packed and on our way to one of the most popular of the recreation areas, Rochers de l’Eléphant, named after the large sandstone block resembling an elephant. We parked and walked a short ways on a sandy path to emerge alongside the elephant, and the sandstone rock formations behind it.

The next couple of hours were spent clambering over and between the rocks, even attempting to scale some of the smaller rocks. We saw a few more professional climbers, recognizable by the special shoes and mats they placed on the forest floor while free-climbing.

The formation of sandstone rocks of Fontainebleau started about 35 million years ago, when the region was covered by water. Large amounts of sand were brought into the sea by rivers and sandstone was formed. As the sea receded the sand flats were exposed to the elements, which formed the stone into the shapes we saw on our visit. An unique ecological area, it is home to the rare Service Tree of Fontainebleau and many different animal, plant and insect species.

Our route to the palace took us through dozens of fields planted in rapeseed. Used for animal feed, vegetable oil and as a source of biodiesel, it is easily recognized this time of year with its bright yellow flowers.

We arrived at the Palace of Fontainebleau just in time for lunch. After a delicious meal at La Bacchus we crossed the street and entered the gates of the château, which the French monarchy has used as a country retreat for hundreds of years. It was transformed from a country house by Francis I in the 16^th century, and in the following three hundred years every monarch, from Francis I to Louis XV, made renovations to produce the final result thousands of tourists visit every year.

Famous events include the Edict of Fontainebleau (signed by Louis XIV on October 18^th, 1685, it is also known as the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes), the 1762 Treaty of Fontainebleau (a secret agreement between France and Spain concerning the Louisiana territory in North America), and preliminary negotiations ending the Seven Years' War (held before the 1763 Treaty of Paris was signed). From June 1812 until January 1814 Pope Pius VII was held a prisoner of Napoleon at Fontainbleau, and in the nineteen months he never once left his apartments. The same Napoleon was later stripped of his powers by the 1814 Treaty of Fontainebleau which sent him into exile on Elba. It's no wonder the entire property is on the UNESCO World Heritage site list.

We spent our time in the enormous gardens, feeding the giant carp and the ducks with day-old bread our generous gîte owner had provided us for just that occasion. And on this royal note our vacation had come to an end, as our next and final destination would be our home in Clermont.

Fête de la Musique

Happy Jāņi! Today is the Latvian name day of Jānis and Žanis. The name day tradition is celebrated in many countries, Latvia and France among them, and consists of celebrating the day of the year associated with one's given name.

In France, today is the Fête de la Saint-Jean (feast of St. John), which is traditionally celebrated with bonfires (le feu de la Saint-Jean). It is believed that the bonfire rites go back to the pagan rituals of Midsummer’s night, although today the catholic festival is in celebration of Saint John the Baptist. One source reports that in medieval times, this festival was celebrated with cat-burning rituals. Thankfully there will be no cat-burning in Clermont-Ferrand, but sadly I don’t know of a bonfire occurring here either.

A fête which was celebrated here in Clermont was the Fête de la Musique, also known as World Music Day. The music festival took place on June 21^st and has an interesting history that binds the Americans and the French in yet another way. In 1976 American musician Joel Cohen proposed an all-night music celebration in France to mark the beginning of the summer solstice. It was first realized in 1982 in Paris, and has since spread to 32 countries worldwide. 

In Clermont-Ferrand the streets were full of amateur and professional musicians. There were concerts and unorganized jams, all for free. The noise and crowds weren’t the most child-friendly and so we mostly enjoyed the festivities from our window, watching the people on their way to and from Place de Jaude and listening to strains of music floating our way now and then.

The celebrations took a different twist later on that night, as revelers returning home kept us awake with yelling and honking until well after midnight, but as it was all in the name of music (and you’re not supposed to sleep on Jāņu night anyways) I didn’t get too upset. I only wish Mikus had gotten the memo about sleeping in…