Craux Castle, Genestelle, France

Chateau of Craux 010Originally uploaded by Joyz Life.

Whew! Can’t believe I went a whole week without Internet access. Thanks to one of Don’s colleagues who offered the use of his “mountain home,” I spent the time in a mountainous area in middle-southern France called the Ardeche. The town I stayed in is called Antraigue-sur-Volane (roughly translated that’s Antraigue on the volcano). The town is perched on a ledge of volcanic rock. Just like the area north of here, En Velay (see Le Puy entry) volcanic activity formed many of the mountain peaks. Some rock outcroppings are old lava flows.

A few days ago I visited Craux castle built in the 14th to 17th centuries outside the town of Genestelle that was actually built in the crater of an extinct volcano. What a beautiful setting! Really old chestnut trees (In Medieval times, in this region chestnut trees were cultivated, harvested and the nuts dried, ground and used as flour.) are on the site and the exterior of the castle is in pretty good condition. It is undergoing restoration — the interior is empty and “off-limits.” Remnants of what was probably walls around a garden lie downhill from the castle structure.

What was really incredible was having the site all to myself to explore. This area is a bit remote — the castle is on a single-lane road — and I visited on a Friday. They certainly don’t see many Americans here – mostly French and some German tourists. What was unique to this last phase of my sight-seeing was how many of the sites I visited there were few or no other visitors. A nice change from the hordes of tourists we encountered at our cruise stops.

Love Portugal – Part 1

5th of April BridgeOriginally uploaded by Joyz Life.

After Morocco, Don and I headed to Portugal. We flew to Casablanca to catch a connecting flight to Lisbon. We had no idea we would end up being the only passengers on a 19-passenger plane!We were especially lucky on this trip. Not only did we enjoy the hospitality of one of Don’s business associates, Joao Galveo, but his sister, Margarida Rezende, is a Soroptimist. She and fellow club member Maria Gruner were gracious enough to drive us to some very special places, as did Joao. (Watch for Part 2.)Lisbon is located near the coast in central Portugal on the Tagus River. The Tagus is many times wider than the Seine giving ocean-going ships access to this important port. The 5th of April Bridge, designed by the same company that built the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.Lisbon is a very culturally rich and economically dynamic city. Fado is the national folk music described as a very melancholic, emotional expression of longing for something that cannot be recaptured. Everywhere we turned it seemed there was another construction crane and there is a modern financial center full of glass and steel towers. However, there are also many buildings that have not been maintained as the result of an onerous rent-control law that leaves building owners with insufficient income to make repairs.My favorite place in Lisbon is Castelo de Sao Jorge (Castle of St. George). At the very top of the highest hill in Lisbon stand the restored stone ramparts and towers of a 10th & 11th century castle. Built by the Moors, the castle was captured by the first king of Portugal, Alfonso I. There are inviting, shady places all around the castle and the views of the city and the river from here are magnificent. Portuguese explorers were the first to navigate and map routes to India and the New World (North America and South America) back in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Marine Museum is a must-see with its statues of the explorers, ship models, ancient maps and fabulous river barges used by Portuguese kings and the Queen of England during her visit in 1957. (Camera failure this day — sorry no photos. ) We were very excited to make our own discovery – the tomb of Vasco de Gamma in the Jeronimus Church.
 

There is a beautiful boulevard called Avenue de Liberdad. It could be compared to Champs Elysee in Paris — before that street was invaded by chain stores and fastfood restaurants. There is a central parkway with trees and the pattered sidewalks. Small white and black squares are laid out in intricate patterns on city streets in this area.