Brussels

History, chocolate, mussels, chocolate, churches, chocolate, mussels, oh and did I mention Cherry Beer, a Belge specialty?

Back in The US of A

It has been too long since I last wrote in this blog. On our way home we spent a view days in Brussels before our departing flight left. Gilles, Ludovic, Yaelle, Alec and Jeff drove from Scy Chazelles and stopped off in Waterloo, yep, the famous battle site, to see some more uniforms. Gilles wasn't exactly thrilled as this battle was against the French and British and, well, the British won. Rachel and I took the more leisurely route to Brussels travelling by train. Brussels, the seat of the European Parliament, of Belgian waffles covered in chocolate and Kriek Cherry beer with mussels. Except for the parliament a rather appropriate description of heaven. A truly cosmopolitan city where one can hear many languages spoken. When I ordered a coffee at the airport I asked the young woman what languages she spoke. Her response, "Zwahili, French, English and Flamish." The Belgians we met seemed to be a friendly, open sort, curious and knowledgeable about the US of A. When speaking in French with a woman on the subway I mistakenly used the informal "tu" -you conjugation of the verb to be. There is a serious distinction between formal and informal usage of you in French and it is considered disrespectful to use the informal with people you do not know. When I corrected myself with the woman on the subway she replied that only in France is that a concern, that the Belgians are much more informal. Now if the Belgians could just improve their bread I would consider Brussels anear perfect city. Stay tuned for photos.

Back in Lessy and Scy Chazelle

A quick post to let you know we have returned from Normandy, Portsmouth, Brittany and Cazhiac in the south of France. The boys took a ferry from Caen to Portsmouth to visit Lord Admiral Nelson's flag ship. I believe the women chose the better part by travelling to Britanny but Alec may dispute this. When I asked Alec if Lord Nelson's flag ship was all he dreamed it would be he replied, "qui maman." And now for Le Tréhou, the land of my ancestors from my father's side of the family These images are of our gite in Tréhou, the "clos" or walls which encircle a church in Sizun and some wooden sculptures inside the church in Tréhou, some of which date from the 11th century. We met a ceramist who, after hearing about my search for my ancestor said he knew the mayor and a priest friend who worked in the archives in Quimper. The potter's name is Michel le Gentil and he truly was kind. This wooden sculpture carved into a beam dates from 1616 and is in the entry of the church in Tréhou where my great+ grandfather was baptized in the 1600's. While we thought his name was Préjean we now think it is spelled Prigent or Prigant. I am hoping Michel le Gentil can help me find out more...when in doubt call the mayor. We visited the village of Huelgot Jack Kerouac was born. Brittany, we will return.