Languedoc-Roussillon, Cassaignes, Espéraza, Rennes-le-Chateau, 13-15.6.2025: Closed Churches and Breakfast Oysters

Church of Mary Magdalene, Rennes-le-Chateau Languedoc-Roussillon

And now our final day in Cassaignes arrives: I’m writing on the 16th, before W. and K. drive us after lunch to Toulouse, from which we’ll fly early tomorrow to Paris and then from Paris to Atlanta. On Friday (the 13th), we spent the day at home in Cassaignes, since W. and K. expected his cousin M. and wife K. for an evening meal and spent part of the day preparing that meal. W.'s grandmother and M.'s grandmother were sisters in Alsace, with M.'s grandmother marrying and going to Paris and W.'s marrying and going to Frankfurt — so that there are both German and French branches of their family now. 

Languedoc-Roussillon, Cassaignes, Espéraza, Coustaussa, Leucate, 11-12.6.2025: Cathar Ruins and Mediterranean Seafood

Château d'Arques, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

I’m writing now on the 13th. On the 11th in the morning, W. took us with him on a shopping expedition to the village of Espéraza, where there’s a butcher he and K. especially like. He has planned to make a lamb shank dish, lamb marinated in red wine and herbs, this evening and wanted to buy the lamb from the butcher in Espéraza.

Languedoc-Roussillon, Cassaignes and Limoux, 10.6.2025: Spring Water and Charcuterie Galore

Crémeux de canard, Prunier brand, E. Leclerc supermarket, Limoux, Languedoc-Roussillon 

(Writing on the 11th): A long and rather tiring day yesterday, in part, because it’s very hot here right now. W. and K. take a morning walk up the mountain from Cassaignes at 8 A.M. daily, and we accompanied them on that. Then to fill bottles with water at a springhouse in a village whose name I didn’t catch, possibly Rennes-les-Bains, at the bottom of the mountain and not far from Cassaignes. There are a number of spigots and sinks underneath a roof in an open-sided stone building, and anyone can take water from there. It comes from a spring or springs high in the mountains.

Languedoc-Roussillon, Carcassonne and Cassaignes, 9.6.2025: Sweet Gorse and Cathedral Windows

And so we’ve arrived at Cassaignes (I’m writing this on the 10th). We drove yesterday from Saint-Jean-du-Gard, a fairly easy drive in comparison to some of the ones we made in the days before, a drive that took us south and west in Languedoc-Cassaignes, past Montpelier. K. and W. took back roads instead of the interstate for most of the trip, and it was wonderful to see the countryside, which soon changed from the heavily wooded countryside of the Cévennes to vineyard following vineyard as the climate seemed to become hotter and drier the further south and west we drove. The plantings of Russian sage I first saw in Provence are everywhere in southern France, too, and in Languedoc-Roussillon, beautiful roses in many gardens and, in one village we drove through, framing a doorway and blooming so profusely that at first they seemed artificial.

Languedoc-Roussillon, Saint-Jean-du-Gard, 8.6.2025: Silkworms and Church Organs

Stevenson Fountain, Saint-Jean-du-Gard, Languedoc-Roussillon

Maison Rouge, Saint-Jean-du-Gard, Languedoc-Roussillon

Today (the 8th) was a day of visiting two more places in the region, St.-Jean-du-Gard itself and then Anduze. Both were very interesting, though I have to say that after the long, long drive on the 6th, when I had excruciating pain in my legs from sitting so long in the cramped back seat, I find myself more than a little tired, so that I didn’t pay as much attention as I should have done to what we saw.

Provence, Orange, and Languedoc-Roussillon, Saint-Jean-du-Gard, 7.6.2025: Huguenot Museums and Cassis Sorbet

Roman amphitheater, Orange, Provence, France

(Again, writing on the 8th): We started the day on the 6th with petit déjeuner outside at Les Buisses. It’s out in the countryside with a little pond and swimming pool, and with outside seating at tables for breakfast — which consisted of croissants, baguettes, butter, jam, yoghurt, coffee, and orange juice. 

Provence, Piolenc/Orange, 6.6.2025: Baby Carrots and Rosé Wine

Les Buisses chambres d’hôte, Piolenc, Provence, France

It’s now the 8th and I need to catch up on this travel diary. The past two days have been exceptionally busy and/or ones on which there was no chance to write in this diary, because we were traveling and my computer was packed away.

Alsace, Mulhouse, 5.6.2025: Black-Eyed Peas and Soupe à l'oignon

Marché de Mulhouse, Mulhouse, Alsace, France

Since W. was still attending his conference, Steve, K., and I walked this morning to the Marché de Mulhouse. The walk was longish, nearly two miles, but very enjoyable, with the skies sunny and a cool breeze blowing. Google maps provided courtesy of my iPhone kindly took us up this rue and down that one on a winding pathway until we finally arrived at the market. 

Alsace, Mulhouse, 4.6.2025: Storks and Strangers

Auberge du Vieux Mulhouse, Mulhouse, Alsace, France

There were thunderstorms in the night and the rain continued through the morning, so walking and taking photos today was not so easy. But we did manage to get a good walk in under umbrellas, and as we did so, I snapped photos of sights that caught my eye.

Alsace, Saint-Hippolyte and Mulhouse, 3.6.2025: Choucroute Garnie and Singing Blackbird

View of Black Forest through barn in Saint-Hippolyte, Alsace, France

Writing now on the 4th. Yesterday’s itinerary (i.e., the 3rd) was to drive from Würzburg to Alsace. We left Würzburg after breakfast, at 9 A.M. The drive was a fairly easy one, though I say that, of course, as a passenger and not a driver. As with the preceding day, W. and K. alternated driving. 

Hamburg and Würzburg, 1-2.6.2025: Franconian Bratwurst and Imposing Churches

Würzburg, Marienberg

Sunday, the 1st, was a rest day for us after the big party on Saturday, and as we prepared for the drive on the 2nd to Würzburg. We stayed in W. and K.’s apartment, ironed the shirts and pants we’d washed to prepare for the trip, and packed. W. and K. had a lunch meeting with T. and A., then returned to heat up food they had brought home from the party for a mid-afternoon meal for us. Later in the evening, W. cooked an omelette for the four of us as he tried to use up the eggs in the refrigerator in preparation for being away from their flat for weeks ahead.

Hamburg, 30-31.5.2025: Birthday Parties and Alster Bells

I’m writing this on 1 June in W. and K.’s flat, as rain pelts down outside. It began suddenly a few moments ago shortly before noon, and is very welcome, since it will cool things down and also because Hamburg, like so much of Europe, had a very dry spring. 

Hamburg, 29.05.2025: Disappearing Rings and Licorice Shops

Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie concert hall, kleiner Saal

Yesterday (writing this on the 30th) was for the most part a rest day. My sore throat and cough continue, and since we knew we’d go in the evening to a concert at the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, we all thought it was best for me to rest. There were plans for W. and K.’s friends V. and V. to come for the midday meal, with W. and K. cooking the asparagus we had bought at the Winterhude market the day before. 

Hamburg, 28.05.2025: Strawberries and Shiatsu

Apples from the Altes Land

With my bad sore throat, I took things easy today. Just before noon, W. walked us over to the Wednesday market in the Winterhuder Marktplatz. This was such a treat, a real feast for the senses: bakery stands, meat stands, egg booths, cheese vendors, flower stalls, gorgeous fruit and fat, fat white and green asparagus. W.’s main objective was to buy asparagus, which he and K. will make tomorrow for us and for W.’s longtime friend V. and his wife also named V. 

Hamburg and Berlin, 27.05.2025: Cupcakes and Wine, Palaces and Parks

Dammtor station, Hamburg 

A long day yesterday, but a generally very enjoyable one (I’m writing this on the 28th). Early in the day, we took the train from Hamburg to Berlin. It was scheduled to depart from Dammtor station (of which I took some photos; the architecture of Ernst Moeller, who designed the station in 1903, is impressive) at 9:28 but actually left Hamburg later. In typical German fashion, everything is calibrated by a clock which announces (via a computerized screen at the platform where you’re waiting) the exact moment a train is scheduled to arrive and then depart. Voice announcements routinely told us this information, adding that there was a “medical emergency” on our line (our friend W. thought this was likely a suicide) that was responsible for the delay, and then for an alternative route we ended up taking.

Hamburg, 26.05.2025: Pelting Rain and Stifling Duvets

Blankenese view

I slept badly last night, in contrast to the night before. I don’t think I’ll ever accustom myself to the German custom of sleeping with a heavy duvet covering even in the heat of summer. It’s not at all cold right now, somewhere — in the mid-60sF — but people continue to have heat on in their houses and other buildings continue running heat. And when we walked to the park yesterday and again walked outside this morning, W. and K. insisted we bundle up and have neck scarves against the cold. Everyone we encountered was dressed that way. 

Hamburg, 25.05.2025: Eurasian Blackbirds and Grand Sud Merlot

Georg Kolbe, Große Kriechende, Hamburg Stadtpark

We were so worn out from the long travel and the fuss and botheration with the flight that we slept till 10:45 A.M. After a bit of breakfast in W. and K.’s kitchen, the four of us waited for his sister H., who had been invited for the midday meal. 

Hamburg, 24.05.2025: Missed Flights and Würst with Potato Salad

We arrived in Hamburg on the 24th totally worn out after a nightmare in the Atlanta airport. Our flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam on the 23rd took off five hours late, causing us to miss our connecting flight to Hamburg. I wrote about this debacle on Facebook:

Lisbon, 27.12.2024: Lamb Tagine and Sintra Sights

Sintra, view up shopping lane in old city 

Christmas dinner at Flor da Laranja Moroccan restaurant, 206 R. da Rosa in the Bairro Alto: my initial impression after we’d gone there was that it was a delightful experience. Now, in retrospect, I’m questioning that impression. This is what I posted about it on Facebook:

Lisbon, 23. and 25.12.2024: Warm Pastéis and Christmas Music

Music played in Jardim da Praça do Império, Christmas Eve

23 December 2024

We chose to be naughty today, since Santa won’t get word of that until after he has started his flight from the North Pole with his packages for us tomorrow, and we’ll still get the packages despite our naughty behavior the day before Christmas Eve. Besides being naughty and spending much time just relaxing and reading and sipping port, we did a desultory shopping expedition to a little mini-mart and a wine shop next to it on R. Alexandre Herculano a few blocks from the hotel, and bought some oranges, rolls, potato chips, candy, and a bottle of wine. 

Lisbon, 22.12.2024: Pricey Azulejos and Bright Peacocks

Avenida de Liberdade, December morning sunshine

A lazy Sunday with warm December sunshine in Lisbon. We began it with breakfast at the hotel’s breakfast room, since we couldn’t find a way to buy coffee to go with the cheese, bread, sausage, and fruit we have in the room. The little place we’ve gone to two days now for breakfast, Docelândia, is closed on Sunday. A restaurant right next to Hotel Florida told us yesterday they’d sell us take-out coffee, but they open only at 10:30 A.M., and we were up well before that and wanting coffee. A few steps away is a McDonald’s. Steve walked there to see if he could get coffee and found they offer only espresso. So the Hotel Florida breakfast room it was….

Lisbon, 21.12.2024: Ancient Grottos and Pickpocket Warnings

Alfama scene

We continue to find touring daunting. As we did yesterday, we slept this morning until 9 A.M. and then got up, still feeling somewhat jet-lagged. I got wise and put earplugs into my ears last night, and had a more restful evening that I had the previous evening, though even so, at 2 A.M., some absolutely gormless lout slammed a door so loudly near us that the floor in our room shimmied in response.

Lisbon, 20.12.2024: Black Cats and Closed Churches

So yesterday on the 19th, after breakfast we figured out how to take the subway to the Gulbenkian Museum, and spent several hours there before lunch. Following the directions in Steves’ guidebook proved a bit more complicated than we had anticipated, and as we exited the subway (blue line) at the São Sebastião stop and tried to spot the El Corte Inglés store that’s supposed to be at your back as you walk down Avenida de Aguiar, it proved difficult to find. As we were pondering that matter, a couple, French I thought, came up with their guidebooks and asked if we knew how to find a certain street. Turned out that when we finally got to the Gulbenkian, they were there, so they, too, were trying to follow evasive directions to the evasive entrance to the museum. (Video above: an accordion player on the blue line of the Metro to Bairro Alto, 20.12.2024.)

Lisbon, 19.12.2024: Ramshackle Colors and Chocolate Cups

Christmas Market, Rossio Square

After arriving in the morning on the 18th, we were so exhausted from a day’s air travel that we showered and slept several hours once we’d reached our hotel, Hotel Florida on Duque de Palmela off Avenida de Liberdade near Parque Eduardo VII. The hotel is pleasant, though seems to have seen better days. Our friend Mayson B., who was formerly a travel agent in New Orleans and helped us make arrangements for a number of trips, recommended it to us. It’s where he has stayed when he’s been in Lisbon.