So, Southern France - Laroque d'Alberes, Collioure, Belvianes-et-Cavirac, Quillan May 19 - 27

So, Southern France - Laroque d'Alberes, Collioure, Belvianes-et-Cavirac, Quillan, May 19 - 27, 2015

Hello all! Well, I am back in Paris, safe and sound and reflecting on my travels to southern France. I cannot begin to tell you how beautiful it was! I took around 355 pictures and I can only show you a few. And, please note, the area that I traveled to is only a very small portion of southern France. There is so much more to discover and enjoy there.

Laroque d'Alberes

This is the village that I stayed in for a week with 3 friends. What a beautiful place!

First of all, the area that we stayed in is more modern - like an American HOA district. The neighborhood was quiet and the neighbors were friendly and the house was wonderful! There were 4 of us and we all had our own rooms! There are storm shutters on the windows and when they are closed, it can be very dark, even during the day. I slept in the first morning there until 9:00 because I couldn't see any light!

The village was absolutely charming!




 

 

With its cobblestone streets, narrow winding roads and hilly terrain.

Everywhere you look there was beauty and splendor!

 

This is the oldest part of town. It used to be a fortress.

The flag you see raised - yellow and orange, is the Catalan flag. This area used to be part of Spain and they speak a distinct dialect - Catalan. 

 

 

 

Now you see why I had to take so many pictures of this beautiful place. It was magnificent beyond belief!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Internet in Southern France May 19 - May 27

No Internet In Southern France, May 19 - May 27

So, I could not get a dependable internet signal in southern France where I was staying in Laroque D'Alberes, so tomorrow is catch-up day. Southern France was absolutely beautiful! I have lots of pictures and I had lots of fun and I learned lots of stuff.

Again, tomorrow I will fill you in. Then I will be taking the "Red Bus" - the tourist bus, to just go around and look at touristy stuff.

I went to the movies for the first time here in Paris the other day. I saw Kiera Knightley in "Girls Only". It was in English with French subtitles. I learned that they say "vo" on the billboard, meaning, original version. That is what I need to look for if I want to see it in English. They sold popcorn but me and one other person were the only people ordering it. They have salted or popcorn with sugar as their choices.

Yesterday I went with my French friend Anne to see Kate Winslet in a movie about the making of the gardens of Versailles. In English it is called "A Little Chaos". It was pretty good!

By the way, tomorrow is Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to all of you out there!

Cappadocia, Turkey #16 The Land of the Giant Mushrooms (and cave dwellers!)

Cappadocia, Turkey #16 The Land of the Giant Mushrooms (and cave dwellers!)

The region with the giant mushrooms. Well, that's what they look like, don't they?

Everywhere you look! We were told that the rock erodes in this manner because the makeup of the top soil is stronger than the makeup of the subsoil so as the land erodes, this is what you get. 

Pretty spectacular, eh? (we had a few Canadians in our group)






This area is known for its natural beauty

and outdoor activities such as hiking, hot air ballooning and four wheeling.

And . . .

are you seeing what I am seeing? Up to the 20th century people made these mountains, literally their homes! Tons of them. All over the place! And monasteries and the one to the far left, looks like a hotel!

Isn't this a cool place? I would love to come back here someday!

Rug Making - Turkey Style Near Cappadocia #16

Rug Making - Turkey Style Near Cappadocia #16
 
How naïve am I? I was not even aware of Turkish rugs! I knew of Persian rugs before, but not Turkish.

So, we went to a Turkish rug factory and showroom.

 

 

 

 

The picture above is of a woman taking silk worm "cocoons" (?) to make silk thread.

Turkish rugs are made of many different materials, colors and qualities.

I guess Turkish rugs are the only rugs that are double-knotted making additional strength and quality. A rug can be measured by how many years it can be used, like, one rug that was shown us was described as being good for wear up to 60 years. I think of the carpet in my apartment and it is good for about 5 to 6 years then needs to be replaced. Also, Turkish rugs are made in the colors and patterns of a region so you know where it comes from.

Turkish rugs are an investment so a woman will be given a rug as a wedding present and a mother will buy a rug as an investment for her daughter. These rugs go up in value, rather than down.

Here is a woman making a rug. These women go through 4 years of training to become skilled in their craft. When a woman completes her training, she starts out with the easier patterns. As she becomes skilled, she is given more difficult patterns to weave.

This is a very old, very valuable Turkish rug.

You may notice the bright colors and unique pattern of this rug. It is also very old and valuable.

This rug was my favorite! It is 15 " long and about 8 " wide. It is made out of silk and suitable for framing. I love it!

The Home of the Virgin Mary, #8

The Home of the Virgin Mary, #8

I love stories! I could listen to them all day. So, here is the story of the Virgin Mary and how she came to live in Turkey. When Jesus was up on the cross he asked John to take care of his mother and in her later years

John brought her here for the remainder of her days to live here at Mt. Koressos. How do we know that she lived here, you might ask? Well, it was channeled.

3 popes have come to this holy site and brought gifts to honor this site 

There is a holy water springs that brings believers from all over

Also, there is a wall where people bring their prayers

 

I was able to bring some holy water back with me to share with my friends at home

Be My Guest Lunch - On Our Way to Antalya #11

Be My Guest Lunch - On Our Way to Antalya # 11
 
One of the fun adventures that Trafalgar Travel offers is contact with the local people. In this case we had a luncheon in a small village on the way to Antalya.

 

 The village was charming

And the people were so nice

 We had a delicious tomato soup with a type of pita bread

 stuffed bell peppers

 





a fried dessert

 

and Turkish coffee and tea 

 

All the family participated

including the 4 year old who was part entertainer and part, well, into things she kinds shouldn't be into 

 The father was the cook and everything was delicious!

We took a different path back into town.

Then we had to say goodbye to this charming village and its people!