France | The Perpetual Passenger

The Land of Wine and Mustard

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

Here’s a funny story:

The first time I ever met my friend Jess was on New Year’s Eve, when our mutual (and awesome) friend Ashley invited her to my place for some festivities. She showed up with a bottle of wine… coming from Burgundy (huh?). Up until the last few times I saw Jess before heading across the pond, she still insisted on drinking Burgundy if it was a wine night (which it usually was). We didn’t know much about the wine, except that it was French. And it was kind of awful.

A few years ago, Frog Prince and I decided to take a mini-vacation. We first wanted to see Rome, but the tickets were too expensive. After scouring flight search engines for days, we opted to stay in France, and he planned a 5-day trip to the region of Bourgogne (pronounced Boor-GON-Yuh). Known for its great wine, stunning castles, and beautiful countryside, I was looking forward to seeing (and tasting) what Bourgogne had to offer.

It wasn’t until we arrived and were looking at postcards that it hit me: Bourgogne = Burgundy! The whole time we were planning this trip, I never put two and two together. But once there I did drink a lot of Burgundy wine. And none of it was awful.

So, dear Jessica, this one’s for you. Some wine cellars, some castles, and even something from Dijon, the home of spicy mustard. 🙂

: Les Hospices de Beaune (where the pretty roofing coloration that is often seen on Burgundy wine labels come from)

: The beds at the hospice, where they treated patients with wine. No, seriously.

: Baby grapes!

: Where the wine is at!

: Best year ever? Yes.

: Wine cave (no tripod)

: I know that ghost in the back!

: Sorry, got a soft spot for cathedral architecture.

: Monastery

: Awesome water wheel!

: Castle!

: Romantically deserted cafe

: Just a cute street

I have to say, the food in Bourgogne was just as good as the wine, and I definitely learned a lot about wine (though it was really just a drop in the bucket, considering all there is to know!). And you know what that means… #16 is officially crossed off the list!

And since I don’t like to underperform, I went ahead and crossed off #18, too. There were plenty of castles, and I explored the heck out of ’em. 🙂

A Real Life Castle in the Clouds

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

There’s actually a place called Castle in the Clouds back in New Hampshire, not too far from where I grew up. I’ve never been, but friends have said it’s a beautiful spot, and many a wedding has been held there.

But the French version of Castle in the Clouds is a whole different creation. I apply this nickname to Mont Saint-Michel not because of its placement on a mountain or its height, but because of its proximity to the famously capricious weather that surrounds this island of a castle off the coast of Normandy. Read More →

Old Friends (That Aren’t Really Old)

September 12, 2013 · by Nikki

Although there haven’t been a lot of posts about the progress I’ve been making on my psuedo-Bucket List (or a lot of posts, in general), I can assure you I haven’t been sleeping on the job. A few months back I managed to accomplish one of the tasks I had given myself, despite being completely unable to predict when, how or where I would pull this off (given my current physical proximity to most of the people I grew up with): # 30–reconnect with someone from the past. Read More →

Standing on American Soil in France

August 6, 2013 · by Nikki

[NOTE: Originally written on August 6, 2013] Today marks the anniversary of the D-Day Invasion by Allied forces in France. Since I have recently visited the very area of the world where the invasion took place, I felt today would be the perfect day to share about the sights and sounds in Normandy.

I’d heard about the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial quite a few times over the course of my life, but it wasn’t until last year when a dear friend made a visit and happened upon a grave site that bore not only my family name, but the middle name of my father, as well.

Ernest Lavoie: American Cemetary of France

After that, the memorial site was a no-brainer to be added to My List, as I was curious to discover more about the history of the war and the sacrifice of so many soldiers.

Although the cemetery wasn’t the only thing we visited on the trip, it was by far the most moving. Normandy is a beautiful region, with gorgeous seascapes, cute tourist-towns that dot the shores, and weather that is reminiscent of being back in New England. But nothing impacted me so much as the museum on-site at the cemetery.

The museum was designed to immerse visitors into the soldiers’ experience, and it does exactly that. Everything from personal objects to videos containing real footage and photographs to interviews with soldiers who served and family members of those who were lost is on display, and does nothing short of transporting you into what life must have been like around the time of the infamous D-Day.

Here’s a look at some of my favorite shots from Normandy and its impressive dedication to the soldiers who gave their lives:

On a lighter note: The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is actually staffed by American (and British) employees, and their presence is immediately felt. As soon as we pulled into the cemetery parking area, something stood out that was distinctively un-French: order and organization. From parking in designated rows (not just wherever you want), to lines that were actually kept and moved at a reasonable pace, I was easily reminded that I was on American soil. Needless to say, my short run-in with orderliness was very refreshing!

Sharing is Caring

January 17, 2013 · by Nikki

The Perpetual Passenger is getting some publicity this week! Some friends have decided to share my stories, and here’s the lowdown on where you can find them… Read More →

Ice, Ice, Baby

January 8, 2013 · by Nikki

Paris is expensive.

But if you’re here and you’re seeking something fun on the cheap, let me introduce you to patin à glace… also known as ice skating! Read More →

2012: The Perpetual Passenger Travel Review

January 4, 2013 · by Nikki

Lately I’ve been sharing maps showing my readership and reports with blog stats, but now I’ve got a really fun map to share: my 2012 travels! Read More →

Charlie vs. Waldo: The Story of an Advent Calendar

December 31, 2012 · by Nikki

Before this post becomes too outdated, I wanted to share a unique little yuletide trinket I found here in France, that roused both nostalgia for my upbringing in the States and appreciation for the French in my life. Read More →

Bienvenue au Batobus!

December 13, 2012 · by Nikki

So you want to visit the City of Lights. But If metros and buses aren’t for you… Read More →

I See Blog Readers

December 11, 2012 · by Nikki

I don’t look at my blog stats very often. I am still a wee little fledgling in the blogging world, and I prefer to be pleasantly surprised, so I spare myself from counting my followers or my daily views. It would be a fast exercise, to be sure, but I usually focus on the writing.

Every once in a while, though, I take a peak to see if people are actually reading this thing, or if I just write things for the heck of it. I’ll spare you the details, but did want to share one very cool little piece of the WordPress Stats tool: the viewing map.

It’s meaningless to most of you, I’m sure, but to me, it’s an awesomely orange representation of global readership.

Essentially what this clementine-esque version of a world map tells me is that there are people from all over the world who are reading my blog! The color-coding here indicates areas of the world where someone has taken a peak at Perpetual Passenger, with the darkest areas having the heaviest readership. It shows me that my readers come from everywhere – even Mongolia! Even Peru! Even a whole bunch of other countries that are equally awesome! And thank you, USA, for being my biggest fan, but France is catching up. 🙂

Also, for those who may not know, I finally took the plunge and created a Facebook page for my little baby blog. I’d appreciate it if you gave it a thumbs up (at the bottom of the page, or by going here and liking the page), giving you access to more content from the expat and travel adventures I always find myself in. Help me make more of my map orange (or even red)!