WWOOFing at La Tranchardiere

View of the house.

The driveway to the house.

Ten days farming and living with an English family in the french boonies that is Deux Sevres, France, overall life at La Tranchardiere farm/B&B was riveting. There were so many new experiences that Kim and I shared, especially Kim :) She almost road a bike for the first time (got two full pedal rotations before falling!), learned how to row a rowboat, we both built and maintained a huge bonfire, and plucked a freshly killed duck in preparation for dinner! Just working hard and contributing on the farm was very satisfying in general. We both learned a bit about a farm and what it takes. Such as what goes on the compost pile and what gets fed to the chickens, how to care for chickens and collect eggs, gardening and planting seeds, and we got really good at wheelbarreling and digging holes. I feel confident now to try everything myself and build my own home and lifestyle around self sufficiency. I also now know that I am more than capable to, if needed for survival, catch and prepare and eat any wild bird.

Kim and I in front of the chicken coop.

The best part of course was the family: Patricia and Jeff, their daughter Kathy, her husband Ian, and their two children Charlotte and George. As Pat and Jeff picked Kim and I up from the train, found us like the two wondering and weary American girls that we are, it all felt immediately like home away from home, very comforting and open. They all went on with their daily routine, so we just fit ourselves in with them. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting around the dinner table and hearing all of the day's excitement and stories, one big happy family. I learned so much about their lifestyle that I will incorporate into mine. I am so gracious and happy for the time I spent there. It has been a fantastic peek into the relaxed beautiful country environment of the french countryside. And it was such a nice change of pace from the hectic times spent travelling. Thank you to the Whites and Hickmotts and you shall be missed!!

Our work boots that we lived in the whole time, in the row boat.

Ian, Kathy, and baby George laughing at us in the rowboat from the bank.

Charlotte and Kim with their pet chicken Pew Pew.

Me with Pew Pew on my head.

Charlotte in front of the garden.

Now we are on the road in Southern France- Carcassone and Montpellier (blogs of those to come) and on our way to Florence, Italy!

Au Revoir for now,
Camille

Vie de la Ferme : The Country life in Deux Sevres

So since the 10th of March we have been trying our hand at farming on the Mid Western Coast of France in a region called Deux-Sevres, just North or Bordeaux closer to Nantes. I would give the city name but the farm is not actually within city boundaries. The closest town is a place called La Foret Sur Sevres, which consists of a school, a pharmacie, a boulangerie-patisserie (bakery), and a post office/bar/magazine stand/tobacco store. In other words it's small. But it does have a beautiful chateau. As does every town big or small here. There was a proper post office but their making it into a library now. A library that may also house the newly buildingless butcher. And I thought when they put Pizza Hut into Taco Bell's, that was weird...

It's really lovely here. The place we are staying at is a an old farmhouse that has been converted into a bed and breakfast. We have our own room and bathroom on a private floor and the family who runs the place has welcomed us in with open arms. We almost feel like one of them. The main farm owners are Pat and Jeff who run the B&B but currently their daughter and her family are also living with them until their house finishes being built that will eventually be right next door. The daughers name is Kathy (or Kate), her husband's name is Ian and they have two gorgeous kids, Charlotte 7 and Georges 11 months. The farm part is mostly just a small field that provides the family with veggies, a garden for herbs and decorative reasons and 2 chicken coops with 27 hens and one rooster, or cockeral as they call it. There is also one pet chicken named peu peu who lives on the front porch and wanders around freely. She's smaller than most because she's a Crested Bantem chicken and acts like a cat loving to be petted while sitting on your lap and will peck at your feet when she wants up. There is also a greenhouse they call the Poly Tunnel on Kathy's land as well as a few fruit trees. A river runs through their land and they also own small plot by a pond that requires maintenance. There really aren't many people who live around here so you can see forever into the distance. Just trees, fields and rivers. So pretty. It's really quite a view to wake up to and hasn't yet ceased to awe me when I get a chance to take a good look.

The side of the barn

Mostly the work consists of feeding the chickens in the morning and doing various garden work. Less planting flowers and more clearing plots of land, digging holes, transfering dirt and plants to and from different areas of the farm and clearing brush. The first day we worked we picked up a bunch of dead brances and brambles that had collected and were sent to burn them in a bonfire. Another day we cleared bushes, dead plants and nettlles from a hillside. We mowed the lawn once and hoed a field another time. These sorts of things. We also got to pick and plant some veggies a couple times. We even got to pluck a chicken once! Overall we get to do a lot of different things and we are always surprised by the task which we would get each morning after the chicken feeding and breakfast. Then we work till noon and have the afternoon off where we read or explore or play with Charlotte. We rowed around the nearby river one afternoon and Camille attempted to help me ride a bike another day. Sometimes we help with meals or other small tasks around the house. On our day off we explored the nearby town of Bressuire with it's wooden shuttered stone buildings and beautiful chateau on a hill. Mostly we just learn a lot and relax. After all the busy travelling we were doing it feels really good to just be in one place and enjoy it.

Camille posing for a portrait by Charlotte. It turned out magnificent. She's a budding artist.

Ruins of old chateau in Bressuire

Newer chataeu in Bressuire with frenchy Camille in front

The family we are staying with makes it easy. They are just great people and so fun. Lots of laughs here. They are helping us learn about British culture mostly, and friend secondarily while we are teaching them our redneck ways. They really like when we do southern accents! And they made a point to teach us some cockney rhyming slang (I think that's what it's called. Sorry Ian!). They will be very missed when we leave.

Jeff, our farm boss, at his perch with an amazing chocolat fondant cake in front that we made!

So that's it for now. Want to put more photos iin later but we will see what time allows. For more check out my facebook page, it's SO much easier to load photos there. Will be heading off to Carcassone with our new Eurail passes Saturday for a day then Montpellier on Sunday. Until then Au Revoir and A Bientot!

-Kim

Paris, Je t'aime!

(Kim and Camille in the Musée d' Orsay, in the grand party room. A photo analogy of our time in Paris)

We have arrived in the "city of light", "the city of love" Tuesday and we have to say we are in love with the lights and are enlightened by the love. We've been warmly recieved everywhere we go here and are so grateful. And kind of surprised in some ways. We had heard rumors about Parisians, good and bad and were not sure what to expect. We prepared for the possible sneers and turned noses but were optimistic and it paid off; we've only received open arms, generous smiles and many, many kisses on both cheeks.

We arrived in Paris via Eurostar train from London at 9am February 3rd. We were exhausted. Neither of us had slept the night before so we were pooped, but full of adrenaline. And emotions. England was easy. Just some slight differences to get used to. And familiar faces to help. In Paris we would be greeted by a stranger, though vouched for, and we had no idea where we would stay after that first night. Paris was a large intimidating foreign city and we weren't sure what to expect. When we woke up on the train to a bright white sky and realized we were in France we were overwhelmingly excited, but when we entered the train station and searched for the Metro entrance we were overwhelmed in a different way. Everyone was speaking French. That's when we really realized that this was going to be different.

The Metro was fairly easy to figure out because it used the same system as London so getting to Phillipe's flat in Les Lilas, on the Northeast border of Paris, with our internet directions was not a problem. Phillipe lived in neighborhood that was not busy or particularly charming (at least by Parisian standars) but not dangerous and his apartment building was nice with several high tech key code entry pads which made us feel safe. We arrived to a smiley, kind and hospitable Phillipe who turned out to have excellent taste in home decor. This seems to be commonplace with the French as far as we have been able to tell. The apartment was small with only a few rooms but very light and homey. We were so relieved and felt comfortable with Phillipe. He came across as very gentile and genuine instantly so we felt so lucky to be there. He gave up his bed for us to sleep on while he slept on the sofa, an above and beyond gesture, so were determined to do nice things for him. We decided to cook him dinner that night which allowed us to explore the neighborhood looking for markets. What we found was an American-like grocery store and many people who did not speak English. It was a bit difficult to get around this but we found a way. Camille learned that despite not speaking any of the language she could still communicate in other ways, and I learned that despite studying the language for 5 years I knew close to nothing useful. I can read the signs a bit, speak with toddler meets cave-man french and understand small bits of what people are talking about. But I'm utterly confused through all of it. The rest of the day we planned out our week, sent out couchsurfing/wwoofing requests and generally chilled taking a really laid back first day which was much needed.

(Philippe and Kim in the living room, notice the shrine of antique sculptures behind.)

The next day we hung out with our friend Bryce, someone I (Kim) randomly met in the Dublin airport when I was coming in from the States, who was waiting for a connecting flight to Paris. We had a brief conversation about how we were both traveling around Europe, he had been in the Peace Corp in Jamaica which I found interesting, and we both thought it would be nice to talk to a fellow American while in Paris so we planned to meet when I got there. He only had a day to spend with us before traveling to Berlin, but it was a fun one day. We all met underneath the Arc de Triomphe, got an espresso, wandered down the Champs Elysees and headed on over to the Musee D'Orsay where many of the Impressionist's pieces are held. We loved it but were thoroughly exhausted after a couple hours of wandering so after we stopped at the apartment Brice was staying at right down the street, and just across the street from the Louvre, for some tea. There we met George, Brice's great uncle who is American and his girlfriend of many years Marie Aimee who is French. They had the most gorgeous place and we had a great time chatting over tea for a few hours and getting to know them.

(George's flat: Brice, Kim, and Camille)



(Kim, Brice, and Camille in front of the Louvre)

The next day we explored Montmarte, an older area of Paris way up on a hill that had a lot of cute shops and the Basilique of Sacre Coeur, an enormous elaborate Cathedral with an amazing view of Paris and lots of agressive portrait artists. They will seriously hound you until you give in or draw you without your permission and expect you to pay. It's absurdly crass for such a high brow activity. That night we said goodbye to Phillipe and headed over to our new residency with Karim, a guy we met through couch surfing. He lives in the 6th arr. very close to Napoleans tomb and the Eiffel Tower. He's a very kind, talkative, funny and energetic Algerian guy, yet native french speaker, who is living with his aunt here who is currently traveling. We are having a blast staying with him.

(Kim and Camille, and the view from Montmarte)

Saturday morning we explored the Rue Cler, a quintessential Parisian market street, then headed over to meet George in the 6th arrondissement for lunch. He treated us to a nice traditional french meal then had dessert and coffee at a famous retaurant called Les Deux Magots. It was so good and Geoge was so sweet to us. At the first restaurant we chatted so long they had to ask us, politely, to leave which is not custom and they felt so bad about it they treated us all to free shots of apple liquer. Amazing stuff. George is a carpenter who mostly does custom pieces and worked for famous actors in LA for awhile years back. He's had a very interesting life and we enjoyed hearing as much about it as we could. After we headed over to the oldest cathedral in France, across the street called Eglise St. Germain-Des-Pres, passed by the L'Ecole Des Beaux Arts of Paris, walked along the Seine river and it's famous vintage street book vendors, and said goodbye to George at Notre Dame. After exploring the wonders of Notre Dame we walked to the nearby Centre Pomidou and wandered before hurrying over to the Louvre where were told it was free for the day. What we did not know was that the deal was only for students and neither of us had the ID for that so instead we wandered for a bit before heading over to meet with Camille's friend of a friend named Lenora at a British Pub in what seemed to be a street of British themed establishments. She was English but was living in France for a bit to improve her french and we had a nice chat with her before she headed off to work a the same pub.

(Lunch with George at Au Pied de Fouet)


(The dessert waitress with a tray of tempting treats at Les Deux Magots)

Sunday Camille met up with an old friend from Jackson named Ariana Snowdon who she had dinner with the other night at Café Ruc near the hotel her and her mom were staying at called the Hotel Meurice, which is gorgeous. That day I stayed with Karim to figure out travel plans and to nurse my swollen eye. I seem to be allergic to this part of Paris because I woke up Sunday morning with a red puffy eye and only antihistamines combined with eye drops seem to make it better. It feels fine, but looks awful so I've been wearing the Carrera sunglasses Vero gave me everywhere. I feel so silly because until today, sun has been nowhere to be found, but I feel midly cool as well. I look like Elvis in them. And that song about wearing sunglasses at night plays over and over in my head.

The last few days we've just been shopping, hanging out and touring.

(Kim, aka Master-mind of the metro)

(Ooo la la, c'est bon!)

Tuesday (tomorrow) we leave for Deux-Sevres where we will be working on a small organic farm. More details later. Au Revoir for now! More pictures to come...

-Kim (photos by Camille :)

London, Oxford, London and United at Last!

So I guess I should start by saying this is Kim because I know this can get a little confusing, but the confusion is over at last because the two halves of this blog are now united as a whole traveling team! Yeah!

Since my last blog entry I stayed for about a week with a french woman named Vero in Dalston Junction, an area of northeast London, where I was treated to the most fabulous couch surfing experience complete with a few wonderful nights out, some equally as fun nights in and some not so great day and a half on the couch with a cold. Me and Vero made great friends; we chatted long hours, she helped me buy a few new items to spice up my boring travel wardrobe, even giving me some sunglasses from her work, and she took the best of care of me while I was sick doing mom proud. I really hope to see her again sometime on my travels!

Then I was of just an hour and a half west to Oxford, the famous ivy league university town, where I explored a few of the over 30 colleges within the University and drooled over the royal palaces of academia at the oldest recorded college in English history dating back to the 1200's. Just to give you an idea of what some of these buildings look like, Harry Potter was filmed in the cafeteria of one of them and it was actually filled with paintings of past headmasters. With candlelight. It was luxuriously amazing. There I stayed with 4 young adults whom I met through couch surfing on a bed in their spare room. 3 of them were graduates from the local university outside of Oxford and one was a world traveller from Australia, just saving up money for her next big adventure. They were all so fun to be around, incredibly interesting and sweet as could be. Wish I could have stayed longer to get to know them better, but in the meantime I had a great time hanging out with them, we cooked for each other, they showed me some great pubs and they became riends I'm so glad to now have.

Then Saturday the 28th I took a bus back to London and met Waid's mom Kaidi who lives in the most beautiful town home in London's Camberwell neighborhood. In a few hours, Camille and Waid showed up and we've been hanging out since, eating great food, ironing out plans and enjoying London. This morning we took a trip to the outskirts of London to visit Waid's grandparents who are both professional painters and charming people. We had a proper English tea and they showed us all around their beautiful artistically studio meets proper art nouveau-like lounge of a house. They were such interesting people and we just adored them.

Now we are making preparations to head off to France in the next couple hours. Eek! So excited! There we will be staying at the house of an old friend of my boss from the Poulsbohemian's named Phillipe for a few days then wandering. Kind of winging it these days, but we're just happy to be here. Will attempt to update soon but the next few days/weeks will be chaotic. Working out wwoofing plans as well. Found a place we really want to go in Normandy but are still waiting to here. Keep your fingers crossed. Hopefully next time we write we will have epic plans as well as stories for this month. Stay tuned!