Wednesday, June 22, 2011
After spending over two weeks in Münster and a failed attempt to get to Estonia, I was on my way to France again. This time for a wedding. I had been invited to join my friend Todd, for Nick and Claire's wedding. Todd and I coached a hockey team in Fort Collins this past winter and along the way I was given an invitation to join them in France.
Monday (June 14) I caught a train to Paris, spent two days there, before heading to Bordeaux. A group of six of us took an hour taxi ride to Barsac, a small town in the heart of Bordeaux wine country. The wedding and reception would be held in Barsac, for a truly unique experience. The wedding started at 4:00pm and the reception ceremony would continue until 2:00 or 3:00am at least, with dancing until 5:00 or 5:30am. It is not a rushed process by any means. Plenty of champagne, wine and hors d'oeuvres of course, but the several course meal would be spread over three hours. The tradition of a French wedding is much different than that of an American wedding.
The next day it was off to Cap Ferret, an Atlantic coast vacation spot. We spent our two days on the beach playing soccer, cricket, swimming and just laying out. The first day was a little chilly, but the second day was pretty hot. Jumping in the ocean every hour or so was a nice refresher.
I got a chance to meet great people and share in an unbelievable experience I will never forget. The best wine, the best champagne and the best coffee. The french get it good, and I got a chance to get mine.
I have some pictures posted here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffkittleson/sets/72157626896599887/
Thanks to Todd and the best of luck to Nick and Claire.
Monday (June 14) I caught a train to Paris, spent two days there, before heading to Bordeaux. A group of six of us took an hour taxi ride to Barsac, a small town in the heart of Bordeaux wine country. The wedding and reception would be held in Barsac, for a truly unique experience. The wedding started at 4:00pm and the reception ceremony would continue until 2:00 or 3:00am at least, with dancing until 5:00 or 5:30am. It is not a rushed process by any means. Plenty of champagne, wine and hors d'oeuvres of course, but the several course meal would be spread over three hours. The tradition of a French wedding is much different than that of an American wedding.
The next day it was off to Cap Ferret, an Atlantic coast vacation spot. We spent our two days on the beach playing soccer, cricket, swimming and just laying out. The first day was a little chilly, but the second day was pretty hot. Jumping in the ocean every hour or so was a nice refresher.
I got a chance to meet great people and share in an unbelievable experience I will never forget. The best wine, the best champagne and the best coffee. The french get it good, and I got a chance to get mine.
I have some pictures posted here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffkittleson/sets/72157626896599887/
Thanks to Todd and the best of luck to Nick and Claire.
Friday, June 3, 2011
I might not know much about art, but that was pretty special!!
I bought the ticket in my mom's basement about two months ago, and after a little hassle with shipping, the ticket arrived at Brad's apartment in Germany. I booked a cheap hostel in Paris and took the 6 hour train ride.
I would arrive in Paris and have two or three hours before I could check in. The walk from train station to hostel took about an hour and half, and would I end up waiting around until 5:30 before getting checked in. I quickly showered and took the subway to Bercy.
The venue is not huge, around 17,000 capacity, but the place is packed out. I found myself about twenty rows back and just right of center. As the show begins the band is playing between an opening in the wall, and as the show goes on the wall is slowly being built until at intermission the wall consumes the stage.
All the while the wall acts as a projector screen for the imagery of "The Wall." Very intense artwork that Roger and Pink Floyd had developed around the time of writing the album and later the movie. Some of my pictures can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffkittleson/sets/72157626874661146/
I may not know art, but that was pretty special.
Thank You Roger.
I would arrive in Paris and have two or three hours before I could check in. The walk from train station to hostel took about an hour and half, and would I end up waiting around until 5:30 before getting checked in. I quickly showered and took the subway to Bercy.
The venue is not huge, around 17,000 capacity, but the place is packed out. I found myself about twenty rows back and just right of center. As the show begins the band is playing between an opening in the wall, and as the show goes on the wall is slowly being built until at intermission the wall consumes the stage.
All the while the wall acts as a projector screen for the imagery of "The Wall." Very intense artwork that Roger and Pink Floyd had developed around the time of writing the album and later the movie. Some of my pictures can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffkittleson/sets/72157626874661146/
I may not know art, but that was pretty special.
Thank You Roger.
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