Reinforcements Have Arrived!
Today was a bit of a reunion day for us. Our good friends Walter and Kathy Kinney arrived just in time for dinner from California after not sleeping for 10,000 hours on their herculean trip from Sacramento. My cousin Andre rejoined us after one day in Grenoble having his Harley serviced. Beau now has to play against a four man zone defense in bars, restaurants and cultural sights.
The day started wonderfully with café au lait at the Chateau and croissant and pain au chocolat in nearby Orange. We decided to take it easy, do a little sightseeing and maybe, just maybe eat some food. We started by visiting the famous ancient Roman theatre that has withstood the ravages of time. It is the best preserved Roman theater in all of Europe and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Orange was a Roman colony called Arausio, founded in 40 B.C. by veterans of Caesar’s Second Gallic regiment. It developed rapidly during the reign of Emperor Augustus and it was at this time the Roman Theater of Orange was built. Although highly prized by the Romans, this theatre suffered the same fate
asthe Roman Empire and it was closedby imperial command in 391 A.D. Bythistime Christianity had become the de facto state religion andthe Churchopposed all pagan spectacles.The Roman Theaterof Orange was abandonedcompletely when the Empire fellin the 4th century A.D. It was sacked andpillaged bythe Barbarians andwas usedas a defensive postin the Middle Ages. Duringthe 16th century wars of religion it was used as a place of refuge andrapidly filled upwith dwellings.
It was only in the 19th centurythatthe Roman Theater of Orange slowlyrecoveredits originalsplendor, thanks to the restoration worksbegun in 1825 atthe behest ofthe authorProsper Mérimée, whothen held the position of directorof “Monuments Historiques”.
Up and down steep stone stairs we wandered. The center ofthe stairs hadbeen so wornover1,000’sof years of useand it was amazingtothink how manypeople hadclimbed the exact stairsfromRoman times to now. They still haveplays during evening hours and even operas and rock concerts.
We played hide and seek and peek-a-boo in the old stone corridors. Beau gave a few screeches that went unnoticed which frustrated him and delighted us. He did throw one good temper tantrum when we wouldn’t let him climb down the steep stairs. Both Lisa and I got vertigo just looking down them.
Being a bit of a history buff it fascinates me to no end to think of how long Europe has been civilized in comparison to the USA. My uncle Philippe once visited the USA and I showed him early American history from New Orleans up
thru parts of Southern Illinois that had been settled first by French in the early 1600’s then the Spanish and finally the Americans. He was completely unimpressed as his house in Marseilles was far older. I suppose we have Indian mounds like Cahokia and ancient cliff dwellings like those found all over the southwest that date back a reasonable amount of time. But then Europeans also have what us Modern folks like to call ‘prehistoric sites’ too.
We wandered around the old streets of Orange looking in windows, searching for cookbooks and trying our best to keep Beau amused. After eight days of constantly being on point our nerves were wearing thin. Every parent who has ever travelled will understand exactly how we felt. One day we will look back and laugh but right now our hair just greys more. Half of France can testify that my son Beau has an amazing set of pipes. The other half just hasn’t met us yet.
We finally became very hungry and decided on having crepes at a nearby restaurant. We happily walked into a near empty restaurant, sat and ordered some crepes and a modest half bottle of wine. Quickly the restaurant filled and little Beau got it in his head that maybe he was the proverbial Fat Lady and he was gonna give a star performance to his new audience. Beau pulled every trick out of his bag including projectile vomiting on his maman while she ate her ham and potato crepe. Poor Lisa looked as though she wanted to throw in the towel and admit defeat. Her next thought being maybe it wasn’t too late for an abortion. Sensing Beau’s short life might end abruptly I downed my wine, inhaled my crepe and grabbed Beau and ran outside to have a father and son moment. I stepped back in long enough to see steam pour out of her ears and her head spin three times. I told her relax, eat your crepe and come outside with deux café and a nutella crepe. I nervously kept glancing at the second floor bathroom window in case she tried to flee. Ten minutes later she joined me followed by the waitress with our dessert crepe and coffee.
Having a child is a lot like working in the restaurant business. It is love and hate relationship. Anyone who claims to just like it is lying. Outside I tried a new tact with Beau. Instead of caving in to what he wants just to shut him up on vacation I decided to refuse his whims and make him sit still on my lap. I was determined to win the mind battle over my 15 month old son. Soon I was back to feeding him nutella or whatever else was close at hand to by minutes of silence. Beau 10, Francois 0.
We retreated to the safety of our car and headed back towards the Chateau for a much deserved nap. Beaumont passed out in the car as we pulled into the gates of the hotel. If we could just carry him all the way in and lay him down in bed maybe, just maybe, we might get a few minutes of hard earned rest. No, Beau woke up and the day got longer.
By six o’clock we decided to head into Chateauneuf du Pape and wander a bit before dinner at Maisonetta. Just as we reached our car Walter and Kathy pulled in and we help carry their bags to their room. As soon as we got back to our car again my cousin Andre pulled up on his Harley.
We now rearranged the cases of wine stuffed in every free space of our car to fit all five adults and one cranky child. Off to Maisonetta we drove. Andre convinced us to have a pastis cocktail at a small seedy bar before that should you dare to light a Gauloise cigarette at the same time you may actually spontaneously burst into flames. Happily up the hill we walked.
Maisonetta does not look good on the outside, in fact a bit scary. Its menu is half Italian and half French. We sat down at the table with a Jacques Brel album on a small easel. None of us could figure out why. It was only when the
waitress brought everyone an album that we realized it is the menu. The menu offerings are limited by American standards but all was well prepared and quite honestly many choices to choose from if you like your food.
We started with beef carpaccio, tomato tartar with mozzarella cream, a charcuterie platter with duck prosciutto sausages and more, and sautéed foie gras on a bed of leeks. All were super delicious and enjoyable. We drank bottle number one which was a Chateauneuf du Pape 2007, followed by a 2008 then a 2009. We were happy people.
Kathy is amazing with Beaumont that he even open mouth kissed her several times. I am not entirely convinced by boy’s intentions were noble, in fact one time he winked at me. The five man defense worked like a charm and after a while little Beaumont was confused which way was up and which was down. Lisa and I even got to eat food at the same exact time. Happy Feet!
By the time the main courses arrived we were happy as can be. Lisa and Walter ordered a Magret of Duck with Honey and Lavender; Kathy a grille Loup de Mer with olive oil drizzled over; I had tagliatelli carbonara and Andre had the most amazing Reblochon Gratinee served with boiled potatoes. Holy Crap was that good. Take one whole reblochon cheese, season it, put in gratin dish and bake. Andre, ever being the devil, order a trou normande of Poire Willem, French for pear flavored fire water. I guess we ordered so much that the Chef came out and poured us all a free glass.
We ended to night happily full, buzzed & safe back at the Chateau… Bon Soir!
Tomorrow we journey further into Provence.