Suzan's Alsacian Visit

Many of you know our friend Suzan...if not, you should!  She is a fun loving, crazy Hungarian!...not really...fun loving is true, but more than crazy, she is a sophisticated, kind and sweet person who can light a room on fire!

Suzan came to see us in Alsace.  We picked her up in Strasbourg at the Gare...what a long trip from LA to Paris, then a train to Strasbourg!  Bless her heart, to be sure she, and everyone around her,  has fun!  During her visit, we took a boat tour in Strasbourg, went to see the Cathedral and the Rohan museum,  the Monastery at St. Odile, the town of Obernai, got a tour of a fabulous winery along the Alsacian Wine Road, went to the Frenchman's ball (more on this later!)..went to Baden Baden Germany, saw a fabulous Faberge museum there, and visited the the quaint Alsacian town of Requhire!  WOW!  She kept up with it all, and we had a wonderful time!...and then, she was off to see her family in Budapest!

One of the very fun things we did was what I am calling the Frenchmen's Ball!  The second day Suzan was here Bruce went to play in a Petanque (French Bacci ball) tournament, with our friend, Louie!  Meanwhile, Suzan and I went to Strasbourg for the day.  To the French, Petanque is a social event.  Everyone, from little kids to old men and women play.  After the tournament, there was a dinner and dance....now, every town has a Sports facility, with a soccer filed and a Petanque court, and every sports facility has little buildings around it where you can gather and have a meal!  (But of Course!!!)  After the tournament, the men all went home to pick up their wives if the wives hadn't played that day.  We joined the boys at 7:00 for a dinner of Wild Boar roasted over a wood fire, and white beans flavored with herbs de Provence and little bits of lardon (like Canadian Bacon).  Good wine, very inexpensive...and lovely people....Long tables of couples, all chatting and laughing!  After dinner, a guy came in with a keyboard, sang, and played great dance music!  All in French...dancing like we don't do...some dances, almost like a polka, and every other style you can imagine!  Very French! s Very fun!  Always, sports, food and wine!  A lovely way to live!  Suzan fit right in...(ate the food), and talked/flirted with our friends, and even danced!

Here are some pictures from Suzan's visit.