A Note from Brittany

There's a railroad station about one hundred yards from our back door. It's an easy walk from there to the place we're staying. The very first time I saw it, rather than stopping so close to Bannalec, our temporary hometown, we were passing through it at well over 100 MPH, headed for the next town over, Quimperle. 

Due to my utter inability to read a train schedule (written in English BTW) Kelly and I missed our train from London to Bannalec, the town in France where we're staying. I distinctly remember rushing through the subway station in England and hearing Kelly (who apparently can read a train schedule written in English far better than I can)  say, "Why are you not in a hurry?" I was thinking, "We have plenty of time." We didn't. I was an hour off in my timing. We missed the train by about ten minutes, which was a small amount of time but managed to cascade into a six-hour delay and a 30 KM shift in our arrival. With a lot of gracious help on the London side of the trip and a very polite and most benevolent rail agent in Paris, we were able to reroute our journey at minimal cost, this time ending in Quimperle rather than Bannalec, where the trains run less frequently and not as late in the day.

In all this, God blessed. We had a great, albeit long, trip. Our hostess met us at the station in Quimperle with a huge smile, a warm hug and a tour of the area on our way home. We had arrived, almost, at our place of rest!

Kelly and I are staying in this small village in Brittany. We're about a half hour drive from the coast and a four-hour train ride from Paris--under normal conditions for folks who can tell time and read schedules. See the red star on the map below? That's Bannalec.

The weather here has been predominantly rainy and cool. We've had rain, on and off, for the last seven days. We're told it's been unseasonably wet and chilly. Neither the dampness nor the chill has been much of a problem. We go out to explore from time to time, but spend a lot of time talking, reading and relaxing (can you relax too much?). We usually manage to get in a walk every day and both of us have been using a set of resistance bands to get our exercise.

We'll have some photos of Bannalec in a bit. For now, we're staying at a place that is a short, ten to fifteen-minute walk into town. Our home away from home is a group of buildings that date back to the 13th century. The owners have had extensive remodeling done and the place has all the charm of an ancient setting with all the conveniences and comforts of the 21st century. 

We're staying in an attached guest house, which we have to ourselves. It's been a blessing to have so much room and privacy. The railroad tracks that run through the station are about twenty-five yards from our back door, separated by a thirty-foot tall hedgerow. Trains go through there about every twenty minutes or so, traveling at well over the pace we were going when we first passed through. 

The view out our back door, onto the rear lawn and toward the hedgerow separating the lawn from the railroad tracks.

We were encouraged with, "You'll get used to the sound." The trains are electric and make noise but nothing near what we're used to in the USA. It's more of a "whooshing" sound. We did quickly get used to it. Evey now and then I find myself thinking, "I haven't heard a train in a while." The trains run from early in the morning to around midnight and have become oddly comforting as if the rest of the world is running on schedule and doing fine while we're taking a season off and letting it go by.

The view of the French countryside outside our front door

Our fully equipped kitchen and dining area.

We eat most of our meals at home, learning to incorporate some of the local food into our daily routine. The French eat well but enjoy smaller portions than what we're accustomed to. They're easy to get used to. Their foods are rich, but there is nearly a total lack of fructose corn syrup and far less sodium than we see back home. It seems to be a healthier diet than we had imagined. We've been careful not to over-indulge. That has allowed us to enjoy some of the richer offerings (more on that in a moment) while keeping some balance to what we eat. 

There's a good-sized super market about a five-minute walk from the house with a few gigantic markets about a twenty-minute drive away. The super market can be an exciting experience. Nothing is labeled in English. I find myself relying on pictures on the containers and trying to decipher what little French I know. Still, things are done a bit differently and take some time to understand. Things like the fact that they don't typically refrigerate their milk and eggs in the market. They just sit there on the shelf, frequently offered in what we would consider large multiple packs. The eggs are typically packaged twenty per carton and the milk is commonly bundled six quarts at a time.  All that being said, it seems perfectly acceptable to break open any package and take only one or two for your cart. BTW, you have to "rent" your cart. They have a slot for a Euro which releases your cart from the others. Your money is returned when you put your cart back in line. 

When we have the notion for a baguette or a croissant, there

Raspberry tart, almond croissant,
and the nefarious Cake Bretagne!

are two "boulangerie-patisseries" (bakeries) in town that make fresh breads and pastries daily. We figure the walk into town burns up the calories in the croissants...at least we hope it does! For me, trying to order anything in one of the bakeries involves a lot of pointing, asking, "C'est bon?" I was trusting that the nod, a "Oui!' or a smile would direct we toward something delectable or the wave of a hand or a shrug would turn me away. It has worked magnificently, so far. I ventured into town a few days ago and encountered a very enthusiastic and helpful girl in our favorite bakery. She recommended a small but tasty regional pie (Cake Bretagne), an almond croissant or a raspberry tart. I bought them all and added a package of crepes, not realizing that most of these places are visited daily by the local folks who buy a little each time they go in. My trusted advisor mentioned the amount for the order, then brought it up again, just to make sure I knew how much I was spending. If she spoke English or if I understood French, I'm pretty sure she would have said something like, "You know, we're open tomorrow too."

It took us a few days to get through this order...but I have to admit the cake, a flakey crust filled with figs, prunes and who-knows-what-else, didn't make it through the evening.

There are also a number of cafes in town where we can sit and have a cafe au lait (me) or an espresso (Kelly). One of my favorite things to do is to sip on a coffee and watch the village go by. We haven't tried any of the local restaurants yet. We've been happy to cook at home.

Our living room

Our hosts are wonderful folks. They've been helpful, available and totally unobtrusive. They're both exceptionally easy to get along with, well read, well-traveled and knowledgeable about the area. They have a nicely stocked library, and I was offered two books about WWI to read. I'm looking forward to diving into them. They are a good and godly couple with a clear calling to minister to pastors and missionaries. 

Here are some photos of the grounds and the house. This the main building is pictured on the right. Our rooms are to the left. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and accented with a lot of color and greenery that would be perfectly comfortable in Southern California.  There are plenty of flowers but also palm trees, fruit trees, ivy and a wide variety of bushes and shrubs. 

There's an unoccupied carriage house on the grounds. It has its own brand of stark beauty and some interesting items inside.

Finally, because we are so far out in the country, as can be expected, there are wild animals roaming around. They look fierce and can be intimidating. Here are two examples of some of the most dangerous. They're untamable, feral carnivores, relentless is wearing down their prey. But, I've learned that a discreetly offered doggie treat or a well-thrown frisbee can curry their favor. As you can see, they've learned that as well.