| Versailles & Paris |

After a long day of traveling we finally arrived in Leuven and spent a couple of days just relaxing and showing my family around the pretty little city we have been living in for nearly a year. I chose to put the camera away for a few days so that we could concentrate on spending some quality  time with my family and just being present with them as we walked to some of our favourite spots in Leuven. On our second day us girls went shopping and from what I've been told, Kyle and Dad wandered around the city and spent some time at the Capitol (which boasts collection of more than a thousand beers). Kyle and I both agreed that our best night of the whole trip was when we had everyone back at our place for dinner. Mum and Dad were very pleased with the wine they picked out at the market and I made one of our favourite dishes, a vegan fettuccine alfredo with oyster mushrooms and an avocado tomato salad on the side. Everyone pleased with the outcome! For dessert Kyle and Faith whipped up a batch of these chocolate peanut butter cookies. And we spent the evening in the best way I know - passing the guitar around, singing songs and sharing stories.

the mumsie in her natural setting, relaxing with red wine in hand.

Radagast was around too, being adorable and amusing and a bit cantankerous as usual

Following our sweet few days in Leuven we all traveled to Brussels where Mum got on a plane back to the UK to spend the next couple weeks with her British friend in England and Scotland. Meanwhile me, Faith, Dad, and Kyle rented a car and took an unexpectedly pretty drive down to Paris to see the Palace of Versailles and take Faith to see the City of Light. She was keen on finally seeing the Cathedral of Notre Dame, which of course is stunning. Paris' real gothic gem however, in my opinion, is Sainte-Chapelle. Don't worry, I warned Faith in advance about its capacity to melt your face off with its beauty...but first! Versailles!  

I think most Canadian people learn about Versailles in their high school history class, which is where I fell in love with history (thanks to Mrs. Swann*shout out*), so the palace has been on my travel list for a long long time. I think it was especially interesting for Faith, who just graduated high school in June, and for whom the history of the palace was probably a little more fresh in her mind. Luckily they have a history of the palace exhibit which took me right back to my high school classroom. Before Versailles was a palace it was a hunting lodge built by Louis XIII (1601-1643). The transformation of the great palace to what it is today was undertaken by Louis XIV, who made Versailles the seat of his court and France's government by the time of his death in 1715. The grandiosity of the palace is owed to Louis XIV's obsession with styling himself as the "The Sun King" - the source and centre of all power and vitality. The late 17th-century court of the Sun King was absorbed by elaborate daily ceremonies that basically involved following the king around, no matter what he was doing (waking up, falling asleep, getting dressed, eating, thinking, pooping...) because the king was the nucleus of the kingdom. These ceremonies and rituals also kept all of the king's relatives and courtiers so busy kissing his a$$ that they had no time to plot against him - at least that is one of the ideas proposed by historians.  

we still managed to have fun waiting in the exorbitantly long line to get in! Scenery wasn't bad neither ;)

Oh yeah, and Marie Antoinette lived here and stuff. She liked cake or something. I wonder how many times she looked out this window.

or this one.

You walk into rooms like this in Versailles Palace and you think "okay, this is just stupid. stupid. stupid." Marble and gold and classical paintings alluding to Louis XIV supposed semi-divinity etc. its just ridiculous! 

stupid.

Me and Faith in the famous Hall of Tourists, I mean Mirrors. 

fancy busts looking down their noses at the unwashed masses

In the Hall of Battles! Kyle Dase ft. Charles Martel and the Battle of Poitiers! 

didn't realize the French had won this many battles XD

The fountains! The gardens! 

notice the danger sign..........^ ... at this point it was very hot outside and we had been walking for a long time and Faith was getting hungry....

Oh! Its so pretty but Faith is so hungry! Alas!

Oh! Happy Faith with a crepe.

In all seriousness we had a really lovely time at the Palace of Versailles. It is an astounding place with a very interesting history. Unfortunately we didn't have time to make it to Marie Antoinette's Hamlet, and we barely saw a quarter of the gardens I'm sure! More to see whenever we return someday perhaps!

The next day we ventured into the centre of Paris from our hotel which was located on the outskirts of the city. On the way into the city centre Dad (who was driving) and Kyle (who was navigating) swore that they were going to avoid the Arc de Triomphe at all costs... you can understand that it was both terrifying and hilarious when at one point we turned a corner and Kyle said "wait... is that the.. what I think it is..?" I am very proud to say that Dad braved his fear and managed to drive into and safely exit the lane-line-lacking, spiraling vortex of vehicular doom that is the arc de triomphe. Well done, Dad. Well, done. *claps hands in a round.* 
We snagged a parking spot right next to this weird pile of stones and bells:

After seeing these medieval ecclesiastical landmarks we sat down at a lovely little street-side cafe and had some lunch. Then we wandered over to the Musee de Cluny, also known as the National Museum of the Middle Ages, which is full of treasures from my favourite historical period and was built atop Roman thermal baths!

In front of the Musee de Cluny, formerly the townhouse of the powerful abbots of Cluny, started in 1334 and rebuilt in the 15th century. 

On our way to our planned destination for supper we stopped by some of the Seine-side purveyors of old and new prints, books, and paintings. I got myself a botanical print for our new house in Saskatoon!

For dinner Dad and Faith let us take them to a cute little vegan burger place! The burgers were good, the coleslaw was great, and the carrot cake was delicious! 

On our way back to the hotel Dad successfully navigated the arc de triomphe the second time! He and Kyle had a celebratory beer at the hotel restaurant and then we all tucked in for the night since it was planes trains and automobiles early the next morning.

Once again, a fantastic trip, although we were all a bit sad Mum wasn't there to be the glue of the family as usual. It was hard to say goodbye to my sister and my papa before they flew away across the ocean, but of course I took comfort in the fact that it will be a but a very short time until we are back in the homeland! In the meantime, Kyle and I might have one more trip in us before we let this travel blog and our wandering feet rest.


-m

The Moors with Friends | The Hills with Family

The month of July thus far has been absolutely crazy and so full of fun. At the beginning of the month Kyle and I sallied off to England once more, heading north to Yorkshire this time. We both had the excellent opportunity of presenting papers at the International Medieval Congress in Leeds and did very well on our respective panels! While attending the congress we met up joyfully with our Saskatchewanian chums and fellow medievalists Christina and John, and my American friend, Lydia, who also studies in Leuven. Rather than staying in the big city of Leeds during the congress, Kyle and I found accommodations in the nearby Haworth, the village where the famous Bronte sisters lived, wrote, and died. As an avid reader of the sisters' novels and a girl who used to spend her Friday nights re-watching Wuthering Heights (this version is a must), I was quite excited for our little literary pilgrimage.

View of Haworth from the stone wall that encircled our hostel which was a renovated 18th century mansion!

Conscious consumers like ourselves appreciated Haworth's other claim to fame as the world's first Fairtrade village!

The impeccably quaint (and steep) main street

On the day that we had set aside to explore the village and visit all things Bronte related, Christina traveled from Leeds to join us since she is also a fan of the books. 

In front of the parsonage where the Bronte family lived from 1820-1861.

Kyle (who despite having a master's degree in English has not read any of the Bronte novels [forshame!]) trying to assume a melancholic expression given the information next to him.

Excitedly pointing to a plaque informing us that "Charlotte Bronte taught at this school built in 1832 and restored by the church in 1966 with help from the Bronte Society."

Off for our walk along the Bronte Trail! 

it was a stunning day for a walk in the moors!

We stopped for picnic by the Bronte falls and the Bronte bridge, a pretty little area frequented by the sisters and described in their letters.

Nearing Top Withens, supposedly the inspiration for Wuthering Heights, which we could just see in the distance.

On our way out of Haworth after a completely lovely day.

Our last day in Haworth after we were all conferenced-out was full of: 

folksy shops and handmade goods!

incredible VEGAN brownies and pasties as if Haworth wasn't amazing enough already.

and old-timey steam trains!

On our last day in Yorkshire we took a double-decker bus to a place that has been on my list for a very long time for its medieval historical significance, its literary significance, and its general beauty: the seaside town of Whitby. 

This of course reminded us of the famous scene set in Whitby in Bram Stoker's Dracula.

The first monastic house at Whitby was established in 657 AD. It was a double-monastery, inhabited by both monks and nuns, and presided over by the abbess, Lady Hilda. Among its brothers, England's first poet, Caedmon, lived here! His story is one of my favourites. Students of the history of the church in early medieval England will also know Whitby as the location of the synod of 664, when the Northumbrian church dispensed with its Celtic patterns of worship, and adopted the Roman date of Easter and the monastic tonsure.

pretty, but a bit windy!

oh hey there North Sea. 

Following our sojourn in the North, our next tac on the map was in the heart of England, the Peak District National Park, where we would begin our adventure with the Wall family! Unfortunately the Wall-flock was one sheep short since Colter couldn't make it over due to his busy summer gig-lineup. You missed the Shire, Colter! 

Mum did great at her first try driving on the wrong side of the road and the wrong side of the car. :D

Late afternoon tea in Ilam park where our hostel was situated.

If you can believe it that is actually our hostel there behind us! Once again we were staying in a gorgeous old mansion nestled in the Dovedale hills. It was supereminently pretty.

After tea we took a stroll around the grounds.

The sweetest little fairytale church and happy reunited sisters.

The incredibly gingerbread-house-like houses in the hamlet of Ilam. Everything about Ilam is straight out of a book.

Including the woods across St. Bertram's bridge where Faith and I went looking for fairies of course.

The Dovedale Stepping Stones at the foot of a great hill called Thorpe's Cloud

This picture is one of many in which you will notice a member of the Wall clan expresses their excitement and happiness by extending their arms out in the air. We all just belong in a musical, really. 

Oh, look there's another one. Climbing the hills of Castleton to reach Peveril's Castle! The ancient Hope Valley and famous hill Mam Tor, a Bronze-Age hill fort, in the background.

Peveril's Castle was originally a Norman fortification built by William Peveril in the 11th century that eventually came under royal control during the reign of King Henry II who visited the castle three times in the 12th century and hosted a visit from Scottish King Malcolm IV. It also became associated with the castles of Bolsover and Nottingham among which the same garrison of twenty knights was shared. 

<3

We had plenty of fun running around reading plaques and trying to imagine what the whole settlement would have looked like in its heyday.

Off to see the famous Peak Caverns that take you deep into the limestone roots of Peveril Castle and were once a part of the 'Seven Wonders of the Peak District' Tour taken by the aristocrats and rich folk of the 19th century. 

Waiting for our tour to begin.

creepy caves make for creepy pictures

From Castleton we sallied off to another of the seven wonders of the Peak District, Chatsworth House. Unfortunately we were too late to tour the great house which was also under some heavy construction, but we had plenty of fun frolicking around the gardens being incredibly silly.

In front of the stables

The gardens are ridiculous

Reenacting the Lion King of course, holding up Simba etc.

We found the hedge maze!!!!!!

Yay! Hedge Maze!

HEDGE MAZE!!!!

With the help of a tiny little girl in a purple butterfly dress we found the centre! 

classic.

The gardens were full of these funny little huts and caves. It was like Pride & Prejudice themed Disneyland.

Mum and Kyle in the vegetable patch

yay for lettuces!

I... I don't know what's going on here.

The 1st Duke's Greenhouse

Misty rains and the Duke of Derbyshire's flag ft. three stag heads

On our third day we ventured out of the National Park and drove into Nottingham to see the castle and Robin Hood's old stomping grounds. 

In front of the castle caves, also known ominously as Mortimer's Hole! Before we arrived in Nottingham I managed to inform my family of the interesting 14th century events that took place here and their contexts :D #nerd.

Reading the plaque before we go in!!!

Faith hiding behind Robin Hood!

Dad being a silly father-in-law

After receiving an excellent tour of the castle caves from none other than Friar Tuck... we headed over to the nearby pub 'Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem', which claims to be the oldest pub in England and is built into the same limestone foundations as the castle.

COOL!

COOL!

Robin Hood! Kyle trying to steal his sword...

Family self-timer shot!  

We returned to Ilam Hall in good time and since it was our last day in England I was itching to go for one last walk in Dovedale and climb Thorpe's Cloud. Kyle and I navigated the muddy pastures and said hello to the sheep and cows before crossing the stepping stones and ascending the grassy slope.

We made it to the top short of breath from both the climb and the beautiful view!

Once again, we had a fantastic time in two gorgeous parts of England. Our adventures and excitement increased ten-fold when my dear family arrived! I can't describe how much I missed them and the shenanigans we all get up to when we're together. We said farewell to the rolling hills and flew over to Belgium the next day to spend some time in Leuven and tour Mum, Dad and Faith around the place we've been living for the past year. Part two of their visit will be up on the blog soon!

-m