Dielheim

Since returning home from the camping trip to Normandy we've been lazing around the house here in Dielheim. Jocelyn came down with a headcold, and now Wesley has it too. Sunday was spent unloading and putting away the camping gear, and doing laundry. It was a cloudy, cool day. David and Roland took off on a bike ride and got lost! Well, one unmarked path leads to another in these parts! They biked about 10 miles. Jocie and I took a walk on a farm path (paved) behind their house. It was lovely. We walked past carefully tended apple and pear trees in neat rows, full of ripening fruit. We saw two hot air balloons hovering over the forested hills nearby. We walked until our path crested a hill and then came back.

Monday dawned cool and cloudy and we were in despair for the gloomy weather until the sun broke through in the afternoon. We lay out in the sun for an hour, letting the warmth heat our bodies, and hopefully burn that cold out of Jocie's. Around 4:30pm Jocie felt up for a walk to the local dress shop, about three 'blocks' away. It was a well stocked store, full of interesting shirts, dresses, tops, leggings, jeans, office clothing. Prices were not cheap, but not unreasonable (80 euro for a pair of trousers, 40 euros for a nice shirt). After browsing for 30 minutes we walked across the road (waiting for the traffic rushing through the narrow, winding road...you would have to listen for the cars, because you couldn't see them coming) to the Apoteke for some cold remedy. The woman recommended a 'aspirin complex' product. Jocie bought it and tried it, and it did relieve the pressure in her head.

Das Rathaus (City Hall) of Dielheim

Roland made dinner of sauteed squash and sloppy joe mix. After dinner he and I and the kids walked to the local Eiskaffee for a 70 cent cone of ice cream. The shop is run by a Greek man who spoke a few languages. I think in the end he and Roland decided they could communicate in Spanish the best.

Old stone barn

other side of the same stone barn

adjoining the barn

Church of St. Cyriak

Here is the information about the saint that the church in Dielheim is named for:

Of the Saint Cyriacus who, together with Saints Largus and Smaragdus and others (of whom Crescentianus, Memmia and Juliana are mentioned in the Roman Martyrology), is venerated on 8 August, all that is known with certainty, apart from their names and the fact of their martyrdom, is that they were buried at the seventh milestone of the Via Ostiensis on that date.^[3]
However, legend has it that Cyriacus was a Roman nobleman who converted to Christianity as an adult and, renouncing his material wealth, gave it away to the poor. He spent the rest of his life ministering to the slaves who worked in the Baths of Diocletian. Under the reign of Western Roman Emperor Maximian, co-emperor with Diocletian, Cyriacus was tortured and put to death, beheaded in 303 on the Via Salaria, where he was subsequently buried. With him were martyred his companions Largus and Smaragdus, and twenty others, including Crescentianus, Sergius, Secundus, Alban, Victorianus, Faustinus, Felix, Sylvanus, and four women: Memmia, Juliana, Cyriacides, and Donata.^[4]
Saint Cyriacus is credited with exorcizing demons from two girls. The first was Artemisia (or Artemia), the daughter of Emperor Diocletian, which resulted in both Artemisia and her mother Saint Serena converting to Christianity. The second was Jobias, the daughter of Shapur II of Persia (reigned 241-272), which led to the conversion of the King's entire household. He was bishop of Acona, Italy.

one of the doors of the church

St Cyriak

We wandered around the St. Cyriak Catholic church, the Rathaus, a playground, a Fahrschule full of high school age students watching a dvd on driving (at 8pm on a summer night, wow!). I noticed a poster at the church advertising a summer organ concert series on Tues and Saturday nights. I hope to take David tonight. We hear the bells of St Cyriak church ringing off and on all day long. (Later...Well, I didn't pay close attention to the organ concert poster, the concerts are at St Blasien church, not here in Dielheim. We discovered this this evening when we walked over to the church).

The house on one side of us seems to have two families living in it, a German speaking woman on the ground level and a middle aged Russian couple on the upper floor. We notice the Russian couple cooking on the balcony. Roland and Jocelyn think that this is their kitchen. The scents of their cooking are spicy and intriguing.

Normandie!

Chateau d' Martragny

Roland and I packed the van with tent, sleeping bags, mattresses, stove, table the night before our trip to Normandy (Tuesday July 26). On the morning of the 27th we loaded up pillows, food, backpacks and small suitcases. "We" includes Jocelyn, David, Wesley, Tommy, Anna and me. We were packed to the gills! It was the maiden voyage for the new camping gear that Jocie and Roland bought in the states.

Our drive time was 9.5 hours, from Dielheim to campsite at Chateau d' Martragny (near Bayeux). It was 6:40pm at our arrival and the reception office was still open, so was the small shop. I bought a few items for dinner, two cans of Heinz 57 beans, a can of fruit cocktail, a bottle of local red wine (very good, and only 5 euro) and a baguette. We added in the food we had brought along. Still, it felt like a skimpy meal. A real grocery store was yet to be found.

The tent went up in no time, mattresses inflated and sleeping bags spread out. We lit a small lantern with a bug deterrent candle and enjoyed the rest of the evening exploring our lovely campground. It was like camping in someone's garden, lovely grass, potted flowers, cooing doves, soccer match going on in the big grassy lawn nearby. It stayed light until after 10pm!  

our camping pitch

Next day we drove into Bayeux to see the tapestry. The tapestry is exhibited in a former seminary. It used to be kept in the Bayeux Cathedral (for 800 years) and only brought out on special occasions. It has been a goal of mine to see this tapestry up close for several years, and it was beyond my expectations. The stitching was still fresh in color, plump in texture. The designs were astounding in the way space and perspective were dealt with. I was struck by the many sewn in linen patches as well as the fineness of the creamy linen. The audio guide (free) was very well paced and gave me new, interesting information about the story line of Harold and William. This true story would make a good tv drama. There are unexplainable and funny little images of naked people here and there as well. These are not explained in the audio guide.

Bayeux Cathedral

After spending approximately 1.5 hours in the museum, we explored the town, the cathedral, the broderie-bayeux and found a spot to sit down for a relatively affordable crepe lunch. After lunch we walked through the main street, stopped into an Apothecary for some heel cream and essential oil. On the way back to the car (parked for 2 euros, the sign said 2 hour parking, but the ticket actually gave us 4 hours) we stopped for photos by the canal. I spotted a Dentelle (lace) shop with students learning to make lace. I took a few photos there of the students working on their projects.

lace making

On our way back to our camp we stopped at a large grocery store for supplies. Now we could have affordable food and drink! (Jocelyn and I had spent 15 euros each at the camp store, me for dinner, her for breakfast, and the prices were deplorable!) Now our food totalled 60 euros and would supply us for 6 meals, with leftovers for the trip home.

aubergines

The second day of our Normandy trip was spent exploring the coastline from Juno Beach (Colvelle sur Mer) to Pointe du Hoc. We spend time exploring Juno, Omaha, the Normandy American Cemetery and Pointe du Hoc. There were several other places to see, such as the Omaha museum, the Arromanches site (where the British landed) but we limited our stops. Each stop took 30 min to 2 hours. It was a warm, sunny day. We all got a bit of color on our skin. To be at the sites where soldiers valiantly fought for freedom seventy years ago, and many gave their lives, was deeply sobering. The crater ridden Pointe du Hoc, with its cliffs and views of Omaha Beach and Utah Beach was a raw reminder that seventy years ago is a blink of an eye.

Pointe du Hoc

We managed to break camp and depart at noon on Saturday. Our trip home took us around Paris, on the southern periphery road. I took photos of the Eiffel Tower and La Defense as we circled the city. The countryside of France is beautiful, fertile, and the harvesting was in full swing. We used the toll roads (which cost 50 euros each direction). Driving toll roads is a peaceful experience. There are  few on/off ramps, light traffic, not many trucks,  and well equipped rest stops along the way. I realized by comparison that driving regular freeways are agitating due to the frequent mergings and exitings of cars traveling at various speeds.

Paris...and the Eiffel Tower

We arrived home safe and sound at 10 pm. We were beat! Jocelyn was coming down with a sore throat.

Sunday was spent relaxing at home. David and Roland took a 10 mile bike ride through the countryside (getting a bit lost in the process). Jocelyn and I took a walk up the walking path behind their home, into the pear and apple orchards and grain fields in the evening before dusk. It is dark here at 9pm.