Good French Things

I am feeling a little guilty about my last post since it was so critical. There were several great things about France. The first thing that comes to mind is the food, which was fabulous. Our first dinner might be the best meal I have ever had, and my wife's dish was equally as good. Even the kids meals were special, with my son having a lamb dish and my daughter having fillet mignon. At another restaurant, we noticed that about half the people were speaking Spanish. We were told by a waiter that many people drive hours just for their desserts.

The cities were also beautiful. We walked the historic section of Montipellar and were able to walk along the original walls of the city that had been created centuries earlier. Around many corners there were intricate sculptures and meticulously manicured gardens. We also were able to visit a French fortress near the Spanish border and walk through the garretts. It seemed impossible that anyone could break through the defenses with anything short of a modern tank.

The French also love dogs. We were traveling with our Shihtzu, and the dog was welcome everywhere. From staying with us at the fancy chateau to joining us for gourmet meals, the dog was our constant companion. At the restaurants they would even bring over a bowl of water for under the table.

We met one very nice 25 year old, Alex, along the way. My wife started talking to him in French and he was very friendly. We were both looking for a Chinese restaurant and we ended up joining each other for a meal. It turns out he was a Canadian from Montreal, and he was taking a year to bum around Europe. We gave him our address in Sant Cugat so we may see him again.