We gaan naar to Rijsel (Lille)

  Road trip to France!!!
 After two months of nothing by bikes and trains I expected to feel strange sitting in a car again. I guess 31 years of automoting is not easily forgotten. I almost wished that continental Europe drove on the left side so that it would feel new and exciting. It was too normal and comfortable feeling. The car didn't even feel that small (except for the fact that there really was no trunk). And the boys loved it; comfy chairs, good views, snacks. We had planned to take the train but it was actually cheaper to rent a car for 3 days. Come on, Europe! If you can't make private transportation unappealing what chance have we got?

Grant and Caroline- the most adorable
couple you will ever meet

Anywho...this past week, after several we're coming/we're not coming emails, we met up with our friends Grant and Caroline in her hometown of Lille, France. Lille, or Rijsel as the Dutch call it, is a pretty sizable city about 3 hours south of Leiden, through Belgium. Grant and Caroline, who we met at Gettysburg, live in South Carolina so it is not as if this was our only chance to see them but we were really interested to get a tour of Lille from a real Lillutian(?).
   Caroline's parents, Francoise and Jean-Pierre, graciously let us stay in their beautiful 1920s townhouse. They really spoiled us actually; three multi-course meals a day, champagne, brioche, metro tickets, and they gave us their own bedroom to sleep in. They dug out some toys for Leif and Klaus and even let them crawl over some obviously antique pieces of furniture. And we had only just met them! I've never experienced such excessive hospitality. It was somewhat humbling. I feel like, in comparison, I've been a bad host to anyone who has stayed with us.
 

We arrive on Sunday at about noon. Unfortunately, we had forgotten to remind Grant and Caroline that I am a pescatarian so, to be a good house guest, I had lamb for lunch. Tasted good I guess. After lunch we went for a bit of a walk around town with Francoise's dog, Condi. Leif got to walk to dog which was terribly cute but also a great way to keep him from his normal dawdling. It was a bit warm so we sat for a while under the trees of a metropark where Caroline helped Leif talk his way into a soccer game with two local kids. We walked home through the Jardin de Geants, a beautifully sculpted garden with a great mix of plants, 'giant' themed sculptures, and water features.
  Monday morning, after a somewhat successful night all sleeping in the same room, we walked around downtown a bit. We tried to tour one of the old churches but it was closed so instead we check out a French department store with a fancy tea shop. If you ever visit France look for a Mariage Freres tea. I am actually not real fond of flavored teas but these freres have definitely turned my head. They are super floral and strong.

   In the afternoon we took the metro back downtown with the intention to go to the zoo. Public transportation still seems like a carnival ride to Leif so it was no surprise that after the metro wet his appetite for safe thrills, he was drawn like a magnet to the small amusement park adjacent to the zoo.  Since everyone seemed to feel slightly guilty visiting the zoo we pretty readily gave in to Leif's request. While Caroline ran into friend after friend Leif and Klaus enjoyed a few tokens worth of ride. The best was the one where Leif and Kurt got to ride a carousel horse through beautifully manicured equestrian jumping course. See video. . 

 

Before we jumped back in the car on Tuesday, we made another try for the zoo. It was actually very cute and no one seemed to feel as guilty as we thought we would. We witnessed the boa constrictor's breakfast and a bit of a scuffle between two rhinos. It was a bit intense to watch although I'm sure we were not nearly as worried as the zebras that shared the same habitat. We had lunch at the zoo food bar where there was quite an extensive menu that included crab salad and beer and wine. Oh France! You are awesome! Then we bid a sad farewell to Grant and Caroline and promised to visit them sometime soon in South Carolina.
  It was a great little trip all around. It was great to see Grant and Caroline, to meet her wonderful parents, and to take a break from my bad Dutch and try to use my bad French. J'aime l'Europe!