Starbuck & Jams

Eric started his Starbuck's cups collection a few years ago. He is now the happy owner of a Strasbourg cup!

After KC, Portland, and Gdańsk, here is Strasbourg!

Coffee, anyone?

Amazed at how many types of jams Bonne Maman makes.
Had to bring a few flavors home that cannot be found in the States.

75th Birthday

Mamy celebrated her 75th birthday on September 23. We looked at old photographs. Opened up presents. And walked downtown to eat at Au Cerf d'Or. My last day in France before flying back home.

Yeah for pictures!

Mamy as a little girl growing up in Paris and Reims

Meeting Francis in Majorca and getting married

Presents time: lots of tea, cups, scarf, theater tickets, and other goodies

Mamy chose this restaurant by the old hospital

Soup & fish for lunch.

Last walk downtown Strasbourg before going back to the States

Finished this memorable day with dinner
at aunt Christine's

Family

Sunday, Mamy took us to the Oberjaegerhof to celebrate her birthday.

Chin, chin!

The wild boar watched over us as we were waiting for
our Alsatian meals (Flammekuchen, sauerkraut, etc.)

Happy birthday, maman!

Speatzele and entrecote for the birthday girl

Loved the restaurant decor

Delicious food and pretty surroundings

Family photo time

We're together!

Digestive walk in the woods

Colmar

Second stop: Colmar to visit my brother Jean and his family.

Welcome to Colmar!

What beautiful buildings to get to their apartment

Olga, Mamy, Jean

les trois galopins : Gabriel, Nicolas, Léon

Bye Colmar! See you next time!

Mulhouse

Saturday, September 21, we hopped on the regional train to visit my brothers. First stop: Mulhouse.

Ready or not, here we come!
Did we invite ourselves? Yes, pretty much!

We picked up Chloé and Gaël at their school.
Yes, French students go to school on Saturday mornings!

In front of the new house

Chloé is taller than Mamy at 14!

Thank you Gilles for driving us to Colmar
as our train had issues (the joys of SNCF)

BFF

I cannot tell you how much I love these ladies. Each time we see each other, it's like I never left. Best friends forever.

I have known Viviane since high school

Coco, Annick, Anne-Catherine from college

Fancy lunch at Les Innocents

La Petite France with Anne-Catherine

Bredele

Mamy always sends us bredele (alsatian Christmas cookies). This time around, we made a couple of recipes together. However, her favorite son-in-law insisted that she still sends a box full for Christmas!

Bredele baker: ready, set, go!

The Hansi tin box survived the trip and very few were broken.
That gave us an excuse to eat some as soon I got home!

More Shopping

French markets are something to experience. Mamy goes shopping there on Tuesday and/or Saturday as she finds the best produces.

Welcome to Neudorf's market!

fresh vegetables

fruit galore

meat, meat, meat!

fish & seafood

last but not least, bread!

Shopping

Alex and Sophie gave me a list of French & German goodies to bring back home.

Hi there! We're in Germany (about 20 mn away by tram).

Kehl across the Rhine River is where we go shopping
for chocolate and candy!

House

This is the house where I grew up.

Trip back to memory lane

Trip

Surprise trip to Strasbourg to spend a few days with my mom and celebrate her birthday milestone. Traveling all by myself by plane, train, tram (but no automobile) on September 14-15.

Left Saturday afternoon to arrive Sunday afternoon in France

Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of the "surprise" entrance into the house. My brother Gilles picked me up at the train station. Jean was there too with 3-year old Léon. My nephew saw me arrive from the balcony, as he was patiently waiting for uncle Gilles. Mamy saw Gilles pull my big suitcase and then saw me behind him. So Mamy had about a minute to regain her composure as I walked in the door. She said that she had a dream a couple of nights before where she clearly saw me come to see her. So glad I could surprise her a little!

Family Day

Happy Family Day!  Can you believe another year has already passed?  We have had many adventures these past 11 years and cannot wait to experience more.

What a charmer!

September 2008

August 2019