Yesterday we visited the remains of the Abbey of Cluny, and Beata turned 5!
Cluny was the head of a network of a hundred monasteries in its heyday. We’ve visited several medieval sites by now, including Mont St. Michel, which had been an Abby also, and is once again! Yay for the Communauté de Jérusalem taking up residence and praying there recently! Also, we’ve seen several cathedrals and castles, as well as the Musée du Moyen Âge in Paris, which is housed in a former medieval abby (confusingly also named Cluny, not sure why) built on the ruins of Roman baths. (That is us with my grad school mentor’s wife and daughters, whom we bumped into in the gift shop at the Musée du Moyen Âge, followed by Notre Dame de Paris and Mont St. Michel)
None of these quite prepared me for what I was NOT going to see at Cluny.
In the morning as we set out, prospects for merry sightseeing looked grim. Nathan and Kate were sick with colds; Nathan observed that his throat felt “on fire.” Morale was low all around. We managed a frugal picnic lunch in a outdoor amphitheater overlooked by a medieval tower, but we needed something more to make it through that Abby’s visite. Lunch was hardboiled quail eggs, which I found at the local big box supermarket. Aren’t they adorable?!? Everyone agreed that they are tasty, too.
I know they’re all smiling, but trust me, it was clear we were still dragging.
So, before entering the Abby of Cluny, we did something we’ve only done once before during this entire trip. We sat down in a cafe. We ordered a few light snacks, and in so doing spent twice or three times as much on a few shared items as we did on our grocery-store-sourced lunch and dinner combined. However, it was worth it. Clare had been wanting to try escargot.
And it was Beata’s birthday, so a little fruit tart, fries, and soft white cheese seemed appropriate.
Thus fortified, we bought our tickets and started touring Cluny. Much to my surprise, I learned that most of this former illustrious Abby is gone! It was turned into a rock quarry! We all agreed that this was tragic.
“Oh, were you looking for a giant, gorgeous, architecturally-groundbreaking monastic Abby church? We used most of it to build some houses and stuff.”
This was the former main aisle of the great church. Before all its stones were sold and removed. ?
They have recently reconstructed one wing (behind and to stage right of Beata and Cecilia, above) and I had a tip from a friend back home that this spot had great acoustics. We tested them out. Super hot! Check out that reverb! I’m sure the other tourists thought we were weirdos. (Oops, the video won’t upload. You’ll just have to imagine Nathan and I plainchanting Ave Maria while the camera wiggles around gaping at vaults and columns, as random other tourists walk by. The video quality was not improved by the fact that Cecilia was riding on my shoulders, so it’s probably for the best.)
After finishing the visite of the historic Abbey, we hit up the adjoining town’s shops for souvenirs and groceries. I had a cake to bake my birthday girl–in metric! It mostly turned out. She requested a candy castle with a path leading to it by way of decoration. We made do with a banana path (a maze!), and an aluminum foil castle I commissioned from Clare for one Euro. Plus the big girls’ souvenir castle dweller figurines. Pas mal, I think–not too bad. Beata seemed pleased enough with it.
Here’s a tip: if you meant to buy wrapping paper but you forgot, you can wrap your child’s present in a scarf and embellish with a souvenir ornament, and she’ll be cool with it.
Inside the scarf were dollar store activity books and Wikki sticks–good, clean fun for the car, plane, or times when the parents need a mini-coma/nap! At under $10 for the whole shebang, this was a frugal win. She was thrilled!
(Update: The Wikki Stix have been a huge hit with the whole family for the rest of the trip. They are super clean and tidy as far as creative media go, and I’m so grateful to my friend Susie C., who recommended them for travel play years ago.)
Overall, a great day. Except for one huge personal battle lost, with regrettable consequences. I shall detail that more later.
(Hint: it has to do with butter, and battling eating compulsions. Those who know me well will not be surprised.)
Anyway, I learned from it, hopefully! Always, and in everything, Deo gratias!