17- All Good Things Come to an End

Last week we all went to see the new Spiderman movie. What a nice theatre and comfy seats. I think we all liked it.

Can't tell if David is just enjoying the music and end credits, or is he mulling over the whole outcome.

 School vacation is coming to an end so we had a fun-filled weekend to top it off. Friday 4th, we went to 2 fun places. The first is called Palais Ideal du Facteur Cheval. It is located in Hauterives. The story has just been made into a movie which opens in France on Janvier 16, unfortunately, just after I leave.
 https://www.cineserie.com/movies/1365936/video/2235073/
http://www.facteurcheval.com/en/history/palace.html

April 1879. During one of his rounds, Ferdinand Cheval, rural postman, 43, stumbles against such an odd stone that it awakes a dream. 

the stumbling block

Real self-taught, he devotes 33 years of his life to build a dream palace in his garden alone.

His inspiration comes from nature, postcards and the very first illustrated magazines that he delivers.    

Can you find everyone? all 7 faces are there

During his daily country rounds of about 18 miles and with the help of this faithful wheelbarrow

he picks up stones. Alone, misunderstood, he writes down on his building “The work of one man”. His dream palace gets completed in 1912.         

He has a very interesting, but tragic life. The ideas and details are unbelievable. I'm sure you could visit again and again and again and see new things every time.

When we finished there, including a tour of the museum, we had to decide, because of time, where else to go. I chose "The Dancing Rocks" which are supposed to give an illusion of movement. It didn't sound like much, but at the end of the day, it was a big hit. When we drove in it just looked like some rocks scattered through the trees, but in the hands/minds of the Goulds it became a climbing park. We never did see the rocks move, but the people sure did.

What a great day we had! I suggested on the way home that we should have started earlier in vacation looking for fun day trips.

When we got back we had company for supper and then introduced them to Mexican train. They learned quickly.

Sunday 6th was Epiphany and after church we went to the Centaures  meet and greet at a partner bakery where everyone was lining up to buy their Galette des Roi. The 'beans' inside of the cakes were sometimes Centaure 'feves', and some of the players were there to sign autographs.

"The Galette des Rois isn't just any old cake. French families will mark the end of the festive season on Sunday by scoffing down a pastry fit for kings. Here's the story of the Galette des Rois - a tart that can make you feel like a king.

As with many festivals in France the French will mark the feast of the Epiphany on Sunday by eating.
Whereas Christmas and New Year's Eve is all about oysters and foie gras, January 6th is all about the Galette des Rois (King’s Cake).
So what is a Galette des Rois?

It’s basically a frangipane tart made with pastry, butter, ground almonds and a few extra ingredients that will stretch the already bursting waistline for one final time before the January dieting begins.Because the French love their culinary traditions and none more so than the Galette des Rois, which they scoff down on January 6^th each year to mark the feast of the Epiphany -- when the three kings (allegedly) turned up to give gifts to Baby Jesus.

The tradition of eating the cake dates back to the 14^th century. According to tradition the cake was to draw the kings to the Epiphany.

Interestingly during the French Revolution the name was changed to “Gâteau de l’egalité” because it wasn’t really the done thing to be a king at that time.

But it’s just a cake?

Ah but it isn’t. The Galette des Rois is not just about having a cup of tea and something sweet. There’s an age-old protocol that needs to be followed and it's all to do with the little charm that bakers hide inside the cake.

First of all the youngest child has to hide under the table and tell whoever is cutting the cake who should get which piece.

Whoever finds the charm, known as a “féve”, in their slice (as long as they don’t swallow it) gets to wear the crown that comes with the tart.

And then everyone just sits down and eats it. Normally with either cider or champagne."

I got one of the feves in my complimentary piece at the bakery and then with the galette we got for home, they agreed to let me have the Centaures feve. 

 Thus ended the 'week that was'. Tomorrow ( Jan. 7) is back to school and work.