The Innocents Abroad, 21st Century Version

The Innocents Abroad aka The New Pilgrims Progress by Mark Twain was published in 1867, after Twain accompanied a group of Americans to Europe and “the Holy Land.” Coincidentally, this itinerary was quite similar to our 9 month plan, starting in September 2023. I highly recommend reading the chapters on Paris; I was laughing out loud (this book is available as public domain so can be downloaded gratis).

Year one included Paris, Chamonix, India, Israel and San Sebastian and all posts are available.

Now my husband Andy and I are in year two. We are in Mexico City November and December, 2024 and will spend the winter in Saint Martin de Belleville, part of the Trois Vallees in the French Alps.

It continues to be quite a ride!

Read this (edited version 2)March comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb

Published by

Joan Taback Frankle

on

Attributed to British playwright John Fletcher (a contemporary of Shakespeare) in A Wife for a Month, published in 1647

Signs of spring in the valley of Chamonix Mont-Blanc (by Linda)

Hello and joyeux printemps from Chamonix Mont-Blanc. We have enjoyed the winter season and the beginning of spring in the French Alps but our time here is coming to a close. We return to the U.S. on Sunday and I will reveal our plans after I share what we have been up to these last few weeks.

And we woke up to snow this morning
Snow on forsythia today

This morning, Andy and I prepared to drive to one of our favorite areas in Chamonix: Les Grands Montets. There was new snow down in the valley. March was clearly mocking us because apparently, it was so windy at the top of the mountain that our local Brévent gondola was closed; however, there was no wind below. Two out of the three ski areas we frequent were closed. We took the day and are hoping to make Friday, our last ski day in the Alps, an Italian Alps ski day at Courmayeur.

There’s still snow on the mountain but it’s gone in the valley at dusk

Since George and Matthew visited, we have been busy hosting more friends and family. We loved visitors when we were in Paris and wanted to have the same hosting abilities here. And, bonus, all our guests are wonderful photographers.

Andy with his sister Jill
Our only snowboarding guest enjoys her crepe
Spring day at the ancient Roman city of Aosta, Italy with Linda & Tom
Traditional Savoy meal at Refuge du Montenvers, à Chamonix Mer de Glace

After a morning of rain in the valley, Linda finds a rainbow!

Paul, Lori, Joanie & Andy strike a pose on Brèvent
Chateau Branlant, Courmayeur, sipping warm Italian bombardino

Two of Paul’s stunning photographs

The gals at dinner
The guys at dinner

I feel very lucky and blessed to have had time to immerse in the cultures of both Paris and the French Alps. Parisians and Savoyard are very different in personality, their cuisine and their style. But it has all been wonderful and I will be sad to leave, not having to remember French etiquette I adopted such as bonjour, bonne journée and merci, au revoir. I will miss all that French bread: baguettes traditional, classic or avec cereal (seeded) and of course, flakey croissants and pain au chocolat made with delicious French butter. The cheeses of Savoy will be missed because I plan to eliminate cheese from my diet, having been on cheese overdrive since September.

Our next adventure awaits! I will join Andy in India on April 8 and will explore Gurugram and New Delhi while Andy conducts business. Thereafter we will have two weeks to explore India together. Stay tuned! After India, we will be back in the U.S. for a few special events: our annual weekend with Andy’s HBS section mates, Jessica and Josh’s wedding in Brooklyn and a family reunion with thirty plus relatives in Park City, Utah. What would Memorial Day Weekend be without Lake Hopatcong and the celebration of many, many Lake May birthdays, including Andy’s?

But wait, there’s more. Andy and I just registered to volunteer in Israel from May 27 until June 2 with Authentic Israel. We had hoped to spend time in Tel Aviv, immersing in modern Israeli life and culture but we will save that experience for another time. Since the October 7th attacks, volunteers have stepped in to help where needed. We would love any of you to join us. Am Yisrael Chai.

As I write this, the local church bells are ringing for Holy Thursday. Wishing all who celebrate, a Good Friday and a Happy Easter. Some say that in like a lion, out like a lamb is also a biblical reference to Jesus as a sacrificial lamb who will be resurrected as the Lion of Judah. But based on March in the French Alps, I agree with those who say the proverb is just about the weather!

A bronze sculpture in the center of Chamonix of the guide Balmat pointing to Mont-Blanc and naturalist Horace-Bénédict de Saussure (by Linda)

Au revoir Chamonix Mont-Blanc. À bientôt!

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