First shots of H1N1 vaccine

a short promenade after the vaccine

^

We all know about this new influenza virus H1N1 that is spreading lately and infected some people to various countries. Well, two weeks ago we received a letter from the Health Department here informing that our two girls have to be vaccinated at the specified clinic without rendez-vous, so last Thursday we were at the clinic. Dozens of children and adults alike were in the room waiting to be called. Actually, it's a nationwide vaccine sponsored by the government and as I've seen in the TV no need to be surprised about the waiting thing. So in time of our turn to present the letter, we were asked also if we would like to have ourselves (MK and I) to be vaccinated that day. We sat for a while to think and reading its side effects. I told MK, now that we are here why not take the chance. So the four of us got the first vaccine of H1N1 and we are set to come back in the next few weeks for the second vaccine.

I felt the side effect on the following day so as with MK, felt very tired and really wanted to rest. That's all and after couple of hours it was gone. For the girls, it seemed they did not feel the side effect because they were all well and playing the next day.

Bon, now at least we are done.

Just a little update...

La grande's passport

It's been a while since I did not write updates of my visit to Phils. The reason I did not write because I am crazy playing games in Facebook everyday. What a life! I got my temporary residence card last August but it's only good for 3 months. I was scheduled to visit Cebu last September with la grande, we even produced her own passport (passport here is free anyway). Plan was changed rapidly. Actually, we have postponed all our trips this year, to Phils, to Poland and even to Barcelona. Instead, I chose to visit Cebu next year as soon as I obtain my new res. card and I will stay there for couple of months. I have a little project to do there that I really need to do it myself.

To Poland it would be this coming Christmas, but MK insist that it would be very cold there that we can not go on tourism. I don't think twice to agree with him because he is right and I really like to visit some of the historical places there, especially MK's father and relatives live in Warsaw. He is also considering to go there by car, so we can cross Switzerland and perhaps Germany too. To be exact that is 24 hours of non-stop drive. It would be a pain in the ass. His counsin Krzyzstof and family was here in Grenoble last summer via car so we know how long to get there. I doubt, we have babies with us so it would take probably 30 hours to reach there. Ahh what a trip! Target visit is next year summer.

Anyway, MK knows how eager I am to go to Cebu, so he wants to treat me to Paris next month with la grande. Ah, he owed me a lunch date last year at the Eiffel tower restaurant (a reserve restaurant) and we missed to visit couple of castles nearby Paris or else Disneyland will do.

On vera. (we will see)

Château Fort

the Keep behind us

A bit of history about the castle. It was besieged in 778 by Charlemagne (King of Franks), it became the residence of the Counts of Bigorre in the 11th and 12th centuries. In the 13th century, it passed into the possession of the Counts of Champagne before coming under the crown of France under Philippe le Bel. It was ceded to the English by the Treay of Brétigny in 1360, before returning to France at the start of the 15th century after two sieges. In the 17th century, the castle became a royal prison, and a state prison after the French Revolution, continuing in this role until the start of the 20th century when it became the Pyrenean Museum (Musée Pyrénéen) (1921) which it remains. It is the largest museum of popular arts and traditions in the Pyrennes (a range of mountains in soutwest Europe that form a natural border between France and Spain).

The castle has the Pyrenean museum inside as mentioned, displays of rooms, medieval costumes, furnitures, and other exhibitions of tools, but I never saw the medieval weapons displayed because it was pulled out during the Napoleon times some if not all the castles in France.

figurine cavalier: my souvenir and my collection

more photos in my Facebook.

Oh Lourdes

the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception



at the grotto crowded with devotees

We just visited Lourdes three days ago for two days. It was crowded then with thousands of people than we've expected and also the reason why we planned to visit there on October because we thought only few tourists would be around. We were wrong. Anyway, we have a wonderful time in Lourdes especially at the grotto where we able to touch the rock with its flowing water from the mountain, me however, I pervently pray for good health for my little kids and hubby. C'est tout! Monday morning we were able to attend the mass at the grotto despite of the constant rain. Everyone got an umbrella except us because we forgot to check the weather forecast on the area and so never thought of bringing an umbrella. Anyhow, the two Italian women offered their umbrella for Blanche for the entire mass, we were standing then as crowds of the well and the sick people attending the mass in front of us. After the mass, the two Italian women insist to give their umbrella to us for Blanche, I tried to understand what they mean by their gestures and I nooded several times of their offer. They always insist for Bambina italian word for little girl. MK refused and so we were all wet until we went to the car couple of hundreds of meters from the church to rest and wait for the rain to stop so we can visit the Château Fort after.

While waiting for the rain to stop MK started to get water as we have some gallons of 5 liter bottle to fill in. Luckily, at noon time, the rain began to subside and we were having our lunch at the Vietnamese restaurant just next to the castle. After lunch, Blanche is already asleep and I have to get the pushcart back to the parking lot near the grotto. Well, enough time for me when I come back at the restaurant it would be 14h and the Castle will be opened as I thought. Lourdes is like a mini Cannes, it is slopy but more on mountains on both sides. While going back to the restaurant where MK and Blanche were waiting, I passed an old woman in her 70's or 80's in the street, walking very slowly and she called me if I could help her because she said her bag is heavy. I said sure, and when I put her bag on my shoulder I feel nothing, almot nothing is inside the bag. Anyway, I told her to put her left hand in my arms and then we walked towards the intersection. She talked a lot that she works in the handicap, her feet are broken that's why she walk very slow and she asked me where I come from. I said I live in LGM and I am from Phils in origin. Further, I told her that it's my second time in Lourdes. And she said, she is a native there. After walking of less than 50 meters, she told me the direction going to Château Fort that I should go to the left (I knew it), she goes to the right heading to the Church and before we said goodbye, she thanked me a lot for helping her and her last word before I go she said, I will pray for you. And I thank her too and told her to take care of herself.

I started to walk towards the restaurant and I felt very light inside, I felt I was re-born again. I turn my head to look at her behind me but I could not see her anymore as the streets are flooded with tourists/devotees.

At the restaurant, MK told me if I got lost in the street, I told him I didn't find the shortcut way plus I helped an old woman in the street. Anyway, we headed to the castle. That would be my next blog.

Le Palais des Papes

miniature of the palace

I'm glad we made it to visit the Palais des Papes or Pope's Palace in Avignon yesterday. It's just an hour and a half drive from home and it's like a rule for me that whenever MK takes his vacation leave, I instantly think of a place to visit. In mind, I always like to visit castles, cathedrals and the likes. This is it.

façade of the palace

Palais des Papes was built in 1334. It is one of the largest and most important medieval gothic buildings in Europe. It was some time in the early 13th century where there was a chaos in Rome after election of the popes and that to avoid the chaos, the elected Pope moved to Avignon (Avi-nyon) since then Avignon became the residence of the Popes.

the Grand Chapel where the popes worshipped

The popes left Avignon in 1377, returning to Rome. Some years later, the building remained in the hands of the antipapal forces -- it was besieged from 1410 to 1411, but was returned to the authority of papal legates in 1433.

The building was seized and sacked by the revolutionary forces during the French Revolution and in 1791, it became the scene of a massacre of counter-revolutionaries, whose bodies were thrown into the Tour des Latrines in the palace.

Centuries passed, the palace was taken over by the Napoleonic French state for use as a military barracks and prison. Later the palace was further destroyed during the military occupation and the rest is history.

It became a national museum in 1906 and still in constant restoration ever since.

Next visit: Château Fort in Lourdes.