Travel another way

Congratulation to the Spanish winner of the 2008 Tour de France!  It took him 87 hours 52 minutes and 57 seconds to accomplish the 2, 211 mile race in 21 stages. His team also comes first in the team ranking. Can you believe there is not even one minute difference between first place and second place on such a long race!

The first American arrives in 5th place (Vandevelde), the first Frenchman in 14th place (Casar) and the first Belgian is 23rd (Monfort). I know some fans who cannot wait for the next 2009 Tour!

The Tour de France has reached its 17th stage and the Spansih Carlos Sastre is wearing the yellow jersey. And let me tell you that to arrive first at the Alpe d’Huez, you must sweat !!!

The 210.5 km itinerary (over 130 miles) that separates Embrun from l’Alpe d’Huez, the famous ski resort, is a killer. It is a continuous up and down road where you have to reach many high altitudes passes and peaks. Leaving Embrun at 2988 ft, they first had to reach  the Galibier peak at 8678 ft; then race back down to Saint Julie at 2198 ft to climb back up to 6781ft at the Col de la Croix de Fer pass. Then, after another dive at 2483 ft, they finally reach the prestigious ski resort at 5512 ft. How long would it take you ? Me ? … just could never make it without a heart attack !!!!

But it took Sastre 6 hours 7 minutes and 58 seconds. Even on a flat distance I will refuse to stand on a bike for that stretch of time!!!! Even pulled by a truck … or a horse… or whatever !!! And that’s why the Tour de France is a couch sports for most of us, isn’t that right, Margaret!

Only 4 more stages to go and it will be the Grand Finale on the Champs Elysees in Paris !

Today is the 8th day of the Tour de France!

I’ve just got back from France and I can tell you the attraction for the Tour is still great in the country. Even though I love the event because it brings back memories of hours spent in the heat with my parents or friends, frying in the July sun after a picnic of cantaloupe, saucisson, cheese and bread, I personally cannot understand how people can spend a whole afternoon watching cyclists racing on TV. But I must admit it: it is addictive.

I joined my father for a while and after the second day, I couldn’t wait to know who was wearing the yellow jersey, the polka dot one or the green one. I felt I was accepted in this weird cult where only a few know the meaning of all the different colored jerseys, the names of all the teams and the nationality of any racer (all the little flags next to their names helped a lot). My father allowed me (I had to promise to put it back where “it belonged every day” ) to look up in his precious guide pulled from a local newspaper , I which I could be initiated to the keys of the race.

I’ll let you know more about it soon, but today I must tell you that the day stage of the Tour will end in Toulouse, where I was a few days ago. And you could already see road sign about parking restrictions, cleaning trucks were working their best to turn the “Route d’ Albi” into a kind of Elysian Fields for Saturday’s event.

But more than the race itself, people are mainly looking forward to seeing the Tour de France Trailer: it lasts for a good couple of hours before the race arrives . Big companies such as Michelin, Perrier, Orangina, etc … have floats that drive by with people sending samples and gifts (tee-shirts, hats,…).

That’s the main reason why my nieces Lea and Lucie will be standing there, safely behind the fence, hoping to grab some of the precious Tour de France souvenirs! The race itself will only be a secondary joy for all the kids on the side of the road!

Valerie

map  from http://www.letour.fr/2008/TDF/COURSE/us/le_parcours.html

Ingrid Betancourt, a politician with dual French-Colombian citizenship, was released last week in a Colombian military operation after she was held captive for six years in the jungle by FARC guerrillas. She is a Colombian-French politician, former senator and anti-corruption activist who was campaigning for Colombia’s presidency when she was captured in 2002.

In France, supporters had held vigils for years to urge her release. Even two French presidents, Chirac and Sarkozy, championed her cause. Her liberation has brought a lot of joy towards France. She came to France, where she grew up and her children live,  soon after her release.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office announced today that Betancourt will receive the Legion of Honor award at a Bastille Day ceremony July 14. She will speak at the National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament, on Wednesday.

I am thrilled for her and also for the 14 other hostages (three Americans and 11 Colombian policemen and soldiers) who were released at the same time.

Summer is here so it is time to eat light. French pic-nics are common. Here is the recipe for a cucumber salad.

Our chef Valerie, on the French Escapade trips to France, doesn’t do it exaclty like that but she uses yogurt and chives. I will have to ask her for that recipe but meanwhile, here is the simple one. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 large cucumber, sliced thin crosswise (about 2 cups)
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon dried dill

Preparation:

Peel and seed the cucumber(s). Cut it in thin slices. Place them in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Allow to drain for 30 minutes, then squeeze dry in a kitchen towel. Refrigerate until needed. Before serving, toss all the ingredients together and serve.

Makes 6 servings.