Excursion to Hotel Dieu, Beaune, in the Burgundy Region of France

I’ve lived in four countries and visited nearly fifty others. In all my travels, nothing has impressed me the way the Hospices de Beaune, also known at the Hotel Dieu, did.

In the mid-1400s, when Burgundy was ruled by Duke Philip the Good, Nicolas Rolin, the Duke’s Chancellor, and his wife, Guigone de Salins, created a magnificent hospital for the poor. It is one of the finest examples of human kindness I have ever seen, all the more remarkable because it was started nearly 600 years ago. It has a history in which the very wealthy recognized that poor people are also human and should be treated respectfully and lovingly. The Hotel Dieu, nicknamed 'Palace of the Poor,' was endowed with vineyards and salt works to help it become self-sufficient. It functioned as a hospital until 1971 and is now a nursing home. Over the centuries the hospital's land holdings grew to 152 acres of vineyards in Burgundy, one of the finest wine regions in the world.

Their annual wine auction is one of the world’s most famous charity events, with proceeds going towards the purchase of modern medical equipment and improvements, to “reach out to those who live on the margins of our society.” The next wine auction will be on Sunday, November 15, 2009 if you wish to participate.

Here’s to you, Nicolas Rolin, Guigone de Salins, the Sisters of the Hospices de Beaune and all those who have carried on their good work over the past 600 years! You have created a place and philosophy of beauty that remains remarkable–and inspiring–in our world today.

The old part of the hospital is now a museum. The beds have been restored and it is clear to see the humanity in the beauty and the design of the old wards.

Each bed has beautiful red drapes and blankets to keep the patients warm, a shelf for the patient’s belongings, a bedside table and a bedside chair for visitors.

The kitchen.

The museum has a priceless collection of old tapestries on display.

I highly recommend going out of your way to visit this serene and inspiring place. It is open every day. It can change your life.

Early Snow!

An early snow and cold winds have dusted the Alps.

Excursion to Bad Gastein, Austria

In the heart of Austria, perched on two mountains and straddling a waterfall is Bad Gastein. Known for it’s radon waters and caves, travelers have come here for centuries for “the cures.” Grand old hotels stand side-by-side, often blocking each other’s views. No matter as today, sadly, many are deserted.

The Gasteiner Ache divides the town in two.

Charming Austrian architecture.

I took an easy stroll along the Kaiser Wilhelm Promenade...

...enjoying lovely views of the Gastein Valley to the village of Bad Hofgastein...

...through a pine forest...

...passing shingled mushrooms...

... a glorious old tree stump...

...moss-covered roots that make my heart sing...

...white ferns...

...miniature moss gardens...

...on rocky walls....These are Nature’s scenes that enchant me more than any other.

Then past a pretty home, its balconies overflowing with voluptuous geraniums.

Approaching Hotel Grüner Baum...

...with its tiny chapel.

Note the exquisite craftsmanship on this latch.

Love this rustic Austrian Alpine architecture at the Grüner Baum Hotel.

Can you tell the time on this fabulous sundial?

Time to go back!

Just look at the colors on this tree! Yellow, chartreuse, green, orange, silver, brown, gray....

I saw several of these birds darting about the pine forest but none seemed to want its portrait taken. So I stopped by a feeder and, sure enough, in time one paused long enough to take this blurry, long range snapshot.

Ah ha! It must be an Eichelhäher! Gorgeous!

Unusual Cars

This car was part of an art exhibit and I’m so sorry I didn’t write down the name of the artist. I didn’t know I’d ever start a blog then. At any rate, it’s very distinctive, isn’t it?

This old Citroen (Ugly Duckling) with its cowhide paint and flower box is my favorite:

This one would be fun to paint:

And if you need to park on the street in Vienna, here’s your car! Three wheels, holds one person.

OOOPS! Wrong Turn at the Spa!

Austria’s spas are famous for their relaxing and therapeutic properties. About 45 minutes southwest of Vienna, a new spa—Linsberg Asia—opened last year and I’ve been wanting to see an Austrian interpretation of an Asian theme. We had a couple of friends visiting this week and while he went to a conference, she and I went to the spa.

She had not brought a bathing suit to Austria but the spa shop had several for sale and while my friend was trying on suits, I took a couple of photos of the entry area. I liked the suspended bamboo:

And thought the intricately carved panels from the Orient fit Vienna beautifully:

She bought a swim suit, we changed and when we entered the spa area we saw an elevator and next to it a beautifully-designed corridor with black slate stepping stones on white gravel and a circle of gilded columns. We decided to continue walking through the corridor, since it was so appealing and seemed to be the right way to go. As we walked outside, I noticed a topless woman (“That’s Europe,” I thought to myself.) Then I noticed she wasn’t just topless, she was naked. As we walked around, everyone looked topless...no...naked...stark naked...everyone... everywhere we looked. My brain started digging—no, there was no mention of this on the internet (and their website is in English).

I was embarrassed that my friend might be embarrassed or think I brought her here intentionally without telling her. We started feeling very uncomfortable at first for the bare skin in front of us and then because our bathing suits seemed so out of place in the middle of 200 birthday suits.

“I could have saved the 30 Euros I spent on this bikini,” she joked. We fell into two lounge chairs laughing so hard, the tears were rolling down our cheeks. Then we realized we shouldn’t laugh because someone might think we are making fun of them. Stifling the laughter became unbearable then impossible.

Thoughts: Why didn’t they tell us when we checked in that they have a textile-free policy? That you would not need to buy a bathing suit? Their website said they have eight pools but there are only two here. Do you think they are counting the hot tubs as pools? There has got to be more to this place than meets the eye. (Ooooh!) Just then we looked up and saw table umbrellas at the top of a hill. Ah ha! We returned to the elevators, pushed the up button, and found (ta-dah!) more pools and less skin.

Lesson learned: Ask for a tour on your first visit to a spa!

Sorry, the camera was in the locker so there are no photos of our European Adventure in Wonderland. You’ll just have to take my word for it.

Stadtpark in Early Autumn

Let's take a stroll through Vienna's Stadtpark. It's lovely this time of year.