Travel Weekend to Beaujolais and Pérouges

 Every time we go on vacation, I think "this time, I will take tons of photos," but I have yet to have a vacation where I took thousands of photos. Even this one.  There are a few reasons for this.

First, I often forget to take photos.  I am enjoying the moment, and don't think about taking out the camera until after we have left.

Second, I often want to just relish the moment, and not involve the camera in something that I feel is precious.  Sometimes, the camera can ruin a moment by trying to capture it.  Some images are better locked up in our memories.

Third, I often feel like so many people have already taken the same photo that I am thinking about taking.  I think of all the millions of photos of the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre pyramid, and wonder if it will even matter that I took a photo there.  Will anyone actually care?  Will I care that I took this photo?  Often I try really hard to take a slightly different photo than what someone else would have taken, to help make it more significant to me.

Then sometimes, I think I took a lot of photos, but when I go back to look at them, I didn't take nearly as many as I had remembered.  That is what happened on this weekend trip.  I was overcome with the gorgeousness of this little medieval city, and thought I had snapped loads of photos, but when we got back to Lyon, and I actually looked through them, I had only taken about 30.  So, here is a snapshot of what Pérouges looks like.

My new goal for this weekend's trip to the Alps is to take a whole boat-load of pretty photos for you.  Fresh, gorgeous and snow-tipped, just for you lovely folks (probably with a few adorable pictures of Fox thrown in)!

Pérouge: A medieval city dating back to the 12th century

the view from the city wall

 there were tiny shops everywhere selling souvenirs.  Almost all of them had gorgeous red flowers out in front of them and in the windows.  

Beaujolais:  Wine Country 

 We went to a wine-tasting at a vineyard and chateau (Adam and I don't drink, so we didn't try any, but the lighting in the underground tasting room was incredible and Adam and I had a great time taking photos of the glasses, wines being poured, demonstrations and food).  

I have never had any interest in drinking, but it was fascinating to hear the wine maker talk about how he 'raises' grapes to make into wine, how he never cleans the mold off the ceiling in the vat storage room because it helps give flavor to the wine, and all the different techniques and storage containers that are carefully and intentionally purchased, cleaned and regulated to produce the best possible wine.  I had a whole new respect for this man's deep love of his craft. There was something really moving about this man's dedication to making an incredible product to sell.