31 May-Avignon to Arles

  We woke to rain this morning.  I packed and after breakfast John walked to the parking garage for the car and then parked in front.  I waited in the lobby and replied to some emails.  When it looked a bit clearer we ventured out for our trip to Arles. Meanwhile, we met this couple in the lobby about our age and they are riding bicycles throughout the area.  They are from San Francisco.  They were not too thrilled about the rain and I was really happy we are not doing that!  (not that we could)  Anyway, off to 
Arles, which went very well until we actually arrived in Arles--Of course we did not know where we were going and finally we stopped and I drove so John could navigate.  Sadly, this was not an improvement.  We asked directions a few times to no avail.  The problem with a map is you need to know where you are to get where you want to go.  Well after a tiff we finally found the hotel.  It was remarkable later when we discovered at the time we switched drivers we were about one block from the hotel!  A mere 45 minutes to an hour we found it!  Anyway, we can laugh now but it was not so funny at the time. 

   After the driving fiasco it was quite a relief to see the hotel!  The Le Calendal hotel is very nice, though small, it is right by the arena.  There is a lovely garden dining area but we decided not to eat here right then as we need some walking and air.  After checking into the hotel and John taking the car to the municipal parking garage, and walking back, we headed out to lunch.  We decided on the plat de jour, which we were only sure was lamb.  We were surprised to get three lamb chops and a mountain of french fries!  Again, we could not eat it all.  I believe the portions are becoming Americanized!  We got a half bottle of the house wine, which has Vincent VanGogh on the label.  I saved it for a souvenir.  Incidentally, the rain stopped when we arrived and we had a sunny day thereafter. 

   From there we went to the arena and purchased the pass we needed to go there and to a few other places in Arles, which we will do tomorrow.  We wanted to go to the TI but found it closed on Sunday at 3pm.  This will be our first stop tomorrow.  The arena is not as large as I thought it would be.  The one in Nimes is more impressive, of course the one in Rome is also.  We walked around inside and out and noted all the renovation taking place.  It is different than other renovations we have seen as they seem to actually be replacing stones with new stones and sort of "renewing" the look of the place.  We can't decide if we like that look or not.  Anyway, we saw it.  The tiny figure peeking out from behind an arch is me (sharon).

   From there we did the last of our shopping or so John believes, and headed back to the hotel for a rest.  Later we ventured out for dinner and had another lovely meal.  Again, we met more people traveling with a Rick Steves guide book.  We felt as kindred spirits when they said they drove around for an hour to find their hotel once they arrived to Arles!   Our restaurant owner/operator stated that Rick Steves was here just a few weeks ago so we should keep our eyes open for him since others saw him in Florence.  It is light late and we have enjoyed the day but we are ready to sleep now.   

PS: For 30 May

   I forgot to mention that on our way back from Pont du Gard we stopped at Carre Four, this is something like a grocery/department type store, maybe the most like a Super Walmart.  Anyway, I wanted to stop there because they also have these stores in Brazil and I knew we could purchase some little things to eat or drink very inexpensively, which we did.  I will say we bought toothpaste at less than half the price of the pharmacy within the city walls of Avignon.  There were many choices for pre-made sandwiches or fresh fruits and vegetables.  We used our picnic set and had a nice little meal in the evening. 

   Our vehicle is Diesel and we need to return it full.  Diesel seems to cost a bit less than gasoline, which is US$7.00, yes you read that right. 

  

30 May-Avignon

   We had a beautiful day in John's words, of course I totally agree!  However, when we woke we had the strange realization that we lost a day!  Some how we thought we still had today to walk around and shop in Avignon and we were picking up the car tomorrow.  We quickly rearranged our schedule and had help from Sylvie to call the car rental agency to ask if they would hold our car until later because we wanted to wait until after 12 to pick it up.  Off we went to check a couple more places for fabric and kitchen accessories.  I found a few more gift and decided I definitely liked the fabrics and items they had at Le Lavandin "de tissues en Provence".  So after several more stops we arrived there and I began picking out all I need to completely redecorate my kitchen/dining/family room area.  Of course this mean we need the new tile put on the floor and new sofas; a complete remodel in this area that John just started with the enlargement of the entry into the kitchen area by the refrigerator.  Anyway, I am excited to have all the fabric, plus table clothes, napkins, and 2 sized of bread baskets or they are really items that can be used as other dry containers also.  You can see what I mean by this photo.  I had a wonderful time shopping and John was right there with me with the conversions from metric to inches so I will be sure of what I have.  The man in the shop was so sweet after our large purchase he gave me a free apron I had chosen and told me to pick one of the thick kitchen towels as a gift.  What a nice young man.  I told him we had visited his shop 9 years ago and I have been thinking about coming back for fabric and other things ever since!

  Alas we are done there and head back in the direction of the hotel.  Just a brief stop for some delicately scented soaps.  John is hungry so we stopped at a very touristy place on the square.  I noticed we are right next to a woman who sold Debra a painting 9 years ago!  I bought another of Pont Du Gard today.  We had a nice lunch, I am a bit embarrassed to say we had a hamburger and fries with a salad, but we did.  It was delicious.  Anyway, Deb I am 99.9% certain this is the same woman, don't you think so???         

   Back to the hotel to drop off our purchases and then off to the bus stop to the TGV station in Avignon.  When I was here before there was only one Train Station, the Centerville station or Avignon Centre Station.  Now there is a separate station for the high speed, TGV trains just out of town.  We rode the bus for E$1.20 each and arrived there and after two enquires found the rental agency.  We will not be having the tiny Ford Ka after all but an upgrade to this Citroen.  We don't mind because it has AC, it is still a manual transmission and that is what we booked.  

   Off to Pont du Gard!  When we arrived we decided to do the walk to the bridge first, this was probably a mistake.  However, we had a lovely walk across, under, and around the bridge.  What a relaxing and lovely place to visit.  We watched swimmers and kayakers enjoying the Gardon River flowing below the bridge.  To know this is entirely held together with absolutely NO mortar and has stood for over 2K years is amazing.  We think we are intelligent, and we are in many ways, but this is still and amazing feat.  By the time we returned to the museum area we were too late for the film and also in entering the museum.  John was not too disappointed and has stated when we come back to spend a week or two we will do it then.  John is the little speck on the right side of the photo.  The information we want to know we can probably find out on the Internet; such as when they built the walk along side of the Pont du Gard and how they managed to use the keystone in these arches and build this without mortar.  It is really amazing.  The oldest and largest Roman bridge/aqueduct in the world.  Incidentally, the one arch over the river is larger as you might notice, and it is the largest arch ever built in this style by the Romans.  This is an amazing place to visit and I hope each one of you can come here and enjoy it as we have one day.    

29 May-Avignon

   We slept in!  We did make it down for breakfast by 9:30am and out and about by 10:30am.  We decided to take the Rick Steves walking tour of Avignon after a stop at TI (Tourist Information).  They did not have the particular Michelin maps we wanted there so our first detour was to FNAC where we found what we wanted with just a little help.  We have the two suggested maps for driving in the area, so John is feeling very confident.  We shall see.  After that we began our tour for the day. 

   First we went to the Palace Square and on to the Musee du Petit Palais.  It was interesting but we have seen a lot of religious art so we didn't stay there too long.  It was a good thing too as they close at 1pm, though we could have returned later in the day, we did not.  I mainly wanted to see the Botticelli painting they had and we did that along with the 15-16 different rooms.  From there we walked up to the park at the top of the hill behind the Palace of the Popes, Parc des Rochers des Doms, for the panoramic views of the Rhone River and valley, the broken bridge, the city, St. Andres Fortress, limestone covered Mont Ventoux, and much more.  While in the park we stopped at a sweet, friendly cafe and had an "American" lunch of a hamburger, chips, salad, and a coke light.  It was simple and delicious, though it was not as fully cooked as we expect our hamburger to be.  Now off we go down the hill to walk part of the ramparts and head out to St. Benezet Bridge.  However, after the walk down the mountain and ramparts we decided another detour on the tourist train was in order.  This departed and returned to the same spot at the bridge so that would work out well for us.  The ride was somewhat interesting, but walking gives better views and photographs, and keeps one more in touch.  This little train was fine for resting the feet though!  Now we were off to the bridge and the English audio tour that was included in the price.  Again, we had lovely views and impressive breezes from the center of the river. 

   After that we headed on the walk back toward the Palace of the Popes.  We detoured again at two fabric stores with kitchen linens that I wanted to inspect.  I selected a few towels I liked but still have a couple more shops to look in before I make a decision.  Now we are off to the Palace as time is growing short.  The tour was interesting, again an audio tour in English so one can go at their own pace.  However, we are getting tired and there are hundreds of stairs so we are somewhat relieved when the tour is over.  Now we have new decisions to make, what to eat for dinner? 

   We stopped at our first choice in restaurants but they do not serve until 9pm.  On to the next choice of cafes near our hotel.  We don't want to back track and want to stay in the correct direction.  We chose a pizza cafe in the open air and made our selections.  This was a three course meal again, but the portions were huge and we could not possibly eat all the food ordered.  We could have easily shared one meal, live and learn.  As we ate another couple came and sat next to us.  They were from Australia and after talking we discovered we are staying in the same hotel.  We are somewhat refreshed after eating but certainly ready to go to bed. 

The Passion Pass:  You pick this little booklet up free at the TI office.  As you visit sites listed in the pass you receive discounts.  We saved around E$20. today with it.       

Our Hotel:  It is a lovely and quaint place.  The establishment owners could not be more gracious or caring.  Our room is spacious and we have WiFi and all other comforts.   However, the hotel is noted in the book to be "12 quiet rooms" (see rooms in photo) and while the rooms might be quiet outside our window is anything but-young people late and night and delivery trucks for the pub next door in the morning.  However, we do not regret our choice and suspect a room in the back would be perfect.  At least we have double windows to close and keep the sounds out, but we also like the fresh air.  I love the lavender scents everywhere!

 

28 May-Perpignan to Avignon

   Our train departed at 8:40am so René said we should allow 20 minutes, plus 20 minutes extra so we did leave their home just before 8am.  We were there in plenty of time and they came in with us and got us on the correct train and off we went.  This was bittersweet for me as of course I do not know if I will see them again or not, but Lord willing we will.  We had a wonderful time, we are so thankful to our cousins for welcoming us into their home. 

   Our first stop was Narbonne where we had a two hour lay over to catch the next train to Avignon.  During our wait we had a nice cappuccino and baguette with cheese.  We had a banana that Odette gave us to take on the train already.  The time passed fast as we watched people and trains come and go.  There was one sleeper train that came from Germany with many people dressed in motorcycle outfits.  In addition, at the end of their train they had approximately 200 motorcycles and 50 classic cars.  Of course we have no idea what they were really doing but we could speculate that it was some sort of rally or something.  John walked up and down the platforms looking at all the different vehicles.

   Our train was a couple minutes late but it was not a problem and we boarded and rode to our Avignon  destination uneventfully.  I dozed most of the way other than waking at each stop.  John read the Rick Steves Provence book.  It was a very short walk, maybe 10 minutes, to the Hotel Boquiers and we were cheerfully greeted by Madame Sendra.   I say "Madame" but she is young, 35-40, and energetic.  We have a spacious, lovely room, the "Lavender" room, and we feel very welcome here. It is nice since I feel rather sad to leave the cousins and a bit homesick too.  We rested the rest of the afternoon, posted the blog, and replied to emails.  About 6pm we headed out for a walk.  We wanted to go to the TI (tourist information) office and get a couple of things but they were closed.  We will venture there first thing in the morning to get the free "Passion pass" which gives discounts into various locations  after the first time you use it.  There was a similar "passport" in the Perpignan area but we did not take advantage of this in time to benefit from it.  From there we walked around for about an hour and then went to Le Caveau Du Theatre, the restaurant we had decided on for dinner.  We planned to eat outside but before we ordered we decided to move inside because of the wind.  It was a delightful three course meal; John had an avocado and ham starter, mine was artichoke and various pates.  Our plat was pork for John and duck for me, both served with potatoes.  Dessert was glace (ice cream), three kinds with a cookie and some pieces of fruit.  We had Cote de Rhone red wine with dinner and an aperitif also made locally with our dessert.  We are stuffed!  So we walked back and now we are ready for bed.         

   About the rail pass:  I find it strange that we have been on a train with three different legs of a journey and only the first time we were even asked for our ticket.  That time they only glanced at our ticket and did not fill in or punch the rail pass.  I guess this should not be of concern but I hope no one will look at it and think we tried to sneak though without using the ticket or something.  Of course I have read that there are stiff penalties for getting on a train without the proper documents.  Interesting, and I will ask Rick Steves office about this process later, after we are home. 

 

27 May Perpignan

    Ah, the mountain is in view this morning!  After a relaxing breakfast we were off to see the center area of Perpignan, I would say "old town" Perpignan.  There is one very old section of the city wall that remains, but that is all.  There is shop after shop of anything you could possibly want from salt to formal wear.  I did find what I was looking for, the Porro to bring home.  Then we walked all around the city looking in interesting shops.  My favorite shop was a kitchen, fabric, and garden shop.  It is the same shop where René and Odette got the fabric used on their patio area.  It is a very heavy cotton fabric, almost like canvas with any color combinations you can think of. I wanted to buy something  but I was overwhelmed with the choices!  I would love to bring a lot of things home from that shop, it were 3 or 4 levels of all sorts of things.  It would have taken hours to choose and then calculate US to metric system to know how much fabric was needed!  I will have more time in Avignon for this and that was my plan to begin with. 

   Today we were able to take our wonderful hosts to a restaurant of their choice.  Odette chose a delightful French Cafe where we had a delicious three course lunch.  Odette has promised she will not prepare and evening meal if we have a big meal for lunch.  We had Caprese type salad with mozzarella tomatoes basil and lettuce, pork (galtes de porco) with vegetables and rice, and creme Catalan for dessert.  All of this was delicious.  With it was the house wine Dom Brial brand!  There is a story behind the name of this wine.  The people who own the vineyards and winery do not carry the Brial name, nor are they related in any way.  However, they chose this name because about 15 generations ago there was a Brial who was a priest and became a famous historian in his time and was called Dom Brial.  They chose this name because it is a well-liked, respected person and good to sell the product.  Incidentally, the wine was also good!  After lunch entertainment was René and John helping fellow push a car to start it...I am ashamed I have no photo to show of this event!  Sadly they were not successful but it was fun to watch!   

   While eating we noticed posters for Byrrh (pronounced "Beer") hanging on the walls. We asked about this and of course after lunch we went to the nearby town of Thuir and toured the Byrrh Caves (cellars) and had another wine tasting.  They have a cast that holds over 1M liters!  Again, René did a wonderful  job of translating all important things for our benefit.  The wines they sell are more of an aperitif.  I hope the bottle we bought does not break when we bring it home!  It has an apricot fragrance and taste and can be consumed as it is or in champagne.  I forgot to ask in what proportion to use it with champagne but I will try to ask René later. 

   I probably have not mentioned that every village and town in Europe has a war memorial.  On these memorials they list the names of men who have died in war, any war.  The small village of 45 people where our Rick Steves guide now lives has a memorial with just one name, but the Europeans take the losses very seriously and have a great respect for the lives lost by both their own and other countries.  Anyway, I say this to tell you that as we left the Caves Byrrh there was a memorial with the name Joseph Louis Brial who died in WWI.  René does not know of this  Brial but he was certainly some relative.

   After leaving Thuir we went to see Odette's brother  and wife, they are also near by in Baixas.  They have a lovely home neighboring on vineyards and have a small olive orchard right in their yard.  You can see they grow giant asparagus!  I am just kidding, of course it is cactus but it very much resemble a giant asparagus!  They also have a yard full of pet turtles,which their delightful granddaughter showed me when we arrived.  What a kind and gracious couple.  We didn't stay long and then we returned  to pack our bags and think about the trip for tomorrow.  René was kind enough to confirm for us with the hotel in Avignon and also to make sure the train was indeed running again since apparently there had been some sort of strike. 

   Odette also prepared a "small" evening meal for us if foie gras, fig, salad and a delicious sweet wine sort of like sherry to drink in a small amount with the meal. It is now time for bed and thinking about all we have done for the last three days and the kindness of René and Odette is overwhelming.  We will leave with the hope that we will see them again one day.                        

26 May Perpignan, Collioure, Banyuls, etc.

  Another French breakfast (chocolate croissant no less!) and we were off for the day.  Our first stop was Collioure, which is another lovely village on the sea. The wind is blowing and the water is rough but very beautiful with all the white caps.  The village is famous for anchovies, culinary excellence, wine, and olive oil.  In addition, one can walk and see many things such as a chapel, fort, windmill, and much more.  They still use areas of the fort by the water to train the French military, the Navy I believe, as a lot of the young men were wearing wet suits and some others had camouflage clothing.  We had a nice walk around the town and around 12:30 we headed for Banyuls just a short distance away.    

   In Banyuls we had a lovely picnic and after that we walked down to the sea and across the entire beach and then back through the town.  We tried to find the kitchen type store where we bought things before but we could not.  Most stores there  close between 2 and 4 pm and open again after that.  This is the Spanish influence of the area.  We walked back to Annie and Xuxu's home and then prepared to leave.  It was perfect but we did miss Annie and Xuxu being there. 

   Now René took us on an adventure up to the top of the mountain on  narrow country roads.  Both Odette and I were a little worried a few times but we had amazing views of the sea, villages, and vineyards.  Of course René is an excellent driver. amazing. We were very close to one of the signaling stations at the top of the mountain but one had to walk the rest of the way and the wind was blowing very hard so we did not attempt this. 

   When we are down from the mountains we stop in yet another village I cannot recall the name of and we get oysters and langistino for dinner, we are still full from lunch but again, we eat.  I must say these were the most delicious oysters I have ever eaten!  Then we walked around the area of home and now it is time for sleep.  I could write much more but I am tired and not thinking too clearly.  We had a wonderful day.    

 

25 May - Perpignan

   The program for our day began at breakfast at 8:30 am.  We had a nice French breakfast with delicious coffee Odette made especially for us, as they drink tea.  I am not sure of the exact time we left for  Fortress of Salses but we first stopped for a moment at a medical supply sort of store to get some shoes for Germaine, as she took a fall again and they think she needed new shoes to prevent slipping.  After getting the shoes we went to the Fortress and took a tour.  The tour was in French but with the flyer in English and René translating some of it we had a very nice visit there.  John was as impressed as I hoped he would be.  The fortress was constructed in the late 15th century between France and Catalonia and stands today in wonder with original status in most parts.  It is an amazing place. 

  From there we returned to the home of René and Odette and had a delicious lunch, it was approximately 1-2pm.  We had appetizers of anchovies and bread, then noodles  with meatballs and sauce, and pear tart for dessert, then coffee and a chocolate too!  After lunch Odette took the purchased shoes to Germaine and René took us on another outing to Elne, the cloistered Roman Cathedral and castle built 4-5 centuries before Christ.  I believe I am stating this correctly that this was build by the Romans under The Great Constantine in honor of his mother Helene, later becoming Saint Helene, and shortened to Elne some time after that; it was the Great Constantine, who under the Romans first declared Christianity to be a legal religion.  René believes St. Helena in Napa County is also named after this same mother of Constantine the Great, which gives us another connection.  This was an extremely interesting visit, even having bones of someone excavated and on display.  Many of the marble carvings were still very well preserved, though some had  been partially destroyed during the Revolution.  Remember the people were so poor, depressed, angry, etc. that they even defaced churches that they felt were associated with the power of Kings or royalty.  It is amazing that there is as much remaining as there is.  After this visit we took a different route back and stopped to watch a glass blower in another small village.  Then back to their home.  Odette had not yet returned but she did shortly thereafter and another meal was prepared.  At least I am allowed to help a small amount so I don't feel too bad.  I think it is a lot of work for them to have us here but they are very gracious.  Gazpacho and quiche, plus a variety of desserts was the meal.  I marvel at Odette's garden; it is lovely and I have taken many photographs of it.  We can see it keeps both of them very busy to have it as lovely as it is.  René states he follows her instructions, we all laughed at this as John does the same.  I am missing home after being here and wondering how everyone is? 

   After dinner we drove to a nearby lake, actually three lakes, and took a walk around the man-made area.  It is very nice with picnic facilities and such.  One area allows fishing and boats without motors, one allows swimming, and the third does not allow anything because it is a sanctuary for birds.  It is nice to have this peaceful area so close to their home, what a lovely place to live.                   

24 May - Paris to Perpignan

   Away we went to the train station by 8 am.  We wanted to allow plenty of time and as it was it took us 45 minutes to get there.  We still had plenty of time since the train didn't leave until 9:25 am.  That is our train in the far, far background.  Our conductor spoke no English but the man of the couple in front of us did and he assured us we would not miss Perpignan as the train does not go past that stop.  Fortunately I thought to buy a sandwich and apple in the train station as there was no food service on the train due to a strike.  That was fine as we had a couple cherry tomatoes and some chips left from another time too.  We saw a lot of the countryside on the way here.  The trip was uneventful and we saw René and Odette the moment the train pulled in.  This is a dream fulfilled for me to return and see my cousins again, so I thank you Lord for the opportunity.    

   It was a short ride to their lovely home, it is beautiful like a small resort.  Their yard is lovely, there is a lovely pool, birds singing, pet turtles, a patio that is covered, more like a summer room or winter room, I am not sure, but it is beautiful.  You can see the Catalan fabric used for the table cloth and other areas in this covered patio area.  We had a refreshing cold drink and then we made a short trip to Castelnou.  A fort built in 963 (yes, that is only three digits).  Parts have  been renovated after a fire and other destruction but it was very interesting and a mild activity to complete our day.  Then we came back to their home and René grilled both lamb chops and beef kabobs.  Odette fixed ratatouille (vegetables fixed a delicious way and she will give me the recipe) and rice to go with this but first we had a delicious salad of avocado, shrimp, tomatoes, and lettuce.   We enjoyed our dinner and also dessert of strawberries.  René tried also to use my French calling card and we still could not make it work.  He will attempt to call the company tomorrow.  I did call Mom from his phone but she was not home, but at least I could leave a message.  Both Odette and I feel a bit frustrated we cannot communicate better but we can a little.  She is so sweet and gracious.  I am sure René will be very tired of translating before we leave.  I must say it feels good to lay down in bed tonight, even if we didn't do a lot today.        

 

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23 May Paris

   Today we slept in.  Our tour is officially over with Rick Steves but several from the group have stayed on, most going to Versailles this morning.  John decided he didn't want to go and I have been there before.  It is a nice castle and all  but there are many others to see!  We were happy about our decision the way our day went and because the others told us it was very crowded there due to the four day weekend for most Parisians, well maybe most French.  I woke early but managed to fall back to sleep and we made it down for "breakfast" about 10am.  Noe and Sara, Ron and Becky were waiting for their shuttle as they fly home today.  Scott and Geordine also slept in but told us of the 7pm group plan to meet in the lobby and go someplace for dinner.  Meanwhile we have repacked our clothing, books, maps, etc. and we depart for the Royal Regency in Vincennes to leave some things until we return from the cousins and Provence.  As we left for that outing we also bid farewell to Keith and Karen as they left on the Metro at  the same time to take the shuttle to CDG airport.  Our trip to the Royal Regency (timeshare) was a bit longer than we hoped, not the Metro part (15-20 minutes) but the walk after getting off the Metro.  I suppose it would not have seemed as long if it was not raining and we knew where we were going.  Finally we found the place and all the staff was quite friendly and nice.  They stored one suitcase and one very stuffed backpack for us.  That leaves us with one suitcase and my tote, plus a small back pack and my purse.  We do have an expansible bag in the suitcase too.  On our Metro trips we experienced some really great music today! 

   After leaving there we rode the bus back to the Metro station to head back into Paris.  This was fine but we had to use 2 tickets because we couldn't determine if we could get a transfer.  I think we should have received a transfer but again there was a communication gap.  Actually we used 3 tickets because we stopped at Gare de Lyon (one train station of several in Paris) where we will depart tomorrow for the cousins.  The third time we stood in line we actually got someone to help us and our pass is validated and we paid the extra needed to upgrade us from 2nd class to 1st class for this one trip only (E$110.40) to Perpignan.  I am glad we didn't put this off until tomorrow as it took quite some time, well over an hour.  I believe we could have had a first class pass each for what we paid in the one upgrade, live and learn.  Also, had I made that particular and most popular reservation earlier I may have gotten it in second class.  Again, a learning experience.  We then back toward the hotel stopping to buy some fruit and a sweet item from the bakery.  We had a half cheese sandwich as we worked out the Rail Pass issues so we were hungry by then at 5pm.  We are to meet some of the group in the lobby for dinner at 7pm but I am sure we will be hungry again by then. 

   We had a group of 8 for dinner tonight; Scott and Geordine, Jack and Helen, Gretchen, Helen, and John and me.  We walked just a short distance to Le Bouquet and had a delicious dinner.  John had steak and I had scallops, a fun and delicious dinner for our last night in Paris with new  friends.  Oh, last night we  began talking about a reunion trip for our group.  We think it will be next year on the Big Island in Hawaii where Scott and Geordine live.  It would be great, I hope it works out. We had "red wine of the month" at our restaurant, which was Gamay, and of course delicious.  

   We really can't say enough nice things about our Rick Steves trip and our guide for the tour.  She seemed to go above and beyond in most cases.  She never seemed to get tired either!  She lives in the south of France and she will be researching a new Rick Steves book for that area.  She was very interested after all I told her about our cousins and wanted René and Odette's contact information.  I gave this information to her feeling that it could work out well for all of them.  Time to get to bed.  We want to be to the train station one hour early just to be sure things go smoothly.    

 

22 May Paris

Off to the Louvre via the Metro first thing this morning.  We all either had passes or tickets so we went in by way of the stairs near the arch to avoid the long lines waiting at the Pyramid.  We had a delightful English woman named Janice to do our tour.  Our first highlight was this Sphinx, which is 1900 BC, 4K years old, weighing 28 tons, and made of pink granite.  We were informed you will find these ancient works with the noses destroyed as this was felt to  be the way to remove power.  The Louvre was  very warm, I did not realize very little of it is air conditioned.  I am guessing it must have been cooler weather when I was here in 2000.  The Mona Lisa is air conditioned, as is another wing, but other than that is is not.  We saw several highlights of the Louvre; you will recognize Aphrodite, then the Victoire de Samothrace or "Wings of Victory" which is 2nd century BC.  I had been told in the past that the "Wings" is the oldest Greek statue in the world, but our guide did not say this so perhaps an older one has been found since 2000, or it is not a fact.  I will check that one of these days.  After these and other highlights our tour was over.  However, after a brief lunch we went back in to the area of statues and stayed for a few  more hours.  We did some shopping in Louvre stores, they have a regular mall there now with all sorts of high-end stores.  My assignment was to find a card and gift wrap for the gifts we have for Rolinka tonight.  After that we had a leisurely walk through part of the gardens and a few shops along the street and the Metro back to the hotel.  We  rested and then got ready for the Metro trip to Rolinka's apartment here in Paris for dinner.  She and Antoine were very gracious to invite all of us to their home for the last dinner we would have together.  It was very nice and she seemed very touched by the gifts that we all contributed to get her.  Some of the ladies in the group were ingenious in picking out some special things she really wanted and liked; shoes her choice and size from the Mephisto store in Beaune and a heavy mortar and pestle from a kitchen shop there also.   The funny part were some doggie toys for her pup (who is huge at 5 months) and it was very entertaining to watch him!  One of the toys was an iBone, which really made her laugh since many in our group either had iPhone or iPod touch or some sort of device and wanting Wi-Fi at each stop.  Metro back to the hotel and attempted to use the phone card again with no success again.  I did this blog and was unable to post, falling into bed at 1am.  We will sleep in tomorrow for sure!       

   

For Steven-Brazil in Paris

21 May - Beaune to Paris

It was a nice cool morning for departure and we arrived after just a few hours in the coach and one restroom/snack break.  In route to Paris we passed a Trafallgra bus tour.  Same size coach as ours but completely packed with people!  On our coach there are at least 2 seats for every person!  This really has been a wonderful trip for us.  Upon our arrival in Paris we actually had a bit of a city tour from our coach, an  orientation of sorts.  Here was our first peek at the Eiffel Tower as we entered the city.  There is no city like PARIS!  Apparently there was not the usual amount of traffic so this made it possible to drive by several sites.  Rolinka has commented several times that she is surprised about the lack of crowds and we can only guess it is the economy.  She said the Rick Steves tours are down 40 percent, which is a pretty significant amount too.  We arrived very close to our hotel and bid Rene farewell.  We had free time for lunch and then met at 15:00 to begin our afternoon site seeing.  First we went on the Metro to be sure everyone understood the lesson we had on the coach in route to Paris.  It is logical and quite easy to understand with a few basic instructions.  Then we walked through the Latin  Quarter and saw a few historical sites before heading to Sainte Chappelle.  This is a lovely chapel that some king (sorry I forgot his name by now) had built.  The stained glass is magnificent and tells a complete story of the Bible I think.  From there it was a short walk to Notre Dame Cathedral.  Though I have seen this from the outside before we were unable to go inside last time I was here, it is breathtaking.  The facility holds 7K people!  The first stone was laid in 1163 and took just 150 years to build, this is actually pretty fast for a Cathedral.  During the Revolution the French thought the Kings across the front of the Cathedral repre3sented the French Kings so they destroyed them, not knowing they were the Kings of the Bible they were destroyed and crashed to the ground.  In the 1970's someone gardening found the original and damaged heads of the Kings and they are now displayed in a nearby Medieval Museum.  Isn't that amazing.  It is said 7 million people visit Notre Dame each year and 1 million of those are Americans.  I wonder if this will be true for 2009?  This is where our tours for the afternoon ended and we have free time now and John and I entered the Notre Dame and spent more than an hour looking all around and listening to part of a mass in French.  From there we walked around a bit an noted that Notre Dame is quite lovely from the sides and back too, though the front is what we see photographed all the time.  We took the Metro back to the Rue Cler area where we are staying and had a delicious dinner once again.  We were going to stay out until 10pm to see the Eiffel Tower twinkle but we are tired and we shall save this for tomorrow night.  It is hard to believe this tour portion will be over in just 2 more days!         

 

20 May Stechelburg to Beaune, France

We left Stechelburg and the lovely valley in the Swiss Alps at 7:50 am.  There was just a brief delay with of a heard of sheep in the road stopping traffic and then off we went.  One restroom stop and one lunch stop later and we arrived in Beaune (pronounced "bone") France in the Burgundy area of France.  We had a brief orientation of this lovely and welcoming small town and then visited Hospices de Beaune Hotel-Dieu.  This was an interesting 1400's sort of hospital/hospice place that actually ran until the 1970's.  After that we had a bit of free time to look around and I also bought a France phone card, which I am not really quite sure how to use just yet.  We also went to a book store listed in the Rick Steves book and we could have browsed for hours at all the various things, including books.  The group then met for wine tasting and a delicious four course dinner followed that.  This doesn't sound like a very busy day but as we walk back to the hotel it is close to 10 pm.  Right before our dessert we gave Rene some parting gifts as he will drop us near our hotel tomorrow and head back to Belgium where the coach company is located.  He is a nice man and a wonderful driver.  Both Rene and Rolinka have made this trip so special.  There are some problems connecting to the Internet so I probably won't be able too post or read email tonight.  We'll see... check out our dinner: 

 

Tomorrow we arrive in PARIS!!!

 

19 May Stechelburg, Switzerland

   Here we are in "cow country"-just kidding!  It is really beautiful here and we awoke to a crisp, clear  morning with blue sky and not a cloud in sight.  The mountains just outside our windows are majestic.    

   Today is tram day.  We ate eggs directly from the chicken and soft boiled, also fresh cheese, all which is so very good.  We took a back path; a trail leading to the tram along the small, rushing river.  Wild flowers are everywhere, cows graze, waterfalls roar, it is and idyllic setting for sure.  You might know I am not so keen on trams and heights, but I am here and I am doing it, plus John really wants to go.  So we purchased our round trip ticket for $69 each (I really don't know if this is Euros or CHF [Swiss Francs]) but the usual price is $99. so it is a bargain this early in the season.  We make  four stops and switch trams four times to climb to over 10,000 feet at the top, which is Schilthorn. We started the ride at the station in Stechelberg, about .5 miles from our hotel.  The next stop is Gimmelwald, then Murren, then Birg, and finally arriving at the highest point Schilthorn.  There is a trail where the adventurous can hike this but it is only open from Murren and below as there is too much snow above that point. We were able to see the specific three mountains in the area but not all at the same time.  While at the top we see a film that surprisingly focuses on a 1967 James Bond 007 movie that was apparently filmed here.  Since I am not James Bond fan I never did figure out the name of the movie.  We decided to have a cup of coffee in the restaurant while we waited to see if the clouds or fog clears for better views.  The restaurant revolves like the Space Needle in Seattle, so that was fun.  We had the signature dessert to go with our coffee, a little flaming dish with very strong liqueur of some sort.  Whatever it was, it was good.  We stayed for a full revolution but the clouds didn't clear so we headed down.  Again on the way down we had better views than from the top.  We got off in Murren and walked around the lovely little town.  This town also seems to be the jumping point for the hang gliders, definitely not interested in trying that!  After a walk around and picture taking we went back to the tram and rode back to Stechelberg and walked back to our hotel. 

   Now it is about 3:30pm and we decide we will rearrange our suitcases and leave one backpack on the bus for the remainder of our stops.  When we get to Paris we will contact the timeshare and see if we can leave one of our bags there while we go south to see the cousins and Provence area.  I don't think it will be a problem, then we will also know our way back upon our return.       

   Dinner was at 7pm and another huge meal with soup, salad, main course, and dessert.  We are stuffed, headed back to the room to pack and be ready for 7:45am departure to France tomorrow morning. 

   On a sad note Kim and Adrian, new friends on this tour who are from Australia, will be departing tomorrow.  Their first grandchild was born early with many problems and though they have stayed on for most of the days things look very bleak now and they are heading home.  Please pray for little Lucas Adrian and his healthy survival and that they can arrive home to be with their daughter and son-in-law when they are most needed.