I CAUGHT THE COLD

Well, after spending my time in the same room as Ruth, I caught her cold.   Thankfully, I didn't come down with it until I was home.   I could have been dragging a suitcase and moving to a different place every night.   I was so happy to have my own couch and bed to spend some miserable days while getting over it.

HOMEWARD BOUND

Ruth started getting sick Wednesday night.   Thursday she was under the weather and didn't venture out much.  The Alps were getting a big snow storm this weekend and we were warned by the hotel owner to bring heavy clothes and boots.   I checked the weather........17-21º F and who knows how much snow.   The wind was out of my sails by then and I wanted to bypass all of Switzerland and just go to Provence.  I finally made the decision, based on my needs, to come home.  I called United to see what was possible, and it was for a $75 fee.  After thinking it over, Ruth decided to do the same.   I do feel coming home early was the best thing for me.

MEALS/FOOD

The BandBs in the UK consist of a substantial breakfast, but France is limited.   UK serves the 'FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST' which includes your choice of any of the following:  egg(s), bacon, sausage, mushrooms, grilled tomato, beans (think pork 'n beans), juice, cereal/porridge, coffee, tea, yogurt, and whole fruit.   It is more that a person can eat, so we found that eating a little cereal, eggs, bacon,  tomato, toast w/ butter and jam, would hold us thru to the afternoon.   Then we would take a yogurt and piece of fruit for a light lunch, then eat out in the evening.   We filled in with a few snacks of nuts or cookies.

Paris is nearly all bread, so I have been in hog heaven.   Hope the waist line has stayed the same.  Florence, our host served baguette, croissant, juice, fruit (usually canned.....nothing fresh), yogurt, and coffee everyday.   We did get a chocolate croissant this morning...........yippee!   We lacked some of the protein (eggs and bacon) that we had grown accustomed to in the UK, but it was filling and we survived.   I filled in with some of my protein drinks and bars.

We went to a real French restaurant last night for dinner.   It was recommended by Rick Steves and Ruth thought that it would be just the spot for an inexpensive French meal.   I got sea bass and sweet potatoes and an apple tart w/ vanilla bean ice cream (which I shared with Ruth).  She bought an appetizer which was less expensive and ended up with a combo of fish/shellfish tartare served in an oyster shell and served on a bed of sea salt (which she thought was rice until she tasted it).   She wasn't pleased, but ate most of it.  For a few euros more she could have had a 'plat' with something more substantial.

NOTRE DAME

I took an easy day today with a bus ride to Notre Dame.   It is truly beautiful with the arches, stained glass, and all the side chapels.   There was some kind of service being held with some priests in the nave.   People kept passing right thru and around, so I followed them.

After leaving the cathedral, I went back to the bus station to ride the #69 to it's end.    While waiting a quick downpour hit while I was under the shelter......thankfully.    I went back to the Louvre to go to a gardens museum that I never found as it was quite a walk thru the gardens.    I gave up, tried to find my #69 bus line and couldn't, so I walked to the other side of the Seine to catch the train back to the BandB.   Paris is a very confusing city.........wonder how long you would have to live here to get around easily......more than 4 days definitely!

LOUVRE

The Louve is a huge place with rooms and anterooms on all sides.   It was so easy to get lost.   I felt like I had to kept trying to find where I was and where I was going.   Everyone was very helpful.

Ruth and I had our evening meal at the Louvre, then split up to each do our own thing at our own pace.   It worked out nicely.   We went in the evening because she thought it would be cheaper, but it wasn't.  She was a little upset over it thinking that we would have been able to spend more time there.   There were fewer people, so I think that made up for it.

The glass pyramid is the security check in place, then you go under ground to buy tickets, go to the toilette, purchase food, etc.

Above were a row of sphinxes that I found interesting.   Much of the egyptian relics were quite fascinating.   Below is Rameses II.

 Below is Aphrodite, aka VENUS DE MILO

And of course, the most famous, Mona Lisa.   The portrait was covered by glass, so there are reflections in the picture.   The guards were close by and loads of people crowding in to take pictures.   I just took 3-4 from different angles hoping one would turn out.



Getting lost, the humidity inside the building, made my decision to pick and chose my favorites and enjoy the journey along the way, then go outside.   I found a little sidewalk cafe and had a glass of wine. The server gave it to me, then another one came and asked me to move to a corner...... make room for more people.   All of the tables are tiny and only seat 2-3 people, but I guess the real estate where I was sitting was more valuable than the corner lot!   I sipped, then gulped and left.

I bumbled into a metro and knew where I needed to go on it, so down I went.   Got off at a transfer stop and then got on the train going in the opposite direction.  I realized it at the next stop, but couldn't get off so had to go one more stop, then turn around.   WHEW, made it.   When I came up at my stop the lighted Eiffel Tower and the bridge were a welcomed sight.

RODIN AND d'ORSAY MUSEUMS

Today was a relaxing day.   I toured the Rodin and d'Orsay Museums and wandered around the St. Germain area.   Rodin was a small museum but very interesting.   I have discovered that artists were subjects of sculptors and visa versa.  The d'Orsay was a beautiful museum, but no pictures were allowed.  I enjoyed the sculptures, especially 3 in a series of the busts of Africans using 3-4 different colored stone.  They were magnificent............and I wanted to sneak a picture, but resisted the temptation.  There was a display of art nouveau furniture that I also enjoyed.

VERSAILLES - PALACE & GARDENS

No pictures today as I had the problem today.   Normally I get everything ready the night before and thought it was all in place.   I changed the memory card at the Arc de Triomphe yesterday, but had to reinsert it to download the pictures from the old card.   Then tucked away the new card, so when I got my camera out at Versailles I discovered the old memory card ....the full one.... was in my camera.   I should have deleted some of the early photos I took on the trip, but it was so crowded I just decided to enjoy the visual journey and not be bothered.

Today the tourist trade was brisk.........I was one of about 5 million sardines all moving as a disjointed group from room to room.  I opted not to go thru the gardens... €6-7 extra because it was "Music in the Garden Day." I chose to walk to the Marie Antoinette compound........ but what a walk it turned out to be.   Once I got there, I toured her chateau, but didn't have the energy or motivation to walk any further to enjoy the gardens.   The estate was quite large.

A small shuttle train happened to be ready to leave when I came out of the chateau, so for €3.60 I took it back to the palace.   The driver let us off inside the garden, so I was able to wander around the palace gardens with lovely (but piped in) music accompanying me.   I was disappointed in the gardens as that was the one thing I really wanted to see in full bloom, but they were doing their winter preparations and taking out the annual plantings.  None of the fountains were functioning...........so does this mean I need to come back once again?   Given the number of people to contend with I am thinking it won't be an option for me.   I enjoyed the day for what it was..........a day by myself, without a camera, and just the beauty of being there.

ARC DE TRIOMPHE

EIFFEL TOWER

 Our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower as we came out of the metro and started to cross the Seine on the way to our BandB.

This is the view from the bedroom window of our BandB.  It has lights and then periodically they twinkle.   Really a spectacular sight.

 Notice the moon in the crescent under the tower.  We got back from a day of walking at sunset.

Mr. Eiffel, under his magnificent structure.


My goal was to go up in the tower, but seeing the line at the base of it made me alter the plan.   I have decided that it is a structure to enjoy from the exterior rather than the interior.

PARIS

Hard working Parisian surveyors at work.  This is for my husband and Dennis, his fellow surveyor and friend.

Above:   This is the obelisk which was the model for the Washington Monument.   This is much smaller and has a golden pyramid on top and egyptian writing down the sides of it.

Monuments everywhere

This building is just down the block from our BandB.  The lush green vegetation is very eye catching.

Below is our BandB.  We are located on the 1st floor up from the ground floor. 

 The upper is the main entrance to the Petite Palace facing the Grand Palace near the end of the Champs Elysees.   They are very large buildings.  The Grand Palace has a glass roof that is lit up at night and quite beautiful.

This pond is between our BandB and the Eiffel Tower.   Sunset was just catching the trees in the back.

SACRA COUER

The Sacra Couer and its many steps.   Yes, I climbed up each one of them.   I think that this cathedral is the most beautiful of all the ones we have seen.

I found more steps to climb as I got to the first landing.   The picture below is looking back down the steps after reaching the 1st landing.............many more to go.

The harpist on the landing was there to give you the proper spirit to make it to the top and enter the cathedral.  He was playing "YESTERDAY" an old Beatles song, but quite lovely on the harp.   What song isn't beautiful when played on the harp?

 The interior of the cathedral showing the nave.   I walked around behind it where there were smaller chapels and alcoves.

To the west of the cathedral is the old artists' quarters, souvenir shops, eateries, and artists at work or trying to sell their paintings/drawings.   Some of them were very well done and some lesser quality.

TOUR DU PARIS

We arrived at our BandB at sunset.   The next day we planned to do Paris by beginng the day together, then do our own meandering in the afternoon. Ruth didn't take her map on the first day, so she tagged along with me.   We took the metro to the nearest metro station to the Sacra Couer, which is at the NE part of the major sights of the city.  Then we walked down past the Moulin Rouge, lost our way, found it again, and walked up the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe.   We stopped a few times, but we did it.   All in all we walked about 6 hours today.............exhausted, but functioning.   We had snacks along the way for sustenance, then stopped for dinner about 6 pm just before crossing the Seine to go to the Eiffel Tower and then back to our room for the night.

EDINBURGH CASTLE

 The Royal Mile is the main street of the old town that connects the Edinburgh Castle and Hollyrood House (Castle?).   It is souvenir, restaurants, and coffee shops.....tourist traps.   I managed to find some GORDON plaid fabric, a Gordon plaid wool scarf and key fob, as that is my clan.

The castle by night.

 The castle is in the middle.   Picture was taken in a park on Prince Street from the newer section of the downtown area.  There are bridges that cross over the train station and tracks connecting the old with the newer part of the downtown area.

The Edinburgh Castle by day.

Brilliant display of weapons inn such an artistic manner.

The dungeon where the prisioners were held and their hammocks for sleeping.