Honfleur and D-Day

Here is a map of our route from Paris to Honfleur and on to the D-Day beaches.

www.genedodd.com/images/a/K/Europe_map_01.jpg

The street in front of our place

Entrance to our place

On to Le Havre and then to Honfleur. Now we are really in Normandy. Honfleur is a small, old town across the Seine from big, industrial Le Havre. Here are some pictures that show the area around our B&B.

The tourist harbor of Honfleur

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There is a cathedral here that was built without a real architect. I've never seen one like this. I got a little artsy here.

artsy far

A wooden cathedral

A wall of the cathedral

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We walked toward and along the Seine and looked out into the English channel. We visited some museums. Did you know that Eric Satie was born here? There is a museum honoring him Here is a piece of his that I like and I hope you like it a little.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Xm7s9eGxU

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Monday was a cold, wet, windy day. We scheduled a guided tour of the Normandy coast where the allied forces landed in their assault of Nazi controlled Europe. It was very interesting, very technical and the weather added to our sense of what the conditions were like on June 6, 1944. I don't mean what the conditions faced by the soldiers. Just a feel for that area.


Our guide took us to Pointe du Hoc. It held a critical position between Omaha and Utah beaches and could bring heavy artillery fire on either landing. It also was near critical roads that could allow German counter attacks on Allied forces. Here is a little image of Pointe du Hoc with comments. 

www.genedodd.com/images/a/K/Europe_map_02.jpg 
 

It is now American soil and a memorial. BTW, one of the commanders here went on to be a legendary President of Texas A&M University, James Earl Rudder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Earl_Rudder

Just inland from Omaha beach

We spent time at the military cemetery and learned about how the US manages all these sites.

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Our next leg is back to Paris for a night at the Charles de Gaulle airport hotel to see the east Texas contingent off. After that, 1st class to Karlsruhe on the TGV fast train. I don't expect to have much to report until we are back with the Hayhows.

Monet is hot!

From the previous posting, I expressed concern about navigating the French train system. Things worked smoothly. 

We took the train to Vernon and followed the hordes onto a bus that took us to the village of Giverny. Claude Monet bought a place there with the money he made from his art. He landscaped it to his likes and lived and painted there for 40 years.

I had some hint that Monet was a big deal but the tourist industry that has built up around him is pretty astounding. Kind of the Elvis of the Impressionists and I was in the middle of Graceland.

ML at our hotel

At 6:00PM, Giverny was quiet and a pleasant little town. Apparently, most visitors aren't spending the night as we were. 

After the crowds left

We had a nice meal at the hotel and our room was nice if a little cramped. Our room was in a garret and the walls sloped inward many places. I had to bend over a lot and be careful standing up. In the shower, I had to stand with my head in the skylight well!

In Monet's garden

The gardens that Monet designed are a popular draw. Have you seen this bridge before?

Lila & Milton Moorer
in Monet's  garden

And here are those east Texans that stormed Paris. Here they are laying waste to Monet's garden.










And I got some pictures. Here are a few.

East Texas storms Paris

Milton and Lila (the Moorers from east Texas) had a long, challenging flight. We walked in the Luxembourg gardens before heading out to a night on the Eiffel Tower. 

Already familiar with the process, I had it well planned out. We had a beautiful evening that turned out a little windy and cool on the 'Sommet'. While at the tippy top, there were these really annoying strobe lights overhead that I interpreted as a way to get us moving and off the top. It worked!

On the ground, we strolled out and enjoyed the view of the lit up tower. Very cool. We turned to walk to the metro when people gasped. We turned and I saw that the French weren't trying to run us off the top. See for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG4iKLJdOHg&feature=g-upl

Walters sisters at the
Place du Concord

Next morning, we followed the same walk we took with Deb and Claire.

Exploring Paris

I stuck around this time and had coffee at a sidewalk cafe in the Marais district where Mary Lea and I stayed in 2007. Some of us needed a toilet in the middle of Paris and found a free one. Notice the satisfied customer. ;-)

Finally, another trip to the Musée D'Orsay. I've been there five times now and this was my best trip because Milton wanted one of those audio guides which tell a story about selected exhibits. It added a lot for me.

Next day we leave Paris for Giverny and Normandy. I don't really know how to buy train tickets, get on the right train, switch trains when required and god only knows what else but it can't be that hard. Well maybe it can. Stay tuned.

Out with the young, in with the not so young.

Please play with me

Sunday, all four of us got off early to return to the Musée d'Orsay. Claire was anxious to show Debbie all the cool stuff she liked - which was quite a lot.

After that, we crossed the Seine and picnicked in the Tuillaries gardens. Then a walk to the  Musée de Louvre and places beyond tired me so I left the girls at Notre Dame and went 'home'. They went shopping in one of the biggest crush of people I've seen.

Three gals in the new
Paris. Notice the
Arc de Triomphe
in the background

This is the Grand Arch.
It is actually an office
building on both sides.

The next day, Monday, we went to the 'new' section of Paris and saw the Grand Arch. This is a section of Paris dedicated to modern sky scrapers and big business. The buildings and landscaping were done in interesting and aesthetically delightful ways.

Cool reflecting pond with Arc de Triomphe in distance 

Next morning, Debbie and Claire were off to Karlsruhe early and Mary Lea and I had about 30 minutes before her sister and her guy (Lila and Milton) arrived.

Deja vu - sort of

Back in 1984, Debbie and I biked in Europe and spent several days in Paris. Feels nice to share some more experiences here with her 28 years later. 

She joined us in Paris today. She took the fast TGV and we met her at the train station. It was good to see her. Claire had lots of stories she wanted to share with her mom and it was fun to hear her excitement. 

Mary Lea, Debbie and Claire went shopping and came home with goodies including three platters of snails. I like escargot but I suspect it's basically a vehicle to eat butter and garlic. Well,  viva la vehicle!

We had purchased three passes to the summit of the Eiffel tower when it was going to be Mary Lea , Claire and me. When we invited Debbie to join us, Mary Lea urged Debbie to take her place. 

We enjoyed the visit to the summit at 6PM but really enjoyed the evening more on our return to Earth after the Sun went down. Cooler, festive and a beautiful Parisian evening made for a great end to the day.  Well, near end. We took a more distant metro stop so we had a longer walk to the apartment. Glorious little walk!



So until tomorrow, au revoir.

Versailles is off the list now ... FOREVER

I think seeing the Chateaux at Versailles is an amazing experience that illustrates extravagance, power and a pretty clear justification for the French revolution.  It is also a powerfully exhausting experience. I've seen Versailles in 1984 with Debbie and in 1990 with Mary Lea.  It exhausted me then too. 

This trip showed me a contrast to the earlier trips too.  First, many, many more orientals - mostly Chinese. In the past twenty-plus years, the world economy has changed and it shows up at Versailles. These folks want to and can afford to travel.  There are many reasons why Versailles is more crowded than ever but I'd guess opening up the 'near east' is a major one.

And cameras! I knew photography had changed but stand in front of the Mona Lisa and watch the crowd.  Almost everyone holds a small digital camera or cell phone over their head and takes photos while looking up at their screen.  I'm taking pictures with an iPad, so I'm part of the change. 

Anyway, it was a crowded and overwhelming experience.  I only took two photos.

Here is your standard "I was at Versailles" photo.

.. and here one that Claire got a kick out of.  Sadistic little character, isn't she?






Tomorrow, Debbie comes to town and we pick her up at the train station. Probably a little more restful day than the last few - I hope.

checking things off the must do list

Well, if Claire never returns to Paris (and I hope she does) at least she can say "Oh oui, I have strolled the Champs Elysee but I found the Arc de Triomphe a little - how should I say - a little banal." ;-)

We counted ten things that might might fit the must see/do category.

We went to Saint Micheal cathedral.

We went to the Louvre.(Lots of signs discouraging photography. And about 10,000 people taking pictures - flash).

We saw the Mona Lisa.

We saw the statue of "Winged Victory".

We saw the sculpture of Venus de Milo.

And that of Artemis (that Claire recognized)

We walked in the Tuileries

Saw the Obelisk on the Place de Concorde

Walked the Champs Elysees

From the top of the
Arc de Triomphe

again, from he top

And climbed to the top of the Arc de Triomphe.

Its a funny thing. This is my fourth trip to Paris and I wouldn't do most of these things but I feel like Claire should have the experience and I enjoy being the person to share it with her.

We are going to Versailles tomorrow and I feel a little of the same about that place (its actually really interesting). Perhaps I will have something to share about the day.

For a start ...

I've never done a blog so I don't know if this will work well.  Let's give it a try and see.

We been away from home for a week now so a little catching up is in order.

We were scheduled to fly out of Denver on Thursday (Sept 6) on Lufthansa which has a reputation of good service and comfortable cabins. This was direct flight from Denver to Frankfurt. I'll try to keep this short. They cancelled the flight 24 hours before departure. After a stressful afternoon of calling (thanks ML) we were booked on an Air Canada flight to Toronto and onto Frankfurt. (Ironically, Lufthansa sent me and email informing me of all the miles I had accumulated with them - zero).

Debbie and Claire picked us up in Frankfurt and guided us through the train system and led us to their home in Karlsruhe.  We spent Friday through Monday there with them, enjoying their company, visiting local sites, and getting ready for the next phase of the trip -mainly transportation and communication issues. Reid got us a cell phone that works in Europe.

On Tuesday, Debbie took ML, Claire and me to the train station and sent us off on the TGV to Paris.  This is the fast train - and we were there in three hours.







On our own now, we bought passes to the Paris museums and navigated the metro to a station near our apartment in Paris. With no trouble, we walked to our apartment where our greeter met us and showed us the ropes.

We walked around Paris that afternoon and exhausted ourselves. I got a sore throat breathing the cigarette smoke.  Parisians are going to have health issues in a few years.  So many young people smoking.

Yesterday, we visited the Musee d'Orsay and enjoyed it very much.  A beautiful museum. We saw a statue that reminded us of Erin. Erin loves to play and asks us often to play with her. She is very polite but very clear in her requests.

Took it easy last evening, had a nice meal and feel somewhat rested.









Debbie will join us on Saturday for a few days.  I'll try to keep up with this a little better.