Tag: France

Trip to France – Day 9

Posted in FranceTagged , Leave a comment

Leaving for home today. Packed up and had breakfast with granddaughter and her father and then hit the road of Paris. It’s hot today. Hit some traffic but left early enough to get gas, drop off rental car, check in, go thru customs, security, and get something to eat.

The good old USA could learn a lot from the French. Security was fast, equivalent to TSA Precheck for everyone and didn’t cost anything. The seats at the gates were comfortable and there were plenty.

I’m finishing this post late because I’ve been down with a rash. Not sure if it’s due to bugs or something else. My sister got it too. We’re both on steroids now and hope it works.

I will post a lessons learned in a day or two.

Trip to France – Day 8

Posted in FranceTagged , Leave a comment

Today was a travel day. We got up, packed the car, cleaned out the bnb, and headed south. We stopped at a lake, but my granddaughter didn’t like the looks of it, so we continued on our way. We stopped for lunch at a burger place in LeMans, and then drove to Orléans. A lot of windshield time. I’m in the new bnb and it’s hot. No AC and the temperature is in the 90’s.

We had dinner at the Australian restaurant we ate at last week. This time I got a pizza, just as good as the burger I had last time. Couldn’t get two burgers in one day. Afterwards we walked to Rick’s place to get the dirty laundry out of the car. I have no pictures to post tonight. That’s a good thing as I ran out of data. Until tomorrow then.

Trip to France – Day 7

Posted in FranceTagged , Leave a comment

We drove up to Utah Beach today. They had a great museum, but not much on the beach or any original fortifications to see. There was a good crowd there. I guess I’m getting my news from the wrong places because I had gotten the impression that nobody cared or was interested in seeing this history.

We stopped in town and bought a rotisserie chicken from a butcher and some cheese, chips, drinks and napkins from a grocery store. Got there just before they closed for lunch. We found a picnic table on the grounds of an old church and tore into the food. The church had served as a lookout for the nazis and a couple of them hid out there when the allies took over.

Our next stop was the beach at Dragey – Ronthon. We got there at low tide, which was really low. No water. Lots of beautiful hydrangeas of reds and pinks.

So we left to go to Mont Saint Michel. A beautiful place and the hi lite of the trip. We climbed almost to the top, you needed tickets to go the rest of the way and we hadn’t bought them. The French had repurposed it with high end shops. I bought a picture for my new house. We had a great dinner at one of the restaurants there. I ordered some cider, expecting to get a glass and end up with a large bottle, at the price of a glass. Paula got mussels for an appetizer and got a large plate.

Trip to France – Day 6

Posted in FranceTagged , Leave a comment

Got up today and headed to Omaha Beach after breakfast. France has a lot of round abouts, the most in the world at 42,986, and we must have hit at least 50 of them. the country side was pretty, lots of cows, sheep, horses and even some donkeys. At the beach we got out and walked a bit. There were two monuments, but not much in the way of historical narrative that we could figure out the events, so we went to the internet to find out more.

Next stop was Bayeux for lunch. It was a nice little town. After lunch we got some gelato and pastries. Then we drove over to the Normandie American Cemetery. There was a good size crowd there, which was nice to see that people haven’t forgotten. We saw the overlook, the chapel and the location of the time capsule. By chance we saw the marker of the only general killed during the landings, General Lesley McNair. I say by chance because he had the same cross as all the others. There were a handful of Jewish stars, at one location about 4. The cemetery was beautifully done.

The last picture is a view from the backyard of the bnb we’re staying at. That’s it for today.

Trip to France – Day 5

Posted in FranceTagged , , Leave a comment

Today is a travel day. After breakfast at the hotel, we took an Uber to the train station and went back to Orleans. We stopped at the bakery on the way to Rick’s house, picked up the suitcases and started the drive to Normandie. We stopped for lunch in Tours at a crepe house and then continued our journey. We have a bnb in Le-Mesnil Gilbert. It’s a cottage in farm country. That’s all I have to report for today.

Trip to France – Day 4

Posted in FranceTagged , , Leave a comment

Had a bad night, something was biting me. Went down to the desk and they assured me they had no bugs, it was not allowed. It was a very funny exchange. Fortunately the women in line behind me suggested that maybe a cleaning would help, so they will give the room a thorough cleaning today. It might have been I was getting a rash from the cleaning agent they used.

It was a lot cooler today. We walked to the Eiffel Tower. Paula had arranged for a lunch cruise on the Seine. Food, wine and sites were excellent. We cruised for two hours. Afterwards, we walked over to the Eiffel Tower to get tickets to go up. They closed the top because of too many people so we just went to the 2nd level and took some pictures. We walked down and, being tired, took a cab home.

After a nap, we went out to an Italian place for pizza and then called it a night. We leave for Orleans in the morning.

You know, other than the Eiffel Tower, I really haven’t seen any of the major sites in Paris or Orléans. But it doesn’t matter. I’ve spent some great time with my daughter and granddaughter and will probably visit France again. It’s not what you see, it’s who you’re seeing it with. Another lesson learned.

Trip to France – Day 3

Posted in FranceTagged , , Leave a comment

Got up this morning, showered and, with my daughter and granddaughter, stopped for more pastries at the boulangerie. My sister the French teacher Corrected me. We caught the train to Paris. The cars are smaller than the Amtrak train I’m used to, and every seat was taken, but I had a nice ride. I sat next to a guy from Belgium. He knew little English and I knew less French, so we just smiled at each other.

At Paris we took a cab to the hotel. Paris streets are wild. For me, it looked like there were no rules, but the cabbie knew what he was doing. It looked a little dangerous for the bicycle riders. We got to the hotel without incident, left our bags because it was too early to check in and walked to the notre dame cathedral. The day was hot. We retraced our steps and went to lunch. I might change this to a food blog because it’s been so good. I had a Norwegian salad.

We checked in, rested, and then went for a walk in the Luxembourg Gardens, went to dinner and walked back to the hotel.

Trip to France – Day 2

Posted in FranceTagged , , Leave a comment

I slept pretty good considering I had the window open and I was right on the street. People and cars were constantly going by.

I located a pastry shop right around the corner and headed there. Their English was about as good as my French, no they were better than me. But we managed and I got some pastries and coffee. Coffee came in, looks like 4 oz cups. Looks like I’m going to either walk to the nearest Starbucks, about 13 minutes away, or find a store to buy some coffee to make at the bnb. I returned to the bnb to eat. Pastries were excellent, but, after all, I am in France.

We went for a walk in the old part of town and stopped for lunch at an outdoor cafe. There were lots of place to get international food but this place was French. We got a bottle of wine, a charcuterie board, a mozzarella salad and an egg dish. All were very good. Afterwards we went into a toy store and then walked back to the bnb, stopping to take pictures of the cathedral. I was too tired to go into the cathedral. At the bnb, I took a nap.

We walked over to pick up my granddaughter and her father to go out to dinner. We ate at an Australian restaurant, burgers and pizza. Very good. I had real French fries!!! Then we walked along the river back to their place to pick up some clothes for the trip to Paris tomorrow. Very good and tiring day.

Trip to France – Day 1

Posted in FranceTagged , , Leave a comment

We’re here! Got the baggage and Paula is getting the rental now. I will not fly United economy again if I can help it. To cramped for someone my size. I’ll talk to Paula about upgrading to economy plus for the return.

We got the car and started the drive to Orleans. On the way we stopped at Macdonalds because we hadn’t eaten much. It might not be the greatest food, but it’s consistent. Orleans is an old town. I will explore it tomorrow. The air bnb is nice, on the first floor so it’s cooler because there is no AC. Parking is hard to find, so we parked at Rick’s place. He has lots of space.

Trip to France – Departure

Posted in FranceTagged , 1 Comment

Just about packed and ready to go. Had a hiccup in my plans this morning. It appears my global entry expired last month. So I spent an hour reapplying. Hopefully I won’t have to go for another interview. This happened to me five years ago, only then I found out about it when I was in the Atlanta airport, the worst airport in the country to enter without either TSA or global entry. It took me hours to get through security. Fortunately I had the time. This time we’re leaving late enough so that there shouldn’t be a line and with a little luck, they will process my application and email me the renewal score I return.

I have about an hour to finish packing before Paula picks me up to go to the airport.

On the ride to the airport my granddaughter told me she swallowed a cherry pit. I replied that she will grow a cherry tree in her stomach and I wanted some of the cherries. She asked me if I wanted her to poop them out or throw them up.

Security wasn’t too bad without precheck. Just waiting at the gate for the plane. More tomorrow.