Saturday, July 30, 2011– Paris, France – movie day

We went to see “Midnight in Paris” today.  Everyone has been asking if we have seen it and so we finally picked today to go.  C’est magnifique!  Thanks to all for the recommendation to go see it.  We truly loved all the scenes of Paris and the story is so witty and enjoyable.  The movie is about a young man’s great love for Paris and the illusion people have that a life different from theirs would be much better.  hummmm! I know something about that. 

A must see before coming for a visit to Paris for the first time or the 100th. 

We went to see the movie “Minuit a Paris” or in English that would be “Midnight in Paris”

Edward had to stop at this place US HOT DOG.  Hot Dogs are one of his favorites and the French sausage on bread doesn’t taste the same  This actually was not bad.

One of the few sunny, warm days in Paris since we have been here.  Everyone was at the parks or out on the streets.  It was at least 73 degrees!

Boats on the canal in Paris.  Lots of people were traveling.

Yes, that is a car next to a dingy on a barge.  That is a new one for us.

Thursday, July 28, 2011 Paris France – Museum d’Orsay

Today we went to the Musée d’Orsay.

The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in a grand old railway station built in 1900 for the Paris World Exposition. The train station had been completely abandoned since 1961 when it was saved from demolition by the French president Pompidou. In 1978 his successor, president Giscard d'Estaing, decided to use the Gare d'Orsay as a museum for 19th and 20th century art. It not only contains paintings, but it also has sculptures, engravings, photos, film, architecture and urbanism.  It contains works from Degas, Rodin, Monet, Manet, Renoir, Cezanne, van Gogh and others.

It is so spectacular.  I think it is one of the best organized of any museum we have visited.  The progression to each area was easy and smooth.

They would not allow any pictures in the museum even without a flash.

   The Museum d’Orsay

The grand old train station now the museum is beautiful.

We took a break and had a glass of wine in the restaurant and I was able to take pictures there.

The restaurant is decorated like a Palace.

Outside the museum – signs of the d’Orsay and the Museum de l’Orangerie we toured earlier in the month.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 Paris France – “Greatest Fallafel Even”

We stayed in to rest for the morning then decided we should get out for a least a walk. We walked around for a while then decided to go to Le Marais ("The Marsh"), is a historic district in Paris, France, a Jewish Area on the rue des Rosiers (Street of Roses).  It is still a major Jewish center of  the community with bookshops, kosher butcher shops, boulangeries (restaurants) (aka Jewish Deli, Edward's favorite), and synagogues. It also has some outstanding old buildings. The area is located in the 3rd and 4th Districts of Paris on the Rive Droite (the Right Bank) of the Seine River and not far from Norte Dame Cathedral.

We just located the street and were looking at all the restaurant menus when I saw all these people standing in a line for "take out" and also to go inside the restaurant. The guy out in front said it is "the best falafel ever" at LA's du Fallafel. the fallafel contained - 5 or 6 crisp garlicky chickpea fritters, creamy hummus, lightly pickled red cabbage (more like a slaw), salted cucumbers, 2 slices of fried eggplant and a just a little harissa. This all came in a huge pita. I ate mine on a plate with a fork it was way too big to eat as a sandwich.  They say it is supposed to be eaten as a sandwich to make it even better. We also had a Kosher Beer with it.  GREAT FUN and another Barnett “stumble into” adventure. It is as good as they advertised.

The line of people at the take out window and the restaurant is full also 

Edward was so excited he could hardly wait to eat the fallafel and drink the Maccabee beer.

Sunday, July 24, 2011 - Paris and the Tour de France Final

Going to the Tour de France today.  We didn’t have this on our itinerary but thought we would just go and check it out.

We started out not knowing what to expect to find when we got on the subway to the race area.  It turned out to be another great Barnett Adventure.

We were not at the actual finish line of the race but we were able to get get inside the part of the course where they do the 8 laps up and down the Champs Elysees.

Race course with the Plaza Concorde and Eiffel Tower in the background

The is a group of bikers clearing the course.

Crowds around waiting for the big moment.

They had a parade of all the sponsors before the racers came.

It was something I didn’t expect and so many cute cars.

   

  

  

Shared a table while we were waiting for the racers to come by the first time with a group of riders from Sweden.

Beautiful day for the finish of the race after all the rain we have had in Paris since we have been here.  It turned out to be probably the warmest day since we have been in Paris.

   Is this a good spot or what! A chair, a table, lunch and some wine.  We could not have planned it to be this nice.

I got a Tour de France shirt with the map of France and the race course.

We got to see Evans and the yellow jersey and got several good pictures. Big crowd of people.  We did meet people from all over the world that were just out for a good time.

See the bicycle rider with the Yellow Shirt (not the guy taking a picture)  - that’s the winner!

Saturday, July 23, 2011 Brussels to Paris

Most important for today.  Elaine’s birthday today!!

We slept until 9:00 am. Reba and Bridget left much earlier to go to the airport. We have not heard from them so assume they got on the flight to Newark NJ.

We took the subway from the hotel to the train station to get on the 12:15 pm train to Paris. The trains run every hour to Paris but they were all sold out of tickets until 3:15 pm and no senior tickets available. We decided to go with the full price ticket and get back to Paris. We purchased the tickets and then looked for a place for lunch.

We were walking outside the train station in Brussels after buying our tickets and I saw this OUTSIDE ON THE STREET - a Portable Plastic Open Urinal Unit, “four man” urinal unit. I probably would not have paid any attention to it but I saw a guy standing there using it! I have seen some combo MEN and WOMEN Restrooms (sink area in the middle with men stalls on one side and women stalls on the other side). REALLY this is a bit much – on the street?

We got went by this as soon as possible.  We found a restaurant with free wi-fi and had a really nice lunch and got caught up on our emails, etc. We got to our train car and there were a lot more people trying to get on the train than any train we had taken before. We finally got on and there was luggage everywhere and we could not find the seats with the numbers we had on our tickets. I found a conductor and ask him about it and he said there were no more seats. I said aren't these reserved seats? He looked at our tickets and then told us to come with him and he would put us in FIRST CLASS. I said lead the way!!! What a nice treat for my birthday. We got free wine and snacks and wi-fi on the ride in First Class. WE FORGOT THAT THE TOUR DE FRANCE WAS ON SUNDAY so that was the reason all the trains were so full.

Friday, July 22, 2011 Paris France to Brussels, Belgium

Reba and Bridget were going to leave today but they cannot get on the Paris flight to go back to the USA. The flights were full and they could not get the non-revenue seats back to the USA (airline people). She checked all over Europe and finally found a very good chance to get on a flight out of  Brussels on Saturday morning. We told her they could take the train from Paris in about 1 1/2 hours.  She thought that was a good idea.  Then she was able to get a really good hotel rate for 2 rooms at the Holiday Inn Crown so we are also going to spend the night in Brussels and then we will come back Saturday to Paris and they will go to USA.

We got on the train that morning for Brussels and next thing we are sitting in a restaurant having lunch. We had a really fun time with them trying the Belgium beers.

We sat in a bar near the Mannequin Pis famous statue and drank a few there in front of a nice fire place - it was about 60 degrees. Edward and I had a 1/2 yard of beer that is a lot of fun to drink (see picture below).

They had free wi-fi so Reba could keep track the flight status coming over and the one leaving.  Reba called her husband, Don, in The Woodlands, on Skype and we all talked to him for some time.

Mannequin Pis famous statue  - again I don’t know why this is so famous.

Edward and I had a 1/2 yard of beer that is a lot of fun to drink

Can you believe we wanted to be near a nice fire place - it was about 60 degrees.   It is July 22, isn’t it?

We decided to walk around some more and show them the streets with all the restaurants, bars, candy shops (mmm, Belgium chocolate), tourist shops and more.

We saw a little bar, “Chez Bar Georgette" that had free wi-fi and also had beers from Belgium Abbeys.

Labels of the Belgium Abbey beers

Also, we had a Duvel beer and it fizzed from the bottom much like champagne but it never stopped while there was beer in the glass. Bridget said her friend called it a "champagne" beer.

Glasses dangling from the ceiling above the bar

 See the fizz coming up from the bottom of the glass.  Oh yes, one of the requirements of this beer to get the best taste it must be served in a clean, dry, “Duvel” glass with the name on it.  I read the instructions on the bottle!

The band started about 10:00 pm and played 80s music. We liked the music and stayed until about 11:30 pm. We had fun watching the people and talking and just listening to the music.

Drink menu

Bridget on her phone

Band was really good. We enjoyed listening to them

This guy was a “wannbe” drummer.  He was in action the whole time the band played.  Look next to him – a kid!!!  A kid in a bar.  Oh well, they take their dogs to restaurants.

.On our way to get a taxi near the Grand Palace we got there and it appeared the lights were being turned off but NO they began a beautiful light show with music! We stayed and watched it and then got a taxi back to the hotel. 

We crashed in our room and slept until 9:00 am. Reba and Bridget left much earlier to go to the airport. They told us they would call if they didn’t get on the flight to Newark, NJ.

A very fun trip with Reba and Bridget.  My stomach is still sore from all the laughter.

Thursday, July 21, 2011 Rennes, France to Mont-Saint-Michel Abby

Today we take the train from Paris to Rennes, France on the Northern Coast of France in the Normandy Area.  It is about 214 miles from Paris, about 2 hours on the train then a 30 minute bus ride to the Abby.

Mont-Saint-Michel Abby (another UNESCO site) is a tidal island -  at high tide an island and low tide you can walk to it.  It was built in the midst of vast sandbanks exposed to powerful tides.  It is a Gothic-style Benedictine Abbey.  Build between the 11th and 16th centuries.  The Abbey is a technical and artistic tour de force, having to adapt to the problems posed by this unique natural site.  Very impressive!!!!

We pass through LeMans, France on the train.

Also see a few old windmills

There it is when we drive up on the bus.

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Narrow streets to go up to the Abby at the top.

 

At the tope you can see the road they built to get to the Abby at any time.

Lots of steps to get to the top.

WOW! what a view.  England is over there somewhere across the English Channel.

They were having a Mass.

The huge wooden doors

Beautiful courtyard.  Reba said it reminded her of the Sound of Music.

View through the window

Edward, Reba and Bridget having a rest.

Bridget and the tall buildings.

A beautiful garden at the top.

This is a wheel used to haul up supplies from the bottom to the top.  It appears that people would get inside the wheel and move it much like a hamster goes on a wheel.

View from the bottom to the Abby.