15 Jul 2018 Leaving on a Jet Plan

We are off on another adventure…this time visiting France…cruising the Seine, and then spending a few extra days in Paris after the cruise. We will be flying into Paris and staying overnight, and then we will be transferred to Honfleur to begin our cruise

The Seine is a 483 mile long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. According to Wikipedia, “over 60 percent of its length, as far as Burgundy, is negotiable by commercial riverboats, and nearly its whole length is available for recreational boating; excursion boats offer sightseeing tours of the Rive Droite and Rive Gauche within the city of Paris.”

The 2018 World Cup final between the international football (soccer) teams France and Croatia will be taking place in Moscow on Sunday. We will be arriving in France on Monday…and we hope to witness celebrating in the streets with a French win. Allez les bleus! Au revoir!

16 Jul 2018 Caen

We had a great flight into Paris and then checked into the Novotel in Roissy, France which is very modern and well appointed.

We met our guide Sandrine who is very sweet, young, and very easy to understand. She lives in Normandy with her partner and an almost four year old son named Louis.

Our group of about 40 (there are three groups with about that many people in each and a guide for each one) met in the lobby and went off on a walking tour through the quaint little town.

We passed a cemetery and Sandrine said all cemeteries in France are non-denominational. Anyone can be buried in them no matter what religion the deceased is. However the Jewish deceased are buried in a separate area to respect their traditions at death.

She also told us that if you hail a taxi in France, don’t be surprised to see milage already being charged on the meter when the car arrives.

The tab begins from where the taxi is when getting your call. Very different from the states.

She also said tipping in restaurants is already factored into the bill and unless the service is exceptional, no tip is required.

We passed many people on our walk and they all were still savoring the France World Cup win which took place on Sunday. Apparently the celebrations were frenetic on Sunday… Particularly in Paris… But by today, they were much more subdued. Although I did take a photo of a man still celebrating… And wearing an Irish tee shirt. Go figure!!

We visited a beautiful Catholic Church and one of the stained glass windows was from the middle ages.

We befriended two very nice couples and we all decided to go back into town for dinner in a French restaurant. It was delicious…I had shrimp and risotto… Very tasty.

We walked back to our hotel to hopefully get a good night’s sleep.

The Seine River

17 Jul 2018 Honfleur

I didn’t sleep very well last night and probably caught about two hours all toll. Thank goodness for the Kindle app as I spent most of the time reading a murder mystery. (Hmmm… Maybe that’s why I couldn’t sleep!!!!)

We started the day with breakfast in The Seine River

the hotel. They had a nice offering… But no decaf coffee! Boo hiss! And then I was going back up to the room to brush my teeth again and the elevator door slammed into me. My arm is a bit black and blue, swollen, and sore, but I’ll survive. It was really an unexpected happening. I was just so thankful that my brand new Apple watch didn’t get creamed! Yikes!

A mom and her daughter (who will be a junior in high school), forgot to take their money, passports, Kindle, and the girl’s laptop computer out of the safe when we left the hotel. They were so upset but the hotel will keep the items and they will pick them up when we arrive back in Paris. We felt so sorry for them and Allan offered them money to tide them over, but the mom said she had a little and also a credit card so they would be okay. She started to cry because she was so touched by his generosity. He’s my hero! It is so easy to forget checking the safe in the rush to check out. Lesson learned.

On the way to our boat, we toured the Memorial de Caen in Normandy which is a war memorial commemorating WW II. It was very moving and well done, with much memoribilia on display in the museum.

We then rode to Honfleur and boarded our boat The M/S Bizet. We just about were able to change for the Captain’s dinner and enjoy a glass of wine before we had to appear at 6. The dinner was delicious… Wonderful appetizers and then a veal entree with potatoes and asparagus wrapped in bacon… All exquisitely presented. Dessert was creme brulee and ice cream on top of waffles.

Our new friends Jay, Toba, Lucille, T.J. took a walk with Allan and I after dinner through Honfleur.
What a beautiful French town; there were picture ops at every corner. I was able to capture a Ferris wheel and it’s reflection on the River Seine. So beautiful. It was 10:00 at night and still light out and it made for a lovely walk along the cobblestones. There were magnificent floral pieces wherever you looked and people were out dining at the outdoor tables and enjoying dinner. It was wonderful.

We went back to the boat and Allan and I had a nightcap of Drambuie and sat talking with Jay and Toba. Hope we will get a good night’s sleep tonight.

Bonne Nuit.

18 Jul 2018 Honfleur and Etretat

We started today with a walk all through Honfleur with our guide. We had walked most of the streets last night, but it is such a magnificent town and so beautiful… We really were so happy to stroll through it again.

First stop was the fish markets along the water. Every kind of fish you could imagine.. some species I had never heard of.. were on display. Many of the fish mongers had just come in that morning with their catch and people were buying the fish for their dinner that night.

We strolled further along, savoring the smells of freshly baked bread and peering into the candy stores like little kids, looking at the colorful confections.

There are many art galleries and jewelry stores tucked into the narrow streets and we passed an artist recreating the banks of the The Seine River

river in bright oils. Such talent!

After lunch we took a bus to Etretat to see the cliffs. The cliffs are very similar to the white cliffs of Dover and the scenery was breathtaking as we gazed at the sea. The beach is not sand…but it’s made up of rather large pebbles. There is a church on one side of the cliffs and Allan and I decided to take the steps all the way to the top. We were the only ones in the tour group who decided to take the challenge…. and what a challenge it was. Steep steps all the way to the top. I had to stop several times…. Not because I was breathless but rather because my thighs were singing! We made it and have the pics to prove it.

We walked back down and met up with the rest of the group and continued on to a restaurant for some wine and shrimp… And then climbed aboard a trolley that took us… Wait for it…UP TO THE TOP OF THE CLIFFS! When we told everyone we had just walked up… People didn’t believe us because it is so high up. My Apple watch said I had climbed 27 flights of stairs! My thighs will agree with that tomorrow as I try to walk to the breakfast room I’m sure…(or more like crawl in.). But I plan on telling my cardiologist… Forget any stress tests. I’ve already passed with flying colors!

We returned and had dinner and for dessert I had delicious French cheeses. Every night we will be sampling a new selection of cheeses and I love that more than a sweet dessert.

We walked through the village once again and came back around 10… Had a Drambuie and now it’s off to bed. Tomorrow is an early day and an emotional one as we will visit the beach of Normandy.

PS..I met a lady yesterday, who I invited to dine with our little group tonight, who lived near my neighborhood… Went to my high school and also, to my church in Richmond Hill. We had a wonderful time going down memory lane… The F train, Rockaway Playland, the bus on Lefferts Blvd. and so on. It was great.

19 Jul 2018 Normandy

Well our reputation precedes us. Allan and I are the talk of the boat as being “the couple that walked to the top of the cliffs.”. Everyone is very impressed. I’m impressed that I didn’t have to crawl to breakfast on my elbows because of muscle aches in my thighs! So far so good. No pain at all!

This morning we visited two beaches where the Normandy landings took place on June 6, 1944. The operation was called Operation Overlord – D-Day being the most famous part. (The D in D-Day doesn’t stand for anything; it is just the day the operation took place.). Because of this endeavor, the liberation of occupied France from the Nazis began.

The Normandy coast was divided into sections for Operation Overlord, called Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Omaha, was one of the two American led operations. It sustained the most casualties of any of the five operations.

Our first stop was Pointe du Hoc, the place where the Rangers swarmed the cliffs to overtake the German stronghold. The cliffs were especially trecherous as they were more than 100 feet high and the Rangers had to scale them, all the while taking heavy gunfire and casualties. This battle helped to seize the German artillery that could threaten the landings of the troops that would take place along the other areas of the beach.

The Rangers faced mines, barbed wire, and many other obstacles and almost 60% lost their lives because of the horrible conditions as the first men in had to clear the way for the soldiers coming on shore from behind.

While walking around, we could see the huge craters in the ground caused by the bombardment. We looked over the cliffs and could hardly imagine how the men were able to bravely scale the walls to defeat the Nazis stronghold.

We entered one of the concrete bunkers that the Nazis used for observation which had an opening for a gunner. The bunker could hold about 20 soldiers.

From there we visited Omaha beach, where the US military forces attacked the Nazis in a fierce and bloody battle. Our guide said not to be offended to see people swimming and sun bathing on the beach that was once a bloody battlefield. She was sure that the soldiers who gave their lives so that the French could be librated, would not mind that people can enjoy the beach now because of their sacrifice.

We went for lunch and then visited the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. It was very emotional seeing the over 9,000 graves of the American soldiers who gave their lives for freedom.

There was a special ceremony that we took part in… singing the National Anthem and standing solemnly during the playing of taps. The veterans on our trip were asked to come up front to be honored. We were then given roses to place at a grave of our choice. We chose to honor a soldier from New York… Angelo Rizzutti, a PFC from the 320 infantry 35 division who lost his life on June 13, 1944. May you rest in peace Angelo and may you know how much your bravery means to those living today in freedom.

We toured the visitor center and we were able to read the time line of WW II and see the names and faces of those who lost their lives. It was an emotional day but a special one and I’m so glad we had the opportunity to see and experience it all

20 Jul 2018, Rouen

We sailed to the town of Rouen this morning… Arriving a little after breakfast. Our guide took us on a walk all around the town, pointing out the shopping areas and the points of interest.

Rouen is the capital of Normandy and as we walked the streets we saw beautiful half-timbered houses, some of which date back to pre- Roman times.

Rouen is most famously recognized as the city where Joan of Arc was put into prison on a variety of charges, one of which was for wearing boys’ clothing. She was told she had to stop this practice and her captors said it would be in her favor to do so at the trial. But when she went back to her cell, the only clothes they left for her to wear were boys’ clothing, so that was one of the charges that sealed her fate.

We visited Rouen’s Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral. Monet painted this cathedral more than 30 times, to highlight the facade during different hours of the day. We saw the window where he stood and captured the morning light into afternoon shadows with his famous impressionism technique.

Allan and I walked around some more and then back to the boat to get ready for French night. Allan dressed as Napoleon… And entered the dining room on his knees, (since Napoleon was rather short in stature), hand tucked inside his jacket, and replete with the hat! Everyone roared and after dinner, he went on to win the award for best dressed in French attire. Of course… He accepted the award… Again ‘walking’ on his knees. It was hilarious!

We danced to some sixties music and then went off around 10:30 to see the light show that was shown on the cathedral facade. Returned to the boat around 11:30 for a well deserved night’s sleep.

21 Jul 2018 Rouen

Everyone is still laughing about Napoleon! They all thought Allan was hilarious and many people came up to us saying they also enjoyed watching us dance last night. (Not many people can say they danced with Napoleon!!!). One lady told me that I looked like I was having a great time smiling all the time while I was dancing. She said most people don’t look as happy. That made my day!

After breakfast, Allan and I decided to pass on the home visit with a French family and instead took a spontaneous nine mile bike ride with our guide Sandrine and five others from the younger set!

We were in traffic many times which was a little scary but we did well. We kept up with the young ones and did ourselves proud! Then Sandrine stopped and bought some croissants for us and we biked to her home to have tea and the croissant treats. It was a great break from pedaling. My thighs are a bit sore… And I did have fanny fatigue but I’m glad we did it. We stopped into Saint-Ouen Abbey Church, along the way and then biked through the botanical gardens. It was a great morning and we really worked up an appetite for lunch and of course wine.

They had a treasure hunt through town this afternoon, but Allan and I were pretty pooped so we sat that one out and opted for a hot shower and some cocoa.

We sat with some friends up on the top deck and chatted… Had some dinner… Played a game along with the staff… And went to bed.

22 Jul 2018 Vernon

We slept in a bit this morning since we were cruising the Seine and didn’t have to get up for a tour.

We joined the “Find a Letter Quiz”. Twenty crew members wore letters pinned to their uniforms and you had to track them down and write down the letter they wore. Once you found all twenty crew members, you had to make a sentence from all twenty letters. I worked on it.. And finally came up with the sentence. I turned it in but I think a few others got their quizzes in before me. You had to have the spelling of each crew member correct… So we shall see.

And for those of you who want the challenge… Here are the letters. Try and figure out the sentence:

IAHOETGYUPWNEOETMOAE

After breakfast we had a presentation on Chateau Gaillard, the fortress on the cliff, which was a stake between the Norman Duchy and the French kingdom. Richard the Lionhearted erected the Chateau in 1197-1198,

After the presentation we had a cooking demonstration and learned how to make an apple pastry, followed by a French gourmet tasting of cheeses, foie gras, breads, meat, wines, and many other French delights.

After a light lunch (we were stuffed from the tasting) we walked up to the Chateau… Which was quite a hike. It was well worth it because the views were amazing. The tiny village tucked into the hillside overlooking the Seine was beautiful.

We walked thru the village..a tiny yet quaint one… And then came back for a tour of the galley. The galley is immaculate and larger than other galleys we have seen on River boats. We were then invited to an Inner Circle party for those who have cruised a number of times with Grand Circle.

Our boat left Les Andelys and sailed on to Vernon.

We had a delicious dinner… And then went up to the top deck where it was gloriously cool, choosing to forego the crooner in the lounge.

All in all…a great day.

23 Jul 2018 Giverny

This morning we went to Claude Monet’s home in Giverny. We walked the beautiful gardens which were in bloom and also walked around the famed Lily pond where Monet painted his famed water lilies. We left very early and we were allowed in before it actually opened and therefore we were able to walk the gardens and pond in relative quiet.

Monet’s wife had died and he married another woman who had four children. He had four of his own… So they never had a child together as 8 was more than enough.

His home is exactly the way it was when he lived there and it is filled with his paintings. What a treasure. Unfortunately, the museum was closed due to renovations, but we were very happy to have seen the beautiful gardens and Monet’s home. Everything was in bloom and it was gorgeous!

We stopped at a cafe on the grounds and had a delicious chocolate filled croissant. The croissants are like nothing I’ve ever tasted before…flaky and the The Seine River

chocolate is decadent!

We were waiting to get back on the bus and Allan dozed off a bit in the chair. Suddenly…a rooster came next to the table and crowed!! Allan practically bolted out of his chair. It scared us both half to death!! No croissant crumbs for you!!!

We came back to the boat and ate lunch and then walked around town a bit. Afterwards, we listened to a French lady who is 92 and she told us of her life in France during the Nazi occupation. She met and married a GI and eventually moved to the US. She told of her life before the occupation and how it differed afterwards. Very interesting.

Grand Circle often has locals come aboard to talk about interesting topics. A few days ago, Sandrine’s husband came aboard and talked about the rail strike currently going on in France. He works for the RR and he talked about the politics surrounding the strike.

Every day the boat has items for sale up in the lobby and today they featured Coeur de Lion jewelry. I found a beautiful piece and Allan bought it for me. How lucky am I?

Tonight we celebrated anniversaries with two other couples… One of whom grew up in my home town… Went to my high school and my church. Their anniversary was today and we celebrated with champagne and the crew brought out a cake. Since the other couple’s anniversary is tomorrow and ours is August, we had a great party. Tomorrow we will do it all again!

The crew put on two hilarious skits after dinner and my husband got chosen to participate. Again! From Napoleon to a leprechaun robber! He played his part well and it was a hit.

Took a hot cocoa to the upper deck around 10:30 to enjoy the night air. It was a wonderful day!!!

24 Jul 2018 Vernon and Conflans

At 7:30 this morning, we set sail for Conflans which is located 12 miles west from Paris at the confluence of the Seine and Oise rivers.

We all went to the upper deck after breakfast and the boat slowed down so we could take pictures of La Roche Guyon, which had military use in the Second World War when Field Marshall Rommel established his base there.

We then were briefed about Paris, and given info about the metro, the sights, and what we needed to know to get around when we arrive on Wednesday.

After lunch we took an optional tour… The path of Van Gogh, and learned much about Vincent Van Gogh’s life and his psychotic episodes. He was institutionalized twice and tried to commit suicide while in the mental facility… Once by drinking lamp oil and once by eating paint.

His brother Theo was an immense help to Vincent during the days when Vincent was painting, and sent him money so that he could continue in that path. Vincent loved deeply but was always refused in marriage, which no doubt contributed to his despair and depression. We walked the town where Vincent created much of his work… And saw the wheat fields that he painted, the church, and the sunflowers.

Sadly, Vincent eventually committed suicide by going to his beloved wheat field and shooting himself in the chest. He died two days later, which put his brother into despair. His brother died 6 months after Vincent. We visited their graves… Theo’s wife bringing the body of her husband to be laid next to the brother he loved so much.

We returned back to the boat for a port talk and then off to dinner… Celebrating with another couple on their anniversary.

We then joined everyone to hear some cabaret music with a French singer and once again… Allan was called to perform…singing along with her and dancing with a chorus line of other passengers. What a hoot!

Tomorrow… Versailles! A special trip that only ten of us are taking. Can’t wait!

25 Jul 2018 Paris

We sailed into Paris and had our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower in the distance… The site we’ve been waiting to see.

We left immediately after breakfast for The Palace of Versailles and even though we got there in record time… We had to wait over an hour in the sun since the lines were immensely long.

The palace was the principal residence of the Kings of France from Louis XIV in 1682 until the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789. The palace is opulent with gilt all over and tapestries, paintings, and beautiful sculptures. The Hall of Mirrors was equisite and very avant garde for it’s time.

We walked all throughout as many gardens as we could… However, not many flowers were in bloom (nothing like Monet’s home) but the intricacy of the layout of the gardens was beautiful to see. Many fountains, statues, groves, and pools, that obviously were the WOW factor when guests visited the palace in the day.

When we arrived back to the ship, our Captain had a special treat for us. Because the water levels are so low on the Seine, he was able to take the boat along the Seine for a close up of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and many other sights. Some of the bridges are quite low and the boat usually cannot go under them. It was wonderful!

Dinner was delicious and then the crew put on a hilarious show. Afterwards we went up on deck to see the Eiffel Tower in all its nighttime glory. And glorious it was!

26 Jul 2018 Paris

This morning after breakfast we explored Montmartre, one of the most famous districts in Paris. We walked through the lovely town, finding ourselves a top the Montmartre Hill with breathtaking views of Paris below.

The church at the top, Sacre Coeur Basilica, was quite beautiful and from there we walked down to the town that was bustling with street artists, cafes, and stores. We stopped in one of the cafes for a cool drink and then it was back to the ship for lunch.

After lunch we braved the metro with our friend and walked the Champs-Elysees to the Arc of Triumph. It was a good walk… And by the way…We have been averaging over 12,000 steps a day! Hooray for us!!!

Tonight was the captain’s farewell cocktail hour and dinner… Delicious filet mignon and then the captain sailed the ship to the Eiffel Tower to see it sparkling in the night. It was a full moon as well and it was all very magical.

Tomorrow we move to our hotel for a few days as we extend our visit in Paris. This was one of our best river cruises ever. Great crew, great food, and we met many friends who we will keep in touch with.

Bon nuit!

The Seine River

27 Jul 2018

11:30 pm Paris Crowne Plaza

Today we said goodbye to the M/S Bizet and to its wonderful crew, and to the friends that we made during this voyage. The crew was one of the best we’ve ever had… Always anticipating your needs, always ready with a smile, and always making you feel special. We exchanged email addresses with the new friends we made and I know we will be in touch with them.

We boarded a bus that took us to our new home for the next few days… The Crowne Plaza in Paris. As we travelled, we went through the tunnel iwhere Princess Diana was killed. Very sad.

We arrived at the hotel and our guide, Dominique took us on a walking tour of the area, pointing out the sites and familiarizing us with what was in the area such as restaurants, ATM’s, food stores, etc.

By the time we returned we were able to check into the hotel and Allan and I went off to visit the Musée d’Orsay which is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum has paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography and houses the largest collection of Impressionist and post- Impressionist masterpieces in the world, by painters including Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. There are five floors in the museum and we took our time going through each one.

The museum itself is beautiful… With a stunning ceiling and enormous golden clock. We stood in awe in front of some of the paintings by the Masters that we had, up until now, merely viewed in books.

I highly recommend visiting this museum if you are in Paris and also, procuring tickets before hand, which we did, to facilitate avoiding the long lines. We walked right in.

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped into a cafe to enjoy a crepe and espresso which was quite wonderful. Sitting in a sidewalk cafe and watching the people go by is wonderful… especially while enjoying a Parisian speciality. Ooh la la!

We are getting very adept at navigating the Paris metro… Changing trains and figuring out what stop to get off at. The metro is similar to the NYC subway system and if you can read a subway map, you are good to go.

However, the metro operates a little differently than NYC’s system in that you are issued a ticket stub that you must insert in the stile to gain entry. The ticket goes in and immediately pops out and you must remember to retrieve it again before entering the gate, since you might need it to gain access if you change trains. or to produce if approached by a conductor. After you exit the train system, you need to throw the ticket away, as it is only good for one-way and the used ticket might get mixed up with your other tickets that have yet to be utilized.

We got back to our hotel and met up with four others on our tour (there are ten of us signed up for this post-tour in Paris) and we walked to a nearby restaurant called La Marine that was recommended by our guide. The food was Italian…pastas and pizza. I was expecting a nice French meal for our first night in Paris so I was rather disappointed that the guide recommended this place.

During dinner, the heavens opened up and a deluge of rain and hail pounded the sidewalks. People ran for cover as the hail was quite large and the wait staff had to rush out to close the awnings which would surely have been ripped to shreds. I’m sure the hail dented some cars as well.

By the time we finished our meal, the sun was out again and the temperature had dropped substantially. We walked back to our hotel and called it a night. Voila!

The Seine River

8 Jul 2018 Paris Crowne Plaza

Our hotel is very nice… Comfortable beds and very nice breakfast. The concierge has been very helpful making reservations for us and today we have had a very full day.

First stop was The Louvre, and we were very lucky to have a guide who took us right in to begin the tour. The Louvre is the world’s largest art museum and was once a fortress in the 12th century. We were able to see the remains of the fortress on our tour.

We viewed Venus de Milo, the famous statue thought to be the work of Alexandros of Antioch. It was created sometime between 130 and 100 BC and is made out of marble. The Winged Victory of Samothrace, also called the Nike of Samothrace, was created about the 2nd century BC and we were fortunate to see that as well.

Of course the highlight of the tour were the works by DaVinci and most especially the Mona Lisa. We were very surprised to see that the painting is much bigger than people have told us. It was easily visible and we were able to get up very close for photos.

Allan and I decided to stay in the museum after the tour and we visited a few other sections that were worthwhile to see.

We walked over to the Tuileries Gardens and strolled through them admiring the colorful display of flowers and then we stopped at a sidewalk cafe for a baguette with ham and cheese. It is a beautiful day today..mid 70’s and breezy. Perfect for walking around.

Our next stop was Sainte-Chapelle. What a treasure! The outside of the church is plain and gives little hint to the amazing beauty inside. The second floor is reached by climbing a long, narrow, spiral staircase, which was a bit out of my comfort range… But upon entering the nave and apse, my breath was literally taken away. The stained glass windows are magnificent. They tower above you from all sides and the sunlight steamed through them giving a jewel-like impression. I honestly have never seen windows so beautiful. The windows are one of the the most extensive 13th- century stained glass collections anywhere in the world.

We then walked over to Notre Dame and tried to find the Memorial of Martyrs of the Deportation, a memorial to the more than 200,000 people who were deported from Vichy France by the French to the Nazi concentration camps during World War II. This was the place where they were held for days before going on to their death. We were told that we could access it from behind the cathedral, but due to construction behind the cathedral, we could not access it.

We made our way back to the hotel and freshened up and then took the train over near the Eiffel Tower to have dinner at the French restaurant Chez Francis. The food was excellent as was the service. We both had French onion soup, and I had lamb chops with French green beans. Delicious. Allan had the duck and said it was excellent. We finished the meal with chocolate mousse and cappuchinos. Ooh lala!

We walked over to the river to take a night boat ride down the Seine, boarding at 10 pm. It was a beautiful evening and the City of Lights was true to it’s name. The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the museums looked so different against the darkened sky. It was a wonderful hour long cruise!

We took the metro back to our hotel. The platforms had lots of people… Even though it was 11:15 at night. Paris is very safe with many people out and about enjoying the summer nights.

Btw… We logged almost 18,000 steps today!!!!! Voila!!!

29 Jul 2018 Paris Aéroport Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG)

This morning we took the train to visit the Latin Quarter, where the famous Sorbonne University is located and from there we walked through the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens.

The gardens have spots to do your daily exercise routines, pony rides for the children, a park for kids to play in, a pond for sailing boats, and many areas to just sit and enjoy the gardens.

We loved watching the little ones sail their sea-worthy boats and many adults were also sailing what looked to be their hand crafted vessels. We saw one man with waders on and he went to the middle of the water to fish out a boat that had sunk.

After walking through the gardens, we stopped into Angelina’s for a decadent hot chocolate and some Parisian confections. The chocolate was so thick it almost plopped out of the carafe and it was served with an enormous bowl of whipped cream. Ooh la la.

We went back to the hotel for the final Au revoir to our friends and had a parting drink. Allan and I had dinner and then early to bed because we had to leave the hotel

It was a fabulous trip and we feel we saw everything that we wanted to see. France is beautiful in the summer… Flowers blooming from window sills and in the streets, and everyone was friendly and helpful as we made our way around.

Paris has so many amazing treasures and we feel so fortunate to have seen so many of them in the time we had. It is a lovely town and as the song says…”I love Paris every moment…” And we certainly did.