Real time blog!

It is late by virtue of real time . We got up at 6AM Netherlands time. Which is midnight Toledo time.  And now it is 8PM and we are ready for bed. The adventure ended with a regular flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. Love being home.  

May 18 Brussels Day 16 of Vacation

We decided that we would explore another section of Brussels before we got the train to Amsterdam today. Our host had told us that there was a flea market area that operated everyday. We walked over to the area and passed several Estate Sale type retail businesses and we thought perhaps that was what our host had meant. But no - we see a square that is filled with merchants with wares all spread out on the ground. A very interesting experience.

We ended our Brussels visit with a lunch and a train ride and a walk passing more of the tortured trees of Europe.

 In Amsterdam now in an airport hotel with a shuttle tomorrow morning to Schipol Airport.  Then home.

May 17, day 15 of vacation and getting down to the end

Another day in Brussels. We decided that with the schedule we have kept for the last two weeks we would just relax in Brussels today. We had a leisurely breakfast and then took off for some shopping and city sight seeing. It was a fun day. Brussels is an amazing city and very much different than yesterday. There were lots of families in the city parks and the shopping squares seemed to be much calmer than yesterday. Steve and I have often ended up in places with unknown-to-us holidays or festivals and it seems our Brussels experience yesterday just adds to that file. We had mussels in Brussels for dinner tonight at a little square near the B and B.

Some of the other sites we saw today.

The Grand Place.

The Royal Palace of Brussels.

St. Micheal and Gudule Cathedral.

The trees that I have been intrigued by all over Europe. Taught to grow in straight lines. 

Steve and I have taken to calling them "tortured trees" 

May 16, day 14 of Vacation

After a typical European light breakfast at the B and B we were off to the Royal Museum of the Fine Arts. The day was overcast so a museum day was the perfect choice. We are very centrally located so it was only about a 10 minute walk. Not crowded, but busy as there is a special Chagall exhibit too. We opted for the 3 museum pass without the Chagall. We started with the old Masters which included art from the period 1400-1600. Very interesting after our experience at the D'Orsay in Paris with the later period impressionists. Both Steve and I are overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge that is required to "know" art. But we enjoyed the masters. From there we went to the Modern Art Museum. This included "protest" art. Not my thing at all. It is very strange what is determined to be museum quality art in this genre. We finished our cultural day with the Magritte Museum which is 3 floors of the life of Rene Magritte, a famous Belgian surrealist artist.

   

Our plan now was to wander down to a Beer Bar that our host had recommended for trying Belgium Beers. We were surprised by the loud music and congregating of people a few blocks from the museum. It seems it is Belgium Gay Pride week and the parade is going past  the street we are walking. This is an experience we are not likely to have anywhere else so we watch. Wow! It is huge with more than 25 large "floats" being pulled by trucks. Everyone is having a great time and there are parties all over the city.  

We finally make it to the beer bar and enjoy a few different selections with a light supper. 

We walked around the city after dinner to a 10 story parking garage that our host has also recommended. From the top you can see most of the city. Amazing free tourist site.

Friday May 15

 Friday! It is hard to believe we have been gone for nearly 2 weeks. We are starting the last leg of our journey today. We left the Bed and Breakfast near Bayuex this morning with hugs for the owners. Such a nice way to travel. We were welcomed into their home like family. Janine is quite the needlework expert, with many fine pieces of intricate cross stitch  adorning the walls. Her husband Dan is a gardener extraordinaire. I wish I could transport his yard for our garden walk this year. The pictures don't begin to show how magnificent it was.

The view from our room.

Our hostess, Janine, pointing out the 1737 date of the buildings. P.S. Doesn't she look like Kathy F.?

Our plan was to drive to Honfleur and have lunch and then continue our drive to Lille where we would get the train to Brussels. As we approached the downtown of Honfleur the driving rain and congestion of people and cars had us rethink that plan. It looks like a beautiful place to visit but today was not to be the day. 

We are approaching Lille now ready for another train ride. 

Pause: we are now in our Bed and Breakfast in Brussels. What a day it has been. The drive to Lille was fine. We got to figure out a few of the finer points of toll road driving in France. Arriving in Lille, I find that the Gps will not recognize the address of the rental car office. We are stuck in traffic not knowing where to go and the time until our train is ticking away.  Fortunately it all worked out with a phone call, a pedestrian helper and the keen eyes of driver Steve. Never again, I say now, will I rent a car and return it to a different town in Europe. We had a great dinner tonight and saw the famous "peeing boy statue". 

Normandy vacation day 12

Already late tonight as we finally get a chance to write. Guess what? We had another long, fun, adventure filled day. First stop was the Utah Beach Museum that we saw while we were on the D-Day tour yesterday. A fabulous museum just recently renovated that tells the story of the D-Day invasion in a very complete method. Complete with one of the four remaining B-26 bombers.

It also had  full size tanks, the beach landing craft, and even a Jeep. Very impressive but... We had to leave because we also were going to the second most visited site in France. Le Mont Sainte Michele.

Another WOW!!!

The whole thing.

Just me in one of the fireplaces used for cooking. 

We are off tomorrow to visit Hon Fleur and take a train to Brussels. Our last stop on this wonderful adventure. 

Normandy, France. Day 11

This is one of the monuments that is on Utah Beach but I thought it was an appopriate start to today's post.  We took an all-day tour of the area with an established tour guide company.  We started at the German cemetery.  Then we went to Saint Mer-Eglise where the American parachuter got caught on the church spire which many will remember from the movie "The Longest Day".  He survived, but was sent to a prison camp. 

The next stop was Utah Beach, where we learned that relatively few Americans died because the early air bombings were successful. This picture is of Utah Beach.

We next toured Pointe Du Hoc, from where the Germans could hit both Utah Beach and Omaha Beach with the big guns. 

 Check out the pictures of the fortified bunkers at pointe du Hoc that we are posting.

 

 

We then toured Omaha Beach, where the Americans had the most difficulty.  This is where the opening of the film, Saving Private Ryan, was set.  But it was filmed in Ireland.  The end of the beach is not at all what is depicted in the movie.  But the beaches here are massive!  

Stretching a half mile at low tide.  We finished at the American Cemetery.  Clearly the most emotional part of the day.  Flowers were everywhere.  Very impressive! The statue at the cemetery is entitled "The Spirit of American Youth Rising From the Waves.

On the move Day 10 of Vacation

I am starting my blog post today while on the train from Paris to Caen where we will pick up a rental car and begin our Normandy experience. We loved our location in Paris. The Hotel du Jeu de Paume on the ile St. Louis was within walking distance of most everything we wanted to see. We bought a packet of 10 Metro tickets yesterday for our trips around Paris. The Metro is very easy to use and an inexpensive way to get around Paris. The many connection points makes changing lines easy too. Only problem we had was finding an exit yesterday to one of the stations and today figuring out the difference between the Metro stop and the Train station. 

Most of my posts this week have been short because I write after dinner and before bed. And the dinner hour has been getting later and later. The norm in Paris is between 8 PM and 8:30. The hotel was great about getting us reservations which were probably needed for most of the places we ate. The food has been delicious and I did get to eat authentic French escargot. One or two of the restaurants had pigeon on the menu but I decided to save that gastronomic pleasure for another time. My first taste of Foie gras was in Amsterdam and I would have eaten it again in Paris but there were too many other options.  The food delights have been balanced by the walking. Even on a day using the Metro both Steve and I have logged over 5 miles of steps on the Fitbit per day. 

At  the train station awaiting our ride to Caen.

At our B and B in the Bayeux area. Do you think we are having fun?

Montmartre and La Tour Eiffel day 9

We took the Metro to Montmartre where we had a crepe at the foot of the steps leading to the Sacre Coeur church.   Wonderful view of Paris from the top of the steps. Another Metro ride took us to the La Tour Eiffel, where we had arranged a "behind the scenes" tour. We never knew there were underground offices where the French military worked during the war. We had an English-speaking guide who spoke heavily accented French-English.  He would be a hit in most American bars.

 We took the Seine River cruise today too and although it was fun it would be better at night.   We are leaving for Normandy in the morning, so this will be my last post from Paris. 

Still having some internet problems with pictures.

The Sacre Coeur Church from the base looking up.

The view looking down from the steps of the church.

The traditional view of la tour Eiffel. 

The bottom looking up view.

The top looking down view. 

Sunday in Paris day 8 of vacation

After a continental breakfast in our hotel, we struck out for another day in Paris. We took the "Big Bus" around the city. Weather was great - sunny and in the low 70s. A great way to take in the sights - all in about a 2-hour bus ride. It was open air, so we had a great view. The Eiffel Tower, the Champs De Élysées,  the Arc de Triomphe, and the National Opera house were just a few of the sights.   Had a piece of quiche and a bottle of Chardonnay for a late lunch. Sat next to a couple from Dallas who loathe Jerry Jones. Then went to the D'Orsay museum for an infusion of some more culture.  It was the old train station remade into a beautiful museum.  Plenty of Monets, Manets, and Van Goghs there.   Made it back to our hotel for happy hour, and then a late dinner. Happy Mother's Day!  

On the tour bus with ear phones to guide us through the city. 

Of course the most famous Paris monument.

Inside Notre Dame. The colors do not show in the picture.

The clock in the Museum D'Orsay.

The blogger in our hotel tonight.  Thanks Steve!

May 9, My Birthday in Paris

I have always wanted to see Paris and I am here on my Birthday. What could be better.  We awoke this morning and planned a walking tour of the Left Bank. After a breakfast of American coffee ( can't do without that ) and Eggs Benedict we headed across the Seine to the left bank. We had a Rick Steve's walking tour in mind and we kind of stuck to that with a few exceptions. We saw some of the traditional, left bank sights and enjoyed all of the shopping venues. After a drink of wine at the "Les Deux Magots" we amended the walking tour and headed to the Right Bank where we enjoyed some time in the Tuileries gardens of the Louvre. Then back to the hotel to refresh and then off to dinner. Our friend Jim Findley recommended a restaurant in the area and so my birthday dinner was celebrated at the Bofinger restaurant in Paris. It was an exquisite meal. We are back at the hotel now ready to start planning tomorrow.  Pictures to follow. We are having uploading problems.  The rest of the photos to come later.

The start of my day crossing the bridge to the left bank. Notre Dame in the background.

The "Les Duex Mogots". Been the same for 100's of years. Hangout of well known writers and painters.

Street performers playing while we enjoyed a glass of wine.  

A Parisan wine shop. We would never drink more than a bottle if they were all like this.

Not the greatest shot but a view toward the Louvre where we sat for awhile while walking through the Tuileries.

The Bofinger restaurant

Woo Hoo Paris!! Day 6, May 8, 2015

Another busy travel day taking the Thalys train from Amsterdam to Paris.  We loved the Airbnb we stayed at the last 2 nights in Amsterdam. Our first experience with an airBnB, but it was perfect. More on another post. The train was easy. When we arrived in Paris we had already decided that we would take the Metro to the hotel. It was about 2.4 miles but the taxi fare was listed at +- 75 euros. Steve went to the information booth while I stood looking at the big map on the wall.  A young man came up to me and asked me if I needed help. I told him where I wanted to go on the Metro and the next thing I know a French Policeman is behind me shooing the man away and reprimanding me, "Pickpocket!"  Wow.  Welcome to Paris.  Not to be disillusioned, I understand the train station is the true lurking ground for the Parisian pickpockets. We got on the correct Metro line, the hotel is great, and we had a light dinner. Tomorrow we take on Paris.

Photos today. Walking around on the right bank. The I'le St. Louis where we are staying.

A street scene from the outdoor bistro where we drank an afternoon bottle of vino.

The Notre Dame Church behind Steve.