April 23rd

Finally a new post. Monday we went to Normandy on the train and got back late. We saw the American Cemetery and the Bayeux Tapestry. We also went to Omaha beach and some German gun emplacements. What a beautiful and sobering place. Obama blew it when he didn't go because he didn't want to make the Germans feel bad. They should feel bad for a long long time.

On Tuesday, we went to Chartres and saw the cathedral. What a beautiful place. Way nicer than Notre Dame in Paris. The stained class is amazing. The building dates from the 1100's. We were going to climb the tower to the top, but a woman was bawling the guide out in French for coming back late from lunch. So he closed up shop and left. "We are closed today!" And he left. So we got on the train and came back to Paris. We climbed the Arc d'Triomphe instead.

Today, we took the TVG train over to Riems (Rance). It took 45 minutes to 100 miles. We saw another Notre Dame--the one where all of the French kings dating back to before Charlegmagne were crowned. It is even older than Chartres. It was heavily damaged in WWI, but rebuilt. Unfortunately, much of the original stained glass was lost. One nice surprise is that Marc Chagall designed and exected 3 replacement panels. They are beautiful. We then went to a very old basilica and to the place where the Germans surrendered to the Allies in on VE day in 1945. Then a Roman arch from 300 AD. Wow! Then back to Paris in 45 minutes. It took us 45 minutes to come from Riems to Paris and 45 minutes to get to the hotel on the metro!

Tomorrow, we come home. Just a few cool pictures today.

Part of the harbor the British built at Gold Beach.

Omaha Beach

German gun and bunker

9,000 fallen Americans in this cemetery alone!

Chartres Cathedral

From the top of L'Arc de Triomphe

Notre Dames de Riems

The place where the Germans surrendered to the Allies WWII

A Roman arch in Riems

One Last from Death March Day

More from Death March Day

Le Tour Eiffel au Nuit--It was windy and rainy but we toughed

it out and went to the top. Sorry about the sideways picture, but I

can't seem to delete it.

Les Jardins du Luxembourg

The Pantheon

A mime at Notre Dame, just for you, Rachel!

One man band

This guy sets up just outside of the tunnel that leads from the Sienne into the Tuilleries Gardens.

He plays a trombone or trumpet with one hand at the same time he plays an accordian with the other hand and a bass drum with cymbals with his feet. He also sings. Today, it was "Crying in the Chapel" en anglais. All of this, he amplifies with one of those portable amplifiers. What a trip. I now know what Larry can do in his retirement.

Johnny's favorite car le Descheveux

Le Moulin Rouge

A statue of a ghost in Montmartre

Sacre Coeur

Napoleon's Tomb

The Thinker at the Rodin Museum

Notre Dame

April 18th and 19th

Yesterday, we hit a lot of sites, but it was raining so we only walked 7 miles and took the metro--which is pretty scuzzy.

1st we went back to Notre Dame because the line was too long on death march day. Then we walked to the Orsay Museum and saw the Impressionists. It was really fun to see so many really famous paintings. Then we went to the Rodin Museum which is mostly a sculpture garden. After that was lunch--which is always long in France, but you almost have to eat inside and not just grab a sandwich because of the restroom issue. There is definitely NOT a pissoire on every corner! Then we went and saw Napoleon's tomb. A little creepy, but at least we didn't have a noisy 3-year-old declaring his hatred for Mn Napoleon at the top of his voice inside the tomb enclosure. Then it was on to Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur church. It was really pretty and set up to do some missionary work for the Catholics. Their cathedrals are often disconcerting because there is mass going on with hundreds of tourists milling about taking pictures. In this church, pictures were prohibited, and it was reverent. Then we did the walking tour of Montmartre in the rain. We ate at a wonderful restaurant close to the hotel, and it was just too late to make a post last night.

Yesterday, Johnny made the obligatory call to Versailles to see whether or not anyone had turned in his little wrist gps, and shock of shocks they had it! So we hatched a plot for him to get up and go to Versaille early, come back, go to church, and then go to Fountainbleue. We slept until 9:30, so that didn't happen. We went to church--just sacrament meeting. Testimony meeting in French. I could understand the Americans, no way with the French. The ward is an interesting mixture of French, American, Vietnamese, North African, Spanish, and African members.

Then we went to the Picasso Museum. They didn't have that many Picasso's. And then we went back to Versailles, and I shopped while Johnny went and got his little gps unit. So all's well that ends well.

Tomorrow is Normandy, the American Cemeteries, and the Bayeux Tapestry.

So now for some pictures.

One from the Death March Day

Les Jardins

Marie didn't like the big house so she stayed here in the smaller one.

The Epitome of Rococo Style

The "house"

April 17th

Today we hiked all over Versailles. The whole thing is over the top. It even has a fake peasant village built for Marie Antoinette. We had a great time and we only walked about 4 miles. I can't give an accurate count because the Mac lost his fancy wrist gps while we were in the Chateau part. Long story, but now we have to guess the mileage.

Le Tour Eiffel de le bateau

The boat and the Mac

I and 2,000 other people clawed our way to the front.

The Louvre

April 16th

Today we spent 6 hours at the Louvre. We walked it front to back several times. We saw almost everything. Then tonight we had a fabulous dinner at a restaurant in a park on the Champs d'Elysee. Finally, we hoofed it back up to the Eiffel Tower where we took a boat on a tour up and down the Sienne. I still haven't posted for yesterday, and since it is almost midnight, I will only post a few of today's. Tomorrow is Versailles. And no I didn't touch anything at the Louvre. In an American museum you can't even get that close to any artwork. Here no one is watching, but I was good. I would like to report, however, that the Mac did touch at least two statues.

Today, Wednesday: 20 mile 12 hour urban death march. No pictures today. Maybe tomorrow!

The Eiffel Tower across the Sienne

House Boats on the Sienne

Champs d'Elsyee

Proof Picture

L'Arc de Triomphe

The Mac in !st Class

Random Things from Our Lives

We have decided to let all of you share in a blow by blow account of our trip to Paris. Aren't you happy? Instant pictures of things you don't get to see. We start on April 13th. Stay tuned for lots of pictures.