Aug 06

August 5/6 Willie Nelsons “On The Road Again” Comes To Mind

Autoroute du SoleilAugust 5
Now comes our travels by bus. We took a taxi to the bus station, actually a bus lot, as there is no station. No one to instruct you or tell you where to wait, so you have to keep an eagle eye out for the bus you need to be on.
Standing in the lot watching people was quite entertaining.
Up pulled our bus and we were the first ones on. I grabbed the seats behind the driver and noticed an attractive young girl sitting across the row, also in the front seat. We attempted to chat with her and were quickly told by the driver that he was protective of her. Come to find out, after watching for a couple of hours and putting two + two together, that she was a hitchhiker that he had picked up along the way and did not want anyone to know it. She appeared to be of gypsy descent and was heading to Marseille. The “married” driver was desperate for her attention, showed off a bit and continually kept drifting over the lines because he kept looking over at her and talking. I was getting a bit freaked out.

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Aug 04

I Left My Knife In Paris

Platform two of the eifel towerrWe ate breakfast in our room, since we bought some groceries at our little store. I am enjoying this change of pace, as sometimes I just don’t want to sit in a restaurant.
Even though it is not actually on my blog bucket list, I can assure you it has always been in my heart of hearts bucket list, and that is visiting the Eiffel Tower. I did not think it ever possible to come true. I have seen it in so many movies, shows and pictures but to actually BE there was magical.
It is one of the most beautiful structures I have ever seen, if not the most beautiful. It is great to know that my “awe” factor has not been used up.
I just could not nor did not get enough of looking and studying it.
On the way in, we exchanged favors of clicking pics for a fun couple of guys and even took some selfies with them. They were having a blast and now they have some old people on their phones to show their friends. It was fun and made me miss my kids.
I also held a cute little bunny. I know that sounds weird but a guy was standing with three cute bunny rabbits asking one euro to hold them. One of the bunnies was jealous and came over to give me some nuzzles and kisses. For real!

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Aug 03

Paris on a Whirlwind = Aching Feet

Jim Morrison's Unassuming Resting Place in Pere Lachaise Cemetery Paris

Jim Morrison’s Unassuming Resting Place in Pere Lachaise Cemetery Paris

Woke up a bit late today but that is fine, as we have a long day ahead of us, as far as time goes.

We enjoyed our room coffee then walked to our neighborhood small market for breakfast items; sat on a bench under the trees on Boulevard Wagram to eat fruit and other goodies; relaxing while watching Paris wake up too, then off to catch the metro.
I know for a fact I can work any train ticket booth put before me, even if in another language. Not sure how, but feels like I have been traveling through Europe forever via trains. I even helped a family going to Disney Paris to obtain tickets. I am not sure why Parisians get such a bad rap because I have found them to be very helpful and nice. Even like one man mentioned to the young family to watch her purse more closely due to thieves, as he was hurriedly going through the turnstiles, and one woman who was also in a hurry pointed out where to insert our metro tickets. They are all different as some insert and others you just swipe.

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Aug 02

Paris? Oui, s’il vous plait.

Lunch outsideWe got up this morning, rearing to go to Paris. Jos drove as they wanted to go too after not having been in the City of Lights for a couple of years. I have to say the trip through Belgium and Northern France was very nerve-wracking, since it was raining and of course other drivers were mindless drones and still driving like maniacs. Under normal circumstances Paris was four hours away but seemed much longer. We left right around ten am after Han had returned our rental car and got on the ring road (Boulevard Péripherique) a little after 2:30pm.

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Aug 01

Time To Chill Out With Family In Holland

Our Magnificent Sleeping Quarters

Our Magnificent Sleeping Quarters

Before our 2-day trip to Zeeland we were sleeping on blow up mattresses in Jos’s stunning gallery, but Han was having quite a difficult time bending his meniscus torn knee, getting up off the floor. So when we arrived back from visiting Carly in Middleburg on Wednesday afternoon, Ria had a wonderful surprise for Han in that an actual single bed had been set up in place of the blow up mattress.

We settled in and began to relax a little and just enjoy the days with Jos and Ria, me getting to know them better, Han and Jos playing guitar and singing, me getting to watch some English speaking TV, eating delicious meals together prepared by Jos and a little wine. I always thought Han was an excellent cook, but even Han had to admit that Jos has him beat. We surely did not go hungry.

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