Day 6 - Normandy

It felt so good to walk around Caen this morning.  Caen is a nice small town with a population of 110,000 compared to Paris' population of 2.2 million.  I felt like I had space to walk.

Before meeting up with the lady who would be our tour guide for Normandy, several of us located a popular boulangerie(bakery), Paul.  Paul is a French chain that was established in 1889.  It specializes in breads, crepes, sandwiches, macarons, and so much more.  I ordered a pain au chocolate and a cafe allonge with creme.  Superb!

It was another perfect day with the high of 72 degrees and a nice breeze.  I made sure I carried my jacket, as I do get a little chilled going in and out of the museums.

Our tour guide, Evie and our driver, Lucas were waiting for us when we got back to the apartment.  Evie has been a tour guide for about five years now.  She greeted us with "Bonjour" (hello/good morning).

I had mixed emotions about today.  Mixed emotions in that I get so teary-eye when I think of the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives so that I can live in a country of freedom.  When I saw "Saving Private Ryan" with Tom Hanks, I cried from the beginning to the end.  I have quit going to Fourth of July concerts because my heart is so pricked that I cry through out the whole concert.  As I type, I am an emotional wreck and I can barely see what I am typing.

I am typing about th virtual tour and Is am not even in Normandy and I am a wreck.  Boy, when I do go to Normandy, I better carry a box of kleenex with me.

We will tour the five D-Day Beaches(Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword), the Caen Memorial Museum and the Normandy American Cemetery.

Just to think seventy-six years ago today, the military officers were planning the "Invasion of Normandy".   On June 6, 1944, the Allied Forces of Britian, America, Canada and France attacked German forces on the coast of Normandy.  Over 425,000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded or went missing during the Battle of Normandy.

We drove to the museum.  The museum is dedicated to the history of the twentieth century, mainly focused on the fragility of peace.

As I walked the beaches, I looked out into the ocean and I could see the landing crafts that carried the American troops ashore.  These young boys/men had fear all over their faces and they did not know what awaited them as they drew close to shore.  More than 2,000 Americans died on the shores of Normandy on June 6th, 1944(D-Day).

We ended the tour at the Normandy American Cemetery, which honors American troops who died in Europe during World War II.  The cemetery contains the graves of nearly 9,400 war dead and nearly 1,600 names on the Walls of the Missing, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations.

It was interesting to get everyone's perspective of how they felt about our tour for today.  In our group, Becca and Erin are in their thirty's, Cindy in her fifties, Joyce(Mel's mom) is eighty and the rest of us are in our sixties.  We have all seen history take place throughout the years, but none of us can actually comprehend how the Invasion of Normandy changed history for our best.  What if Germany or Japan had won?  Where would we be now?

Day 5 - Traveling to Caen

I was looking forward to traveling to Caen today.  We would be traveling by train and would be able to see the countryside.  It is always nice to get away from the metropolitan area and see how the  country really lives.  Even the french people think that the Perisians are snobs.  It is the same feelings that the Americans have towards New Yorkers.  Once you live in a metropolitan area, you realize that the people around are just trying to survive and the pace of life is fast and furious and you better hussel are you may be eaten up.  My three years in New York taught me about New Yorkers and once they are your friend, they are your friend for life.

We were meeting at the hotel around noon for lunch and then we would head to the train station.  Our morning was open, so several of us decided to go back to a vendor that we talked with the day before.  He had some beautiful scarves and I thought a scarf for my mom would be the perfect gift.  Linda and Rhonda found some souvenirs to take back to their grandchildren.

We were about 15 minutes from the train station.  When we arrived at Gare Saint-Lazare, it was crowded.  It was Saturday and people were traveling to various places.  The train station is one of the six large railway stations of Paris.  It handles 275,000 passengers each day.  We located our platform and we waited patiently for the arrival of our train.

We found our reserved seats and got comfortable for our 2 1/2 hour ride to Caen.  Each seat was filled on the train.  People were ready to escape the hustle and bustle of Paris.  The area that we traveled through was flat and some vegetation.  You could feel the humidity getting higher as we got closer to our destination.  Caen is about an hour northwest from Normandy.

Arriving at the Bayeux Station around 3 p.m., we located some taxis and off to our apartment, we went.  We were staying at the Bayeux Historic Apartments, which was located in the center of town.  This way we would be able to experience how one lives in France.

Caen is located about 10 miles inland from the English Channel.  It is known for its historical buildings built during the reign of William the Conqueror, who is buried there.  A lot of heavy fighting took place in and around Caen during the Battle of Normandy in 1944, destroying much of the city.

While we were unpacking and getting freshened up for the evening, Becca went to locate a restaurant that would be able to accommodate the ten of us.

Another spectacular meal was enjoyed by everyone.  Another day of virtual touring through France.  Tomorrow will be an emotional day in reliving the Battle of Normandy!

Virtual Tour - Paris

About six months ago, I was reading about Olivia de Havilland.  For those who do not who she is, she played Melanie Hamilton in "Gone With the Wind".  She is also well-known for winning an Oscar for "To Each of His Own" & "The Heiress".  She will be 104 on July 1 and has lived in Paris since the mid 1950s.  I am saying all of this to say that I spent my free morning in Paris looking for Olivia.  She lives off of Rue Benouville.  I was hoping that she would be out for a stroll.  Sad to say, I did not see her.

After going through some stores, I took the metro back to the hotel and to meet up with the others.  My sister and four of the other ladies went to some antique shops and flea markets.  The others visited museums.  Within the city limits of Paris, there are approximately 130 museums.  Something for everyone.

We all met for lunch.  Everyone talking about all the things that they had seen in the morning.  My sister is a perfume bottle collector and she had located some beautiful bottles.  Everyone was "oohing and aahing" over her treasures.  My friend, Jackie had located a cup and saucer to add to her collection.  It was a fabulous morning for everyone.

Becca took a group to visit "Montmartre".  Montmartre is a large hill in Paris.  It is primarily known for its artistic history, the white-domed Basilica of the Sacre-Coeur on the summit and for being a nightclub district.  During the early 1900s, many artists lived and worked in this area.  Picasso painted one of his most important masterpieces "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" in this district.  Tourists also visit such sights as "Place du Tertre" and the cabaret du "Lapin Agile", where many artists work and gather to visit.  Not far from this area is the district of Pigalle, where the actual Moulin Rouge theatre is.

After visiting this historic area, we took the metro back to our hotel.

Our evening was spent reminiscing about the day and enjoying a fabulous meal.  We wanted to be back to the hotel by midnight, as tomorrow will be a long day by train to Caen(Normandy).

I hope you have enjoyed this virtual day as much as I have and I look forward to the days ahead.

Day 3 -France Virtual Tour

As I woke up this morning, I had to pinch myself.  Was I really in Paris? 

The sun was coming through the curtains and I could tell that it was going to be another beautiful day.  Yesterday, it was in the high 70s with low humidity.  It was a fabulous first day.

I looked over at my sister's bed and I noticed that she wasn't there.  I guess she couldn't sleep and wanted to go for some cafe and a pain au chocolat.  

We all met Becca in the lobby at 9am. It was going to be a full day.  We are visiting the Eiffel Tower, L'Orangerie and the Louvre Museum.  And then we are ending the evening with dinner as we cruise down the Seine River.

Get ready!  It is going to be an exciting day on our virtual tour!

Becca was so cute this morning with her long hair and colorful red hat.  She wanted to make sure that everybody could find her among the crowds.

Our hotel was about 3 miles from the Eiffel Tower.  Since the weather was so nice, we all decided that it would be nice to walk.  It felt good to walk and to see all the other sits along the way.

As we got closer to the tower, I was in awe of the magnitude of it.  The plan to build this tower of 300 metres(1,000 feet) high was conceived as part of preparations for the World's Fair of 1889.  Gustave Eiffel was the constructor for this unique tower.  He is also well known for other projects, such as the Statute of Liberty, and he also agreed to build the locks of the Panama Canal.  It took 22 months to build the Eiffel tower.  

The plan was to tear the tower down after 20 years.  Eiffel had cleverly put a radio antenna and wireless telegraph transmitter in the Tower, and the government eventually decided it was too useful to demolish.  During WWII, Hitler had ordered that the Eiffel Tower be torn down.  Fortunately, it never was.  

The tower has 1,665 steps to the top.  You can only take the stairs from the bottom up to the 2nd Floor.  No one is allowed to take the stairs to the top.  The tower is known as the "Symbol of Love" because of it's construction and outstanding views.  It is the tallest monument in France.  When you think of France, what do you think of?  Of course, the Eiffel Tower.

The group decided to tackle the stairs to the second floor and then we took the lift to the top.  I can't even describe the view to you, except "spectacular".  When we got to the top, we decided to enjoy our time up there with a glass of champagne.

The Musee de l'Orangerie is located on the bank of the Seine in the old orangery of the Tuileries Palace on the Place de la Concorde near the Concorde metro station.   This museum/art gallery is well known for the "Water Lilies" murals by Claude Monet.  Pablo Picasso's work was also displayed.  After spending a couple of hours here, we decided to find a cafe for lunch.

The cafe wasn't crowded as it was around 2 o'clock.  It felt good to relax and to enjoy a glass of wine with our lunch.  We made sure to say "bonjour" when we entered and "au revoir" when we left.

Off to the Louvre Museum.  It is the world's largest art museum and historic monument in Paris.  It is located on the Right Bank of the Seine, not far from our hotel.

I always like a little history of places.  The Louvre was originally built as a fortress in 1190, but was reconstructed in the 16th century to serve as a royal palace.  It was opened as a museum in August 1793 with a collection of 537 paintings.

You could spend days in the Louvre, but we only had a few hours.  The two main pieces that I wanted to see were the original "Mona Lisa" which is located on the first floor and the "Venus de Milo".  This is a marble Hellenstic sculpture of Nike, that created in about the 2nd century BC.  The sculpture has been displayed there since 1884.

Museums exhaust me, but I got through and I was happy that I did see the "Mona Lisa".  I can remember in the 6th grade that my teacher taught us about Leonardo da Vinci and his masterpiece "Mona Lisa".

The museum was closing at 6 pm and our group was one of the last to leave the museum.  We got a taxi back to our hotel.  Dinner on the river was at 8 pm.  

Looking back over the day, the Eiffel Tower and the Dinner Cruise were my favorite.  On the cruise, we met several other people from different parts of the world.  There were some other Americans on board, as well.  As the sun set, the temperature began to drop and being on the water, it was a little cooler. I was glad that I had brought a shawl. The meal was veal with foie gras and porto sauce.  There were also a variety of cheeses to try with our wine.  We topped the dinner off with crepes with chocolate sauce and banana slices.

As we approached the dock around 10:30 p.m., we were so relaxed from the wine, the singing and just the atmosphere of being in Paris.

Tomorrow, our day is a free day for shopping and doing whatever we want to.

I wonder what my virtual tour of Paris will be tomorrow?

Bonjour!

Bonjour!  My virtual tour began as I felt the wheels of the plane hit the tarmac at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France.  It had been an uneventful flight.  I watched a few movies and then I was able to sleep for several hours.  Since the plane was flying east, I enjoyed watching the sunrise as we flew across the Atlantic Ocean.

Hard to believe that I had finally arrived in this beautiful European city.  I have changed planes several times in Paris, but I have never had the opportunity to take a day or two to tour.  Now, I would be able to enjoy four days of Paris before heading to Normandy.

The rest of our group was flying on American and they flew out of Dallas.  Their plane was suppose to arrive by 9:30 am as well.

Jackie, Erin and I grabbed our bags and we were ready to get off the plane.  It felt good to stretch and to get some exercise.  We followed the others that were on the plane towards customs.  We got through customs in a timely manner and then headed towards the doors to meet Becca and the rest of the group.

Becca was waiting for us with that beautiful smile she has.  She ran towards us to hug and to personally meet Jackie and Erin.  She said that the American plane had landed, but they had not gotten through customs.  She was waiting for the rest of the group before she called the driver to come pick us up.

After about thirty minutes, I could see my sister coming through the doors with the others.  Here we were all together at last.  Becca went around introducing herself to Linda, Mel, Mel's mom(Joyce) Rhonda and Cindy.  

Our driver, Paul, was there in about 10 minutes and we loaded up in the Mercedes van.  Everybody was talking at once.  None of us could believe that we were finally here.  The airport was about 45 minutes from the center of Paris.  

Our first stop was Hotel Baume.  We wanted to drop our bags and freshen up.  By the time, we all got to the lobby, it was almost 1 pm.  Off to a cafe to grab some lunch and to practice our French.  We all practiced with "Bonjour" (good day/hello).  Our waiter was smiling as he knew, we were not Parisians.

All 10 of us hopped on to the "Hop-On/Hop-Off Bus" to get a quick tour of Paris.  I was feeling a little jet-lagged.  So I enjoyed sitting and seeing the sights.  Actually, I slept a little-bit.  The bus went along the Seine River.  The Eiffel Tower was the most beautiful sight.  The bus went through the tunnel where Princess Diana was injured.  Hard to believe that this happened 22 years ago.

Other sights that we passed by were Champs de Mars, Louvre Museum, Notre Dame, Orsay Museum, Grand Palais, Champs Elysees Etoile and Trocadero.

It was great to get an overview of the city.  Tomorrow we will go to the Eiffel Tower, L'Orangerie and Louvre Museum.

After our lovely meal, everyone was ready to get some sleep after such a long flight and long day.

Bonne Nuit!

Vive la France

Paris!  Paris!  Paris!  Just like so many other people, my once in a lifetime trip to France had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus.

About 9 months ago, I began to coordinate a trip to France with a friend who lives in Lyon, France.  She is an American, but has been living in Lyon for the past 5 years.  She teaches English during the school year and coordinates trips to France during the summer months.

I have always loved to travel and I have even put together several group trips of my own to New York City.  This was going to be the year that my sister and I would discover Paris, Normandy, Lyon and Annecy.

My sister and I have always been told that our descendants on our father's side came from France.  Our maiden name is "Chappell".  It is pronounced with the french accent.  During WWI, our grandfather(our mother's father) was stationed in France.  We have several postcards that he wrote to his mom during the war talking about his time in France.

With all of this in mind and neither my sister and I have been to France, we thought "2020" would be the year.  In September, we began to talk with our friend, Becca, and we decided we wanted to share the fun and excitement with other friends.  We let everyone know and seven other friends said that they wanted to be a part of this exciting trip.

Becca did an excellent job in putting together an itinerary.  We wanted to see as much as we could in 12 days.  We were spending several days in Paris and then we were taking the train to Normandy and then the train to Lyon and then we would discover Annecy.  Of course, we would need to spend one more night in Paris before we flew back to the USA.  We were so looking forward to visiting museums, eating at cafe's on the sidewalk, seeing where the invasion of Normandy took place, going to wineries, enjoying a cooking class and so much more.

For the past 8 months, I have been sending cards with the Eiffel Tower on it, as well as other items to the group to get them excited for this trip.  I have a picture of the Eiffel Tower taped on my bathroom mirror.  Every day I get to envision the Eiffel Tower.  I practice speaking French with Duolingo each morning.  

Clothing!  Well, I purchased the cutest dresses with the cutest pair of Keds Tennis Shoes.  I even purchased a 19 inch luggage so that I could carry on.  That was definitely going to be a challenge, as I normally take everything plus the kitchen sink when I travel.  This was going to be the trip that I would downsize.  It was going to be me, my carry-on luggage and backpack.  I was ready to explore the country of France with minimum amount of clothing and other items.

Today was the day that I was flying from Denver to Chicago with a four hour layover in Chicago before boarding United Airline for Charles de Gaulle Airport.  All day long, I was thinking where would I be at this time if life hadn't turned upside down.  

I can just imagine flying into Terminal B in Chicago and then meeting two other friends who were on the same flight to Paris.  We would have to have lunch at one of my favorite restaurants "Tortas Frontera" in Terminal B and then walk over to Terminal C to go into the United Club(since we were flying International).  I would also made sure that I had my 10,000 steps in before we boarded for Paris at 4:30 p.m.

Since this was a special trip, I was using my mileage points to upgrade to First Class.  I wanted to be able to stretch out and have some leg room and to try to get some sleep before we landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport at 9:30 am.  Also in First Class, the flight attendants serve chocolate sundaes with whipped cream and a cherry on top after your meal.  I was so looking forward to enjoying the ice cream sundae.

For the next 11 days, I am planning to go on a virtual tour of the places where I would have traveled to.  Thank you for joining me as I discover and explore France!

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!  Today is the day that we take time and commemorate those who have died in military service for our country.

The other evening, I took a picture of the American flag and in the background was a storm brewing in the east.  The picture said it all to me.  I think of the men and women who have sacrificed their lives to protect me and to give me the freedom that I enjoy daily.

We need to take time and to reflect on what the American flag represents.  Most people don't realize that the stars and stripes have meaning.  I wonder if someone would know that the 50 stars represent each state of the Union.  Did you know that the stripes represent the 13 colonies?  What if I asked you what does the colors(red, white and blue) represent?  What would you say?  The red symbolizes hardiness and valor; white symbolizes purity and innocence; and the blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.

When you see the wind blowing the American flag, stop and think about the history and what others have fought for so that you and I can enjoy the lives that we have.  Even during this pandemic, we have so much to be thankful for.

John 15:13 states that "The greatest love a person can have for his friends is to give his life for them."  American soldiers have done this for me and so many other people in the world.  

The next time you see a soldier, take a moment and thank him for his service.

The Roaring of "2020"

Hard to believe that it is almost the end of May and that there are seven months left in the year of "2020".

It seems like yesterday that it was the first of the new "2020".  I was sending out cards and letters to everyone saying that "2020" would be a roaring year and a year of newness in all areas of their lives. No one knew that it definitely would be a year of newness and changes. 

At the beginning of the year, my husband and I cruised from Los Angeles through the Panama Canal to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  It was one of the best trips.  We enjoyed all the stops and especially the history of the building of the Panama Canal.  That is definitely a story that I will share in one of my blogs.

After getting back from the cruise, I finished up with the Real Estate course and took the final national/state exam on February 14th.  Hallelujah!  I passed.  I began working with a lady who has 15 years experience in real estate.  Even during the COVID crisis, we have had listings, purchases and closings.  

February was a full month of traveling to Las Vegas and meeting up with some friends to see the Doobie Brothers in concert.  We ended February by traveling to Houston for my husband's job and to visit family and then I traveled to Waco, Texas to see my parents for a week.

On March 3rd, I arrived back in Loveland and that is when the world began to change and the panic for toilet paper began.  I had been hearing about the corona virus, but I did not think much about it, since my husband and I experienced it back in November of 1989.  

Our lovely border collie, Brumby, became very ill and lethargic.  We thought she had parvovirus.  But after our vet ran several tests and took lots of blood samples, he sent them to North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota.  Within a few days, we were informed that she had the coronavirus.  Of course, we did not know what that was.  The veterinarian was not for sure if she would make it.  My husband and I were determined that she would live and would return back to Texas when we left Bismarck.  It was touch and go, but with a good diet, lots of love and prayers, she beat "the odds" and she did return to Texas with us.

March, April and now May have been almost a "blur".  March and April were all about "staying at home".  My husband and I followed protocol.  At the end of April, Colorado and Texas were beginning to ease people back into society.  I knew at that time that I needed to travel to Waco to see my parents.  My parents will be "90" and "86" this year and they have definitely had some challenges with their health.  Fortunately they are still in their home of "50" years.  My sister in Dallas had been making weekly visits to Waco to monitor their situations.  It was time to give my sister a break and for me to step up to the plate and assist.

Fortunately my neighbor needed to assist with her grand-daughters in San Antonio, Texas.  After a brief conversation, we decided to take a road trip to Texas.  This way we would not need to worry about flying and being surrounded by the public and worrying about the virus.  Four days after making the decisions, we loaded up in my neighbor's SUV and began the journey.  Now, we are not talking about a four drive or an eight hour drive.  From Loveland, Colorado to Waco, Texas, we were looking at traveling 917 miles or 1,476 kilometers.  It was a 15 hour drive with 2 stops.

We left Loveland at 4:30 am.   Traveling east on I-70, we experienced one of the most spectacular sunrises.  My neighbor has lived next door for almost three years.  When we are outside, we talk and discuss whatever is happening in the world.  Overall we hadn't spent that much time together.  Let me tell you if you want to get to know someone, spend 15 hours together.  It was a great trip to Texas and back.  We definitely know each other's dark secrets when we arrived back to Loveland.

My time in Waco was well spent.  I assisted my parents by taking them to doctor's visits, cooking, washing clothes, mowing the yard, getting the 2019 taxes completed and so much more.  I was up at 7 in the morning and I would put my head on the pillow between 11 pm and midnight.  I slept like a baby.  Even with all that I was doing, I made sure that I got in my 10,000+ steps daily.  I actually ended the week with over 109,000 steps.  Walking is my way to get away and to relax.

I am so thankful to have both of my parents, but it is very hard to see them age.  They were once the ones in charge and they were taking care of me.  Family has always been important to me.  

Getting back to Loveland from Texas was hard.  It was hard to be away from my parents, but I needed to get back and get my own home in order.  Colorado moved from "Stay at Home" to "Safer at Home".  Stores and other services are gradually beginning to open with a lot of protocol.  

I believe we all have learned a lot during the past months.  Definitely, I feel that people are more in tune with hygiene than they ever have before.  I have always been aware of washing hands, using wipes on planes, hotels, etc.  People just need to be aware and to think.  If you are sick with a fever, you don't go out.  I know that there is a lot to this virus that we will never know, but I do know that you can use common sense.

The "Roaring Twenties" will not be forgotten.  The "1920's" were known for the flappers, automobiles, nightclubs, movies and jazz.  The beginning of the "2020's" will be known for the COVID-19, the toilet paper panic, social distancing, masks, zoom, working from home, furloughs, lost of jobs and so much more.

As I look at the silver lining of the pandemic, I have learned that God was with me.  Isaiah 35:4 says "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  During this time, the Lord gave me peace to know that He was with me.  There was so much unknown.  Through all the unknown I knew I needed to trust God and to allow Him to give me the wisdom and knowledge that I needed.  I needed to be mindful of my surroundings and to respect other people and their opinions.  My prayer was and is that others will see the calmness and the glow of hope that surrounds me.

The decade has only begun.  I do believe that the rest of the 20's will be different.  During these months, families and relationships have learned how important the support of family and friends are.  People have reached out to assist others.  We have also learned who the frontline responders are.  They are the healthcare workers, first responders and the other essential personnel(grocery stores, pharmacies and so many more).  There is a new respect for these people.  

America may have different opinions about a lot of things, but overall "America stands strong together".  God bless America!