Vincennes Castle

We took the Metro to the end of line 1 and found Chateau Vincennes. The chapel was one of my favorites...nice and bright on the inside with HUGE stained glass windows. This castle started out as a hunting lodge for Louis VII. Over the many years other kings have added on. It has been used as a prison.

The picture of paintings are of when it was used for a prison, the prisoners would paint the walls. I also got photos (not included here) of graffiti from 1861. I am fascinated by ancient graffiti.

This picture of Eric...I could make an entire photo book of Eric with statues. Thank goodness Eric keeps his clothes on.

Switzerland

Our short visit to Switzerland was beautiful! I had to take these fun pictures of the hotel. By the time that we arrived in our room the TV was on with dad's name on the TV welcoming him to the hotel. Then they came and made up two beds for Eric and Michael and left an adorable teddy bear on each of the beds in a cute little bag. Then...they left a Swiss chocolate bar for each of us, water, ear plugs, and little wonderful extras in the bathroom. We decided that we didn't want to leave the hotel.

The next morning we were hoping to get up to the alps. Unfortunately there was a low cloud cover so the boys didn't get to see the majesty of the alps. However, the scenery was extremely beautiful and since they didn't know what they missed, it didn't bother them.

We enjoyed the day of sight seeing and driving back to Stuttgart Germany to catch the train and get back to Paris.

Lichtenstein Castle

The boys and I caught a train (a fast one! It went 320 mph) from Paris to Stuttgart Germany. Welc met us at the train station and we all spent the night in Stuttgart and then rented a car to drive down through Germany and into Switzerland. Welc was going to be looking at fruit trees and checking out the fruit in markets.

On the way we visited a small castle called Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein Castle sits on a crag overlooking the Echaz Valley in Germany. It is a fairytale castle. We had a short 30 minute tour and then we were off on our way to Switzerland. We drove on the Audubon at speeds a little over 100 mph. I was not thrilled in the least with that. I tried to keep myself occupied with watching movies from the History channel (Joan of Arc and Napoleon) that I had downloaded on my ipod.

Bastille Day - July 14

Bastille day here in France is like the 4th of July in America. Bastille day marks the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 and the first major event of the French Revolution of 1789.

In the evening we went to the Eiffel Tower to watch the fireworks. I really have to step back at moments like this to soak in the reality of being here in Paris. It was beautiful. I found myself realizing that it was not the same without "Oh beautiful for spacious skies..." playing in the background. France is wonderful but America is where my heart is.

Dday continued

These photos are of the bunkers that the Germans built in preparation for a battle. Eric is standing in the doorway of one. Inside is an empty shell of fear and death. "Cement" walls housed the big machines of war with wide "windows" to swivel and get aim.

Behind Eric in one of the rooms the Americans found 33 German soldiers. Three escaped to a small town nearby and all the others were killed. Looking in that blackened muddy room I recalled the words of a Veteran. In the museum I had heard him speak that he is still haunted by the sounds of a soldier "gurgling" in his blood. The German had attacked him from behind and the Veteran took his knife and sunk it into the German's temple. He then had to slit his throat. Because he could not bear that the man was dying a slow death, he turned him over and stabbed him in the back. That veteran is still haunted by those sounds and life for him was never the same.

Inside the bunker you can see a direct hit probably from one of our ships.

I don't know a lot about war. Standing on those bluffs, in the bunkers, and on the sand looking up at those bunkers I wept. I wept because my 18 years old boys were there with me and that is the age of most of those young men who died on those sands in 1944. I wept because I missed my father and his patriotism. I wept because I know those men storming the beaches of Normandy on that hellish morning felt alone and very scared. Scared of the unknown and the unsaid.

Dday landing

Saturday July, 10, 2010, we rented a car and drove to Normandy. My heart kept turning to my father who would tell his Navy stories. I remember his pride, patriotism, and love of the Navy. All those memories came flooding back as I stood upon this ground. I wanted my father to be with me. I wanted to tell him that I finally got it and how grateful I was for all this courage, brotherhood, and sacrifice. As Welc and I stood in front of the crosses on that still afternoon we couldn't speak to each other. Our throats were knotted and our eyes wet.

We stopped in a museum the pictures that I took were three separate standing walls.

COMPETENCE: "We had to know where we were, where we were going, we couldn't afford to be wrong; we had to be right on it, we couldn't afford a disaster." Pvt George Tily

COURAGE: "I started out to cross that beach with thirty five men and only six got to the top, that's all." 2nd Lt Bob Edlin.

SACRIFICE: "then it all came down to this brief first day of battle on the coast of Normandy, and, for so many of them it all ended. For the rest of us, what has been since has not been the same." Capt. Charles Cawthorn

I moved on down the hall and saw for the first time a purple heart. "Sgt Frank Peregory received the Medal of Honor for his heroism on June 3, 1944 while moving inland from Omaha beach. When machine gun fire halted his unit's advance, Peregory stormed through enemy positions and attacked with his rifle, bayonet, and hand grenades. His daring actions cleared the way for his battalion's successful advance. He was killed a week later and is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery."

We went down and walked that beach looking up at what was left of those bunkers that Sgt Frank Peregory faced.

Sacre-Coeur

Sacre-Coeur means Sacred Heart is on the highest point in Paris. It was build as a memorial of 58,000 French soldiers killed in the Franco-Prussian War. It took 46 years to build. Glittering inside is a huge Byzantine mosaic of Christ.
The views are unbeatable and this is the place to watch the sun set in Paris...and we did.

Cemeterey

July 7, 2010
Jon Magnus who is from Wenatchee just happened to be in Paris visiting. He has previously lived in France working as a French interpreter. Jon took Michael, Eric and I to the cemetery where Chopin is buried. Since Michael won our local state competition with a Chopin piece we just had to visit.

Jon pointed out that some of the tombstones have CPE or Concession A Perpetuite on them. If they have that engraved, the grave will remain in the cemeterey forever. If not, the grave will remain only as long as the space has been paid for and then it will be pulled up and a new one put in its place. My first thought was "That is terrible!" my second thought was that I sure hope this cemetery is keeping meticulous documentation.

37 Rue de Charonne

The is the place that we moved to where we will be staying when we are in Paris. It is beautiful. I have not posted any pictures yet of the libraries (yes four to five full libraries from floor to ceiling). It is cool inside and Welc purchased a fan so on hot nights we have some air circulation.

I find myself more and more intrigued with the paintings and drawings everywhere. I want to know the story behind them all.

This place is located by the Bastille which originally was a fortress but soon became a jail for political prisoners. It was here that angry citizens rising up against the excesses of the monarchy on July 14 1789 stormed the Bastille. This began the French Revoluation and destroyed the hated symbol of oppression. There is now in it's place a column which they call July Column with the Angel of Liberty on top to commemorate those who died in the revolution.

Notra Dame

On the walk home from church we passed and went through Notre Dame. I was hoping that a mass was going on so the boys could hear the organ and singing inside the church. There is a beautiful spirit when that chapel is filled with live music. The mass had been held earlier in the day when we were at church ourselves. The picture of Welc, Eric, and Michael is in the back of Notre Dame - a view that is not taken often and I feel it is actually one of the nicest views.

Jet Lag

The boys didn't really think they had jet lag...so when I heard one of them snoring away in the other room I had to snap this picture. They were almost comatose. I could barely wake them when it was time.

Statue of Eric

Anytime I am having a bad day I need to look at this picture. I was laughing so hard that I was crying. This is in gardens in front of the Louvre.

Bathroom door

Who in their right mind would put a bathroom door in a house that has a window with no curtain? This bathroom was at the first home we stayed at. Everytime someone passes by the door they see the view of the person in the shower, at the sink, or on the lieu. I met the owner and he seems like a very decent man. I am left without words except two - PRIVACY PLEASE!

Conciergerie and Sainte-Chappel

July 6, 2010

Today Welc was off to Amsterdam and after a day of work there he will fly to Italy before he rests his head to sleep. This morning the boys and I were off to the Conciergerie which has been both an impressive Gothic Palace and a prison. It is probably most famous as the prison where Marie Antoinette was held as she was tried and then taken to be beheaded. Yesterday we stood at the spot in which she was executed and today we stood in the prison where she awaited her execution at the guillotine. We walked through the medieval kitchen and torture chamber. In the prison we saw the cells that held condemned prisoners which were categorized as poorest (reduced to sleeping on straw), prisoners who could afford to pay (received a cell with a bed), and "high class guests" (ha ha) were allowed a desk and lamp.

Right next to the Conciergerie is the Sainte-Chappel which is written to be the "most beautiful church in Paris." Fifteen incredible stained glass windows 50 ft high (each) depicting 1113 biblical scenes. It takes your breath away. I had never been to the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chappel before. Oh what I have missed!

Fat Tire Bike Tour

July 5, 2010

This morning the boys and I were up early to get to the Eiffel Tower. We knew it was going to be a cool day and we decided it would be a good day to ride the "Fat Tire Bike Tour" (the tour starts at the base of the Eiffel Tower). On the bike tour I found myself pinching myself trying to believe that I was riding a bike through Paris. It was a beautiful way to see the city. I don't know if I would have enjoyed it if I was trying to navigate myself but I didn't have a care in the world as we followed the guide through the streets. We rode mostly on bike paths but there were times when we were sharing the streets with the insane traffic. I tried to keep up front or in the middle of the pack and I didn't worry about cars. It was worth the price alone for the wonderful guided tour but when he told us how to get into the Louvre without standing in line - that was the frosting on the cake, or the glaze on the pastry (is what they might say here I guess.)

New Rue

July 3, 2010
Here I am once again awake at 2:00 am Paris time...darn I thought I was going to make it through the night.

This morning I awoke to Michael waking me up because he thought I was in a comma - it was 10:00 am. I had finally fallen to sleep around the time Welc and the boys were getting up. Hopefully this will change soon. It has been so warm here that sleeping is hard because there is no air conditioning.

Welc had left us with an European cell phone which Michael had accidentally turned off and once turned on needed a security code to work...so there we were without any communication with Welc.

We cleaned the house we were staying in and embarked on the journey of hauling 8 huge roller bags, a computer bag, and another heavy tote to find a taxi to our next house. We had to walk almost a half mile in the hot sticky weather weaving in and out of passerby's. Quite the spectacle we were. Finally we arrive at a main street to catch a taxi. There were no taxis that were not in use that wizzed by. After about 40 minutes of flagging down taxis we were frustrated but alas one finally stopped. The boys piled into one large taxi and somehow we managed to squish 4 suitcases the computer bag and the tote with them. Horns were honking and traffic was piling up so I put 50 euros in Erics hand in hopes that would be enough money and I told him the address and off they went. It was so fast that I was quite rattled and worried. Here we are, I thought, "if they get to the wrong place or if I get to the wrong place, no phone, no internet connection, no place to stay, and not knowing where the others were, how would we ever find each other?" Their taxi pulled away and I must say tears filled my eyes. I was frightened...so the best thing I figured is to get working and I stood by the side of that street waiting...and waiting...and waiting for a taxi that was not in use. I whispered a prayer for help and comfort. Tears were flowing down my face and I took a deep breath to get control of my fears. After about 20 minutes of my arm out every time a taxi drove by I finally scored an empty one.

The taxi ride took about 20 minutes with all the traffic. My body finally relaxed when we pulled up at our new address and Eric was waiting outside for me. Thank you Heavenly Father.

Our new place that we are staying in is everything you would think of an Parisian home to be...well for a wealthy European. At least four different libraries - floor to ceiling books. All over the home are relics from foreign places. Everything you touch could be a conversation piece. The owner showed us through the home and then was off to southern France. He and his daughter are film directors, his wife is a published author, and his son is an artist. The home is filled with art (several of which we needed to take down and turn over promptly after he left). This place is located in a trendy/artsy area of Paris by the Bastille.

We hooked up internet and got a message off to dad and he sent us the security code to the phone. Dad let us know that we had left our camera back at the old house and we were going to the barge where the owner lived to pick up the phone. We had to laugh that if he looked at the pictures in the camera I had taken a picture of the bathroom door in his home that had this big window in it to see inside the bathroom. How odd is that?

When we arrived at the location there were many barges. We had to open a gate and cross several barges to get to "Cathere". Then the dilemma of no front door. Do I just hop on the barge and walk down the stairs into the belly of the barge? I started calling his name he heard me and at last our camera was in hand and we were on our way.

Napoleon's Tomb

July 1, 2010
It is 3:00 am and I cannot sleep here in Paris. My time clock is all kookoo so here I sit in a dark room with just the computer screen illuminated to keep me company.

Yesterday I woke up to Eric handing me a pastry - yummy. He brought me a type of croissant with chocolate in the middle. He was smiling ear to ear, excited to be in Paris. I was going to sleep some more but after I had consumed the pastry I was covered in flakes of itchy pastry that had crumbled off.

Eric was a wee bit sad because the cute girl at the bakery was not working so we had to stop there again for lunch and both Michael and Eric got a yummy pizza. They were so funny trying to flirt with the sweet girl who cannot speak English. Today they figured out how to ask her name...perhaps when we visit in the morning for pastries they will work up the courage.Around noon we were on our way to catch the Metro to Napoleon's tomb which is buried in the Sait-Louis des Invalides church and dome. I didn't realize how little I knew about Napoleon. It was fun googling Napoleon to find out basic facts. Also, there is a fabulous exhibit of Armory beginning with Medieval times and moving through D-day and 1945. It is amazing the change of warfare from arrowheads to bomber planes. We chuckled at several suits of armor that had ears, eyes and facial features molded on the head pieces. They were almost cartoonish. There was one that was an intricately carved chicken or duck head. It even had nostril holes on the beak. Imagine that - an intimidating man in a suit of armor with the head of a chicken.

Jet lag had set in as we were finishing up the museum. I was worried that if I sat down I would fall asleep on the bench and the thought of trying to make it all the way home was almost too much to bear. My body felt very heavy and just wanted to lie down. Eric took the Metro back to the house while Michael wanted to cross the Seins river to see if we could see the Arc de Triumph. We made it across the river and I told Michael that I just couldn't go any farther. The heat mixed with the fatigue was wearing me out. We braved up and bought bottled water from a man standing selling them for 1 euro each. We were so happy to have water. We were hoping it was cold but no such luck.

We made it back to the house. I was thrilled to see Eric's shoes and socks on the floor when we opened the front door. He had no money on him and I had worried that he might have taken the wrong train or something. Michael never made it past the couch that is 3 feet in the doorway. He fell on the couch and didn't move for 4 hours until I woke the boys up to come to the grocery store so we could buy food for dinner.

We ended up buying what I think was flank steak, pasta and green beans. I cooked dinner at 9:30 pm so we had a late dinner and once again went to bed around midnight.

I must close this computer and TRY to get some sleep or I am going to drag around again today. So, off I go to stare at a dark room until the sun comes up