DAY 6 (PARIS)

MORNING

The first morning in Paris begins with breakfast in the hotel around 8:30 am.  Our guide tells us not to expect much, but the food choices are very nice.  We have croissants, corn flake cereal, milk, orange juice, water, coffee, apples, ham slices, and various bread spreads.

Our group sits at the round table in the back of the room.  Table talk this morning is at a minimum, seems everyone is still sleepy.  Eating helps bring our energy levels back up which we are going to need because we are traveling to Versailles.  There will be lots of walking.

The skies are overcast and threaten to shower on and off.  We bring either our jackets or umbrellas.  Even though the sun is not beating down on us, it still feels very muggy.  This makes the walk from the train, about a mile to the actual estate grounds, harder than usual.

As I approach the estate grounds I see the size of the buildings are massive, and very impressive. It is one of those times where you have to see it to fully appreciate the experience.

click on More information and a slide show-Versailles Estate

Even the roof' tops have gold leaf

Our tickets are pre bought but we still have to stand in line for about 45 minutes.  Can't believe what happens, a young girl and boy cut in line in front of me and another student.  I make the comment that we were here first, so the female doesn't challenge me, but gets right back in line directly behind us instead of leaving the line and going to the end.  To my surprise they are not asked to move and laugh at not getting caught.


As I wander the halls of Versailles I can't help to be amazed that I am walking on the same stairways and areas that Marie-Antoinette and King Louis XIV.   To best describe what I see is their lifestyle was exuberance on steroids.  It seems as if it could be guilded in gold or made in some grand way it was.  No expense was spared in creating this palace.  

These pictures are just a small sample of the tour

One of my classmates tours with me and we have fun looking at the exhibits together and shopping at one of the conveniently located gift shops.  We stop there between exhibit halls. I see some Marie-Antoinette's replica perfume in cute little bottles and buy some for my daughters, and then find a Napolean Bonaparte t-shirt for my husband's Father's Day gift. Later we stumble on to the Cafe and stop in to have a quick bite of lunch, tomato and cheese wraps that were very refreshing.  When we finish we head to the Gardens.

AFTERNOON

Layout and History of Gardens of Versailles

Excuse the videography, I did not realize my camera was turned sideways, but it gives you a small sense of the sights and sounds of one area of this massive garden.

         You Tube Video Clip of Garden Sounds

I am in heaven, finally get to visit a garden. What a garden it is!

Just one of the many fountains in the garden

The end of the pathway I looking back at Versailles

Entrance to one of the side gardens-A secret garden perhaps

Even the fountains are guilded in gold

One of the many beautiful garden features

I only get 30 minutes to explore the garden, definitely not enough time.  Would have loved to have spent the whole day painting in the garden.  Maybe one day I will get to visit again.

Time to leave and head back to the train.  When we get to town everyone is hungry and we walk around the market area looking for some place to have lunch.  Since I already ate earlier, I am able to take this time and do a quick shopping trip.  I spot a store where I can get my husband his French Father's Day card, a few skeins of yarn, and a coffee mug.  When I finish I rejoin the group.  Around the corner is a Gelato stand, this time I buy raspberry flavor.  So good and cold on a hot day.  Then I see my roommate eating a chocolate eclair.  I have to get one and oh my is it amazingly delicious.  Wish I could have more.

A market where you can buy sandwiches

Another treat one group member is eating-strawberry mousse filled pastry

First bite of my eclair was so yummy
Traditional French Chocolate Eclair Recipe

Now back to the subway and on to see the Centre Pompidou art museum.  

Art on a wall

Fun art objects in a large fountain outside museum

She has the right idea, soaking her feet in the fountain. 

street vendors and artist everywhere in front of Pompidou

Our first stop is the exhibit Atelier Brancusi

Constantin Brancusi (article) bequeathed his studio belongings to the French State on the condition that eh Museum would reconstruct it exactly as it stood on his death.  

Then we visit the Cafe giving us a chance to rest and get more refreshments.  I have my first French macaroon cookies (recipe), also delicious.  When everyone is finished, I split off from the group because it will be to difficult to keep up with them, my feet are really bothering me.

My professor tells me about a movie showing in the museum, have to admit it sounds strange to me at first, but my curiosity gets me, especially after he tells me it is a great place to rest.  

"Created in 2010 by Christian Marclay, the video installation The Clock is a mechanism regulated with a clockmaker's precision which tells the time in real time, minute by minute, for twenty-four hours.  It involves the virtuosic edition of thousands of film excerpts taken from the entire history of the cinema, inviting us to explore our own relationship with time and the way it is staged in cinema."  Centre Pompidou handout
                           20 Minute Clip of Clock Movie

I go inside the theatre where The Clock movie by artist, Christian Marclay is playing and the area is dark, cool, and lined with rows of white leather sofas.  My kind of place.  I really get into this movie, it was funny, interesting, clever.  I wish I could have stayed and watched the whole 24 hours.

Funny thing happened after I left the movie.  My blister on the bottom of my foot was really hurting, so I thought I would go to the information counter and ask if they had a bandage in a first aid kit.  Language barriers gave the women behind the counter the impression I needed serious medical care.  They said they would call the pompier.  I asked what is that?  They conversed in French and said uh, in English, Fire Department.  I was NO, NO.  I only have a blister on my foot.  Hobbled a little bit away and the lady called me back and said, Pharmacie, I said yes, yes.  There was one 2 blocks away, but no way I could make it.

Main Floor and shopping

I spot the book store and go inside.  I spot some decorative scrap booking tape with the words Paris on it and think, I can make this work. Artist are known for improvising.  End up using a Kleenex and tape for a makeshift bandage.  It wasn't so pretty, but did the trick.

I go back to the Cafe and people watch from the second floor.  See some performance art.  Sketch awhile.  Overhear a private conversation of two ladies about their husbands.  They speak in English and French.  One lady's husband apparently just came back from Dubai and is hooked on green coffee and now can't settle down, bouncing off the walls.

A human May pole performance 

Later on rode the outside escalator to the 5th floor. Amazing view from the outside.

5th Floor Modern Art

Escalator Tube

View from 5th Floor

Some of the artist's work I enjoyed were:Kanisky, Bauchant, de Senlis, and Man Ray.

EVENING:

Time to look for a place to eat dinner.  We cannot decide as a group on one place so we split into two groups.  My group finds a sandwich place and I settle on a tomato, cheese, and lettuce on a baguette.  This meal is satisfying especially on such a hot day.

Several in the group want to go back to the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up at night and ride the elevator to the top.  I am not good with heights and the elevator is all glass and leaves you on the observation deck for 2 hours while waiting for a ride back down.  I am dog tired and we will have much more walking to do to get to the site.  

I am happy to discover several others in our group who are not interested in seeing the Eiffel Tower again and like myself would instead like head back to the hotel.

We discuss the route to take on the Subway, and agree to text our professor when we safely arrive. As we head back, our group decides to walk Flanuer style back to the hotel.  That is a casual stroll taking in the sights, especially since we only have one more day in Paris.  We laugh, and take more pictures.  A lovely way to end the evening.  Arrive around 10:30 p.m.  The other group doesn't get in until 1 a.m.  They had a wonderful time too.

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DAY 4 (LONDON)

MORNING:
Today the groups have a "Free Day" to tour separately from the main groups.  We still eat breakfast at 8 a.m. in the hotel cafe.  I change up my choices slightly by choosing a toasted English muffin and Cafe Americano (1/2 water and a little coffee-not quite the caffeine punch).

It is our first sunny day, a little warmer with the sunshine, but still need a light jacket.  Later in the day it warms up.  Around 9 a.m. we head to the Tube and arrive above ground walking past Big Ben area.  We cross a bridge over the Thames River to the Tate Modern Museum where a Matisse exhibit, "Cut Outs" is being shown. We are able to get a student discount on the tickets.

Click on Video Matisse's Cut Outs exhibit

Matisse's work was really very interesting and inspiring.  I was able to gain insight on how his mind worked-his artistic process that created these amazing pieces.  Gives me food for thought and more ideas to apply back on campus for our Narrativity art class project. 

Also his exhibit really drove home this thought:  when you have a passion for something you will always find a way to follow that passion.  Not even his health problems stopped him from making great art.  Just have to be adaptable. 

Walking toward museum

Thames River

The Main Museum exhibits works from other artist such as: Salvador Dali, Stanley Spencer, Louise Bourgeois, Dod Proctor, and
F.E. McWilliam

AFTERNOON:

We finished touring the museum and went shopping in the gift shops.  I found several books, and souvenir items to bring home. Went to the cafe to buy a beverage. There I met a friendly, older British man who asked for my help.  He left his reading glasses at home and needed me to read the labels.  He was trying to purchase his wife's lunch.  Found out non-carbonated water is labeled STILL and carbonated is BUBBLY.  I decide to be adventuresome and try a bottle Bubbly Elderberry water.  My new acquaintance farmed and knows quite a lot about Texas farmers and our drought situation.  He was a delight and even bought my water as a way to say thank you.

Our group then heads toward the National Gallery and spy's Sir Newton's Hamburgers, "Best In London."  Cute little eclectic style cafe/pub.  A few of us  order the hamburgers.  I instead ordered a baguette pizza and salad.  Waiter came back saying, no one has asked for this in a year, so this item was no longer available.  Instead chose melted cheese on toast with baked beans and salad.  A typical fare in London and was a new fav for me.  My meal was 4.95#.  We were given a student discount here too.

Onto The National Gallery and Trafalgar Square.  This was also an amazing place of culture.  Outside the building there were street performers. chalk artist, and one watercolor artist (who made it quite clear did not like an audience while they worked.  Go figure you are out in a public place and want privacy).  

Were to add money to your country's flag

Unfortunately no photos were allowed inside Gallery.  I should have bought a guide book to remind me of all of the amazing things I saw.  There were incredible works by Rembrandt, DaVinci, Michelangelo, Moroni, Boticelli, Jardaens, Singer Sargent, Van Dyck, deHooch, Goltzius, Rubens, Gossaert, and Holbein to name a few of the many exhibited.

One of my favorite paintings was "The Ambassadors," by Hans Holbein the Younger.  I love illusionary art and check out this skull in his painting.  Here are two short You Tube clips describing what I saw.

"The Ambassadors" by Hans Holbein the Younger (1533-National Gallery-London)

The National Gallery Explanation How the Skull was created
The National Gallery Explanation of How to View the Skull
Have a little time before we are to rejoin the group so I and another student, make a quick dash to the National Portrait Gallery around the corner.  It was much smaller, but did not disappoint.  Unfortunately the main exhibit room was closed due to installation of artwork to be seen June 26th.

Time to ride the Tube again and make our way to the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge.
click on
History of Tower of London
History of Tower Bridge

Tower of London

When we all completed the walk across the bridge and find a quaint Italian restaurant up ahead.  This is where we eat dinner.  We all order a variety of dishes, mine was to be pasta primavera, but instead I was served a chicken, mushroom rigatoni.  It was tasty too.

The group split into two.  Some of us, myself included opt to go back to the hotel. My feet were swelling again and my blister has worsened.   The other group went shopping since this was our last night in London.  They also want to see Big Ben lit up at night.  This group of students were so sweet, since I couldn't shop for my postcards, they found some and got them for me to take home.  Love our group.

We finally arrive back at the hotel at 10:30 p.m.  A few of us stop at the local grocery convenience store to pick up snacks to eat on the train.  When I get to my room, I decide to pack tonight since we have a very early breakfast and check out time of 6 a.m.  We are catching a train to Paris.

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DAY 3 -(LONDON)

MORNING:

Wake up rested- sleep like a rock.  The bed, lavender sheet spray and the essential oils I put on my eye mask seemed to do the trick.  

Our first breakfast in London at the hotel was very pleasant. Everyone was to meet in the cafe at 8 a.m. There was plenty of variety and food for everyone to enjoy.  I ate fresh fruit, peach yogurt, bran flakes, and coffee (Cafe Latte-stronger taste with more caffeine punch than I am used to).  

We finished around 8:30 and loaded up on the coach bus to begin touring for the day. Need our jackets, and umbrellas again today.  Cool temperatures and damp weather make it feel pretty chilly.  Even though it is cool, it is good news to find out our Mercedes bus has a/c still will need the airflow.

Our guide is a very busy person, juggling schedule changes and another group from California due to arrive, which had been delayed by one day due to missing their connecting flight.

Everyone from Louisiana, Texas, and now California was loaded onto the bus.  The 5 members from California barely had time to breath, they went from the airport to the hotel, dropped off their luggage and hopped onto our bus. 

Plans were changed for the day.  Originally we were to see Buckinham Palace first, but today was the annual event where the Queen travels from the House of Lords to the House of Commons.  Therefore, the area was blocked from visitors.   We would try to see Buckingham Palace later that day when these events are over.

traffic view from our bus

We picked up another tour guide for today, Barry.  He is a storyteller with a theatrical flare. Quite entertaining and knowledgable.  He told us the trip would only take about an hour from the hotel to Winsor Castle.

Even these seasoned guides were caught off guard by the heavy traffic, mostly it was gridlocked.  Almost 4 hours from the time we left, one of the California ladies needed to use the bathroom facilities.  Since we hardly were moving, she suggested those who needed the toilets get off the bus and then get back on.  

I decided I should take this opportunity, because no one was sure how much longer we would be traveling and when the next opportunity would arise for a bathroom break.  Several others had the same idea.

We all hopped off the bus thinking the pub just up the street would be the closest toilette.  Unfortunately for us businesses were closed due to the event.  So in a quick scan of the area, one person finds a Days Inn hotel and we quick run into the lobby.  The ladies behind the desk accommodate our needs.  The bus parks just a little way from where we left it and we get on.

It was a good thing we took this opportunity, because our one hour trip took 5-1/2 hours.

To entertain us Barry would tell us fun facts including how did the custom driving on the left side of the road start.  He explained it was during the horse and carriage age.  Drivers would hold whips in their right hands and so as not to hurt passersby they would use the left side of the road.

We passed by the Tower of London.  We learned the moat was drained due to a large Cholera outbreak.  Almost the whole town of London burned down beginning with the King's Bakery.  There now is a monument tower to remember the event.  

Tower of London

As we passed the contemporary building named Cheese Grater, we were told a funny story.  A few years ago the sun reflected off the roof top in such a way a Jaquar car parked along the street caught on fire.  

LATE AFTERNOON:

click on Windsor Castle History

We finally arrive at Windsor Castle.  It is so massive of a structure.  The grounds make a city unto themselves.  Once we get through security that is much like the airport,  my attention is directed to the garden area where normally water would be filling the moat

security checks

entrance

walkway

one of the many towers

moat area

moat garden

Ironic how commercialism takes over.  We found ourselves in a mall shopping area just like a Outlet mall in the States.  The food court was also familiar.  We stopped for lunch.  I had a tuna and corn sandwich (I fell in love with this sandwich while in Scotland), with ice tea (in England means is a bottled Lipton tea that has been refrigerated, no ice) and a yummy chocolate brownie.

Finally get deeper inside of the castle, it was breathtaking.  Unfortunately we were not able to take any photos.  The Royal family did live a larger than life existence.  Even the little Princesses toys were amazing. They were to prepare them for life as a Queen.

One special doll house was about 5' w x 8' h.  It had running water and electricity.  The cars parked in the garage were Royal Royces, the dishes were sterling silver and there was even an exact replica of the Crown Jewels.

Their dress up dolls were no exception.  It was similar to the American Girl doll series that my own daughters played with, but with life size dolls (about 4'tall).  The dresses were so ornate and beautiful.  

Another everyday extravagance were the Royal dishes.  Some of these designs I have seen in America as replicas, but they don't come close to the beautiful originals.

The artwork was just as extraordinary and interesting. It did help to have our own Art Historian professor along to give us insight as to what we were viewing.

I was disappointed not to have left the Castle in enough time to see the Cathedral before it closed at 4p.m. So I decided to walk the grounds trying and imagine what it would be like to have the extraordinary life these people had.
.

view of the city below

I missed the Cathedral viewing, but not the changing of the guard. I read is required by the Queen every hour. 

click on History of Changing of the Guard

me with a guard

Our final meeting place was the restaurant where we ate lunch.  These two cute dogs were visiting with their masters. They reminded me of my Granddog, Call.

We head back to London to see Buckingham Palace.  We have to walk from the Tube through a wonderful park called Green Park.  We notice how the chairs are chained and not free for public use, a fee is required.

EARLY EVENING:

click on History of Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is not as large as I thought it would be.  Especially the balcony that is shown quite frequently with the Royals standing to announce weddings, or births.  When the flag is up that signals the Queen is in residence. Two in our group were fortunate enough to see the Queen pass by in her caravan of cars.  She was probably leaving for France and the Normandy celebrations.

These guards are so still they don't look real

There is a wonderful fountain right across from these gates.  I was disappointed I did not take a photo of it.  Each sculptured figure has a lot of symbolism.

LATE EVENING:
Each of the groups goes their own way for dinner.  Our group decides they would like to try Indian food in Soho.  We find the restaurant after lots of walking, but it will take 1-1/2 hours before being seated.  We decide to try Chinese food in China town.  Mr. Woo's is where we decide to eat.  Groups are seated upstairs.  I have a fried chicken with seasonal vegetable dish.  First time I did not have to ask about no MSG, many food establishments do not use it and prepare more organic, natural foods. Smaller portions are served than in the States.  I am the only one who orders bottled water, I am not sure how my stomach will do with the local tap water here.  Disappointed no Fortune Cookies are given, I always look for the message.  In fact, I received one the day before my Tuition Award on campus saying I would shortly get a surprise gift.

Notice I have more foot and leg swelling in the evening.  Developing some other foot problems like a blister.  We walk toward our Tube station stopping to look around some of the area, reminds me a lot of New Yorks's Time Square area, before heading back to the hotel.  We arrive around 10:30 p.m.

China Town

Picadilly Circus

Soho

Deserts looked so enticing and yummy

Love to have one of these printers

Have enjoyed looking for verbiage on the signage in London to find examples of our languages differences. 

Yield

Speed Bumps

Keep Right

Exit & Elevator

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