Life is so uncertain take it in a stride

I have been learning alot about the French.........one thing that I find amusing is that even though there is beautiful fruit on top of chocolate desserts, it may just be there for decoration and not necessarily to be eaten!!! Have you ever had kiwi with chocolate??.......YUK! The neighborhood bakery, grocery store and restuarants are starting to recognize us and they are giving us warm smiles! I am beginning to feel at "home" and not so disoriented.........

Most of the French people I've met speak at least 3 languages, if not more........Makes me realize just how limited we are in the U.S. and how very uninterested we are in the rest of the world...I was fortunate as a child that my father loved to travel and I was exposed to more than most......I am realizing how incredibly spoiled we are in the U.S.......I haven't seen one SUV automobile in Paris yet! And, everyone recycles!! I'm understanding just how sheltered we are from the rest of the world and it's cultures in the U.S.......I've been watching the news here and seeing TV commercials advertising travel vacations in areas that I've never even heard of!! Everyday, I get to see what the weather will be like in Africa and other neighboring countries.....really makes you feel like you're a part of the whole world! I don't want my children growing up thinking that the world revolves around the United States!! It's a HUGE eye opener!...Paris is like a huge melting pot, except, it doesn't seem to be melting! So many cultures under one roof.......

I saw the sweetest old couple today, sitting on a park bench!........

Versailles was wonderful! We had a picnic lunch on a park bench....I'm starting to relax, I fed the pigeons today....

I don't like the metro/bus/taxi system here....It's so confusing...I miss my convertible and my family and my dog and my bed and my coffee and the way my bare feet feel on my wooden floors.........

Wish I had my own personal driver to take us anywhere we wanted in Paris, anytime we wanted!

It may rain tomorrow......another walk in the rain, perhaps......what a day to look forward to!..........hugs, Me

Thanks Mary! All I needed was just a little encouragement and I bought a hat! See the pictures....I think it looks great, but Dad made fun of me all day We saw Paris again today on the hopon/off bus........I sat on top all day....with my hat on I even saw "Madona" coming out of her hotel and into her limo....evidently, she was in Paris for some odd reason.....our bus just so happened to be exactly in front of her hotel when she came out, then they were in front of us for a few minutes....I swear, she saw me and my hat on top of that bus and smiled at me.............Awe......the life of a Parisian wanna be................We went to where Napolean was buried and I inquired about General Marceau, only to find out that some of his ashes were buried in the crypt, right where we were, but they were off limits.......so, when I explained that he was my great uncle and that his brother was my great grandfather (several generations removed), Mom, Dad, and I, got the real ROYAL TREATMENT.......and we were escorted underground to the crypt and saw where his ashes were buried and being honored....(make sure you see the pictures), our museum escort had tears in her eyes and she kept saying how honored she was to meet us!!!.......it was really cool! Of course, I think the hat helped in getting to see the ashes

Great sunny day and we are all exhausted........my cousin Myriam will be joining us in Paris on Monday morning, just in time for some girl adventuring in Paris before we head for home on next Thursday! Tomorrow, Mom wants to go to Versailles......I'm not that excited about seeing one more museum, but, she's been wanting to go one more time....I understand it will take a full day......Hope all is well with all of you! Keep sending me those emails.........love, marge..........

What a wonderful way to see Paris! We travelled on two of the three hop on/off routes today! Mom bought a French "beanie" hat, and it looks great We saw all the major sights......I'm exhausted........See the Pictures me

Paris Pigeons......Why do the tourist love the Paris Pigeons? Yesterday, we ate at the Louvre...we sat outside on the top balcony and overlooked the pyramid and the square.......it was the best seats in the cafe.....however, there were pigeons.....everywhere! Each time a pigeon would sour by, it seemed to come inches above my head....I couldn't help but give out a little scream, no matter how hard I tried to keep my composure......I soon became the piece of art everyone in the cafe was interested in....Did they hope one of those awful pigeons would leave a part of themselves on top of my head?......The Europeans think this is a sign of good luck....I could do without the drama!..The man at the table beside us kept feeding them pieces of his chocolate cake....he thought it was amusing and tossed elegantly each piece of cake as though he had wanted to do this all of his life.......I wanted to scream at him.....he was particularly attached to one that had only a single leg....That pigeon gave me the most trouble....A single leg, but he had vulcher eyes......staring at me, waiting for his next move.........Thank God, I escaped without a souvenier!

The Louvre was just as beautiful as all the tourists books said....and, it does take days to see it all....however, after a full day of wandering and reading and observing, unfortunately, the pictures seem less and less impressive and the statures appear more and more the same........it's too much beauty under one roof to be appreciated and admired. And yes, the Mona Lisa was beautifully small and the Queen of the day.........we managed to cross the Seinne and walk past the book stalls towards Notre Dame.....we arrived just in time for Mass...Mom has been so lucky, always arriving within 5 min. of mass starting......the music was beautiful....we wandered around just a bit and I found the most amusing hat! It was quite pricy, but I fell in love with it at first!! How fun it would be to wear in Atlanta in my convertible with a scarf and gloves this winer!! It's one of those purchases you need to take a day and consider.....I'll be back, I'm sure, to claim it.....We took the bus back to the hotel, though it was fairly close, we were all tired.

Today and tomorrow, we will travel around paris via the open top, hop on bus........It's very convenient and there's no hassle with trying to find the right metro or bus stop, etc.......It drops you off right in front of the site you want to see!!......I'll post pictures tonight! Me

Don't forget to look at the new pictures I uploaded on this site.......click on the right side where you see authors, then click on more photo's..........Thanks for the note Mary and Brenda! It's great to hear from ya'll Love, Me.

Today, I walked the Paris streets in the rain! WOW I saw a different Paris today......I walked to the corner grocery store alone this afternoon and saw an old women wearing boots, clutching a worn cane melting in the rain with a slight smile on her face as we crossed paths......I wanted so much to take her picture....what an incredible sight! This is the Paris I wanted to see....to soak up....to give it an opportunity to reveal itself to me.........Alone, I can notice the common....the usual....the Parisian history......The lines in the faces........uninterrupted~ As much as I enjoy being with Mom and Dad, it is stressful. I worry when we get lost. I worry about someone taking Dad's wallet.....I worry that I may be pushing them too much.....I worry about where we will eat, it they're happy.....If they want to go home.......I worry, worry, worry!!!....So, as common as walking in the rain to the corner grocery store, may seem uneventful to most, it was a glimpse of Parisian HEAVEN to me Merci Paris, for showing your face to me!

Ok......Can you tell I had one too many sips of wine this afternoon? We were back to the apartment by 3:30 today. The day was cold and rainy.....just beautiful We went to the Arc D'Triumphe and saw General Marceau's funeral procession in the top right hand corner.....then ate lunch at the "Drugstore"...the same place Mom and Dad have eaten at for years........however, this time, it's changed, according to them Thanks Rosie for giving me the red hooded rain gear...it came in handy today We got lost.....we took the metro after all (upon Dad's suggestion, and saw the outside of the Louvre.....tomorrow, we'll spend the day discovering the inside of the Louvre. Mom made a delicious meal! I really miss her incredible cooking Bien!! Tomorrow!

OK......It took us all morning to transfer from the small apartment to the larger apartment. Through all the hassle of trying to get the new keys, packing up, getting a taxi, unloading and going up a "French first floor apartment STAIRS", we are here and the computer is working........it was all worth it! Mom and Dad will be VERY comfortable, except Dad is complaining that the bathroom is rather "SMALL".....well, I think that's pretty normal for the French.....all the bathrooms I've seen so far in Europe have been "SMALL".......We have two large window's facing a courtyard that are open right now and it's really beautiful I'm just starting to feel that I may actually be able to unwind and relax these last few days of our trip!.....It's nice to finally be settled in one spot! Mom wants to go to Lourdes and right now it seems so impossible.....I'm up for it if we can take the train and return in the same day, but it's about a 5 hour train ride, so, that means we'll have to spend a night.......which means, we'll have luggage.......which means a hassle all around........We'll see..........Mom has successfully given the apartment the sweet aroma of French Cheese already!...........We're going for a walk in 20 min......there is a large grocery store a few doors down, we're about a block from the Seinne River, and we should be able to see Notre Dame from here. We are right smack down in the middle of the Marais..which is downtown Paris.........It's overcast and rained this morning, but I'm hoping for a pleasant stroll in a little while.........Thanks Rosie for the Shampoo and Conditioner and the miscl little bottles you gave us....they really came in handy! Brenda, Dad really appreciated your singing him Happy Birthday!! Hugs.....me

What an adventure! The train ride from Lake Geneva to Paris was beautiful.....we met some wonderful people and the ride went quite fast. Paris is HUGE......So far, I haven't seen many Parisians! The place is swarming with tourists......

We arrivied late yesterday, only to find that the apartment we rented was not "ready" and the only option was to stay in a studio apartment for two nights before going to our original apartment. Needless to say, the apartment we are in now is terrible! Dad is sleeping on a sleeper sofa (Mary, you know how that is turning out!!) and me and mom are sleeping together in a loft........we have to climb a ladder to get to the bed, then we have to get on our knees, because the ceiling is only 4ft high in the loft!!!.....AND, I never knew Mom snored!!! Dad, of course, had to have his light on all night, and got hungry around 3am and fixed himself a sandwich......so, needles to say, there was little sleep last night.........

Today is Dad's birthday and we spent it shopping in the largest flea market that Paris had to offer.......what a wonderful birthday present for Dad He was a trooper today!! I found a beautiful silver ladel, along with 8 matching forks and spoons....for a real bargain of $14.00.....I also bought two antique rings, one each for Sydney and Olivia....one has two saphires and the other has diamond chips.....We both bought some scarves and Mom got some lace and a skirt. The flea market was VERY crowded, especially towards the end of the day. The crowds made Dad really nervous, so we left the market around 3p, instead of staying a little longer........

Dad also refuses to ride the metro in Paris....so, we took a taxi today and it cost a fortune! Tomorrow, we're moving to our new apartment 1 block from the Seinne River and in the Marais, just east of Lourdes.....I'm hoping to get all the info on the bus system and purchase us some daily passes so that we could get around via bus instead of Taxi.....I already have two days of Hop/on and Hop/off open top bus tickets that we will use on Tuesday and Wednesday to see the museums on two of our 4 day Museum passes.........So, the next couple of days will be filled with seeing the more traditional Paris!

Mom and Dad insists on eating at 6p every night.....this was near impossible in Italy, as the restuarants don't start opening until 7:30pm and don't close till well after midnight! Tonight Mom made us a speghetti in the apartment's kitchen which was a nice change and as usual, they are both in their PJ's and ready for bed at 8:00pm. The entertainment tonight was watching Mom and Dad try to figure out how to get the TV on, then, how to get the channels up!! HILARIOUS!!! Like Laurel and Hardey reruns

Hopefully, Myriam will meet us in Paris and she and I will be able to have at least one late meal and observe Paris at night. Also, I'm hoping to connect with my friend Dominique from Venice who will be arriving Paris tomorrow.........A'revior