Saturday, May 10, 2008

We've arrived in Paris!


Nous sommes ici! We made it this morning arriving at Charles De Gaulle a little bit late as we spent about 45 minutes waiting for take-off on the Newark runways. Flight was OK, a bit bumpy but I don’t mind that rocking when I’m trying to sleep. Mitch does not agree with this. I think we slept more than we thought we did which was not at all. Now we have checked into our first B&B and it is hidden way away in the countryside outside Honfleur. Our GPS appears to have taken us by local shortcuts because we left the highway early and drove about 5 plus miles on one lane tracks. But we got here after asking two natives.
The countryside is just beautiful – all green, flowers, lots of bright fields of mustard. We stopped at Giverny on the way. It’s a touristy, but very lovely town. The line was hours long for Monet’s Garden and House but there are gardens at another museum down the street and it’s a very quaint town so we walked around a bit.
Our room in the B&B is on the ground floor and we even have a little patio which, at the moment, is very hot. Weather is high 70s I would think and we probably both got a little sunburned just with the time walking around Giverny. The room is new and very clean and has one of those European bathrooms where the shower (all new) is right in the middle of the bathroom and everything gets soaked – no curtains, no nothing. Go figure!
We are going to try to stay awake long enough to eat dinner here. I’d like to drive into Honfleur and look around, but that may have to wait until tomorrow.
All is well, and although I just complained about the GPS we’d really be lost without it.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Off to Normandy and Paris

We're leaving tomorrow so it's time to put up some links and try to get organized at the last minute. Here is our brief itinerary, and you can check back for day-by-day details:
Penny and Mitch in France – May 7 to May 17, 2008

May 7, Continental # 138, leaving Newark at 8:05 p.m.,

May May 8 -Arriving Charles DeGaulle at 9:40 a.m. – confirmation number A5DNLS (P), A5CK6X (M)
Pick up rental car from Auto Europe at airport – voucher # 2754852-1, desk in each terminal tel: 33 148623875
Drive to Honfleur (2 and a half hour/ 135 miles) with a stop in Giverny (Monet’s Garden)
May 8 & 9 (Thurs, Friday) Stay at La Fraichette, Chemin de Cremanville, La Riviere Saint Sauveur, Honfleur 14600, France, 02 31 89 37 36– Thus, May 8, Friday, May 9 82.60/night includes breakfast.
Honfleur – scenic port town, lots of restaurants, escaped WWII bombing,

Rouen – day trip from Honfleur – one hour Rick Steves to see historical sights – cathedral, cobbled old town, Joan of Arc, Wm the Conqueror

Sat, May 10 – brief stop at Saturday market in Honfleur (9-12:30)
Drive between Honfluer and Bayeux (65 mi.) with at stop at WWII museum in Caen (RS raves about, allow 2.5 hrs, expensive 17E

May 10, 11, 12 Le Mas Normand, 8, Impasse de la Riviere, Ver su Mer. 02 31 21 97 75. www.ohotes.com/lemasnormand

D Day beaches tour a la Rick Steves (p.242)
Bayeux tapestry and self-guided walk (brochure, town map & D-Day tour brochure) from TI on a small bridge 2 blocks n. of cathedral)
Mont St. Michel – RS self-guided tour

May 13 – Drive back to Charles De Gaulle and drop off car – take RER B toward Robinson.Saint-Remy Chevreuses, front of train, get off at St. Michel/Nortre-Dame-Cluny station, take Blvd Saint Germain exit, walk in direction of traffic, 3rd rt. To
Hotel College de France, 7 rue Thenard, 75005 Paris (33 (0) 1 43 26 78 36)– reservations for May 13, 14, 15, 16

In Paris
Latin Quarter walk
Walk from Opera Garnier, or just from the Jardin des Tuileries, Orangerie Museum tour, Petit Palais
Day trip to Versailles – RER C5 train at St. Michel –5E/rd trip – 30 minutes, any train whose name starts with V goes to Versailles, get off last stop Versailles RG, exit turnstiles (insert ticket), turn rt out of station, left a 1st blvd, walk 10 minutes – allow 2 hrs palace, 2 gardens, 2 for transit (7.5E palace, gardens free, no cards
Montmartre walk
Festival Jazz a Saint Germain des Pres (photocopies) and walk neighborhood – Fri, May 16 many free events.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Strasbourg Cathedral


On the way from Bacharach to Colmar I'd like to stop and see the cathedral at Strasbourg, or perhaps we'll take a day trip from Colmar. The cathedral was the world's tallest building between 1625 and 1874...a little before our time.

Craftsmen and artisans spent decades and lifetimes creating the cathedrals. In the age of microwaves and instant communication I find that fascinating. If you want to learn more about the Cathedral, check this out. During WWII the glass from the stained windows was removed and stored in a salt mine.


And, if I really do all my leg exercises, perhaps we'll climb up to the observation level of the north tower.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strasbourg_Cathedral


Sunday, April 22, 2007

Highbridge Park and Washington Heights






Today my best friend Leena (not to be confused with her namesake, our daughter Laina) and I continued our exploration of Manhattan neighborhoods. I drove into Manhattan, picked up Leena and her recycling. Our first stop was Union Square fto drop off the recycling. Several times a year, the sanitation department sponsors recycling events, both for electronics and clothing. By chance I also was driving around with a bag of stuff for the clothes-drop, so Manhattan got a bit of New Jersey's old stuff as well.
Then we drove north to the top of the island and explored part of the largely Hispanic neighborhood of Washington Heights. As well as so many New York City neighborhoods, it is on the upswing. Highbridge Park runs along the East River just north and south of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. The green of the park is a real contrast to all the urban buildings, concrete and highways below.
Here are some Wikipedia Links so you can learn all about the area and its history (love that Wikipedia!):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Heights
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highbridge_Park

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Food of Alsace-Lorraine


When I told Mitch we'd have lots of sausage and sauerkraut, he said everywhere he goes they have sausage and sauerkraut (ah, the woes of European ski travel). But there is supposed to be lots of trout, and pastries, and quiche lorraine (which I love) - so how can one complain. Anyway, here is an interesting site about the regional cuisine.


And I'm sure we won't starve.

Now, as far as wine...we will be in wonderful wine country which, unfortunately, is wasted on us. But rest assured, I'll make an effort

Friday, April 20, 2007


The first thing we will do is to explore the Rhine. Hopefully we'll take a boat ride and see lots of castles. Here is a good map.
Our hotel is right by the train, so we are advised to bring ear plugs.

Penny & Mitch in Germany & France – May 10-22, 2007

Thurs, 10 May, Continental Flight 110, EWR 6:45 p.m., arrives Cologne CGN 8:10 a.m. Friday, 11 May

Tues, 22 May, Continental Flight 111, Cologne 10:35 a.m., arrives EWR 1:20 p.m.


Friday, May 11 – pick up rental car Auto Europe at Cologne Airport, drive to Bacharach 130 mi.

Friday, May 11 & Saturday, May 12 – Hotel in Bacharach, Germany
Hotel Kranenturm www.kranenturm.com

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, May 13, 14, 15
Colmar, France
Hotel Turenne, www.turenne.com (+33) (0)3.89.21.58.58


Wednesday, Thursday, Friday May 16, 17,
Luxembourg City Luxembourg to Cochem 85 mi

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, May 19, 20, 21 Cologne
Hotel Coellner Hof, Hansaring 100, Cologne 50670, Germany - Confirmed
http://www.coellnerhof.de/navigat_e.htm

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