more photos from london

Day 6: Paris (Diary getting a little ahead of the photos, sorry!) Monday, 18 June, 07

We had a good little metro and walking tour of Paris, ending up at the Louvre. Bruno was in the lead. We had 2 hours in the Louvre, and my gang managed to see the Winged Victory of Samos, and the Moaning Lisa, but the Venus De Milo was under wraps, and could not be seen. We split up, promising to meet for lunch, and I enjoyed Hammurabi's Code Sthil, and some of the sculpture gardens, including the clock-face people.

We met, and except for Josh, who voted to stay in the Louvre, and later went by the Pompeidou Center, the rest of our Durham bunch found a not too expensive sidewalk sandwich shop (near some shopping) and had an outdoor lunch. We probably should have picnicked, but sitting, eating, and watching the people of Paris is great sport. Watching the other tourists is not bad, either!

We walked along the River Seine down to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, which was, as usual, beautiful, and not too crowded. We also saw the Deportation Monument which is hidden behind the N.D. If you ever get there, please go see this, it is a somber monument to all the folks the Nazis deported from France to the camps, most of whom never returned.

On the way back to meet Bruno, we had a chance to shop at the little used book and print stalls along the river. I bought 2 very nice prtints for E5.00 each. It was a nice walk, even if we were rushed! After this, Bruno took us back to the Hotel to pick up our luggage so we could take the night train to Italy.

Ah, the night train to italy! Now there is an experience! 12 hours at night ending up in Florence for breakfast. We took the bus to the Gare de Bercy, a very small train station. EF had supper delivered. We rode 6 to a couchette, and our gang made up their beds early, while other folks in the rest of the group celebrated the Alps with wine, vodka, and rum! all we did was drink a bit of house red, talk a lot, and sleep the sleep of the innocent (at least I did!).

Day 7 and Florence, next time! Chao!




We decided to get lunch at Covent Garden, except Josh wanted to shop, shop, shop!



Trafalgar Square has a problem with "Pigeon People" who feed the birds illegally.



Here is our bunch in front of the New Globe Theatre right there on the Queen's walk by the Thames

London Photos

Chris, Josh, & Caitlin near Big ben



Melanie & Lisa in front of Big ben



Rhonda and Amanda from the Tenn group at the Eurostar Station, waiting for the train!

More trip diary, starting at Day 4-5

No photos this time, but a note on the last ones I posted: Starting at the top, the folks are: Melanie, Lisa, then Josh, Caitlin, and hidden a bit, Chris. Sorry Chris!

OK, day 4, Our hotel was the Hotel Avenir, which is a very nice older hotel in a great neighborhood. There is a french Supermarket right next door, a little produce and wine "7-11"-type store right around the corner, and across the street an excellent little cafe/bar/brassiere. On Sunday Morning, there is a farmer's market on the next block. the perfect way to visit Paris, instead of a Holiday Inn!

Dinner that night was at L Arlequin Cafe closer to downtown. Most of us went out to Montmarte after dinner, which is one of my favorite tourist areas. The Crepes are devine, you can go into to Sacre Coure, a lovely church, and you can by t-shirts, postcards, or get your portrait done up there. The views of Paris at night are almost as wonderful as from the top of Eiffel Tower.

Day 5- Sunday, 17 June, 07. Today we get a bus tour of Paris, but first I went thru the farmer's market on the nexy block. Our guide, Isabella Villog,and our bus took us all over Paris, seeing the usual things, Palaise le Invalides, the Trocadero (for a great view of the E.Tower), but also into places like Plaza de Voges, and the Plaza Royale for a look at Victgor Hugo's house.

In the afternoon, we went to Versailles, had lunch, then toured the palace, and some of the gardens. Rain shortened the gardens tour, drat! But the Chateau of Louis 14 thru 16 is still grand and beautiful. We headed back into town.

Our dinner was at a Thai/Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant, Chez Chao. They had the greatest rice, and the world's smallest bathroom, a one-holer that you can barely turn around in! After dinner, we headed to the Seine R. cruise and the Eiffel Tower climb. We were lucky, because of the rain and it being Sunday, and though versailles was crowded, the wait for the Eiffel Tower was very short. Back to the hotel for an almost early evening. (I had an early evening, I understand someone went out to the KFC down the block! All the way to Paris to eat bad American fast food!

More later,

Howard

We are back, Drat!

It should be obvious by now, that i was unable to post anything while we were on the trip. 3 of the 4 hotels did not have wireless, and at the one that did, it was broken. Ah technology!

On our last day in Rome, i did manage to get into an internet cafe, but I was obviously unable to master the Italian, and that, plus a power failure prevented my copious typing from being posted.

So I will shortly add a few photos, and type in our trip diary. The other 2 groups are flying home today, I believe, just as we flew home on friday. they went on to Sorrento, Capri, Pompeii, and Napoli. Should have been a fun trip, with more room on the bus!

if I can make it work, the next post should be some photos.

Computer problems

Malanie Layton



Maritza (Lisa) Santamaria



Josh Churchill



Chris Golden



Caitlin Millwell

Well, hopefully some of my following of thousands are wondering why there have been no more posts on the blog. Well--- this is the story. Only one of the 4 hotels we have stayed at have turned out to have wireless internet, and that was in London, and it was broken. I have tried poaching from non-passworded wireless, but I have been unable to get a good enough signal. It is not for lack of trying, nowever. I can only say sorry.

I have about 20 min in this wireless cafe, so, no photos until I get home, but here is a synopsis of the first 4 days of the trip.

Day 1- Mostly spent flying. We left in the afternoon, flew overnight, arrived in Frankfurt, then went on to London.

Day 2- It seems you gotta fly into the country of origin if you fly a foreign airline, and we flew Lufthansa. Glad we were not flying Pakistan air! Got to London Heathrow, were picked up, dropped things off at the hotel, then headed down town for a bit of a tour. We visited the New Globe theatre, the New Tate Modern Museum, and met our group at St. Paul's Cathedral. Dinner was fish and chips at a place called "Center Stage", which was near St. Paul's and the Millinium footbridge. We went back to the hotel (holiday inn, Croyden) by tube, and I spent 2 hours trying to get on line!

Day 3- We did a morning bus tour of London with a city guide, saw all the sites, including the changing of the guard at Buck House. We visited Picadilly Circus, Trafalgar square, then our part opf the group went shopping in Leichester square, had lunch in Covent Garden, and went on to the London Eye for a ride. At least 3 of us rode, the others whimped out and shopped! After the Eye we went back to Picadilly for dinner (in little Hong Kong), then back to Picadilly for our Play, The 39 Steps. It was great, a real wonderful lucky choice. A comedy version of the famous Alfred Hitchcock classic. We were back to the hotel by 11. Great navigating across town by tube. We are so good!

Day 4. Almost the whole day was spent getting to Paris on the EuroStar. Nice ride. We went to the hotel by bus, then out to dinner by metro.We had a nice older hotel in a nice neighborhood in south-west Paris, inside the ring road.

Well, about out of time, got to go meet the group for our last dinner in Rome, Pizza tonite! More from the airport if I can get signed on. Thanks for reading,
Howard

Mr. D Standing on Hadrian's Wall, during the DSA 2007 Spring Break trip to England and Scotland.