God Bless America!

For the past month I have been in the enviable position of touring parts of Europe with my friend Stan. It was a wonderful trip and I will cherish the memories for many years to come. Every girl should be as blessed as I am to have a friend such as Stan!

I must admit that returning to my routine and responsibilities has been tough. Just getting my days and nights straightened out has been a challenge! But now, everything seems to be falling back into place and I am trying to wrap my head around my remaining goals (and challenges) for the balance of the year.

My final thoughts are about coming home . . .

I am so THANKFUL for America and I am so blessed to have been born and raised in this great country of ours.

I appreciate our Constitution which (for now, still) guarantees me life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I am thankful for my right of free speech, the right to peacefully assemble and to protest. I appreciate that I can move freely from state to state and enjoy all this great country has to offer.

I am thankful for our prospertiy as a nation and God's divine protection of it's citizens.

I am thankful for the faith that this country was founded upon and that (for now) I am free to worship God without fear of consequences.

I am thankful for the military, police officers and fire fighters who sacrifice so much to defend and protect our freedoms with so little reward or personal gain. Such individuals are (sadly) a dying breed and I appreciate them so much.

May God have mercy on our nation. May our hearts be turned to Him in true worship and thanksgiving, and may God bless America.

God Bless America - Irving Berlin

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea, 
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free. 
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair, 
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer: 
God bless America, land that I love, 
Stand beside her and guide her 
Through the night with a light from above. 
From the mountains, to the prairies, 
To the oceans white with foam, 
God bless America, 
My home sweet home. 

Last Night in Europe

In my last post I mentioned that we had just arrived in London. We were there Friday night through this morning (Monday, July 16th). 

Unfortunately, I had a debilitating migraine Saturday and Sunday and spent both days in my hotel room! It was no fun! Thankfully, Stan was able to go sight-seeing on his own and seemed to have a nice weekend.

This morning we took a train to Heathrow Airport and flew back to Germany - our original starting point. Tomorrow we fly back to the states. 

It has been a wonderful trip and I am so glad I had the opportunity to come! Stan did such a great job making all the arrangements and navigating us all over the place. I am blessed beyond measure!

London, England

Wow! Everything is in English again. I can actually turn on the TV and understand what is being said. 

So . . .

This morning we had breakfast at the hotel and then I spent the morning packing, paying bills and getting ready. After lunch, we took a taxi to the train station and processed our way through security and customs. We bid France 'Adieu' and we were off to England.

I really enjoyed the train ride. I got to see some of the French countryside which consisted mostly of farmland from what I could see. It was really pretty. We crossed the English Channel and arrived in London after about 2-1/2 hours. 

BTW - I'm happy to be able to say I have ridden a high-speed Eurostar passenger train through the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world. It's very dark in there! According to Wikipedia, in 1996 the American Society of Civil Engineers identified the tunnel as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Cool!

We are staying at a really neat hotel - The St. Pancras Renaissance. The original building was constructed in the 1870's and used to be the Midland Grand Hotel. It closed in 1935 because its utilities were outdated and it was too costly to maintain. Between 2004-2011 the building was renovated into a new hotel with private apartments on the upper floors. If you are ever in London, this is the place to stay.

St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel.

Our plan tonight is to have dinner, and then I am going to go downstairs and take advantage of the spa facilities. Tomorrow we sight-see!

Paris, Continued

Ever have one of those days? Yeah, me too. Today was one of them.

The morning was overcast and rainy but that's okay because most of our sight-seeing was indoors. I had a hard time getting up because I was awake until 2:00 AM writing this blog. I'm having way too much fun recording the details of our trip. I'm just sayin . . .

We had breakfast at the hotel and then headed out for Paris, Part II.

Good morning!

Stan is so great about figuring out where we're going and how to get there. He navigates the subways, trains, and walking around the city like a pro. Look at how crowded the subway is in the morning!

Our first stop was The Louvre Museum. The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace which was the official residence for all the kings that ruled France prior to the French Revolution. In 1682, King Louis XIV chose to move his household to the Palace of Versailles leaving the Louvre as a place to display the royal collection and permitting the palace to be used as a residence for artists. After the Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum to display the nation's masterpieces. It's a long and very interesting story but time does not permit the retelling of it all.

The Louvre.

Visiting The Louvre is like a two-for-one. Not only are the exhibitions, paintings, sculptures and artifacts worth seeing; the palace itself is embellished in the extreme french style and beautiful in itself. Now, I must confess I do not know very much about art so many of the pieces were somewhat lost on me. However . . . I was in awe at the opportunity to stand before Leonardo Da Vinci's, Mona Lisa! 

The Mona Lisa.

The Mona Lisa.

I enjoyed visiting the museum but it was very crowded and I could not figure out how to get my audio guide headphones to work. I missed out on the commentary of the palace and the exhibitions and after a few hours I was frustrated. (Note: this is not the only tantrum I will throw today; there's more.)  Below are some of the interesting or beautiful pieces I was able to shoot. 

Ceiling in one of the rooms.

Venus of Milo.

Napoleon crowns his wife Josephine as Empress.

Madame Raymond de Verninac
by Louis David in 1798

Doorway embellishments in the palace.

Stan took these photos of some of the rooms on display of the royal apartments in the Louvre. I believe these are from Napoleon's era.

Table for forty.
Fine, as long as I'm not doing the dishes!

The crown jewels.

I want a chair with a big "H" on it!

So, before leaving the Louvre, we stopped for lunch at the food court.

After lunch, before we left for our next adventure, I headed to the Ladies Room. Ya'll . . . I had to pay 1.50 euro to use the facilities! Can you believe that? Geez! (Tantrum #2.)

Okay.

We hopped on the train and headed to the out-skirts of Paris to the Palace of Versailles. I am sorry I did not get more pictures of the exterior, but as you can see it was cloudy and rainy and I did not feel like walking around outside.

Walking toward the palace.

Palace of Versailles.
Notice the gates of gold.

Here's the story: In 1575 Albert de Gondi invited Louis XIII on several hunting trips in the forests surrounding Versailles. The king loved the area so much he decided to construct a hunting lodge in 1624. Thus were the humble beginnings of this great palace. 

Over the years, Louis XIII's successor, Louis XIV expanded the original structure into one of the largest palaces in the world. There were four building campaigns between 1664 - 1697.  

In 1678 he decided to make Versailles his permanent residence and he eventually moved the court from the Louvre to Versailles.

Louis XV and Louis XVI made more changes to the palace and the gardens in the 1700's.

Sadly, in 1789 during the French Revolution, the palace fell into the hands of the Republic. Louis XVI was arrested and Versailles was sealed. I read that the furnishings of the palace were sold in auctions and only certain items were consigned to be part of the collection of a museum. Mirrors were assigned by the finance ministry for payment of debts of the Republic and draperies, upholstery, and fringes were confiscated and sent to the mint to recoup the gold and silver used in their manufacture.

In the 1800's, after all the upheaval, Napoleon came on the scene and everything changed again. As far as I can tell though, the palace was never restored to it's former beauty or returned to it's prominent status.  It's such a shame that all the grandeur has been lost or faded. I found the palace to be in a serious state of disrepair.

Overall, I'm glad I got to visit the palace but it was not a good experience. There were throngs of people crammed into very tight spaces - no crowd control whatsoever. It was difficult to see the items of interest and impossible to take a decent picture. By the time we left I had been pushed, shoved. stepped-on, and stepped-in-front-of. I finally lost my patience and told Stan I was ready to leave. (Tantrum #3.) 

Bless his heart. When we finally made our way out, he took a few shots of the garden and we left.

Like I said, I was having one of those days!

The day ended on a good note. On the train ride back to Paris, we met some really fun people from Southern California. Two couples and their children are vacationing together and we all started talking and sharing stories. We were laughing so loudly, I'm sure the rest of the passengers were glad when we got off the train. I didn't get their names, but I am so thankful to have enjoyed their company!

Embellishments On Top of Embellishments

The name of the game in Paris is, "Embellishments On Top of Embellishments". This city seems to adhere to the "more is better" philosophy. It actually suits me just fine!

The morning was overcast and a little cool. Lucky for me I packed a jacket! We navigated the subway system and our first stop was the Fragonard Musee du Parfum (Museum of Perfume). We took a quick walk through the perfume exhibits which explained the history of perfume manufacturing and got to sniff samples of common ingredients used to create scents. After the tour, we went to the boutique where I had fun trying on LOTS of perfumes and happily walked out with five of my favorites. Woo! Hoo! I smell pretty!

Next stop was the not-to-be-believed, oh my goodness, unbelievable, you gotta be kidding, Opera House. Seeing the Opera House was worth coming to Paris for. I would plan a special trip just to see this building. The Palais Garnier was built on the orders of Napoleon, III. The project for an opera house was put out to competition and the contract was won by Charles Garnier, an unknown 35 year old architect. How's that for a career break of a lifetime? It was built from 1860 to 1875. There is no way I can possibly describe the opulence, the Baroque architecture, the history, and the "grand-ness" of it all. You just have to visit Paris and see it for yourself.

The Palais Garnier Opera House.

The Grand Staircase.

Ceiling above the Grand Staircase.

Tragedy on the left, Comedy on the right.

Performance Hall, Paris Opera House

Our tour guide told us that Palais Garnier is the original setting  of my favorite opera, "Phantom of the Opera". In answer to a question about the chandelier falling, he said in 1896, one of the chandelier counter-weighs fell on a concierge tragically killing her. In addition, members of the theater claimed to have heard strange sounds from the basement and maze-like corridors, thus refusing to enter these parts of the building. The Phantom's box is said to be No. 5.

Performance Hall Ceiling and Chandelier.

Napolean, III's Box on the end.
The Phantom's Box next to it.

Peeking in Box 5

The Grand Foyer certainly lives up to it's name! I gasped when I walked through the door. There is so much detail in this room, I could not take it all in. The magnificent ceiling painted by Paul Baudry portrays themes from the history of music - biblical scenes are portrayed on one side, and mythological on the other side. Every square foot of this room is embellished. It is unbelievable.

The Grand Foyer

H.A. lying down on the floor to get a shot!
That's determination!

Getting a shot of the ceiling.

The ceiling in the Grand Foyer.

Before taking a lunch break, Stan took a short video of the streets of Paris from the terrace of the Opera House. You can experience some of the hustle and bustle.

Streets of Paris. Notice there are seven intersections!

Typical Paris street lamp.

After lunch, we hopped on a subway and then a commuter train across the Seine to the Musee d' Orsay. This museum building was originally a railway station. By 1939 the station's short platforms had become unsuitable for the longer trains that were in use. It was almost demolished in 1970 but through a series of events it was renovated and turned into a museum in 1986. There are about 2000 paintings, 600 sculptures and other works of art from the period 1848 - 1914. I was privileged to see works of Degas, Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Manet, etc. We had headphones that allowed us to hear the background and artistic points of many of the popular works which added so much to the experience of viewing them. What a great afternoon! I could have easily spent a full day there. Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed.

Museum d' Orsay

Museum d' Orsay

Our final stop for the day was the Arc de Triomphe (Triumphal Arch) - one of the most famous monuments in Paris. The Arc honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. All the French victories and generals who fought are inscribed on it's inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. It's design was inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus. 

An interesting fact I learned today: Three weeks after the Paris victory parade in 1919, Charles Godefroy flew his Nieuport biplane through it! My grandmother would have been 10 years old at the time.

Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France.

Arc de Triomphe

Generals' names inscribed on the surface.

Effeil Tower in the distance.

Oh . . . there is so much that I am leaving out. There just isn't time to record it all. The history fascinates me and I am having so much fun learning about the places we have visited. Tomorrow is another full day. I better get to bed. I had a hard time getting up this morning.

Paris Baby!

Bonjour! 

I am in Paris! 

Oh. my. goodness.

This is going to be a very short update. We left Monaco this morning (Tuesday). We drove to Nice, France and said our goodbyes to Max. He will be prepped for shipping and then make the long journey home to the states. I believe it will take about eight weeks for him to get home.

We then hopped on a plane and flew to Paris, France. It was only an hour flight - easy, peasey. 

When we arrived at the airport, we took a cab to our hotel which is smack-dab in the middle of everything. Since our arrival, we have only had enough time to check-in, take a walk around the area, and return to the hotel for dinner and some relaxation.

I only took a picture of ONE thing today - this Bugatti sports car. It is so hot! A Bugatti in Paris is a great combination!

Tomorrow we start early with a long list of sights to see.

I am in Paris! I still can't believe it!

Au revoir et a demain . . . . Goodbye until tomorrow.

Tiny Country - Big Presence

Oh my goodness! I am in Monaco on the French Riviera! Can you believe that?

Let me just say that it's nice to see how the other half lives!

When I refer to Monaco as tiny . . . I mean TINY.  If you recall, earlier in our travels we stopped in the principality of Liechtenstein on our way to Switzerland. Liechtenstein is only 62 sq. miles.  I thought that was tiny.  Well, I stand corrected.

Monaco's total land mass is less that one mile (.77 sq. miles)! It is the second smallest country in the world - the first being Vatican City in Rome at .44 sq. miles. By comparison, the United States is the third largest country in the world with 3,537,455 sq. miles of land mass.

Monaco is bordered on three sides by France and on the remaining side by the Mediterranean Sea. Now get this: according to the Internet, Monaco has a population of 35,986! Talk about packing them in like sardines! It is the MOST densely populated country (per square mile) in the world.  The residents live in high-rises, which makes sense . . . they have to build vertically since there is no land! So, who lives in Monaco, you may ask? According to the CIA World Factbook, Monaco has the world's lowest poverty rate, and the highest number of millionaires and billionaires per capita in the world. Well, alrighty then!

View of Monaco from The Rock.

Habor in Monaco.

Monaco is known as a principality as it is a constitutional monarchy headed by a prince. The reigning prince is Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi - known as Prince Albert, II. He is the son of Rainier, III and Grace Kelly. I found it interesting that Prince Albert was educated in the states. He graduated from Amherst College in Massachusetts. I also thought it was interesting that Monaco became a full UN voting member in 1993. That's a lot of clout for such a small principality.

It's hard to take Monaco in. There's so much to see in such a small area. Upon arrival in Monaco, the first thing that stands out is "The Rock of Monaco".  It is basically a mountain made out of one massive rock that overlooks the city. The oldest section of Monaco (Old Town) is built on The Rock as well as the prince's palace, the cathedral, and the Oceanographic Museum.

The Rock of Monaco

We hiked up the hill and hit all the points of interests in Old Town. It is spotlessly clean and I felt like I was walking in a story book kingdom.

Regarding the palace and the Grimaldi family, their history is very interesting. I hope to return to this section and share more details later.

The palace of Monaco and St. Mary's Tower.

Sentry guard at the palace.

St. Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco
Grace Kelly and Prince Rainer, III are buried here as
well as many of his ancestors.

After exploring Old Town, we walked down the hill and headed to Monaco's most famous quarter - Monte Carlo. We passed by the harbor and saw many beautiful boats there. We also heard an announcement that was broadcast to the entire area via loud speakers that tonight the fireworks competition would be held at the harbor. It was delivered in French, English and Spanish. I recorded it so you could hear.

Looking up at Old Town from below.

My boat in the harbor.

My Bentley.

Monte Carlo is beautiful. I love the architecture and all the french embellishments. We went to the authentic Monte Carlo Casino and it is gorgeous inside. I was not allowed to take pictures, unfortunately. Let me just say that the replica in Las Vegas is nothing like the real thing! I walked from room to room with my mouth open. 

Monte Carlo Casino.

Monte Carlo Casino.

Casino panoramic.

The Paris Hotel in Monte Carlo.

As we were walking past the high-end shops in Monte Carlo, I saw this older gentleman admiring an outfit in the window at Valentino's. You can see he has quite a fashion sense!

We spent the evening at the harbor watching France compete in the International Fireworks Competition. It was awesome. Stan managed to get some footage with his trusty iPhone.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) we leave for Paris! Yay!