I think this is one of the most healing pictures I've ever seen. Sheep peacefully grazing on the old minefields.
Catherine said the area was very beautiful and impactful. She had to read All Quiet on the Western Front before taking this trip.
Officially in Canada. Her favorite roommate will be pleased.
One of her goals on this trip is to do as much drawing as possible. Here's today's "bus drawing." The original is by Van Gogh. I think she did all right!
Some days I envy more than others. This is one that I envy. After breakfast.....
The first stop was Giverny, Claude Monet's beautiful house and gardens.
Then back on the bus to go to the Palace at Versailles to see the Palace and the Gardens. I asked Catherine what she thought of it all. She gets the prize for succinctness and accuracy.
"Versailles was very large. Lots of gold. No cake."
Back on the bus and then to the Musee of d'Orsay which specializes in art from 1848 to 1914, the Realism to Impressionism era. I like this painting by Felix Vallotton called, 'Toast.'
June 5 2015 PARIS---MISSING
June 6, 2015 PARIS
June 6, 2015 PARIS
Sounds to have been a bit of a rough day. They went to the Louvre. One of the things she wanted to see was the Louvre's copy of William the Hippo from Egypt. William is the mascot for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC and we got to see him last year. The French version is named Francois, but alas is currently visiting Madrid. Luckily, Catherine brought along her own version of William.
I HOPE she bought this t-shirt.
I'm feeling honored that she's in the middle of Paris, and is craving my chocolate chip cookies. I asked her if she had hit the wall and was just sick of all things foreign? No. She's just craving my cookies. I'll tell myself that this is because I am a superb cook, not because she's exhausted or a touch homesick today.
She got to have french fries in France
Most frightening about today is that she lost her wallet. No weird charges have been made, and she's hoping hard it's at the lost and found in the Louvre post office.
The group went to the Opera Garnier for the "weirdest ballet I've ever seen" the show was 'Children of Paradise, and Catherine claims she has no idea what it was about even after reading the program.
She and India left the group after the show and opted to go back at the hotel. The streets were full of creepy people, but they made it back. She has six open blisters on her feet due to walking 11 miles in new sandals yesterday.
June 7, 2015 PARIS
Definitely sounds like a better day today. Wallet WAS in the Louvre post office lost and found. All euros intact. PHEW!!
Church was next. And then visits to very famous churches while wearing good walking shoes, Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle.
St. Chapelle, was built in the 1200, to house Louis IX collection of relics of Christ. It's especially famous for all of the 13th century stained glass.
But somewhere early in the day she found what she considers to be the perfect place. The Shakespeare company bookstore which has both new and old books, a piano and a cat. It doesn't get better than that.
They had lunch in the Latin quarter, which is a place for student life and bistros.
The tower is sporting a tennis ball in honor of the French Open.
Mostly bus travel today, including lunch on the bus. But they did stop at Fontenay Abbey, a world heritage site. This Abbey was built in the 1100, by monks who felt that the Benedictines had become too worldly. They called themselves Cistercian and this Abbey is the most complete example of their architecture.
She arrived in French speaking Switzerland this evening. She says it's very pretty with very white cows. Perhaps most importantly are mini McFlurries. Along with places to put your McFlurries when you're through.
The day started with breakfast at the hotel in Lausanne. Then they hopped on a bus and went to the Fromagerie d'Alpage. This whole trip seems to have a definite cheese theme. I approve.June 7, 2015 PARIS
Definitely sounds like a better day today. Wallet WAS in the Louvre post office lost and found. All euros intact. PHEW!!
Church was next. And then visits to very famous churches while wearing good walking shoes, Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle.
St. Chapelle, was built in the 1200, to house Louis IX collection of relics of Christ. It's especially famous for all of the 13th century stained glass.
But somewhere early in the day she found what she considers to be the perfect place. The Shakespeare company bookstore which has both new and old books, a piano and a cat. It doesn't get better than that.
They had lunch in the Latin quarter, which is a place for student life and bistros.
Then saw the Great Mosque. This was built after WWI in gratitude to the 100,000 Muslims who died fighting Germany.
After this, there was a lecture on Mormonism in France, then dinner, then at last---The Eiffel Tower.
The tower is sporting a tennis ball in honor of the French Open.
And Catherine is sporting a beret. I'm also happy to see that she DID buy that shirt at the Louvre yesterday.
Her day closed (I hope!) with this text to me. "12:30 a.m. and I've already walked almost 2000 steps and a mile today." No idea what she's doing. Running laps up and down the tower perhaps?
June 8, 2015 FRANCE to SWITZERLAND
She arrived in French speaking Switzerland this evening. She says it's very pretty with very white cows. Perhaps most importantly are mini McFlurries. Along with places to put your McFlurries when you're through.
June 9, 2015 Switzerland
Some of her samples.
Next, a group lunch which I hope featured cheese. Then a bus ride to the Callier chocolate factory. You can view the tour on youtube.
In the bag is a year's supply of chocolate for her, some mini bars for her friends, and a classic bar for us. How this is all going to stay unmelted is a mystery---there has already been one encounter between purse and chocolate. But what are mistakes for if not to repeat them? There are worse things in life than a european chocolate blob.
Next stop, the Swiss temple.
And a pass by what looks to be the Swiss equivalent of Deseret Book.
Then the bus to the Belle Epoque Hotel in Berne.
During free time in the evening she found this Bear.
And of course, fondue. We all tried fondue in Lucerne when we were there 12 years ago, but none of us liked it much. This must have been a different recipe. She said it was delicious. I said we could all explore the world of fondue when she comes home.
June 10, 2015 SWITZERLAND
Catherine is on top of the world today, or at least, Europe.
Despite the rain in the lower elevations and the snow in the upper, she managed to get some fantastic views. She's on the Jungfrau.
The Jungfrau also has an ice-palace with bears.
They took a five mile hike up the Eiger.
. Catherine's friend, India, says they have a symbiotic relationship. She is Catherine's pillow, and Catherine is her space heater.
And then a cable car down.
As far as I know, no one needed rescuing, but it's good to know rescue is available.
After dinner a train and then a bus took them to Fussen, so they can see the famous Neuschwanstein castle tomorrow.
