10-27 today was a walk in the park - Hyde and Kensington, with the north wind; predicted by the weather man so we were prepared, looking like two large pillows walking down the street. They're both really big parks, and they're together, so it took quite a while to cover them both. Then Harrods provided us with entertainment; the big very expensive store was claustrophobically crowded as we bumped our way up the Egyptian escalator past the live soprano singing arias, onto the forth floor sportswear, down through fine jewelry, a perfume area that brought tears to your eyes; not from the cost of the perfume but from the mist that wafted in the air caused by the squirts from curious testers, then through a gun area selling shot guns priced from $1600 to$83,000, and finally through the Christmas area where most of the items were name items  from Harrods. Then home for rest then off to the theater. The tube brought us to Covent Garden, a walk with the north wind, now accompanied by rain, took us to "Top Hat". Afterword wandering the theater district with all the other theater people, gathering together in large numbers down in the tube we return to our homes, joyful in our memories of play, and cold, and wet in the hoity-toity theater district of London.

10-28 this day we decided to change the guard, with the help of the local constabulary, and the red coated, beaver hatted fellows. The change went well, the new guards put in their proper place, the old ones marched off to some secret location for debriefing, the horses put back in the Mews, and the second march begun - The March of the Horse Poop Picker Uppers. Getting with the program we marched down The Mall (The path of the guard changing march) then to The National Gallery where we exposed our senses -again - to the great works of art. I must admit our enthusiasm has waned a tad regarding art appreciation growth, and we were quite selective in our exploration. Then back home for rest followed by a wander around London town in the rain, finally getting back at 10 pm, having enjoyed our extra hour of existence today.

10-29 today was a day filled with the events that mold men's lives; inevitably, we world class athletes migrated to the land of the Olympics, wandering the lands that those like us have dared to tread. Unfortunately, the park was not only closed but fenced, and they were dismantling some of the venues. Sadly, we were only able to climb, assisted by an escalator, to the third floor of the official department store of the Olympic Games and look at the grounds from the official room of the official store, whilst we were looking over the official souvenirs. We did, however, experience the aura of the games:) next came the British Museum where most of the artifacts from Egypt are kept; Lynn and I concluded, after wandering through The Louvre and this museum, there couldn't be much left in Egypt. A note about the London tube - it's smashing! Brilliant! It's clean, very well signposted, and the people that work there actually help you:) we've been whizzing around London on the tube, and it's fun.

10-30. Another walk in the park day, we took to the tube and off to Regent's Park, the famous rose gardens, the zoo, and Madame Tussaud's wax museum, the most popular attraction in London - I read that, and it appeared to be true, validated by the length of the que; maybe three abressed, and at least a quarter mile long - we opted a not. The park turned out to be one of the best I 've seen; London really know how to do parks. It is late in the season so the rose garden wasn't as spectacular as it can be, but beautiful none the less. The zoo turned out to be crowded (A school holiday), the queue was a couple hundred yards long, and thus the inside was also filled. We did enjoy many of the animal venues, especially the spider monkey's reminding of old times (I used to have one as a pet.) Then back down to food, and the underground; our trip mirrored the underground trip to Heathrow, so we had a chance to dry run the  departure, concluding that we will take a taxi to Paddington, then the fast track to Heathrow.

10-31 happy Halloween! The alligator tear day, the last day of the trip:) there were three things yet to do: The Tate Museum, Oxford Street (The busiest shopping area in the world), and Parliament to view The House of Commons, and The House Of Lords. The Tate Museum had a small collection of impressionist painting, and a fair amount of 20th century art. We enjoyed the Impressionist work, and remain confused about the 20th century stuff: why it's called art, what is art, etc. Then on to Oxford Street; where we found ----- people, lots and lots of people: the place was a zoo! And, every body knew where they were going and were in a hurry to get there. Humor was added by two large banners hanging across the four lane street; it read "Merry Christmas from Marmite you either love it or hate it". Then to Parliament and a long queue;  we were asked to come back at 6:00, so a wandering we went, down the Strand and the Thames for some last minute Lynn pictures. Returning to the now absent queue we went through several security screens, through a couple of very large old rooms where pageantry prevails during parliamentary ceremony, and finally were seated in the nose bleed seats, called the visitor balcony. The dear Lords had adjourned for the night, but as luck would have it, the House of Commons was engaged in a lively debate about the funding to the European Union; that included a final vote, so we got to see a whole array of pageantry, which turned out to be important enough to be aired on BBC later that night. It was truly interesting. Then for our final meal we chose to eat pub food, in a lively atmosphere of Halloween - a grand conclusion to a grand trip::)) 

11/01  Time to go home :( and :)  Walked to Mail Boxes Etc to send package of rocks to Lotti (An explanation is required here: Lotti collects rocks and we picked up one in the Cotswalds and one in the Jurassic Beach) then loaded up into London cab for trip to Heathrow.  Turned out to be a lovely sunny morning so trip was special seeing stuff we hadn't seen in cheery sunlight, but made it a bittersweet goodbye.  Arrived at airport 3 1/2 hours early so did some last minute shopping ;)

Phil almost lost his trusty Swiss Army knife (again) but the security guy let him keep it, because now there is a blade length minimum for a "threatening knife". The flight was an uneventful but fast 11 hours, as was going through customs, putting us at the shuttle at 8:00.  Waiting for shuttle and the drive home, however, took on the feeling of a safari. we validated the "first on last off" hypothesis. Three loops around LAX, the full van departed for: Lakewood, Disneyland, Villa Park, Orange, and finally Murrieta. We wound around Orange County like an intoxicated hunter ant, going hither and thither; some excitement was achieved when we went by Lynn's old house in Anaheim Hills. Then finally off to Murrieta: almost immediately however, break lights - a big fix underway on the 91, down to one lane. Ah, the delights of So Cal. The great finish was a walk in the door at 1 am, the end an absolutely marvelous vacation! 

10-25. Today a walk / church day including wandering along the Thames past the London Eye viewing the skyline of London, walking across the Tower bridge past the Tower of London finally sauntering along the boulevard back home. The churches included Westminster Cathedral - the grand place grand things happen in London - marriages, coronations, burials, etc. then St Paul's Cathedral - we think it is the  most spectacular and it is a push which is bigger. We also discovered that fast food and Starbucks has taken over London; every block has a Starbucks and at least two fast food places, and Londoners like to play dress-up, we've seen many penguins walking around.
10-24.  A travel day we packed, then the 15 minute trip to the Weymouth station and the train to London. Arriving in Waterloo Station we were advised to take the tube to Green Park Station then were told to go to Victoria Station; of course, now that we are tube wizards it was no sweat - except the luggage schlepping part. We arrived at our new home, The Crown Plaza Hotel, a fancy schmancy place that's costing less than most of our previous stays because London prepped itself for the Olympics and now has a serious excess of lodging. The rest of the day spent wandering through the big sights - Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Parliamentary Building, the London Eye, etc. etc. Unfortunately, part of the hotels business plan is to make money on the Internet connection - $10 a day, so we passed, and are waiting for an Internet cafe. 

10-23 a casual day, we hung around plotting and planning and scheming until dog time; This was the time when we gathered up 8 dogs - 2 whippets, a greyhound, 4 mutts, and an English Bulldog;  only one, Basil, belonged to Rick - and took them for a romp down to the beach. Muck, and slush, and goo still abound so people take care, dogs have fun. Shortly after our discussion of the basic nature of the English Bulldog and decided nurture over nature, I was playing with one of the whippets when the Bulldog joined in- perhaps not totally understanding what play is.  Within moments he bit my leg, let go then bit the other, pulling back and tearing my britches. He wasn't mad, just wanted to play, however, he got a serious scolding for it. After returning the dogs we headed for Weymouth, a lovely coastal town, to be tourists, wander the streets, and alleys, and liste n to Rick's stories about the place (He grew up here). Then on to Portland, a modest sized island just off the coast of Weymouth that contains a couple lighthouses, a Napoleonic era jail, and a fair amount of urban sprawl. Finally out to a 5 star restaurant to celebrate our last night here - 5 stars because we 5 star people were in it - and partook of English fare: lamb shank, fish pie, Dorset apple cake, bread and butter pudding. Finally we watched a DVD of Rick's Slovenia trek, whilst scratching Basil covering our clothes with the added warmth of dog hair.

10-22 A foggy day, in Weymouth Town (A song), and it didn't clear, however you may recall "There's no bad weather just bad clothes", so we dressed appropriately and were off to Stonehenge. We wandered through old English country, hill and dale, and hamlet, etc. discovering many charming sights along the way. In one we happened by a thatcher; indeed, he was thatching a roof! The process is much like putting tiles on a roof except you're using small bundles of thatch (looks like long straw). We were told the roof will last 25 - 30 years, and cost around $13 a square foot. Then on to Stonehenge where we, and several busloads of others listened to our personal hand held talk on its history. It was impressive considering its age - 5000 years - and the picnic area proved quite useful. Then on to the Salisbury Cathedral, a really big Catholic Church with one of the four copies of the Magna Carta, which of course as you all remember is considered the first human rights legal document:) then to a really big food store where we bought more stuff to eat; back home, an English chicken dinner and conversation. One good day after another:)

10/21  drove to Dorchester and Sherbourne castle. Toured the inside- lots of slick furnishings including a clever chair that turned into a step ladder for retrieving books from the 9 foot high shelves. Then toured the gardens and 

lake with dogs in tow and ate picnic by lake in beautiful surroundings.  Then off to Winspit where we hiked out to a rock quarry, returning in dark-luckily Phil had intelligently brought his handy torch. Then to pub - Square and Compass, for drinks and pub food - pies " a pub quiche" and lemonade/coffee. Neat atmosphere and dogs all around (Spider and Harry). Another great day.

10/20.  Went by car and hiking to Durdle Door, a rock arch along the beach with waves crashing through it, then on to Lulorth -a lovely seaside area with a promontory called Bat's head. Accompanying  us were Basil and Bob (a greyhound mix) Then ice cream and off to Twynham (a village that was evacuated during the second world war and never lived in again), enjoying our picnic lunch before visiting the town- the schoolhouse has been well maintained looking much like it did 70 years ago. Then walked down to the beach cliff, hung around until sunset taking photos, back on the road to drop off Bob and walk to neighbors house for dinner with Mike and Rita and another dog named Archie. Had takeout Chinese (we're doing a lot of Chinese food), and Phil and Mike had lengthy and interesting discussion about Reiki. Lovely evening. 

10/19  Caught train from Moreton on Marsh to Weymouth.    Rick picked us up with his dog Basil The Wonder Dog (A wonder dog because: he spends most of his nights sleeping in the back of Rick's car parked out in front of the house, nothing bothers him, and I mean nothing, and he is an expert at energy conservation walking only when absolutely necessary) and took us along the seafront and to the supermarket where we stocked up on lots of goodies.  On to his very nice, close to the beach house where he prepared a delicious pasta/meat dish dinner.  Then we were entertained with a DVD of Dorset area and of his Pakistan trek.

Note from yesterday: it hailed, fortunately observed from inside our B&B.
This day, the last walk of The Great Cotswold Circuit (Newly named by us), began with an extended conversation with some Canadian folks sharing breakfast, and the GCC. Then off we went leaving the well sign posted Cotswold Way, joining the Not so well marked Monarch Way, and got lost. We sought the advice of a nice lady and continued on the wrong path. After another half hour walking across fields and farm we asked the advice of three other nice ladies - they all agreed about where we were, so we believed them and set a course for what looked like a road. Dang, it wasn't - it was a working quarry, but after trying to slog through a treed hedgerow with no success we walked down along side it to a road and the trail:) then down to a small hamlet, Blockley, then on across flat farmland where we joined up with a couple of dozen dairy cows walking with some difficulty with  udderly full udders through muck, and slush, and poo arriving back in Morton-on-the-Marsh and the Treetop B&B. A wonder walk!

We're feeling phthisic, so today's short walk was appreciated. Starting in the 17th century house with no heat we walked back through town looking for the sign post we missed the previous day; to no avail, we missed it again and resorted to the old navigational technique - we asked someone. A sweet little old lady out on her daily constitutional walked most of the way back to the post and off we went up the hill again to Broadway Tower (You may recall a similar tower from yesterday, it's the same tower.) We finally found out where we went wrong, and after passing the tower again we zoomed down the other side without further error. Spectacular views abound as we followed the trail through  farms, along minor roads, into parks, and along streams; with no rain and modest wind the day was delightful ending with a grand view of Chipping- Camden and its surrounds. A short walk down the main street of the town we arrived at our 600 year old B&B.  Chipping Camden is billed as the loveliest of the Cotswold towns and although that's a somewhat subjective claim it certainly is beautiful and quaint.  Some very old buildings, mostly out of Cotswold stone, some with thatched roofs, make wandering the streets a real joy.  And of course we visited the two churches-one being the first Catholic church we've seen in England.

10/16  Last night was sick night; so we stayed in our adorable B&B room with huge bathroom and lovely radiant heat. We both worked hard to sleep with moderate success, so this morn was casual, slow, wander the town, check out the local pub before departure. It was windy and cold, so the chill was serious, but the air was clear and the sun warm. The walk was short, we charged up a hill onto a plateau with a serious view, then back down to an old church (I know, what, another church?!). Outside the church we met a local that told us about the original 13th century church down the road a mile, and the  tower on top of the hill behind it that overlooks the entire valley (Built by The Earl of Coventry so he could see all his property back in medieval times. The tower provides a view of 13 counties.) We opted for the extended walk, and it was great choice. The only down side was that we found out that tomorrow morning our trail goes back up to the tower, oh well it's good exercise. Broadway, our new home town, is billed as the showcase of the Cotswalds. The town is spread along the main road, originally Broadway, and lined with magnificent homes, oh yes, made of Cotswald stone, with handsome well manicured yards, and beautiful gardens.

10/15    Breakfast at the Inn, then to the bakery for bread and treats, and we're off  down the main road to the path to the country side. Out in farm land we walk along amongst sheep, and horses, and cows entering a field sign posted with "bull in field", that got Lynn's attention, and she spotted the big fella immediately. Fortunately he was lying down but the path went right by him and he decided to get up, a real task for his bulk. We negotiated our way through the crowd of females (and cowpies) and out to the gate before the big guy had time to get upset. On we went through sheep country. A word about poop: big plops of cow poop are easy to see and avoid, however, sheep droppings are much smaller and often hide under grass and weeds and in the mud so we waded through the muck, and the slush, and the goo with sheep poopy boots. A mile or so into the walk we joined the National Trail - The Cotswald Way. As a result sign posting improved immensely, and the written instructions became much less important. The trail lead us up and along the hills providing us with spectacular views of the hedge rows defining the quilted patern of the small farms covering the rolling verdant hills. Huge oak trees stood along the creeks and streams lacing through the fields creating a three dimensional effect to the pattern.  Along the way a thousand year old building made of Cotswald stone peaked out from behind the green to remind us of the long history of our surrounds. Then we arrived in Stanton, a post card little hamlet (thatched roofs!) with our 17th century B&B.  The lovely lady who owns it made Lynn a cuppa tea laced with lemon and whiskey for her incipient cold and it seems to be doing the trick.

10-14 Sunday

Breakfast at our pub wasn't until 8:30 so we we got fully packed before indulging in the morning meal. Then off through the center of town, maybe 10 buildings, and into frost covered country side, the sky's clear and still quite cold. Walking through 17th century farms with 17th century houses and 21st century equipment. Then through forest, and birds -lots of birds. The birds were ring necked pheasants and we saw more of them than I have seen total in all my life. The property we were walking through was estates, big estates, that placed pheasant feeders all over the estate, and I'm sure have big shooting parties during pheasant season. None the less, it was thrilling to have them running about, and taking to flight all around, often startling us. Then up and over a hill for the best view we've seen; grand panorama with the town of our destination right in the middle. Then on the the Suddeley castle, a 15th century affair with lots of intrigue including Henry 8th and his women, at least one buried in the castle ( Katherine Parr-his widow). Then on to Winchcombe, and our White Hart Inn, a 17th century building, pub on the ground, rooms on the first floor - very charming.

10-13 back through the town we stopped for resupply - bread, cheese, cookies - and off we went in the crisp clear morning air along the Windrush Way, along the Windrush River; a glorious beginning. Pheasants love it here in the Cotswalds, they're everywhere. Soon we get lost, but happily because we got to wander through some very lovely forest- twice because we had to go back, then on down the now Mud-on-the-Boots trail with sticks to assure that only our boots got muddy. After an hour or so we were joined by a gaggle (maybe 20) locals out doing their Satuday exercise. We bumped into them several times along the trail. Around lunch time we were in Naunton, a small hamlet with a church where we ate, and read grave stones whilst gazing out upon the glorious and charming surrounds. Now raining we moved on over hill and dale, and farm, and the occasional metalled path - English for paved street. Finally reaching Guiting Power, and our home for the night; The Hollow Bottom, a Pub/ B&B with a darling gabled room.

10-12 starting in good old Stow-on-the-Wold we went to Foot-on-the-Path, then to Hide Mill, then Gloucestershire Way and Mud-on-the-Feet (It did rain yesterday), to Upper Slaughter, then to Lower Slaughter, and finally to Bourton-on-the-Water. Whilst in Upper Slaughter we sought the guidance of a local regarding navigation, and made a friend, who invited us to his 1640's home. From California he and his wife moved to the area in 1991, purchased the house as a rundown, dirt floor teardown, invested much money and time, and love over the last 20 years to make it the stunning house that it is today - especially the kitchen! Lower Slaughter is billed as the loveliest village in the Cotswalds, and we wouldn't argue, although it's a close call; virtually all of them are oozing charm. Bourton-on-the-water is the touristic winner so far. The reason is partially that a river runs through it; right smack through the middle with several elegant 18th century bridges going across. It is a lovely town, and we certainly enjoyed our wandering, as well, the Chinese food we found(I know, it sounds like a crime hanging out in stereotypical idyllic English landscape ordering CHINESE food, but it sure was good. Only a spot of rain, and a tad of hail, but the evenings are getting a might chilly, so we made for the warmth of the B&B. Another great day.

10/11 Stow-on-the-Wold.         Had breakfast, an English breakfast, then started out on walk in dry weather, expecting a deluge any time - fortunately it came after we reached our destination. Somewhat misty all day but not much rain :). Beautiful scenery and manor homes, post card views everywhere. First stop Longborough then Donnington then Broadwell, all charming hamlets filled with houses made of Cotswald stone. We stopped to lunch in the St Paul's cemetery, reading interesting gravestone markers, then onto Stow-on- the-Wold, where we found our home for the night, a cozy B&B, four star attraction. The walk went through and along farms filled with cows, sheep, and horses and poop of all shapes and sizes, and occassional views of pheasants running about hither and thither.  After getting lost, Lynn became the lead navigator owing to the fact that this trail is very poorly sign posted and the our best navigation was by written word. The description of the trail was often our only guide and her reading skills are vastly superior to mine. The town of Stow-on-the-Wold is more touristic with several busloads of tourists wandering the streets enjoying the charm - another beautiful town. A great day.

 

Today was a travel day; relaxed morning, last wandering of the streets of Bath, then walk to the train station to buy the 3 last train tickets, then 2 train transfers later and we were in The Cotswalds ; Morton-on-Marsh, the beginning of the Cotswald walk. Thankfully, the B&B is first rate - in suite bath, and the all the walk documents were waiting for us: description, maps, insurance forms, etc. then down to the hamlet of Morton-on-Marsh; a charming village consisting of old buildings and cottages made of Cotswald stone, a yellowish brown sandstone. Had dinner in town then back to the B&B and organizing stuff into carry vs let someone else carry. We're ready!

This was a free play day, so we went shopping for a rain cover for Lynn's ruck sack, and discovered that there are no covers for that small a sack; the alternative being a water proof stuff sack to put inside the ruck sack - we found one of those. Then on to research the 6 mile walk around Bath, and to look for the famous Bath Buns in Sally Lunn's restaurant, the oldest house in Bath. And then the big one - visiting the Roman bath, the best preserved in the whole world:) it is a very special place where your imagination runs wild with thoughts of how it was 2,000+ years ago kicking back in the warm mineral pools. It did rain all day so we were bundled during our wandering which included the river walk, more touristic walking, a walk into the old aristocratic area with large flats, and an assembly room where the elite entertained themselves, no 6 mile walk in the rain. On the way back to the hotel we happened by an opened church and went in, and there on the walls were the sayings of AA - an AA meeting was about to start. We chose to move on but stayed long enough to share with the two guys waiting in the meeting room. Life is good:)

10/08  This was a wander and buy stuff day; started out to find Brasher (New boots for Lynn) and met with success first thing at Millets where found a gorgeous pair of leather lined boots that are so handsome that it was hard to actually use them.  Back to hotel to call about  Cotswald Walk info then on to visitor center and joined the free town tour given by enthusiastic volunteers bubbling over with town pride, but we left after awhile as nature was calling. On our own we went to the Circus and the Royal Crescent and continued wandering the town.  Then it was kind of pig out time stopping for coffee and a luscious lemon tart, some pastys, a brownie and slice of rhubarb cake,   Then back to wandering but too late for Roman Baths so found a really good noodle shop and had a yummy asian dinner.  More wandering capped off with an Italian ice cream. Note: Pigging out is an art form, and we' re fine tuning our skills. 

10/07  BATH - HAPPY 64th BIRTHDAY Lynn
Woke up to alarm at 5 am, at the train by 6:15; train to Paris 1.5 hours mostly in the dark.  Landing in Montparnasse station, metro to Gare de Nord where we went through customs and had a short wait before boarding Eurostar to London.  What a treat, a real zoom!  Landing at Kings Cross Station then tube to Paddington to catch train to Bath. Had about a half hour so had Mc D's sundae and bought some chocolate chip cookies - we'll diet when we get back. Bolloxed tracks, so had to go to Bristol, then train back to Bath. The stop allowed for more food - coffee and a pasty, then squeezed into train crowded to stand for three stops to Bath Spa and a cab to hotel. On to store for birthday cupcakes and candles, on to abbey, the centerpiece of the town, also saw Roman baths and wandered around stopping at cute pub for fish and chips, then back to hotel for cake and champagne. Lovely birthday.

Our last full day in France :(  We wandered, mostly from one boulangerie to another (A boulangerie is a bakery), turnes put that France really likes boulangeries, and so do we. Between them we wandered into churches, eight total in Chartres, and the Chartres Cathedrial crypt, so we were busy with churches. Fortunately several were quite different, and one, St. Aignan, was truly charming; something I haven't said about a church before. Also, we made reservations for our final French dinner, which turned out to be sumptuous, and scrumptious and a delightful ambience - a modern motif blended into a very  old room, called The Old House (Le Vieux Maison in french.) We left the hotel about 4:00 and wandered prior to dining, and what do you know we found a crepe maker, her work was tested (caramel and melted butter) and found to be extraordinary; it was difficult to just have one, but we persevered. A great last day. 

10/05

On the road again, it was pack up and off to Chartres, and sadly to say good by to our little car. The return time was 12noon so we made no stops along the way, dumped our stuff in the hotel room and arrived at Hertz at 11:52. Then a walk back to the hotel through old town and some churches. This town likes churches, 8 total, including a super cathedral. Chartres cathedral is immense, with soaring stained glass windows.  They are in the process of cleaning the church inside and out so some areas were closed off yet it is still stunning.  We  are very pleased with this town, it's been well maintained, yet maintains the old stuff look. The narrow roads wind all around, rarely straight, it's fun to just walk around. A note about the stereotypical French baguette life style - it is true; we've seen literally hundreds of people walk the streets with a baguette in their hand - mostly at night when they picked them up on the way home. 

Our day began with a 1 1/2 hour trip to Valencay, a grand chateau outside the Loire Valley. It turned out be equal to those of the Loire with Empire period furniture in a Renaissance chateau. Oddly, we were just about the only visitors so could spend lots of time in each room. Note worthy is that the Treaty of Vienna (or a copy)was there along with the table on which it was signed as Talleyrand was part of the Congress of Vienna.  Also, the Spanish princes were exiled there, and Tallyrand bought it with a gift from Bonaparte and lived there for much of his life. The gardens are extensive with peacocks roaming freely and we took an hour walk through the lovely woods. Then a wander of the town found closed businesses, so on to Selles Sur Cher (from the river) another Loire area chateau with a twist: half of the chateau has been repaired the other half has not. The difference is dramatic; the damage done over the last several hundred years is severe, and it goes away with the repair looking beautiful, emphasizing the amount of work and money needed to bring a chateau back to life. Then on the road back to the hotel, where we saw a large number of cars parked along the forest road inside the grounds of the chateau Chambord. It turned out to be an animal viewing platform. The view was amazing; it provided a view of a large open field filled with Red Deer, and wild hogs - an impressive sight! A wonderful day especially since the forecast rain never appeared. 

We leapt out of bed this morn ready to bag three chateaus- Chambord, Cheverny, and Blois including wandering the town of Blois. Zooming along in our powered skateboard we wound into a dense forest festooned with deciduous trees with fall color, and browning ferns beneath, we spotted a sign warning of wild deer and wild boar (alert). Then, all of a sudden, shazam there they were - a pair of wild boar: big wild boar, and we got pics! (of course we haven't figured out how to attach them) On to Chambord, the largest chateau in The Loire, with a roof line akin to an over crowded chess board, it's claim to fame is that Leonardo de Vinci probably laced out the overall design and designed the double helix center staircase. Then Cheverny - the most magnificently furnished chateau in The Loire; also, it has a large pack of foxhound mix dogs that we were fortunate to see getting fed. It doesn't sound like much but there are maybe 100 hounds and they're all fed together - it's chaos. Finally off to Blois, a fair sized town with an old part along the river, a chateau, and big church. The chateau was virtually empty and resplendent with the opulence of busy renaissance; we thought it would be hard to sleep in the bedroom of brightly colored small flowered wall paper.  Then to the big church - good grief, there really are a lot of really big churches in Europe. Each one is  jaw dropping as well as amazing considering when they were built, and the standard of living at that time. Finally, a good wander of old town, searching for food, and a birthday present for Lynn.

On Monday we left our lovely digs for Tours. As before, we parked when saw Office de tourisme sign and then found that the office wasn't located by the sign, rather, some distance down the road allowing us to enjoy the charming walkway down the center of the main road. We wandered around the old town going into the very large and beautiful Basilica of St Martin of Tours. Then on to Saint Gatien's cathedral where a funeral service was going on, so we lit a candle and left. Hunger came calling so we sat in a square in a medieval area and ate our picnic. Oh by the way, we are in danger of falling into church saturation; a state- of-mind where spectacular churches filled with sacred art pieces, and gorgeous stained glass windows cause only a modest emotional  response. After more wandering in the medieval city exploring narrow cobble stoned alley ways with many more exclamations we drove to Montbazon and checked into the Chateau d'Artigny. It is a lovely property on 24 hecters of land built as a 20th century chateau with all the grandure of days of old, where Lynn's parents had stayed years ago. We wandered  along their several trails before resting for dinner. The woodlands surrounding the chateau are very pretty, but filled with spider webs that have spiders right smack in the middle of the web. Lynn was not amused. Our posh dinner at our chateau was a seven course affair - an epicurean delight in grand French style, and even a full moon. Ah shucks.
This morn we said goodby to our chateau and hello to two others - Chenenceau, and Amboise. Chenenceau, one of the grand Loire Valley structures, was built across the River Cher with magnificent gardens, spectacular architecture, and opulent furnishings. Built by King Henry II for his mistress Diane  de Poitiers, and later taken over by his widow Catherine De Medici after his death - lots of historical intrigue. 
Amboise was an equally impressive structure and originally occupied by Henry II, this chateau bounced around the aristocracy depending who was on top of the power heap. Also of interest is that Leonardo de Vinci is buried in the chateau chapel. After soaking our senses in the grandure of medieval wealth we moved on to our new abode. Our next door neighbor is a nuclear reactor, the giant stacks visible from our window, red lights flashing to deter errant aircraft. The surrounding environs yielded few treasures so we drove to Orleans to wander the streets of the old town. Like Tours, the town was large with an old touristic section next to the river festooned with eats, eye candy, and a really big old Cathedral St Croix rivaling Notre Dame in size and oh my goshness. Joan of Arc grew up here and is eulogized in a dedicated chapel in the church as well as elsewhere about the town. I'm growing fond of my powered skateboard owing to the size of the streets; one more layer of paint and I'd be in trouble.

Waking up in our pink romantic hideaway we were off to Villandry, and as we arrived we were reminded that it is one of the most popular chateaux, people and cars and busses abound, and for good reason, both the chateau and gardens were spectacular - and fortunately without low thresholds to bang the healing head. Then to Azay Le Rideau Chateau though less opulant, still a grand place. Each chateau has some peculiarity that makes it stand out on its own. Then we returned to Chinon to wander the streets of the medieval town. We found ourselves say "oh my", and "good grief" a lot; it's simply exhilarating to walk through an almost thousand year old town. Joan of Arc actually prayed in the church here and St. Denis died in 397 in a church we saw in Candes-St. Martin - imagine that. Fun day. A word about the car: don't buy a Chevrolet Spark; don't think they sell them in US. It's extremely small with a very short wheel base, so it's like driving a powered skateboard, full attention is required at all times. The good side is that you can parallel park in the space of a cross walk and make a U-turn in an alley. And around here parallel parking is an art form-maybe an inch of space between cars on a good day.

Saturday, like all days was filled with the events that mold men's lives; and their heads (see below.) It started leaving Angers when we happened upon a Saturday morning farmer's market like none I've seen and some fabulous almond croissants- serendipity.  Then on to Montreuil- Bellay chateau; arriving early we went wandering the old town and came across an old hotel called Le Splendid Hotel which was a bit of an overstatement :/. A mandatory guided tour was in French but we enjoyed the girl guide who was very animated and fortunately we had a translated brochure to help us with the program. The kitchen and some of the furnishings were exceptional, unfortunately no photos were allowed except in the wine cave. Then on to Breze where most of the castle is underground (troglodyte), the new 18th century chateau was built on top. The underground was really slick meandering in and out of the very deep moat. Finally, on to Usse Chateau which was a fairy tale castle in a beautiful setting complete with Sleeping Beauty display. Unfortunately, as we finished in the moat cave Lynn smacked her head on the stone doorframe. It not only hurt like hell, it caused a serious incident when it registered a 3.9 on the Richter scale. We got some ice for it then drove to our hotel in Chinon- a really sweet place. Walked the town, got some pastry and cheese, and retired early to allow her head to return to (?) normal. 

9/28  I want somore: today was  Saumur (pronounced some  more) day.  The chateau sits above a neat old town along the shore of the Loire River, where we found coffee and yummy almond/chocolate croissants amongst lots of old stuff. The chateau was closed until 2 pm so we wandered the streets reading about sign posted old stuff in our handy brochure. Many of these old buildings have interesting history, and have gone through several transformations - the imagination boggles. Finally, we topped it all of with a French Mexican dinner, and a French pretzel! So continental!

We set the alarm for this morn so we could get out early and not miss rush hour. The old stage coach roads aren't enough for today's population. Fortunately, the expectation of things to come kept us in good spirits, and after we broke free of the traffic we found ourselves out in charming hamlet country - they were everywhere, cute as a bug's ear. Our first destination was Rochemenier, where the Troglodytes live(Troglodytes are people that live underground). The ground there is sandstone so relatively easy to make caves - the whole place is made up of dwellings carved into the cliffs, and the site, which was occupied several centuries ago, contains relics from those days. Then to Fontevraud, the largest Abbey in France, and the place I went to a conference back some time ago. The place is big with interesting history. Next came Montsoreau, a chateau along the Loire River. It wasn't big nor interesting, filled with modern art that filled the empty rooms. But the town had more examples of troglodyte houses which was interesting to see.  Finally we went to Montgeoffroy, a chateau still filled with elegant furnishings, and thankfully we found ourselves with our private English speaking guide. The place was very nice and included some special features, i.e. a complete 18th century kitchen with a huge collection of copper pots,a stable full of old carriages, and signed Napoleon and King Louis documents. The guide frequently said "we" when talking about the chateau, so we surmised that he was one of  them:) then back to Anger and French pizza. A wonderful day.
9/26  Headed out from Normandy to Angers this morning. The Nav gal (GPS) was a great help and took us through some terrific countryside  hamlets such as Craon-everything you would expect the Loire valley towns to look like. We decided to take in a couple of the chateaux before checking in and the first was Brissac, the tallest of the Loire chateaux. The family still lives there so guided tours are mandatory and we arrived just in time to join one. The rooms are large and richly decorated with lots of tapestries and heavy furniture. There was even an old dungeon /prison ;). Then on the Angers - this is more of an old castle with an empty moat and drawbridge. After checking into our hotel for the next few days ( probably the least attractive so far but certainly adequate) we ventured out to the old streets and found a market to stock up on essentials such as soda and chocolate! We also found a coin laundry (glory be)  and the lovely little french woman who ran it was very helpful with instuctions.
9/25  Bright and early this morn we visited the parking ticket quandary  (we found out that we could go to a Tabac store, buy $35 worth of stamps, then mail them to the police), we opted to be criminals for the remainder of our lives. So, off we went for Normandy and Mont St Michel (That's the castle out in the ocean that can only be reached during low tide). Well, they made a road to it; now you can get there any time. We were worrying. A very strong and sudden rainstorm hit just as we were exiting the car but dried up just as quickly and didn't return until we were returning to the parking lot :)  The castle is splendiferous, and touristic, but lots of fun to tour - passageways, stairs (lots of stairs,slippery from rain) doors going everywhere. The views from the church at the top through the rain included both ocean and shore including the cliffs of Normandy. It is a site both of us had wanted to see for a long time and we were not disappointed.  The challenge of the day came when we tried to get out of the parking lot. I confidently drove up to the exit ticket station with my ticket in hand, inserted it with no results - the arm remained down. I tried several times in slightly different ways with the same results. By this time several cars had gathered behind me. After some more failures the car immediately behind pulled out of the queue leaving a space for me to withdraw. I drove back into the parking lot and resorted to the tried and true fix - ask someone. I found out that you had to take the original ticket to the Information office to get another ticket. Lynn stayed in the car researching the evening activities Lowhilst I sought out the Information office. I finally spotted it, only 200 meters away, went there, and was told the automated ticket machine was behind the toilets - a fortunate location for the elderly, like me. After taking care of bladder business I continued my search, and finally found them another 100 meters down the road; there must have been 10 of them, a great idea if they only told people. Because of the hour we decided to return to the hotel, and wander the streets of San Quentin sur le Homme where we found a food truck that specialized in pizza - had its own wood fired oven. Um good.

With a tear in our eye, still holding hands, we taxied across the city to Gare Montparnasse train station for a trip to Chartre where a car awaited. Well, that's what they called it; looks more like a large toy, but it is a Chevy, and it does have a navigator from the same company as our German navigator - Tom-Tom. All went well at first, the lady told us where to turn and where not, but then we got into town and the road work that kept us from doing what she wanted. The result was erroneous directions, once commanding us to go in a circle. We finally stopped, parked, and sought help. We got more than we wanted, the couple we asked must have taken 20 minutes to figure out directions that turned out to be totally wrong. Whilst this was going on the gendarmes found our illegally parked car and began filling out a ticket. We finally broke free of our advisors and returned to the car to find the officers still filling out the ticket. We asked them for directions with much better results - they knew where the hotel was. Unfortunately, we couldn't convince them to trash the ticket. Shortly, we did find the hotel, and after lugging our stuff into the room we went to old town. It turned out to be free of tourists, and the cutest old city we've seen. Seems contradictory but the walled old town is adorable and tres picturesque. Light rain added to the ambience.

9/19 This day was Musee d'Orsay day. This old abandoned rail road station was converted into a museum that, oh by the way, has the best impressionist painting collection in the whole world - maybe. That happens to be Lynn and my fav paintings so we spent quite a bit of time admiring them - Monet, Renoir, Manet, Sisley: that crowd of French painters from the 1800's. Then we went to the Rodin museum where the sculptor lived and chose to place his collection of art objects. And oh by the way, he did some painting - gosh, I didn't know that. Rodin is one of our fav sculptors so we did some hanging out there as well. A truly great day:)

9/20 Today was our first day in Louvre, and we spent all day in Louvre, holding hands. It is said, especially here, that this is the greatest museum in the world - well, I don't know about that but I do know it's really really big! There are 4 floors and we managed 2 1/2 floors today. In many instances the building out shines the contents. The French palace before Versailles, this huge building is quite spectacular, outclassing those of the Vienna Hapsburgs. The museum floor plan needs a little work however, even with a map the well posted walk is impossible to negotiate without seeking support from the, thankfully, many support personnel throughout the museum. Retiring to our hotel for refreshment, a Subway sandwich, and to put our climbing gear together - we had a 9:00 appointment to climb the Eiffel Tower. When we arrived the crowds were significantly less than the weekend so rather than climb we decided to go up in the elevator.  It's a cozy operation; people are packed into each carrier, then exited at level two,  a queue to the next carrier, then a crowded trip to the top ( where the view was stunning- sparkling lights and a light breeze) followed by an equally cozy return- was fun for us cause we're in Louvre ;) on the way home we played on the Metro- we're getting to be pros. We can now get our own tickets without help, we can figure out which train to get on without help, and we can open the door on the subway - our first attempt we stood waiting for the door to open, it didn't, and the train went on with us just looking astonished. Fortunately, a kind fellow explained about the button next to the door. Next time we pushed it, and sure enough, the door opened:/ We now wave at our new friends, the station information attendants, in several stations.

9/21 This day we did the D'orsay again just to revisit the collection of impressionist paintings, The original of one of the paintings that hangs in our house - Moulins de la galette is showcased there and we admired it awhile along with many other masterpieces. Then we attacked the second floor of the Louvre, with a dash of bread and cheese in between in the Tuilleries - the long park in front of the Louvre. Our walk home involved a stop at Subway, a stop at a grocer to get more cola, a stop at our favorite award winning bakery, and rain. After a meal of Subway and Coke we wandered (We try to wander at every opportunity. We have found more interesting nuggets wandering than any other form of transportation.) via the subway to Champs Élysées and the Arch De Triumph, then down the Champs to the Seine and left to the boat ride. We discovered after walking to the Louvre that the boat dock was the other way, so we enlisted our new found subway skills and found the station near the dock. A short walk to the dock and we were off on an hours journey viewing Paris from the water. A completely different perspective brought into clear view by powerful flood lamps along the side of the boat, it was a continuum of photo ops - old stuff galore. Then back to the subway, the home station, and a midnight Pizza Hut pizza - um um! Of interest is that in the   last few days we've discovered numerous islands of police and army men, we assume. because of the Muslim issues.

9/22This was an "oh dang"  day; starting with the "oh dang". The new video camera quit working! So we shifted our plans, asked the hotel receptionist where a camera shop was, using Lynn's extraordinary navigational skills and her outstanding multilingual communicational skills we found a new video camera. On the way out of the store we decided to test the new camera; after removing it from its package we were reminded that camera batteries don't come charged:)  however, during that time God dropped by - Lynn discovered that the old camera had a reset button {:o } So using her ear ring we poked the recessed button, and shazam! The camera came alive. We returned to the photo department and returned our new camera purchasing 3 new memory chips for our old one:)

Then onto the tube and off to Musee Marmottes Monet - it has the largest collection of Monet paintings in the world. Then out into the Bois de Bolougne, a very large park next to the Musee. Our first park wandering was in an isolated wild section looking much like true wilderness. The path led to a more park like setting with a standard quantity of people, and the standard lake - a large lake with row boats, and a ferry to take you to the two islands. We opted to stay ashore to walk the length of the lake to a tube station to get to the Maxims tour. Our newly developed tube technique worked flawlessly putting us at the proper station well within our schedule. Unfortunately, the police decided to close all the exits from the station - good grief! We still don't know why. An attendant told us to get back on the tube, go down one station, get off and walk back. This would certainly put us at Maxims after the last tour: we went back to the hotel for a nap instead :)

Yesterday was move day; we booked 3 extra days in Paris (Reiner and Lotti were driving into Paris on Friday) but the hotel we had for the 7 days was full so booked another. It turned out to be "in work"' except the fourth floor where we are. The room is very nice and fortunately, the rest of the hotel has no effect on our stay. We then trotted down to get our Paris pass, big savings on most of the museums and stuff, then continued down to Notre Dame - a really old and really really big church. There were a lot of other people that new about it;) time for lunch we wandered the streets looking for sustenance, and we're confounded by the plethora of choices - we both need to work on our decision making skills. Then off to the Opera House for some class, we walked right in wandering about the entry, stairs and various levels, all made of marble, but sadly were not allowed into the theater area. Turns out that the grandure of the outer area is quite enough. Finally down to the Champs Élysées for some al fresco sup.
Today was get out of town day - off  to Versailles. I must report that this place is the grandest I've seen. Just enough gold and fluff to make it regal - kingly. And the gardens were a hoot; seemed like a giant maze. However, undaunted, Lynn lead us through with only a few hiccups. And Mother Nature again smiled on us with a partly overcast cool day. This place is in the same category as the Hapsberg palaces in Vienna; a real indication of why there was a French Revolution. We also had fun on the subway; I think we broke the code, and now have a fast inexpensive alternate to walking. Paris continues its romantic hold on us and we still walk hand in hand like teenagers:) life is very good.

Our second day of the on/off tourist bus ( the on not quite so easy as the off) took us to all the places we haven't already walked; east to Notre Dame, up the Seine to the contemporary section, Hotel De Ville (a gorgeous old building,) etc. Then north toward Sacre Coeur, three of the four Gares - Nord, Est, and Lyon (Old railway stations, spectacular buildings), lots of old stuff. We got off now and then to walk and hold hands, and eat, and walk along the river, and eat, and hold hands (Paris is really a romantic place.) We then strolled down the Tuileries (The long park in front of the Louvre) then up through tall grass country (Lots of fufu stuff) then another church, this one very old and Polish with a small service ongoing,  and finally wandering the local area. Another, fine day.

After a 6 hour trip on the French Autobahn, the four of us arrived in Paris, the crowds, traffic, and the challenge of finding the hotel in the morass. The GPS worked very well, and combined with Reiner's steadfast will to succeed, and extreme skill and patience, we arrived safe and sound. We deposited our gear and took to the streets. Finding the restaurant recommended by Laura (Lotti's daughter who is currently living in Paris), we fortified our bodies with pizza (actually Alsacian flamkuchen) then began ourfirst wandering of Paris: first to the Louvre, then to the Eiffel Tower, then, the Arch De Triumph, then the Champs Élysées, and finally back to the hotel at about 12:30AM. The night was warm, dry, and balmy, and the array of lights in Paris were spectacular. Our first night was memorable and properly romantic.
Today we did the tour bus; an " on/off" tour bus with English narration explaining about the sights. We got off several times to explore, and got a very good overview of the city for planning our itinerary for the remaining 9 days. This evening was spent with Reiner, Lotti, and their daughter, Laura dining and wandering in Montmartre. A real delight!!!!! (except for the final farewell to our wonderful new friends.)

Yesterday was try to remember all the things we didn't do and do them day, because last day. We stayed local seeing the sights and lunching in town. We wandered along the stream that meanders down the middle of Simonswald, looking for fish,  mooing at cows, and holding hands:) Unexpectedly we met Lotti in the park just sitting enjoying the day between clients. She rides her bike to and during work going from house to house (she is an occupational therapist, and her daily ride may be as much as 50 miles - all year including the snowy winter) and she had purchased the ingredients for the nights special meal so she was glad to have us relieve her of her heavy backpack. The final Black Forest meal was accompanied by champagne, the ebbuliance of celebration, a fine ending to a fine stay. And the (Black Forest) cherry on top was Lynn learned she is a great aunt again- Congratulations Sean and Sara on your beautiful baby boy!

Yesterday was frolic in the park day.  We started with a swoosh, Lynn went on two of the roller coaster rides. Now these rides are famous throughout Europe we are told so not just the ordinary twist and turn till you throw up kind, but the rip and tear and break till you have to be in traction kind. After the second "fun" ride Lynn had an ear to ear grin but decided the "fun" was over and walking would be her MO for the rest of the day - which we did in great abundance. The park is similar to Disney World (Epcot) in that it has many different country theme areas, and it is quite large, so it took 8 hours to complete the wandering. And, oh yes we did take another ride - the equivalent of "Pirates of the Caribbean", and it was virtually identical down to the pirate chasing the girl around, the scalawags in jail (with a monkey holding the keys) and the restaurant overlooking the end on the ride. The rest of the park is very similar also, but also different enough to make the wandering experience a delightful one. It's also much greener, owing to the cloud bursts that we experienced both days. The first burst was really a burst. We were wandering about the  fields and plains around the park when, must give credit where credit is due, Lynn decided to return to the room to fetch her gear, rain type. I, of course, simply continued on. We met 10 or so minutes later and continued our wander, whilst the sky grew dark. Another 5 or so and the cloud burst cometh, more of a deluge really, and I in my standard wandering garb got wet, or perhaps a better way to say it - soaked to the skin. As it has in the past, my clothes dried and the incident brought much laughter. Also different are the food prices and the crowds - thankfully, both much lower. Just another day to cherish, we are both grateful:)

First a warning (this message may contain disturbing images): my face fell off. It happened in the bathroom during the normal process of personal hygiene. The lower part of my face has been replaced with flesh.  And Lynn says I look much younger and she can now see dimples ; )

This day it was off to Strasbourg, an old town in France, filled with charm - I know, I keep saying that, but it is true - and churches (lots of churches), pretzels, and bakeries, and especially old stuff. After 4 hours of wandering it was off again, back to Germany and the Europark; a very good copy of Disneyland- even the cleanliness. Shortly after we arrived in the El Andaluz, one of  Eoropark's hotels, we started to wander, but were met by lightening and thunder and serious rain. We retreated, waiting out the storm in the very nice room. About 6 PM the rain subsided and off we went again, this time into the park where we thought we could wander: the park closes at 6:30 and we were allowed entrance without hesitation. Much like DLand except much greener, we wandered through the park with little company enjoying the sights, the quiet, whilst taking pictures - many pictures. Then, at about 7:30 a guard came up in a cart, addressed us in German speaking no words that we understood, but clearly conveying a message - "The park is closed, get out of the park". He then followed us to the exit. We truly lucked out; our illegal wandering of the empty park was a real joy. Life is really good and we are very grateful.

(Oops, just found out this post wasn't published-belongs right before post from 9/7.)

Now in the black Forest (Called that because of the density of the trees, and the blackness of the forest floor) we awoke to a farmhouse breakfast, not accompanied by farm chores so waistline increasing. The sky leaked so plans changed to accommodate and the day was spent resting and washing, and resting.
This is pick up the rental car day with favorable results; used Enterprise and daily rates half expected:) then off on a hike into the Black. The forest surrounding the area is laced with trails going up and down the very modest mountains. Life is good.


We were to pick up Rick (Pal from Siberia) at the airport in Basel so decided to make a day of it, arriving in Basel around noon, then lunch overlooking the Rhine valley and sweeping views of the vineyards stretching across  the rolling hills and valleys. Then to old Basel. The old town turned out to be quite spectacular with it's old stuff - mansions, apartments, churches, etc. Built beginning in 900 AD the town is quite large looking much like a mini Vienna with grand buildings and curvy narrow streets to explore. The Rhine river runs through town and we decided to cross it in a ferry boat. Not the normal ferry but one propelled by the river. Aghast the river you say, true, I say in return. It's a clever design: a cable is attached to either side of the river and a pulley attached to the suspended cable with another cable running down to the boat. If that cable is tied off on the right side of the boat, the boat turns right, the water pushes against the left side and boat goes right. If the cable is tied off on the other side it goes left across the river. Wow! Bummer, Basel is in Switzerland, and the prices for meals are extraordinary; fortunately I had some Swiss Francs left and was able to use them. The airport greeting of Rick went well as did the drive home (I drove to acquaint myself with European driving, and the nifty nav system on the rental car.)

Since the arrival of Rick things have been fast and furious driving to all the points of interest: Freiberg, Colmar, Titisee,    . each town unique, however built in much the same time - a thousand or so years ago - with a common architectural thread. On occasion we went walking; for example in Titisee, a touristic town, we walked around Titisee lake. On Rick's last day went t
After a reasonable breakfast (Lotti had to go back to work) the three of us went exploring the town of Freiberg. I'm beginning to believe all towns in Europe are the same. Freiberg, like the others, has a really neat old part filled with old stuff to explore including the requisite church (s). Fun, and we only got lost once. In the evening Lotty returned with fresh local trout, then instruckted others to make camp in the back yard so the fish dinner could be prepared - cooked over an open fire of course.  With stars overhead and green all around we talked of many things whilst moving about to avoid the pesky smoke.

It is Sunday night, the weekend activities are over, and now to reminisce about our wanderings. We went south to the frontiers of Germany, France, and Switzerland where the foothills of the Alps come up to make a continuum of forested hills, valleys, and streams with native trout waiting to be caught. A little excitement stirred the afternoon when we couldn't find the hotel attendant; so we took Lotti to her camping spot (Yes, she really likes to camp) then returned to the hotel to find it still missing an attendant. After a half hour or so he finally showed up and reported that he had no reservation for us. After a few phone calls and challenging communication - he spoke no English - we finally got it resolved, parked our gear and went wandering about the town and it's surrounds. The next morn we left the hotel (The hotel was in Boncourt,  the camp site in Courgenay) and immediately got lost, nav systems are not without flaws, and finally arrived 20 minutes late. Lotti had planned an entire day of hiking along the river Doubs, a lovely trail running along the stream, surrounded by a deciduous, forest, with an occasional visit of old stuff. It was a down and back hike with the back on the other side of the river. Of interest was the 100 or so ropes stretched across the river with long colored plastic tubes hanging from them. It was a world class slalom where competitors from all over the world tested their kayak handling skills against the relentless current of the Doubs. After a dinner in Porrentruy we dropped Lottie off and returned to our cute French Country hide away. Today we went to the "Lake District" just inside France and wandered the lakes and their surrounds. The lakes were small with no drainage so they were brown, but many filled with birds, and frogs, and salamanders. Lotti discovered a gold legless salamander  on the dirt road. It looked just like a 6 inch snake. We wandered fearlessly without regard for our return trip, relying only on our superior navigational skills, and as luck would have it, we found the car just where we left it. Then, after driving about the country side going through numerous cute little towns on twisty curvy roads we found the expressway, and enjoyed a smooth straight ride home.

The week with Rick was spent traveling to the local hot spots; towns, hamlets, special walks, etc. including: Freiburg, church and market; Titisee; Breisach monastery; Waldkirch rain; Hochburg castle ruin, St Peter / St Morgan churches, then a hike up to three giant wind machines above the house whilst hunting mushrooms (Found one each, smaller than a dime, fortunately we had other things to eat that day), back to Basel and Chamberhole cave, then Rick departed and we returned back to normal. Tuesday we drove to Heidelburg, and wandered the town. on the river the old town is quite magnificent, where old stuff abound, including the university - some 30,000 strong. Wednesday we drove to Rothenburg, a really slick, perhaps the slickest I've seen, old town with a wall fortification that extends all around the town, and at the top is a walk that allows you shoot arrows at the people outside. We spent four hours just wandering because it was just fun to see all the old stuff. Then back to Heidelburg, and the students, lots of goings on. Yesterday was return day when Lynn drove on the autobahn for the first time. It started with a traffic jam that frustrated her desire for speed, but finally broke- up and whizz off she went; with an unlimited speed limit it was pedal to the metal. Fortunately, the diesel powered compact can only do about 177 km/hr, but she got there with big smile on her face. Sadly, traffic conditions kept interrupting her joy and soon wore her down to 130 in the right lane, only to watch the big machines swoosh by at exceptional speed not available to the Renault driver. Our reunion with R&L was spent on the patio sharing dinner and stories whilst planning our weekend hikes. Life is very good.

We're all on our own; both Reiner and Lotti are back to work, so we now wander about the kitchen -grazing - as we plot and plan the explorations of the day. Yesterday we went to the touristic town of Titisee. The trip there was a trip! The road started out being two lanes then one and a half then one, and finally really narrow! Fortunately, no one came our way and the country charm was palpable. Titisee is really a touristic town on a small lake. We walked around the lake (the second half was a challenge because of the private land) then supped overlooking the the lake now populated with several hundred tourists paddling.




Today we shalt meander over to the Rhine River through hill and dale and Vinyard and old stuff to explore the little town of Breisach and it's surrounds, which include several little hamlets, and a river crossing to the country of France to visit Colmar.

The days with Lottie and Reiner are much the same now they are both back to work: get up for continental breakfast, plan a trip out into the Forrest of black to visit a hamlet, or, town or city sost we might view some more old stuff. Then each day has been filled with superb entertainment: exciting narrow roads to negotiate, beautiful landscape, and lots of really cool old stuff. It seems each village / town has an old town center built somewhere around 1200, give or take, and they're all charming - photo-ops abound. Yesterday we ventured out into France, across the Rhine, to a town with a significant old part. Well maintained, touristic (A word coined by Reiner), and filled with gastronomes (Not completely sure but think these are eating places.) Wandering through / gazing upon real old buildings is a thrill for us Americans, cause we simply don't have any; except of course Disneyland. The rental car has a nav system that works very well (I have avoided them in the past but have found this one to be exceptionally useful) in Germany, but not at all in France. The transition, it stopped working yesterday in France, into a navlessness world was traumatic. Fortunately we had a map that did work. Evenings are spent eating farm food outside under the awning, or under the stars if possible, carrying on about the days events. Turns out that Reiner and Lottie both like to have company and are outstanding hosts; showing real interest in our tales of travel. Life is good

The next morning another alfresco breakfast and then we bid auf wiedersehen to Uli and her family and headed off to visit Weis church - another rococo masterpiece- and Neuschwanstein-the castle from which Disney fashioned his Sleeping Beauty castle. Stopped at another beirgarten for lunch first and then drove on to discover that much of the castle was wrapped in what looked shrink wrap for renovations. We bravely ascended the hill leading to the castle anyway and were able to view the drawbridge, the front of the castle, and the Middle Ages style architecture without shrink wrap (They were working on only the one side of the castle). This King Ludwig was crackers, only living in this castle for 90 days and the Linderhof for maybe eight years. His exploits are legendary  - building several outlandishly opulant castles, smoking opium daily, creating an underground grotto (we visited the grotto; a mini Carlsbad Cavern with a lake and boat for him to be pushed about by his slaves, a swan fed by him with special food prepared by one of his chefs, active only at night not liking the bright sun, and finally suspiciously drowning one night in a remote lake). Then on we went to Bodensee, the largest lake in Germany and a very pleasant place to stop for a drink, and cake for poor Reiner who continued driving (very fast on the autobahn - 120 mph!, and he had to pull over to let fatser cars pass!)on to the Black Forest and their lovely home; our refuge for the next several weeks.  I must say that I am becoming farmisized - I slept exceptionally well last night even though there was a distinct possibility - na, a high probability that there were spiders and Mosquitos in the room:) my only regret is the persistent itching from the dozen or so bites on my arms, hands, and face. I am told amputation is not likely;)

Today we leave the valley of Anniviers and go into the valley of Salgash; our means is a 7 minute cable car ride; the change of scenery is dramatic - from pines to vineyards. The ride ended in a small town just a few miles from Sierre and the train ride to Salgash, so we walked. Turned out to be another dramatic change from walking in the forest to walking along boulevard, with fast moving autos dashing about; also the direct route was quite impossible because of housing and any number of buildings that were in the way, so we walked in a zig-zag pattern first right then left; each turn accompanied with the hope that it was a proper choice. Finally we arrived in the information office of  Sierre where we plotted a. Ourselves through the vineyards along the world famous Vineyard Walk. The walk began at the Chateau de Villa, and after some wandering we were there, then the Mercier castle, and fatigue. Wornout we retraced our steps to Sierre and the train depot, and a ride to Salgash, and rest in the hotel. That night we wandered forth in search of a restaurant only to find rain; then after a hurried retreat to fetch rain gear, the rain stopped and we wandered for once again. This time with success. 
The following day was a train day - 7 hours to Munich, and finding Reiner, my pal from Siberia. Then after an hour car ride out into the Bavarian country- side we arrived at the 150 year old farm where we were to stay for 2 nights, and a farmhouse meal of venison while listening to the dairy cows mooing for our background music. 
The next day we enjoyed a lovely alfresco country breakfast with the family and then Lotti, Reiner's wife, took us on a tour of her childhood home. Hiking the outskirts of the property took us about an hour and a half and a more idyllic place to grow up I couldn't imagine-forest, streams, a pond, and green meadows with cows and deer.  Then it was off to Linderhof, one of King Ludwig's palaces, with our own private guide-the former manager of this castle and of Neuschwanstein Castle. It was built as a smaller version of Versailles and is the ultimate in rococo architechture-enough gold to run a country! Then a delicious meal at a Bavarian beirgarten where Lotti and her sister Uli both wore traditional dirndls.