Friday Sept. 12th Versailles and Eiffel Tower

So, we got up early to head to Versailles...we grabbed a pain au chocolat and headed to the metro. We were able to purchase a ticket that would take us all of the way to Versailles, we just needed to do some transfers to get us where we needed to go. It was virtually painless although the metro was crowded, being a Friday. We got to the right train and ended up sitting next to a couple from Canada...they had just come from England...before the tunnel fire. When we arrived we got the all day pass which would get us into everything, and got the audio tour for the main rooms. Tim and I got separated again...it was somewhat stressful...but I was able to convince a man to let me in and find Tim...so that was okay. We were able to see the State Apartments, Chapel, most of the Gardens, Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon. This is definitely a more than one day place to come. We walked most of it...we did break down and take the small train from the Petit Trianon to the end of the main garden. Marie Antoinette's english hamlet was very interesting. The main pools had rowboats that you could rent and paddle around in. The weather

was pretty nice...sun came and went. We tried to see a fountain that was blocked off, looked like they were setting up for something, maybe the pope? We headed back to the train station and decided to stop at a cafe for some snacks and beverages. We got on the train with an interesting assortment of people, a couple from California, a couple with a child from England, well he was stationed there, from Wisconsin, it was an interesting group of people. Tim decided that it might be great if we stopped at the Eiffel Tower before heading back. So...we stopped there...it was right on the Seine, and there were boats. I wanted to check out the cost and times of boat tours. Well, one was leaving about 7:30pm and it was only 7pm...so we decided to get a boat tour. Could not have been a better time...the sun was setting, the temperature had been dropping so the boat tour was cool! As we went by Notre Dame, the pope was there...there were crowds of people on either side of the river, cheering...the pope was on huge screens and there was a choir singing...it was incredible! Once back at the Eiffel Tower, we debated on whether or not we should just go up since we were there...but we hadn't eaten...and it was late. We decided we were there, why not...we only went to the 2nd stop, the wait for the top was really long...and I have heard that the top is nice...but the view isn't really the best for seeing the city. Now, I know my friend Wes will give me crap...I had told him years ago that he was NUTS for not even going up in the tower...now several years later, I am seriously thinking of not even going up...well we did the 2nd stop...the view was great, at night, the city was lit up. We left the tower to try and find out metro stop...after a lot of walking and fighting...Tim and I made it 6 days without getting on each others nerves...but that night, tired, hungry, cold...annoyed. Anyway, our metro stop was closed because of the Pope...so we finally caved and got a taxi. Our taxi driver was incredible. He was from Vietnam...trained in the US for the army, fought in the war, worked counter intelligence and fled with his life to the states, he lived in the US for only a short time, the racism was too much. He moved to Paris and worked with the government against communism. Once the Iron Curtain came down his job was no longer needed, so he became a taxi driver. I told him he should write a memoir! He dropped us at our hotel. We decided to eat at the cafe just below our hotel. I ordered onion soup with cheese again and fries, and Tim got a Croque Monsieur.

Both were very good. It was soooo late, we were so tired, once we ate, we went right to sleep!

Thursday Sept. 11 - Train to Paris

Got up early and had another one of those awesome European breakfasts...I am definitely going to need to hit WW hard when I get home! For whatever reason I didn't really sleep well, I was up and down through the night and then up really early this morning...staring at the ceiling. We arrived at the train station without a hitch, taxi driver was so nice! People have been so friendly here! I immediately fell asleep on the train. I had intentions of staying awake and looking at the countryside...but could not stay awake. I slept for at least 2 hours. I woke up and Tim and I had the rest of our baguette and brie a banana and some coke and water. A lady came through the train handing out questionnaires about the train service...that was interesting...Tim and I worked on one together as it was entirely in french! Once we arrived in Paris, we found the taxi depot and got a taxi. Our driver wasn't extremely talkative but he was friendly and pointed out some landmarks along the way to our hotel. So, we stayed in Montmartre, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montmartre a very risque area of Paris...the Moulin Rouge, also a place of artists and writers. The entire main street was full of sex shops and erotica...it was little bizarre to say the least...but our hotel was really nice! Also found out that the Pope will be in Paris tomorrow...interesting! We stayed in the room for a little while, resting...I wrote some post cards. We started out looking for how we'd get to Versailles tomorrow...and then headed up the hill to Sacre Coeur. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilique_du_Sacr%C3%A9-C%C5%93ur,_Paris It was a great walk and a great view of the city. We went through the artist's square with cafes, artists, and shops. We stopped for a banana split and then continued on to the church. There were tons of people there. The view of Paris was spectacular. This was recommended to me by a co-worker. I could see most things except the Eiffel Tower from this point. We walked into the church, high ceilings, huge stained class windows, incredible woodwork. Outside there was a band from Mexico playing Imagine and getting the crowd to sing along. We decided to make our way down the hill toward the cemetery to see if it was still open. It wasn't, but it seemed like it was going to rain. We picked our restaurant just as it started to POUR! Tim ordered frog legs and I ordered the onion soup with cheese (French onion soup...but it isn't called that here). It was really good! For dessert we got a creme puff, only it had ice cream in it instead and it was smothered in the most incredible chocolate sauce! We headed back to the hotel...thankfully the rain had stopped. We looked at the crowds going into the Moulin Rouge. We are headed to Versailles tomorrow!

Wednesday Sept. 10th Toulouse

Slow start this morning...I could not seem to get motivated and we were going through our things...packing for the next day a little. I also wanted to write more postcards. Tim had huge plans for showing me all of Toulouse and I just wanted to go slow and easy...so that was hard for Tim. We finally left about 10am and headed out. Tim wanted to point out places in the neighborhood and go to a couple churches. We checked out the flea market on Capital Square first...found some interesting things. Then we headed towards the first church. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilique_de_Saint-Sernin,_Toulouse As we went down a road we passed the library. Of course I had to go in. I went in and asked if I could use the Internet...I had to get a card first...so I did. Then I got on the Internet and emailed Lynn. It was difficult as the keyboard was TOTALLY different than what I am used to...so it made typing difficult. Once done in there...I met a lady who gave me some brochures about the library and told me about some exhibits coming soon. We then headed to a market...Tim used this market a lot to get food and produce. We went to get some items for a picnic. We ended up with a baguette, 1/2 a roasted chicken, brie, bananas and oranges. Then, we walked to the park. This was a city park, lots of flowers, dahlias, french countryside flowers, there was a Japanese gardens there as well. We sat on a park bench in the shade and ate our lunch, it was great! So many people in the park as well. We finished and went through the Japanese Gardens, saw turtles, lizards, frogs, dragonflies and fish of course...after we left there we bought some ice cream from a stand and ate it. The cutest dog was there...sitting under a table trying to keep cool. This was one of the more hot days on our trip. We headed back towards the hotel taking a different route. Tim took me past where he used to live and he wanted to take me to the French Bed, Bath and Beyond store, which was amazing. Too bad that I only have room for small things in my luggage! We also stopped at the French Best Buy so I could get a thumb drive for my pictures. Once in the hotel, Tim napped while I messed with the pictures. We decided to go to the other big church and Tim took a detour to get me some ice cream...from a place called Octane and the ice cream was chocolat noir 70% cacao...it was yummy! We walked down a street with tons of shops...more high end than quaint, the church was built over 3 centuries and you could see the different stonework. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath%C3%A9drale_Saint-%C3%89tienne_de_Toulouse It was incredible. Then we headed to St George Square to find a place to eat. Tim was trying to decide what he wanted to eat his last night in Toulouse...he was kind of sick of duck and wasn't sure crepes or cassoulet were in his future. We decided on the Van Gogh Cafe and Restaurant, we ate outside...lots of people watching. Our waitress was so nice and patient with our french. Tim ordered gnocchi with cheese and I ordered a caprese salad...then we shared fondant au chocolat for dessert, a very fudgy cake, served hot and it was delicious! Our waitress brought us complementary shots of something as well...not sure what it was, but it was good! We headed back to our hotel...we were in bed by 9:30pm, about the earliest we had been in bed. Marie Antoinette was on the TV...interesting since we are planning a trip to Versailles soon!

Tuesday Sept 9th - Storming the Castle

So, I actually slept through the night...it was amazing! We got up and packed. Decided that we would have breakfast at our hotel...it was another amazing European spread! So delicious! We found out that our hotel had the cutest courtyard in the back, unfortunately it was raining so eating outside wasn't an option :( We packed the car and then headed to the castle. Before we went in, Tim wanted to show me the graveyard, which was awesome! Creepy and old! Tons of great picture opportunities for sure! Then we headed into the castle. Tim had been here with his co-workers but they didn't go into the chateau. We went on the tour of the chateau...this place was incredible. Looking at the walls you could see the different builders and time periods. This place dated back to Roman times. Part of what had been torn down had been reconstructed to look like it might have back when the castle was used. The weather started out kind of rainy and drizzle, the sun peeked out here and there, but it was so overcast. Perfect for walking around in a castle. Tim kept having me take pictures of him recreating Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail...it was fun. Once we had finished with the Chateau, we walked the cobbled streets of the castle. There were restaurants, shops, hotels and a cathedral (of course). It was like one huge Renaissance festival! Tim said when he had been there before there were people dressed in period costume. There weren't any on the day we were there. We shopped a little and then decided to head out. Before we left, Tim wanted me to film him doing a bit from Monty Python. So, while he was on the wall, I was down below...he yelled out filthy English knights...as some English people were walking by...they continued the line from the movie behind me...it was funny! Tim wanted to get to Toulouse that evening. We decided to take a less traveled road to Toulouse instead of the highway, so we could see the countryside. It was very pretty. Lots of sunflower fields (most of them done for the season), corn, I even saw a hybrid corn field or two. There was construction on the road as well. Tim wanted to go to Airbus before the hotel, I was starting to fade...but we went. Then to the hotel. It was on the corner of a busy square. While I napped, Tim returned the car to the rental office. When he returned we got up and got ready to walk around Toulouse. We decided to walk around that immediate area only. Tons of shops and cafes. Tim wanted to take me to his favorite crepe place, but it was closed...so we settled on one right near the hotel. The crepe was yummy. I got a salad, a crepe with white asparagus, cheese and ham, and then a chocolate crepe for dessert. Tim had an egg, ham, cheese, mushroom crepe, also really good. Then, we turned in for the evening.

Monday Sept. 8 Dali Museum

So, I wake again about 5am, cannot get back to sleep! I listen to another couple episodes of Wait Wait...until Tim gets up. We decide to eat the European breakfast offered at the hotel. It is an incredible spread. I wonder if Europeans feel the same way as we do about Continental breakfast. Anyway, tons of bread, cheese, salami, ham, cereal, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, juice, tarts, pastries, etc. It was really good. Then we finished packing, checked out and went to get the car. We had a car in a 24 hour lot for our trip out of Spain. We got on the highway, got some petrol...and off we went. We were headed for France...with a small stop along the way. The Dali Theatre/Museum in Figures, Spain http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teatro_Museo this museum was designed by Dali. A couple weird turns later, we arrive. We are able to go to the museum and to the jewelry display as well for the same price. It was very interesting. I would have liked to have some more time to head to the coast and go to his home. The jewelry was incredible! We got a quick bite to eat once we left the museum...and then headed on to France. We passed by fields of corn, sunflowers, grains....we saw chateaus in the distance and even got a glimpse of the coastline. Going from Spain into France was as simple as slowing down as we crossed the border. We headed on to Carcassonne. We arrived and found our hotel fairly easily. The hotel used to be an abbey...so it was very quaint. The view from our room was the castle...the sun was going down and the view was incredible. I was getting REALLY sleepy...every afternoon I had been taking a nap, so I was tired. I fell asleep for about an hour or so, then got ready to go out and find dinner. Tim had a place he wanted to try in his book...the hotel clerk wasn't sure if it would be open or not. We went ahead and walked there. It was open. Tim wanted me to try cassoluet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassoulet and what better place to try this than an off the beaten path restaurant! It was yummy, very heavy food....but good. We want to try and make it ourselves. We walked some of it off going back to the hotel. It was about 10:30pm when we got in...tomorrow we storm the castle!

Sunday Sept 7th Barcelona

I woke up at 5am and could NOT get back to sleep! It was awful of course, Tim was sawing logs. I put on my iPod and listened to it for a couple of hours. By the time Tim got up I was ready to fall back to sleep of course! We ate some snacks in the hotel room and then headed out. We wanted to hit the Sagrada Familia http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/ A cathedral designed by Gaudi, unfinished, it is still a work in progress. We walked there...passed a library, not open though! We also passed the Arc de Triumph of Barcelona...very beautiful. Tim found a bocce court in the park! Anyway, we arrived at the Sagrada Familia and paid to get in...so much to take pictures of! We looked through the cathedral, then stood in line to ride the lift to the top and walk around the top. The view was incredible. Then we went out to see the Gaudi side of the cathedral, also amazing! We left the cathedral to hit the Picasso Museum, decided to take a cab so we would have plenty of time to walk around. We take the cab and end up waiting in a long line for the Picasso Museum. Turns out that it is free the first Sunday of the month...and so we waited to get in. The Picasso Museum was incredible. Much of Picasso's early work, you could see the transformation once his work was influenced by other artists. He had some incredible works from when he was 15 years old. Once through the museum, we went to a cafe for an incredible sandwich and some coffee. We return to the hotel for an afternoon nap and then we head out to walk the Barri Gothic region. The cathedrals and alley ways are incredible. We go into the big cathedral from last night, and then we wind our way through the alleys to other places. We got some ice cream, we see a open air market selling cheeses and meats. We end up near where we were last night, stop at an outdoor cafe from some sangria, it was really nice out. Then we head down the waterfront opposite of where we went the previous night and see the Columbus monument, there is a flea market going on there...lots of neat old things. And, then we head up Las Ramblas...this outdoor shopping area with cafes all up and down the road. There are tons of shops and artists booths. Tim and I stop to get some tapas and sit and people watch. We also got some incredible dessert churros y chocolat...very yummy! Then we headed back to our hotel a totally different way...passed a Hard Rock Cafe...I just HAD to go in! I got a t-shirt, the girl in there was so fun! She wants to come to America! We told her that Barcelona was pretty awesome! We then got to the hotel and crashed!

Saturday Sept. 6th Barcelona

So, I finally woke up about 5 hours later, took a shower and got dressed. Tim and I decided to go exploring. Before we left, we asked the hotel clerk to recommend a good place to get paella. He called a restaurant and got us a reservation for 8pm. Tim and I thanked him and headed out. We went through small passageways and alleys, all very picturesque. The buildings had gorgeous features and we found an opera house with some incredible tiling on it. We walked down an alley and came out onto a plaza with tons of people doing a dance. There was a band playing and people dancing in groups. Tim said that in the book there were traditional dances on this plaza sometimes. A lady came around asking for donations for music programs. We gave and got a sticker. There was a band playing...it was really quite something. The cathedral was pretty busy, so we continued down the alley and saw a second cathedral, we went in for a little while and looked around. Tall stained glass windows, high ceilings, and carvings, it was incredible! We continued to the water front...there was a festival going on, lots of people. We saw some gypsies with their wagon, some boats, and so we headed along the waterfront to our restaurant. We passed a soccer stadium with a game going on...then we arrived at Port Olympia, site of the Olympic village. There was a McDonald's and a Pizza Hut. The view of the sea was incredible with the sun setting. We walked out onto the boardwalk. We watched a sailboat go by and the surf for awhile then went to find our restaurant. We arrived...the place wasn't particularly busy. We ordered seafood paella for two and some gazpacho to start. It was sooooo yummy! We were offered flowers to buy and someone came along to take our picture. It was a table outside, the weather was nice, it was very romantic! For dessert I ordered creme Catalan (which is very similar to creme brulee) they also brought us a complementary dessert of cakes with melon liquor and something in a bottle with a homemade label. I guess it was grapa. Tim and I tried both, preferring the melon for sure! Once we were done with dinner, we walked back to the hotel. It was a great first night in Barcelona!