Good Morning Dear Readers,
I'm home from Europe and the trip of a lifetime. I arrived home after a long journey that began in Paris @ about 0730 local time. The actual traveling did not begin until about 1130 local time but I wanted to walk the city a bit since the evening I arrived it was rainy and not very conducive to walking about.
After a quick metro ride to the new Arch De Defense, I wandered the large square there and then back to the Arch De Triomphe and the Champs Elysee before a quick walk to the Eiffel Tower which apparently had also been set up as the Rugby World Cup fans village until earlier in the week so much was going on as the village was dismantled. The fog was too thick to be able to see the top of the tower but there was a very large rugby ball suspended between the legs of the tower. Clearly France had been gripped in Rugby fever from that and all the large signs and murals I saw everywhere.
After a quick metro ride to the new Arch De Defense, I wandered the large square there and then back to the Arch De Triomphe and the Champs Elysee before a quick walk to the Eiffel Tower which apparently had also been set up as the Rugby World Cup fans village until earlier in the week so much was going on as the village was dismantled. The fog was too thick to be able to see the top of the tower but there was a very large rugby ball suspended between the legs of the tower. Clearly France had been gripped in Rugby fever from that and all the large signs and murals I saw everywhere.
A quick walk along the Seine and another metro ride and I was back to hotel where I checked out and took the train to Aeroport Charles De Gaulle. I arrived in Seattle an hour late and by the time I retrieved my bag and then car and drove home it was after midnight and I had to go to work Tuesday. I was a bit tardy from my usual time and didn't arrive until about 0730.
This was truly the trip of a lifetime; I made tremendous new friends, visited parts of the world I had never before been and found a bit of myself of which I was convinced I had lost forever. I will never forget this holiday.
We stayed in the working winery in the Languedoc region, ate the local produce of cheeses, breads and wines. Some nights we cooked and others we dined out. Big breakfasts each morning and a lot activity with no evening ending that I can remember ending before about 0200 and one lasted until 0600. Drinking, carousing, dancing, conversation, music, hugging and most of all laughter, laughter, laughter. So much so it was the group that I didn't want to leave and not the place. I don't think that's ever happened to me before and I think I'm still walking around a bit brokenhearted at having to say goodbye to all these tremendous people. Here are some pictures:
The view from my bedroom window my first morning in Beziers
2nd night in Beziers at the pub for the US v Samoa
Diane and John @ the daily flower market in Beziers
Dinner @the Baronnie
Fun at about 0400
The Baronnie from across the vineyard
The front of the Baronnie and my apartment
The man responsible for it all, John
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