A visit to a museum in Paris…Many photos…Was the fine dining fine?…A day in Versailles on a guided tour…We’ve walked 23 miles (37 km) so far!

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Tom, standing next to an enormous statue.

As much as we’d like to be able to identify each artifact that we share from museums and art galleries, based on the limited time we have when posting daily with photos, most of these photos are presented with little information. By clicking on any of the links, you will be directed to more detailed information. However, we invite you to contact us about a specific item which we’ll be happy to research on your behalf. 

Also, based on a poor Internet connection and also the number of photos we’re posting in Paris, there’s a formatting issue with spacing between photos and paragraphs. We apologize for the inconvenience.  hank you.

Ancient busts.
 
A chair that may have been used for a ritual.
Could this artifact be a drum?

We simply have too many photos for one post about our experiences of the past 24 hours; a visit to Musee de Quai Branly, a newer, built in 2006, architecturally interesting museum with a wealth of treasures from around the world and two special exhibitions transpiring at this time: Tatoueurs, Tatoues (tattoo exhibit in photos and films) and Tiki Pop (South Pacific pop art new and old).

Wood carving with considerable detail.
Hand-carved chest.
One wonders what the oversized ears may indicate.

And, today, Wednesday, we took the train and spent over four hours at Chateau de Versailles on an outrageously rainy day. With many photos to post, tomorrow we’ll start a two day series on Chateau de Versailles and its unbelievable gardens and the exquisite rooms and art in the palace, posting at our usual time.

Small characters.
This appeared to be a voodoo doll.
Life in the city.

Back to yesterday…After spending a few hours in the beautiful Musee de Quai Branly, we walked next door for our 7:00 pm reservation at the upscale restaurant, Les Ombres. The combination of the museum and the restaurant located in the lush garden of the museum were ideal for a fully rewarding experience.

Asian art.
Religious artwork.

Entrance to the museum (to which we walked) was US $24, EU $18, and dinner which we’ll describe at the end of today’s post was less than we’d expected at US $155, EU $116 for dining in a gourmet French restaurant.  Of course, a few bottles of champagne or wine, of which we didn’t partake, could easily sail the bill up to hundreds more.

Painting of dapper man.
Wood carved mask with a crucifix.

Built in 2006, as a newer museum to Paris, it had a tough act to follow when this city has numerous world-renowned museums and of course, the famous Louvre which we’re booked to see on Saturday.

Mask carved from wood with some metal.
Tall wood carving.
These were from Haiti.

Interesting architecture, convenient location to the Eiffel Tour, lush gardens, and a wealth of artifacts from around the globe from centuries past, makes this a worthwhile tourist attraction. 

Small wood carved men.
Totem pole.
North American Indian art.

Much to our pleasure, the museum, although crowded, was no less crowded than many other highlights we’ve encountered in the city of Paris.

Many artifacts were predominantly male.
One can only guess the significance of these.
Tall male structure.

At times, we question the design of certain venues when there appear to be unoccupied wasted spaces and long and seeming endless walkways until one reaches the main attractions as was the case at Musee de Quai Branly.

Warrior.
Mother and child.
Perhaps a symbol of a type of birthing chair.

Once we reached the exhibitions, the design improved, as we meandered our way through the dimly lit rooms and display areas. Once again, I commend Tom for his excellent sense of direction, preventing us from frequently retracing our steps in the somewhat confusing floor plan.

There were many artifacts encased in temperature-controlled cases.

With the number of photos we’ve taken, most of which seemed to turn out well, we could literally spend days presenting them here. However, with so many other sights to post in our remaining ten days in Paris, we have to pick and choose what we think may appeal to our readers the most.

Austere and frightening.
Mardi Gras costumes from centuries ago.
This was identified as a bear costume.

If you aren’t interested in art and museum artifacts, we apologize if you find it dull. In any case, we’ll be back with other topics that hopefully appeal to your tastes over the next several days.

These costumes could have taken months to make.
These costumes were made in preparation for Mardi Gras in Mexico.
The skill and time required for the detailing in these costumes are astounding.

After touring the museum, we wander next door to Les Ombres, an upscale restaurant located on the museum complex. Reviews were mixed on TripAdvisor but, we always try to keep in mind that every diner may have an entirely different perspective of a dining experience. 

There was some representation of the American Indian.
Many artifacts appear to represent the need for an ancient civilization to be armed for war.
The interpretation of specific items may be very personal.
We find that if there are mixed reviews, some five stars, and others less, it may be worth a try. In this case, our experience at Les Ombres was more ambiance based than the perception of the food.
This damaged figure is a woman giving birth.
These masks and figures were from the South Pacific.
These are Peruvian artifacts.

Undoubtedly, the ambiance couldn’t have been more perfect. Had we been able to get a later reservation than 7:00 pm, we could have enjoyed the Eiffel Tower light show at 10:00 pm from our table. 

Wood carvings.
Intricate door to either a room or a house.
Another intricate door.

Booked in advance for days, if not weeks, we took the early seating, hoping the food would justify missing this major highlight of the restaurant.

Early decorative items.
Many items were found on archeological digs in the 1800s and early 1900s.
The colors were eye-catching in the 100’s of years old tapestries.

Although beautifully presented and served, the food fell short in a few areas; one, the menu option for the fixed price three-course meal didn’t offer a beef selection of the main course; two, the portions were so small, when we left, I was still hungry.

Interesting tapestries from the Middle East.
Many of the masks were intended to ward off evil spirits.
These figures were almost life-size.

Tom filled up eating lots of crusty rolls with butter but, he too, felt the portions were too small. We both had the salmon which couldn’t have been more than 4 ounces, (113 grams). 

Decorative posts.
We were intrigued by the amount of skill that went into the production of many of these artifacts.
Decorative mask.

Adding the four tiny pieces of broccoli as shown in the photos with a few tablespoons of broccoli puree, that was my entire meal. I just couldn’t justify spending another US $32, EU $24 for a side salad, although Tom encouraged me to do so.

Celebratory masks.
Body piercings are common in many African countries.
To us old-timers, this poster looks familiar.

Tom’s meal included an appetizer of delicious although tiny portions of shellfish and octopus risotto and a chocolate dessert which he seemed to enjoy. Without the crusty rolls, he too would have been hungry when we left.

This photo was from the 1930s in the US.
Many tattoos in Asia were designed as a result of popular Asian art.
The museum currently has an exhibition of tattoo art from around the world.

By no means are we saying this restaurant wasn’t worthy of a one time visit. For those eating three meals a day, these smaller portions may have been satisfactory. And, the service was excellent, the ambiance dreamy and overall, we had a lovely experience.

Saturday Evening Post, March 4, 1944.
Many of the ancient artifacts were headdresses and costumes worn in war or celebration.
An interesting light pattern of words that was scrolling along the floor as we entered and exited the museum.

After all, we’ve accomplished in the past 24 hours including many miles of walking, we feel refreshed and committed to continue on with our ongoing exploration of Paris with gusto.

The beautiful fresh flowers adorned the already inviting ambiance of the restaurant.
Tom, ready to dine at Les Ombres.
Tom chose the fixed price option at EU $68, US $91.

Hopefully, tonight when we’ll brave the rain again after we’ve just borrowed an umbrella from the hotel, we’ll have a slightly more at an Italian restaurant we’ve agreed to try with several non-pasta items on the menu that will work for me.

Butter arrived at the table imprinted with “Marie Antoinette.”
These warm cheese-filled buns arrived before dinner. Tom said they were good.
Tom lobster, prawns, and octopus risotto was delicious but a tiny portion.

Look for Part 1 of our Versailles series starting tomorrow when early in the morning we’ll head back to the lobby of the hotel, armed with our laptops, fresh mugs of our favorite iced tea, and the excitement of sharing another fabulous Paris experience with our readers all over the world.

We both had the same main dish (entrée in French translates to “appetizer”, grilled salmon topped with shredded cabbage and a slice of cauliflower. These four bits of broccoli were no larger than the end of a thumb. This consisted of my entire meal, not quite enough after a busy day of walking for hours.
Tom dessert. At the top, is a rolled filled chocolate cake with a Grenache frosting garnished with chocolate candy sticks. Below is a dollop of chocolate ice cream atop of spoonful of a chocolate sauce containing chunks of chocolate.
Our dinner bill at EU $116 was slightly under US $155, based on today’s exchange rate.
View of the Eiffel Tower from Les Ombres Restaurant.
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Photo from one year ago today, August 6, 2013:
No photos were posted a year ago on this date when our discussion revolved around how much we’d budgeted for our monthly expenses for our travel. For details of that post, please click here.

Scouring Paris continues…Early morning train to Versailles on Wednesday…Tomorrow’s post will be 4 to 6 hours later than usual…

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This is a typical Parisian scene of a French Balcony which has no room for sitting, but offers a view and often room for flowers, such as these.

Yesterday, was a quieter day than the prior days. Twice, we went out walking to check out a few areas we’d never tried. On the first time out we looked for a coop or health food grocer where we could buy raw nuts which we found within the first a half-hour, returning on the return walk when we didn’t want to carry anything.

Wherever we may walk, we can find our way back for two reasons; one, Tom’s excellent sense of direction and two, spotting the Eiffel Tower.

After spending US $47, EU $35 for the equivalent of two pounds of raw nuts, we continued on looking for new restaurants to try. We were in luck when we stumbled upon a brasserie, cozy-looking restaurant with casual seating that we decided we’d return for dinner later in the evening.

This is the famous Pont Alexandre III bridge and visitors area which we visited.  The top of the pillars are gold and the street lamps are made of crystal.

When dining in French restaurants, it’s a different experience than in the US and in some other parts of the world. Nothing is quite the same as it appears on the menu and thus one must be diligent in asking questions and being prepared for the end result, at times less than expected, at other times, more than expected. The service can be slow at times.

A closer view of Pont Alexandre III.

Of course, one can become easily startled when seeing the breakdown of the bill when as much as 40% is included in the food costs considering all the taxes and service charges (gratuities are included as service charges). It’s no wonder that the items on the menu seem higher than one might experience elsewhere in the world. 

Having seen this and other areas in photos over the years, it was exciting to visit them in person.

French law requires that tips and taxes be included in the price. The intent in part was to avoid tourists from the confusion of tipping when VAT tax was included in the food cost. All of the service charges may be kept by the owner or, the owner may dole it out to the employees as tips which is expected.

The expanse of the River Seine and its many bridges attracts many tourists.

In cases when the service is over the top, it is suggested on various online site to pay EU $1 per EU $20 of purchases, a reasonable plan in the event the gratuities don’t go directly to the service staff or, as a special token of appreciation of a job well done. 

A bell tower on a church.

It’s highly entertaining walking the streets of Paris. Having walked a considerable distance from our hotel we’ve been able to investigate totally different neighborhoods, each with its own flair and personality. 

Shopping for food and cooking meals in Paris would definitely be an experience with a variety of ingredients and options of less common ingredients.

However, we can only get so far on foot when faced with the return walk. As a result, we’ll be taking the subway, train, and bus for some of our upcoming venues. Of course, we won’t miss any of the popular venues due to the fact that they are too far to walk, using public transportation as needed. 

“Knock off” designer bags, shoes and clothing are commonly found for sale on the streets.

Tonight, we have a reservation at Les Ombres, a restaurant we’d investigated on foot several days ago. Only a 15-minute walk from our hotel, the setting near the Eiffel Tower, packed during the day was situated on exquisite grounds. Both the menu and ambiance appealed to us.  

Even fine French cheeses were for sale in refrigerated cases at the Farmer’s Market.

Although the restaurant is only rate #3657 out of 15,585 in TripAdvisor, we felt that with the difficulty of getting a reservation, it must be something special in addition to its ambiance when seeing it was packed in the afternoon when we walked by. 

These mushrooms caught my eye.  Wouldn’t these be lovely to cook?

Considering that this rating puts it in the top 24% in Paris, we felt it was worth a try. One can assume that the difficulty of getting a reservation may be a good indicator of reasonably good food.

Beautiful flower shops can be found every few blocks.

We’ll report back tomorrow as to our first fine dining experience in Paris, hopefully with rave reviews and more good photos of today’s adventures when we use to the metro to seek an exciting venue.

On Sunday, we stumbled up a Farmer’s Market along the boulevard that was winding down in the afternoon after an early morning start.

Tomorrow, we’ll be on the train to Versailles in the early morning and won’t be posting until later in the day upon our return. Thus, our post will be available approximately eight hours later than usual.  

This venue celebrated architectural shows and conferences from what we could tell.
We laughed when we noticed this old fashioned “iron” used as a door handle at a laundry service. Walking the neighborhood we’ve found a nearby self-serve laundry which we’ll use the day before leaving for London on the 16th. By hand washing our underwear, we can get by for the two-plus weeks in Paris.

Most likely late tomorrow, in order to remain in the order of our activities, we’ll post the exciting venue we plan to visit today and photos of tonight’s dinner at Les Ombres restaurant. 

Flowers lining the walking paths.
There are flower gardens throughout the city, this one close to the River Seine and Eiffel Tower.
More flower gardens growing at the foot of the Eiffel Tower where there’s a huge park where many visitors lounge and enjoy the view.
The following day, on Thursday, we’ll be posting photos of Versailles sharing what hopefully will be another extraordinary experience as we make our way through the City of Lights.
Tom said this was the best dinner he’d had since we arrived in Paris. The total for last night’s dinner was US $57.72, EU $43.10. Tom had one large beer and I had a large bottle of sparkling water. Had the waiter requested the small sparkling water I requested, as opposed to the large, the total bill would have been comparable to the last two nights.
My dinner was mediocre last night when there were few items on the menu that worked for me. I’ve never been a fan of those tiny shrimp, although the cod in the salad was good. When we returned to our hotel, I dug into the nuts, still hungry after dinner.
Tom’s meal included a dessert. He selected the crème Brulee. After eating it, he told me that he prefers when I’ve made it. Tres Bon!

Photo from one year ago today, August 5, 2013:

Pescia, Italy was the town we drove to for grocery shopping, via the steep and winding hairpin turns of the mountains of Tuscany. The meat department in the grocery store was the best we’ve seen anywhere with the finest deli meats, bacon, and cheeses. For details for that date, please click here.

The Paris trek continues…So much to see…Plenty of time to see it all..

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Due to a poor WiFi signal in the hotel, and the numbers of photos today, we’re having issues with paragraph spacing.

The front entrance of the French Army Museum, Musee de l’Armee de Invalides with the bullet-shaped evergreens.
The lush green grass and the neatly trimmed evergreens at the museum.
Cathedral de Saint Louis des Invalides located on the ground of the Musee de l’Armee des Invalides

So far we’ve walked 15 of the 40 square miles (103 square km) of Paris. In a way, I’m thrilled it’s raining today.  Having tossed all my tennis shoes along the way, I only had a few pairs of leather Keds, one new and one almost new.

World War I tank as we entered the museum.
The massive courtyard of the Musee de l’Armee des Invalides was used as a staging area during times of war.

Normally, these shoes don’t hurt my feet but after all these miles, I must admit my feet are rubbed red in spots, and a day off from walking will do wonders. The rain is a good excuse to keep us from a long walk today.  Although, if my feet weren’t still hurting, we’d probably attempt it, rain or shine.

This was a helmet from medieval times.
Guns on display in the “old department” from the 13th to 17th centuries.

We need time to continue planning our remaining open days, many of which are already booked. In Paris, one feels compelled to keep moving in fear of missing something.

Body armor from the 17th century.
Primitive arrowheads and stone and metal weapons.

Yesterday, we’d planned to walk to our heart’s content in a new direction. Checking out the map we decided to attempt to make it to the Musee de l’Armee des Invalides, France military museum with such areas as the DÔME DES INVALIDES, TOMB OF NAPOLEON I. The cost to enter the museum was US $25.50, EU $19 for both of us.

Handmade spears were seen in the “old department.”
 
Huge decorative cannon.
A suit of Armor on man and horse.

The walk to the museum was far, taking us an hour of actual walking time and another hour of checking out restaurant menus and other sites along the way. The weather was ideal, cool, in the 70F’s, 21C’s, making the walking easy.

Another huge cannon and cannonball.
Could this be body armor for women?
Full armor for soldier and horse.  That must have been one heavy load for the horse to bear.

The museum consists of an “old department” from the 13th to 17th century, the “modern department” Louis XIV to Napoleon III, 1643 to 1870, and to the “contemporary department,” the two world wars 1871 to 1945.  We saw them all.

Chain male.
 
Tomb of Napoleon I.

Surprisingly, the museum, although busy, wasn’t uncomfortably crowded, nor were the streets we walked. From what we’ve read, tourism slows down a little in August due to its usual heat. Since we arrived the hottest day was Friday at 86F, 30C which has steadily gone down a little each day. 

Beautiful alter in the area where the tombs were displayed in private rooms.

We love having all the time we’ve scheduled to be in Paris, leaving us feeling relaxed and unrushed, allowing ample time to write here each day and riffle through our zillions of photos from the prior day, in itself a time-consuming undertaking. By noon each day, we’re off, anxious to find the next treasure in Paris.

This ceiling is breathtaking.
Construction and artwork are amazing.

We’ll still have several days left to explore on own our attempting to walk to more points of interest. Perhaps, if we’re diligent and our feet hold up, we can see most of Paris on foot in our 16 days.

Tomb of Joseph Napoleon II.

Last night, feet tired, we decided to walk to a reasonably nearby Japanese Restaurant, ranked #1017 of 12585 restaurants in Paris. It may sound like a high number on the list but it proved to be in the top 8%, not too bad of a choice which we’d investigated in advance. 

More exquisite ceiling art.

Although Tom likes Chinese food (only the same certain dishes) we’ve had Japanese in the past both cooking for ourselves and dining out. The dinner was excellent and coincidentally it was the same cost as the prior night, to the penny as shown in these receipts below at US $54.38 (the exchange rate changed overnight) including the gratuity and all those pesky taxes.
The tomb of Sebastian Le Prestre de Vauban, “an engineer who revolutionized the art of siegecraft and defensive fortifications.

We enjoyed the dinner although, when we finally returned to our hotel to relax after another tiring day, I ate an entire huge bag of pistachio nuts, lasting through two episodes (sans commercials) of “Murder in the First.”  Tom had a similar meal to mine but with the big bowl of rice he managed to eat with his chopsticks, he was full.

Tomb of Marshall Ferdinand Foch, World War I.

This morning, the hotelier approached us as we sat in the lobby writing, offering us a complimentary breakfast due to the inconveniences of the leaking bathroom. Hesitantly, we accepted since we rarely eat breakfast (except on cruises when we have two meals a day). We wandered downstairs to the hotel’s café to an average breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and pastries.

Tomb of Louis Hubert Gonzalve Lyautey, French Army General.
Napoleon II, King of Rome.

Tom didn’t touch a single French pastry, instead opting for toast with butter and jam, which he only eats on cruises. I laughed. Had I been able to consume flour, I’d have had a hard time eating only one or two of the yummy looking pastries. Oh well. Without my strict way of eating, I wouldn’t be in Paris let alone walk three miles in three days let alone 15 miles. Who’s to complain?

My sauce free but nicely seasoned skewers with tuna, salmon, scallops, and prawns.
The comprehensive menu at Japonaise. 
The receipt from last night’s dinner all-inclusive at EU $40.60, US $54.51. By having a few less expensive dinners such as this, our budget will allow dining in three or four pricier restaurants.

We have many more photos to share with our readers as the days march on. As I wrote this we decided to head out again, after posting today’s story and photos, now that the rain has stopped.  Much more tomorrow!

Photo from one year ago today, August 4, 2013:

While living in Tuscany all last summer, we made a point of cooking using local ingredients as we often do. In this case, we made pan-fried chicken breast meat filled with ricotta cheese, spices from our garden, wrapped in pancetta from the amazing deli at the supermarket. For details from that date, please click here.

Walking the streets of Paris…Five miles/eight kilometers of blissful sightseeing with aching feet and never ending smiles…Lots of photos!

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It was exciting to walk along the banks of the River Seine for over an hour on our long walk through the city.
The most romantic city in the world, Paris obviously inspired a romantic person to have this signposted, “Will you marry me, Diane?” We hope she said yes!

With multiple events, we’ve booked through Viator occurring over the next few weeks, the reputable online booking agency with customer reviews, we feel confident that we’ll have covered the main sights in Paris. The rest we’ll visit on our own either on foot, by bus or train.

Many houseboats are used as permanent homes docked along the shores of the River Seine.
This huge boat was filled with tourists on a tour of the River Seine.

The events range from as little as US $56, EU $42 per person, upwards to hundreds of dollars/euros per event.  With our budget in mind and the high cost of dining in Paris, we’ll attempt to see the other sights on our own.

Surely, our readers will tire of photos of the Eiffel Tower but we aren’t quite done with them yet. It’s quite a sight.
We spotted several merry-go-rounds along the walk.

If our future walks are at all comparable to yesterday’s we probably won’t miss much. We walked over five miles/eight kilometers by the time we returned to our hotel. I think that the last time we walked that far was when we did Petra in Jordan in May 2013, although the hills in Paris are at a minimum.

To the right in this photo is the City of Architecture and Heritage. On the left is the Palais de Chaillot.
Beautiful sculptures in the City of Architecture and Heritage.

Surprisingly, neither of us is any worse for the wear and we’re off again today in another direction. We have no doubt that we’ll have seen quite of bit of the city streets of Paris, as per our intentions in our remaining two weeks. 

Tom took this photo from the steps of the City of Architecture and Heritage.
Tom on the steps of the City of Architecture and Heritage.

At the end of the day, we were decided to walk to a nearby restaurant for 8:00 pm dinner rather than dress up and take a cab. The less cab fare we pay, the more we can pay for venues when cab fare is no bargain in Paris as has been the case in many other places we’ve visited. 

Another photo of the museum at the City of Architecture and Heritage.
The massive buildings drew a considerable crowd. However, through our entire walk, we never felt overcrowded.

As for dining going forward, we’ve begun to book restaurants on TripAdvisor highest rated list. Next Wednesday, we’ve booked t#2 on the list of 12,500 restaurants when the #1 highest rated restaurants show a cost of no less than US $400, EU $298 per person for dinner. We’ll pass on that one.

This building reminded me of an area in Minneapolis, Minnesota called “The Wedge.”
We stumbled upon the famous Peninsula Hotel where the basic room is US $1500 per night, EU $1117.

That type of expenditure doesn’t fit into our budget nor do we feel disappointed we can’t try it. We’ve had our share of fine dining and aren’t disappointed to try midrange restaurants. 

Security was tight outside the Peninsula Hotel where dignitaries had gathered for a conference. Later, their motorcade drove past us as we continued on our walk.
Our walk down the road as we approached the Arc de Triomphe.

Other highly rated restaurants will suffice as we work our way down the list. Of course, most of the highly rated restaurants require a taxi ride when the city is 40.7 square miles, 105 kilometers. 

The Arc de Triomphe was a busy location filled with cars and tourists.
The Arc de Triomphe is located in the center of a roundabout. The traffic zips around so quickly that multiple underground walkways were installed to allow tourist access to the monument.

As for yesterday, we decided to try the walk to the Arc de Triomphe which was over 2 miles, 3.22 km one way from our hotel. Sidetracking considerably on the return walk to avoid retracing our steps, we had no doubt we walked the over five miles/eight km when all was said and done.

This building was at the corner of Place Charles de Gaulle which is the meeting point of 12 straight avenues.
Midway through our walk, we stopped for beverages. Tom had a non-specialty beer and I had bottled water. Total cost EU $14, US $18.80
Walking the streets of Paris is heavenly. Every street offers a new and exciting array of charming architecture in offices, homes, apartments, condos, historic buildings, shops, and restaurants. 
From our vantage point, we couldn’t see the name of this church but we were fascinated with its architecture. Please comment if you know the name and we’ll post it.
The Flame of Liberty we passed on our walk. Behind it is the tunnel in which Princess Diana was killed on August 30, 1997.

We took photos of the names of restaurants we’ll return to after checking their prices, menus, and reviews online. Some are casual brasseries and others were more upscale dining establishments. Dining in Paris is one of the major attractions.

The Eiffel Tower as we approached from the opposite side from Thursday night.
A center view looking up from below the Eiffel Tower.

As for the Arc de Triomphe, it was exciting to see and to take photos. As a high school student, some 50 years ago (ugh) I studied French for four years, all of which lay dormant in my brain all these years.

As we neared our hotel, I shot this photo looking up of the Eiffel Tower.

Having learned during those four years about many of the historical sights to see, finally being here is refreshing. Oddly, I’ve been able to remember much of the language which I learned so long ago which serves us well as we make or way around, reading signs, menus, and in light conversation. For me, this proves that what we learned as young students may serve us well later in life.

The receipt from last night’s dinner in Euros totaled US $50.35. Notice the cost of the food and drinks was EU $25.90, US $34.78, the remainder was VAT and city taxes and service charge. It’s obvious that taxes greatly contribute to the high cost of meals in Paris.
As always , we take a photo of a pharmacy wherever we travel.

Each day we’ll take more photos than we can possibly post but, we’ll share the highlights and links of everywhere we’ve visited including sightseeing, dining, and general points of interest.

Many delis and bakeries line the boulevards.
Bins of delectable appearing treats in a Middle Eastern candy shop.

Right now, we’re sitting in the hotel lobby once again as we write today’s post. The ceiling in our bathroom is leaking for the second day in a row which was supposedly repaired while we were out yesterday. 

We always chuckle when we see these tiny cars throughout the world able to park in the tiniest of spaces.

During the night, I heard the “drip drip” once again. This morning I hurriedly showered in the slippery-floored shower, anxious to get dressed and out of the tiny room. Tom did the same. 

Flowers growing at the base of the Eiffel Tower.

Hopefully, the dripping will be repaired by the time we return late in the day. It’s a nice hotel, rated a four-star, so we didn’t expect this type of issue. We shall see how this turns out.

After dinner, we visited a local market to purchase nuts for snacking.

See you tomorrow with many more photos of Paris! Thank you to all of our loyal readers for sharing our world travels with us. It means the world to us!

Photo from one year ago today, August 2, 2013:

A year ago, we posted a story about the maintenance of our teeth while traveling by using these excellent interdental toothpicks. For details from that date, please click here.

Paris in some out of the way places…The charm of the city continues to intrigue…

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The Paris Statue of Liberty, which is the second of two replicas, is much smaller than the one in New York Harbor, USA. See the quote below for details.
An inscription at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Unbeknownst to us, we discovered that there are two replicas of the Statue of Liberty in New York’s harbor, the second of which is shown here, which we visited yesterday. See the link or quote below for details:
“The first (original) statue stands in the Jardin du Luxembourg (48°50′46.9746″N 2°19′59.36″E): an information panel on the pedestal claims that it is a bronze model used by Bartholdi as part of the preparatory work for the New York statue; the artist offered it to the Luxembourg museum in 1900 and it was placed in the park in 1906.[1] The date written on this statue’s tablet (where the New York statue has “JULY IV MDCCLXXVI”) is “15 November 1889” (November 15, 1889), the date at which the larger Parisian replica was inaugurated.

Pont de Grenelle

This second Statue of Liberty in Paris is near the Grenelle Bridge on the Île aux Cygnes, a man-made island in the River Seine (48°51′0″N 2°16′47″E), 11.50 meters (37 feet 9 inches) high. Inaugurated on July 4, 1889, it looks southwest, downriver along the Seine. Its tablet bears two dates: “IV JUILLET 1776” (July 4, 1776: The United States Declaration of Independence) like the New York statue, and “XIV JUILLET 1789” (July 14, 1789: the storming of the Bastille). This statue is shown in the movie National Treasure: Book of Secrets as one of the historic locations.”

Most tourists spend from three to five days in Paris, hitting all the major sites. If well planned this could be accomplished in a relatively short period of time if constantly being on the move wasn’t an issue.

We walked on a bridge over the train tracks with the Eiffel Tower in a distance.

Our objective is not only to see the major highlights at our own pace but to save time to familiarize ourselves with what life may be like living in this city, not that we’d ever considered living in a big city. We enjoy visiting the local shops, restaurants, and neighborhoods where Parisians live and conduct business and their lives.

A River Seine cruise ship, perhaps docked for the day to allow passengers to tour Paris.

After all, no location we ever visit, even for short periods, is beyond our realm of a longer stay sometime in the future. Although Paris is essentially too large of a metropolis for our idea of a long term stay, it’s enjoyable to imagine what life would be like.

One of the popular Viking cruise line’s river cruise.

As a result, we tend to examine life everywhere we travel with a profound sense of curiosity as opposed to constantly being enamored by the tourist-orientated surroundings, which may be difficult to ascertain by the level of our enthusiasm as we post each day.

When in crowded tourist areas, Tom carries this pen in plain view in front of him as a deterrent to pickpockets.

We try not to behave as tourists constantly asking questions of hoteliers, staff in various establishments and people on the street. Besides, each person’s taste is different and suggestions others may make may not be befitting our preferences. 

As we walked toward the more modern area of Paris, we stumbled across this modern shopping mall.

Yesterday morning, as we wrote our time-consuming post while situated in the lobby, no less than a dozen separate groups checked into the hotel with no less than a dozen already checked-in guests constantly questioning the staff at the reception desk as to where to go, what to see, how much to pay and how to get there. 

The interior of the shopping mall could have been in any city in the USA or another country. We looked at cameras in an electronic store but with the 40% taxes, including VAT, the prices were outrageous.

As I was writing, I couldn’t help but listen to the many conversations hoping to gather a morsel of information here and there that may be useful to us. Alas, I was sorely disappointed when we heard several suggestions that were contrary to the information we discovered on our own researching online sites, reading many reviews, and tailoring our events to our personal desires and preferred schedule.

The City of Light is mostly known for its historical architecture. However, many modern buildings occupy the skyline.

So far, we’ve asked three times for someone to fix the leaking ceiling in our bathroom (still leaking this morning after multiple efforts to repair it), to make a dinner reservation for us, and to get some ice when the ice machine was empty. The rest, we’ve figured out on our own. 

Unusual design in this building in the “downtown” area.

It’s not to say that the way we do it is ideal, especially for a shorter-term visit. But, we’ve learned to rely upon our own resources to discover what we want to do, how much we’re willing to pay, when we want to partake and how we will get there. It works for us.

This charming bag shop so well depicts Paris with its awning, quaint architecture, and highly-priced items.

Yes, we’re already booked to go to Versailles, The Louvre, The Cathedral of Notre Dame, a dinner cruise on the River Seine and much more, as we continue to research that which we feel is worth our time and money. But, also, we plan to walk as much of the 40 square miles of the city of Paris as our legs will allow.

Another Merry-Go-Round in the city.

Yesterday, we walked all afternoon with one major destination in mind, the Statue of Liberty which was the second statue in France from which the New York statue was based.

Six streets intersect in this interesting area of the city near the Place Charles Michels station.

We especially enjoyed the long walk from our hotel to the statue along the banks of the River Seine as illustrated in our many photos shown today that led us to the bridge and subsequent stairway that then, led us to the statue beautifully located on the river in its own, not so easily accessed spot.

A narrow one way street with minimal parking for residents of these buildings.  Driving in Paris and parking in Paris is difficult, to say the least. We feel it would be pure frustration for a visitor to rent a car with intentions of seeing the city.

As we walked along the river, we spotted a little Asian boy with his parents, squealing with delight as he pointed at us and then to the water, inviting us to come to see the treasure he’d found in the Seine, a family of Trumpeter Swans. It’s moments such as this that make our travels meaningful.

The largest of the North American waterfowl, an adorable boy invited us to see this Trumpeter Swan family on the River Seine. The babies have yet to develop the black markings on the beak. These birds mate for life in most cases. Most likely this is mom and dad with babies.

Or, the pleasure we received in chatting with the friendly shop owner at the little store next door to our hotel that chatted with us in reasonably good English, making us feel so welcomed that we stopped by the next day to simply say hello.

Under the bridge in the area of the Statue of Liberty was a workout area with multiple sturdy pieces of equipment with a soft padded floor. There were four low rock climbing walls.
As of today, we’ve been in Paris for three days. During our walk yesterday, Tom and I spoke of the joy of having no angst about leaving Paris in 13 days when our experience already is rich and fulfilling. 
A government building.
By giving ourselves the opportunity of doing exactly what we want, when we want, and how we want, provides us with an indescribable sense of freedom, making every moment of our travels filled with contentment and pleasure.
During our three to four miles walk yesterday, we found this restaurant returning at 7 pm for dinner. The food was good with prices in euros as noted on the receipt below. Our plan going forward is to post a photo of dinner receipts as we’ve done below.
The best cup of tea I’ve ever had, French Breakfast Tea, was EU $4.10, US $5.51 for one teabag, and a tiny pot of hot water. Tom’s beer was EU $8.30, US $11.14.  We both ordered the hamburger, mine without the bun. I gave Tom my fries, leaving me with a small, delicious beef patty topped with cheese, onions and tomato with a side of wild greens topped with olive oil. I ordered a side of haricot verts (green beans) but, I see we weren’t charged for them. If we maintain this price range for most of our meals, we’ve decided to try three of four finer dining establishment on other occasions. So far we’ve booked two highly rated upscale dining experiences and will continue to book one or two more, reporting back here with the menus, food photos, pricing and the décor.  It was impossible to get a seating time over the weekends when most venues were booked through Monday evening.
Photo  from one year ago, August 3, 2013: 

No photos were posted a year ago today. As time marched on we made a point of adding at least one photo with each post. Thus, we won’t have too many more dates in future “Photo from one year ago” sections that don’t include a photo.  That date, we wrote a story about our concerns for visiting Kenya in less than a month on September  1, 2013 when there were travelers warnings posted from the US State Department about visiting Kenya. For details of that post, please click here.

Here we are, Paris!…Video of the Eiffel Tower”s light show last night…Wow!…

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We were enthralled with the lights of the Eiffel Tower. A video of the light show is shown below.

We’re not city people. We don’t like crowds, loud noises, honking horns and the sounds of sirens.

We took this video of the Eiffel Tower’s light show last night at 10 pm. The video will rotate to its proper orientation when you click on it.

But, here in Paris, all of the above is part of its charm and its ambiance as one of the most beautiful must-see cites in the world. Of course, I’m not at all surprised by the sense of excitement running through me. 

This view is from the corner near our hotel.

Even Tom, “Mr. Cool and Calm” exuded an appreciative twinkle in his eyes as we watched the sights as we entered into the city while it was still daylight as the enthusiastic cab driver darted in and out of rush hour traffic. And then again, as when we watched the Eiffel Tower’s light show at 10:00 pm, he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face (nor could I).

Statue on the bridge of the river Seine.

Once we were situated at our boutique hotel conveniently located across the street from the train station, with views of the Eiffel Tower, walking distance to dozens of cafes, bistros, and restaurants, we giggled over the quaint quarters, typical for Paris. Well, I giggled. Tom, not so much.

We thought this longboat on the Seine may actually be a river cruise ship.

On the trip up to our room, we were warned that we’d be entering the smallest elevator we’ve seen in a hotel, although our hotel concierge explained that there’s another hotel with a one-person elevator. With no bellman or luggage cart, we had no choice but to haul our bags to our room on several trips which explain the following photo of Tom in the tiny elevator.

Driving into the city of Paris was an experience in itself.

Our room is sufficiently equipped with a strong WiFi signal, flat-screen TV, and AC. Although smaller than a cruise ship balcony cabin, it will suffice for our 16 nights in Paris. Fortunately, the king-sized bed was gloriously comfortable with perfect covers and high count cotton sheets. Unfortunately, neither of us was able to fall asleep until almost 2 am when our brains wouldn’t shut off.

Crossing the bridge over the Seine.

Now, we begin the process of booking various tours and planning routes we’ll walk in the city. With several maps on hand, clearly marking the attractions, today we’ll begin walking through the streets of Paris. We’re booking tours to begin after the weekend crowd, although from what we hear Paris is always crowded. 

The streets are lined with one café, bistro, and restaurant after another.  We’ll never have trouble finding great dining establishments.

Last night, we dined at a nearby restaurant. Since Tom ate both his and my snacks on both flights, he wasn’t hungry. By 9:00 pm, we wandered into a nearby restaurant and I had an exquisite salad. Being unable to order meal salads for many months due to possible illness from the raw veggies, I was thrilled to dine on a fabulous salad as shown in the photo below. 

The lobby of the boutique hotel we choose for our 16 night stay in Paris, across the road from the train station.
Looking out the window of our hotel to the train station. We couldn’t be in a more perfect location.

With many restaurants within walking distance, we’ll enjoy trying a new one every night. Prices are outrageous.  Thank goodness we usually eat only one meal a day with a snack if hungry midday. Unquestionably, a decent meal for two with beverages will be no less than US $100, EU $73 in the most modest of establishments. 

Tom, standing in what may be the smallest elevator on the planet.

After dinner, we began the short three-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower only to stop dead in our tracks when the light show began and we had a clear unobstructed view. We share these photos today with the utmost of enthusiasm. Of course, many more photos will be posted each day as we commence our exploration of this magical city.

This salad I had for a late dinner last night was delicious.

Many tourists come to Paris for a week or less. With our 16 nights, we can plan an event each day, ensuring we’ll have visited most of the highlights that interest us the most.

See you tomorrow with more photos of our first full day in Paris, the city of lights. Yeah!
                    

Photo from one year ago today, August 3, 2013:

We didn’t post any photos on this date one year ago. However, here is the link from that date. 

Winding down…packing day…Recap of Madeira in photos…Tomorrow, we leave for Paris…

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We reveled in a full moon over the hills of Madeira or a clear night.

Yesterday, we defrosted the freezer and cleaned the refrigerator. Frost-free is a thing of our long-ago past. And, although owners don’t expect us to do major cleaning as we prepare to embark on our next location, we choose to leave the property as clean and tidy as possible.

Tom recalls our stay in Madeira as a memorable experience.
Always windy, but I loved every day in Madeira.

With most of our packing completed today, we’ll be set to go first thing tomorrow morning, departing for the airport at 7 am. With everything done in advance, we’ll only need to awake by 6 am, in time to shower and dress. Unfortunately, neither of us sleeps well the night before departure, more as a result of the necessity of rising earlier, than any anxiety about leaving.

A typical partial day road trip resulted in driving through dozens of tunnels.

Although we’ll only be in the air for only a total of four hours, our trip is an all-day affair with a 2 1/2 hour layover in Lisbon and a one hour time change. The flight arrives at Orly Airport in Paris at 5:15 pm. 

We always enjoyed it when the low lying clouds and fog rolled in.

Then, we’ll pick up our bags, wade through the usual long lines at immigration, and grab a cab to our hotel. We don’t expect to arrive at our hotel until 7:30 pm. 

Early on, we purchased this tuna from the musical fish truck, caught that morning.

If time allows during our long layover in Lisbon, we may decide to eat at the airport when the last time we were there, we had a decent meal. Getting the food out of the way will leave us time to wander about Paris for a few hours after we check-in and unpack, perhaps stopping for a light meal or snack later in the evening, if we so choose.

We arrived in Madeira in mid-May when the flowers were in full bloom. They were the most beautiful flowers we’ve seen anywhere.

We’ve both learned to temper our enthusiasm when heading to a new location until we actually arrive. Traveling to Paris was for more for my benefit than for Tom so I may be the only one of us tempering enthusiasm. But, we shall see. I have no doubt he’ll enjoy it as well.

The goats and two kids next door were a constant source of enjoyment. Although too far to get good photos, they were close enough to always respond with a hearty “baa” whenever we sent a “baa” their way. 

As soon as I upload today’s post, I’m heading upstairs to place all of my clothes in the Space Bags to be ready for Tom to suck out the air using the little vacuum. Then, I’ll pack the one remaining smaller suitcase with the medical supplies, toiletries, and cosmetic bag, top-off my large bag with odds and ends, and then I’m set.

We purchased fresh organic produce from the musical truck every week during our time in Madeira.

Hopefully, our goal to be free of at least one carry on will prove to be achieved. Tom insisted we keep my laptop bag until after we packed to ensure we didn’t need it. I think we’ll be OK without using it.

Beautiful non-traditional colors of vegetation.
We never ceased to enjoy the terraced gardens so typical on the island.

Our portable printer died and we tossed it. What a piece of junk after all. It was nothing but a hassle from the first time we used it. Getting rid of it and its supplies rid us of a few more pounds/kilos. We’ll figure out life without a printer. 

A surprising closeup of what appeared to be a blue stalk from afar.
We were amazed by the green fuzzy buds on this colorful flower.

I groaned over the necessity of having to use a piece of paper when digital is the way to go. Certainly, a copy of anything on one’s smartphone should be all that anyone needs to show for any service or event. Since we left the US, we’ve found less and less of a need for the requisite piece of paper required for some venues and reservations. 

We were delighted when these orchids were growing on our patio.
We squealed when we drove under a waterfall in order to continue on the road.

We’ll be back tomorrow with our final post from Madeira until Friday when we post directly from Paris. Wow! I love the way that sounds!

Photo from one year ago today, July 30, 2013: 

There was no post on this date one year ago when the Internet was down for the day. Here is a photo from our trip to the walled city of Lucca, Tuscany, Italy.

In the walled city of Lucca, there were numerous interesting historic buildings, most remaining in excellent condition.

Final total costs for 77 days in Madeira…A year ago…the walled city of Lucca, Italy…Two more days until departure…

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While on foot we spotted this waterfall.

Finally, we have the tally of our total expenses for the 77 days we’ve lived on the island of Madeira, Portugal. The grand total includes the following expenses:

  • Rent
  • Airfare from Marrakech, Morocco to Madeira, Portugal including excess baggage fees
  • Car rental, fuel
  • Entertainment
  • Restaurants (including tax and tips)
  • Groceries including laundry soap, cleaning supplies, paper products, toiletries purchased at market
  • Housecleaning service and tips
  • Parking fees
  • Shipping fees (for the package we received)

The grand total:    $10,720.51, EU $7,978.77
Monthly average:  $  4,234.83, EU $3,151.78
Daily Average:      $     139.23, EU $   103.62

We walked through this short tunnel to reach the ocean at the other end as shown in these other photos.

With respect to the property owners, we don’t post the rental amount unless we’ve paid close to the asking price. Living in vacation rentals for these extended periods often enables us to negotiate a rent considerably lower than the price posted on the owner’s listing. If we were to post these prices, other future short term renters may expect these lower prices. 

Nothing is as mesmerizing as the sea.

If anyone is interested in the rental amount for the extended period in Madeira, please contact me directly at jessicablyman@gmail.com. For short term rentals, please refer to Gina’s listing at Homeaway by clicking here. 

Two small waterfalls flow from the rocks in a natural rock wall.

Not surprisingly, the cost of the rental car was almost as much as the rent. Undoubtedly, we could have easily saved quite a bit if we’d used a taxi three or four times a week. In this case, the freedom of coming and going at our leisure proved to be worthwhile.

Clouds rolling in.

We don’t always rent a car. At times, it makes more sense to use taxis or public transportation, especially when we’re walking distance to restaurants and markets. In Paris and London, public transportation will be outside the door of the hotel making getting around easy from what we can determine so far.

At times, the clouds appear as if they were smoke. At times, there is smoke wafting through the hills when residents are allowed to burn off their terraced gardens.

Food costs, including dining in restaurants, can be high depending on the country as was the case here in Madeira.

Our total food costs while in Madeira including dining out:
Grand total:          US $2,329.60, EU $1,733.81
Monthly Average:  US $   920.23, EU $   684.88
Daily Average:      US $     30.25, EU $     22.51

These giant cement forms are used in some areas to protect the beaches.

We’re pleased with the totals especially since early on we determined that dining out was too expensive to do regularly. As a result, knowing we’d be dining out for months to come, we opted to eat in after spending US $65 to US $70, EU $49 to EU $52 for each of the three times we dined out, although the food was excellent.

The preformed cement blocks aren’t attractive but serve a useful purpose.

When one is constantly traveling and with my restrictive diet, dining out is not as huge a treat as one may expect. Although it will necessary to dine out until after mid-October and surely we’ll experience amazing food, we always find our home-cooked meals to be the most rewarding. There’s something appealing about spending 25% of the cost of dining out in order to dine in. 

In Ribeira Brava, we walked through a tunnel to an area where local residents anchor their personal watercraft.

Today, we’ll finish up the laundry, pack the smaller bags and I’ll do my manicure and pedicure. With excellent leftover pizza to pop into the oven, cooking will be at a minimum today, and tomorrow when all I have to do is prepare is a salad and bake the already put together uncooked pizza, ready for the oven.

In Ribeira Brava, we wander into a needlepoint and craft shop finding a new zippered bag as a carry-on for our prescriptions and vitamins when the handle on the old bag broke.

The more often we move, the quicker and more organized we become as departure time approaches. Also, the lightened load is a huge factor in making the task relatively easy.

Back tomorrow with updates as we wind down our final photos. Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, July 29, 2913:

A year ago today on a very rainy day, we visited the walled city of Lucca. Once inside, we dashed through the city in the rain to see as much as we could, stopping to look at this clock, The Pretorio Palace Clock. For many more photos of the walled city, please click here.

Check out my small pile of clothes to pack!…I’ve come a long way…Coming tomorrow, total costs for 77 days in Madeira…Three days and counting…

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This is my measly pile of clothing, keeping in mind this includes not only all my everyday wear but also two Scottevest jackets, three remaining bathing suits, two sets of Bugsaway clothing including three hats, and three small handbags.

Yesterday, I decided to get a handle on how much I have to pack. We’d received a package with new clothing for me while in Madeira with two pairs of jeans, three tee shirts, and three skirts to add to my worn and dwindling wardrobe.

Over these past months, I diligently made a pile of clothes including pajamas and swimwear that I decided had to go, to not only replace the weight of the new items but, also reduce the overall weight of my luggage. 

Another view of my tiny pile of clothing which also includes three belts, three long cotton tee shirt dresses that I wear to bed when it’s cool, three pairs of jeans, one pair of capris, one pair of shorts, and a dozen tee shirts. My few items of underwear are at the bottom of this pile.

A few weeks ago I handed off the accumulated pile to Gina and her daughter, hoping they’d find a few things they’d like, donating the remainder. Getting those items out of sight really helped.  No longer would I riffle through them, reconsidering one item or another. Now that they’re gone, I don’t give them a thought. How quickly we forget “things” once we decide to let them go. 

I learned this lesson well when we sold all of our “treasured belongings” before leaving Minnesota almost two years ago. I cried when I saw my favorite household goods being walked down the road during the estate sale, a happy purchaser enthralled with their “good deal.” 

This is it folks, all the shoes I own, a paltry six pairs. I don’t recall ever having so few shoes since I was a kid when I got one new pair of Buster Browns once a year. Bring back memories?

Once we boarded our first of eight cruises on January 3, 2013, I’ve never given any of those items a thought. It was just “stuff.” I felt free. I felt liberated from the constraints and responsibilities that go with owning stuff. 

It was only a few days ago that Tom and I spoke of how we can’t imagine ever owning a sofa or a dining room table and chairs. One never knows. But, at this point, it’s far removed from our reality.

We spotted this circle in the ocean a few days ago, curious as to its origin.

Yesterday, when I made these piles of clothes and shoes as shown in these photos which include every wearable item in my repertoire except a small bag of costume jewelry, I smiled, kind of proud of myself. 

In my old life, at times I’d feel a sense of accomplishment when I’d revel in the things we had acquired from years of searching for the perfect addition to our home and lives, content with what we “had.” Now, I feel a sense of accomplishment for the things I don’t have. What a turn around! See, we can “teach an old dog new tricks!”

We wondered if that circle was made by the freighter or by some other phenomenon. Why would a freighter go around in a circle?

My pile of clothing is small enough that I no longer need to use the Space Bags with the little vacuum sucking out the air. We’ve may decide to use the bags  anyway for security, making it less likely someone would break the seal and steal something. Or, we may not.

Tom has yet to organize his stuff so we’ll see how that goes. I believe at this point he has more stuff than I do.  We shall see on Wednesday when we pack.

Late-blooming Bird of Paradise, aptly named.

It’s hard for me to believe that I own only six pairs of shoes; one pair of water shoes, two pairs of leather Keds, two pairs of sandals, and one pair of boots I refuse to ever part with, after having them custom-fitted back in Minnesota when they were too wide for my calves. 

Besides, we’ll need our boots for Iceland and the Outback in Australia along with our BugsAway clothing (which is also shown in my pile of stuff) when the mosquitoes and flies are fierce in Australia, New Zealand and on the islands in the South Pacific. 

We never got enough of the clouds rolling in over the hills.  Each time it occurred we watched from the veranda in awe of the beauty.

Actually, other than a few desert climates we’ve visited in the US such as Nevada and Arizona, flying and biting insects are everywhere we’ve traveled. While in Africa I decided that I wasn’t letting my sensitivity to being bit have a bearing on where we’d travel in the future. 

As soon as we post this, we’re off for our last short road trip when we’ll take a few photos, stop at the supermarket and say goodbye to the “downtown” we’ve enjoyed over these past months, the seaside village of Ribeira Brava.

Our neighbors were harvesting some of the treasures from their garden.

Yesterday, as mentioned, I began the process of going back to the beginning of our first post and editing the many errors that remained, some my typos and others due to internet connectivity issues. I managed to get through the first 11 posts. It will take several months to complete this daunting task when either we won’t have time or we’ll be cruising when Internet rates are too high for such a time consuming project.

We have a fun post already prepared for Thursday, our travel day, which we’ll publish shortly before we leave the house to go to the airport. Doing so, we won’t miss a day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 28, 2013:

Summer was in full bloom in Tuscany. On this date a year ago, we booked our tickets for Kenya, a little disgruntled that we couldn’t choose our seats online for the very long flight. For details, please click here.

Five days until departure…Remembering “staycations”…No dreaded Wednesdays…A year ago, thoughtful slices…

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Nothing like a view from the veranda at dusk.

Last night, as we have every night, we took a few minutes to embrace our surroundings while on the veranda.  Soon, this view will be lost to us replaced by other views I’m sure we’ll find appealing. 

A summer rose.

It’s ironic how we become attached to our surroundings for these relatively short periods of two to three months. Even Marrakech, Morocco, although not our favorite place to live, had its charm and appeal. I think of it often remembering every minute detail, especially the household staff.

Low lying clouds are a common occurrence on the island of Madeira.

We’re both grateful that we have these posts to aid us in retaining the memory of places we’ve lived and the experiences we’ve had. For me, writing them imprints them into my memory in a way no other experiences have been remembered in my past.

A local man we encountered on the road explained that these are fishing nets. He spoke no English, but we were able to decipher a little of what he was saying.

Add the constant awareness of photo-taking opportunities and my memory acuity astounds me. Oddly, we can almost recount day after day from as far back as to our first foray into living outside the US in Belize so long ago. 

An unusual plant we spotted on a drive.

When in doubt of an occurrence that may have escaped us, we need only search the archives to have the story retold in words and photos bringing every thought and feeling to the forefront to become more thoroughly locked in place than ever.

I wonder how I ever traveled in my old life without documenting my experiences. I only recall snippets of days and nights with memories of a few poorly taken photos now tucked away in a plastic tote at son Richard’s home in Las Vegas, along with a zillion other photos of a life lived long ago.

Lush greenery, blue skies, and the sea create a colorful scene.

Tom and I took a few vacations in our old lives, one to Aruba with friends, a few business-related trips, a weekend here and there. So content were we with our lives at the lake home that we had no sense of wanderlust, no desire to pack, to fly, to feel cramped in a hotel room. 

The clouds rolling in over an older neighborhood.

Most of our vacations were now referred to as “staycations” where people stay home for a week or two leaving work behind, ultimately ending up working at home on maintenance-related tasks interspersed with entertaining friends and family. 

In reality, “staycations” were often exhausting, although rewarding and fun and we didn’t mind going back to work when it was over. Not the same dread one feels when “going away” on a vacation with the thought of soon having to return home.

Another reason we didn’t like to travel was directly related to the dread of the vacation soon being over which usually occurred in a big way by about the Wednesday before departure.

Rooftops, power lines, and terraced hills are a common sight.

Years ago, I recall telling Tom, long before we decided to travel the world, that I wonder what it would be like to go somewhere never having the dread of leaving. And, I wondered, what would that “look” like? Would one go to an island resort and stay forever? It was an impossible scenario warranting little further thought.

And now, here we are, doing exactly what I’d imagined was impossible…never dreading a Wednesday, knowing that we never had to go home to unpack, never having to sort through the piles of mail from the overstuffed mailbox, never having to plow snow piled high in the driveway and never having spoiled food in the refrigerator. 

Banana leaves along the road.

No, we don’t jump for joy each day of our lives on this seeming perpetual vacation. In a very short time, we came to realize that these are the “days of our lives,” at times quiet and uneventful, at times filled with tasks and responsibility.

At other times, it’s filled with awe and wonder as to how in the world did we ever manage to “get here” and get past all of the painful tasks of unloading our lives of stuff and saying goodbye to those we love, who never believed we’d actually do it, nor expect we’d stay “out there” as long as we have. 

With few homes having clothes dryers, railings on verandas become clotheslines.

The passion to continue on, continues on, surprising even us at times. Last night as we stood on the veranda, in awe of the view, arms wrapped around one another, we knew that wherever we may be, there will always be a view.

And, although we’ll always remember this particular view, a new one will soon appear in its place, and once again, dear readers, we’ll be home.

Photo from one year ago today, July 26, 2013:

Santina, our lovely cleaning person in Boveglio, had brought us a plate of these three delicious looking pie pieces. Tom, with his picky taste buds, didn’t find them to be as delicious as they looked. I know I would have loved them if I’d been able to eat them. The remainder of our post on that day was describing how we purchase refills for our few prescriptions from a reputable A+ rated by Better Business Bureau, an online pharmacy. Check out the post here for more details.