14 juillet 2009, Montluçon to Paris

TUESDAY
Joyeuse Fête Nationale! (Happy National Holiday/Bastille Day)

July fourteenth commemorates the storming of the Bastille (French fortesse and prison), which took place on this date in 1789 and it was a key event in the French Revolution.

My empty room. The kitchen.

The living room. The dining room.

Monsieur Champeyrol and me in his kitchen.
Monsieur Champeyrol ever so kindly gave Leslie and I a ride to the train station in the rain.

The train passes Barry Canal on the way to Paris, gare d'Austerlitz. Leslie writing.
My good friend, gare d'Austerlitz, which was been my hub this year when going to and from Paris.

Leslie shares her birthday with France. Leslie opens some presents in the Paris hotel room.

Leslie looks into a boulangerie, which is closed due to the national holiday.We walk to Bois de Vincennes (Vincennes Woods) and walk around lac Daumesnil, which was filled with Parisiens taking advantage of this beautiful day off of work by picnicing and rowing around the lake.

Leslie talking to Mom on the phone.

Leslie picking out cookies at La Cure Gourmande. Bercy Village.

There was an incredible amount of police and national guard around Paris, especially around the Eiffel Tower, which was the center of Bastille Day festivities.People lined the bank of le Seine with food and friends... In my opinion, the fourteenth of July for the French is more about embracing the leisure culture of France than expressing political patriotism. It was amazing to be in Paris and see so many people. (Unfortunately, my camera battery died and I was unable to capture it).

9 juillet 2009, Paris to Montluçon

THURSDAY

At a rest stop near Reims, the Champagne region, the bus stopped and we stretched our legs before making the final leg to Paris.
Leslie and I arrived at the bus depot in Paris at about 1:30pm and went to the train station to change the train tickets, as we hadn't attended to arrive in Paris until the 16th. Tickets were changed to a 7:03pm departure from gare d'Austerlitz back to Montluçon. In the meantime, Leslie and I walked through Paris.

Traffic on the right bank of the Seine River.

Regardez à gauche puis à droite (Look left then right). Leslie enjoys a pastry with a view of Notre-Dame and le Seine.

24 mai 2009, England to France

SUNDAY

Becky's house

Walked around the Mayfield neighborhood

Looked at some old tomb stones from the 1800s.


Drive to the airport in the East Midlands.

East Midlands Airport

After passing through security, the terminal is filled with shopping. This is the departure board, it either says: Relax and Shop, Final Call Gate, or Gate Closed.

My airplane. Paris métro

Crossing over the Seine River on the way to the Gare d'Austerlitz métro station.

A beetle I almost stepped on the way back from the train station.