I shot this from inside the kitchen this morning, which is why you see a smudge or two and the reflection of the kitchen door. But it was so pretty out there with the sun coming through the trees and the leaves on the ground that I couldn’t resist.
The posts for the next few days will be on the short side simply because I have so, so much to do before we go! Every day, there is a new list. Today, errands this morning and this afternoon, mowing the front lawn. It should be dry enough then. Because…you guessed it…yesterday’s beautiful morning turned into clouds and rain in the afternoon.
Tomorrow we clean the gutters and rake and that kind of thing. Since we’re not leaving until Sunday night, we also have Sunday to do laundry and pack.
This morning, we sat on the loveseat and looked at maps of Paris, figuring out where the hotel is in relation to everything else in the city. I must say, we couldn’t have picked a better place to stay! A short walk to the Luxembourg Gardens, another shortish walk to the Seine and Notre Dame and the Louvre. Not far away is the Pont Alexandre, the bridge referenced in Anastasia. You can bet I’ll be walking across that bridge. I am so excited – more excited about Paris than London, but that’s just because I’ve never been there. Taking some time together to look at the maps and talk about what we want to see and do made us both so happy and eager to start our adventure.
Paris readers: Do you know the best way to get into the city from Charles De Gaulle Airport? Any advice would be most welcome.
Before I forget: Don and I saw the most wonderful movie on Netflix the other night. It’s a little gem that I didn’t know about previously. It’s called The Man Who Knew Infinity. It’s based on the true story of a young man from India who is a brilliant mathematician and travels to England in the early part of the 20th Century to study with a well known mathematician who teaches at Cambridge. It stars Dev Patel and Jeremy Irons and a cast of wonderful supporting actors. The acting is impeccable. It’s very moving. So it you’re looking for something, we recommend it highly.
This beauty greeted me this morning. I’m so happy there are blooms, especially since I didn’t get any morning glories this year.
By the way, I am taking my laptop with me so I will be blogging. Not every day. Just when I can. When they will post is anyone’s guess because of the time difference. Just check in every couple of days or so. I have to take you along, right?
Happy Friday.
Yes! You have to take us along! Wishing you and Don the vacation of a lifetime. Safe travels.
Thank you so much, Karen!
You both are going to have the best adventure! I am so happy and excited for you guys! Thanks for taking us along 😊
You’re welcome!
I too took numerous pictures yesterday morning, the first sunny day we’ve had all week. The golden sunlight shimmering through the thinning leaves and into what I now call my “morning room” where I sit and read the newspapers on my laptop is constantly changing and always so beautifully hypnotic.
Excited to know we get to “go along” with you and Don. This morning I read about the Harry Potter and Magic exhibition at the NY Historical Society and a mention of Nicolas Flamel, the Sorcerer’s Stone maker (his gravestone is part of the exhibit), gave me an instant flashback to our last trip to Paris. Our apartment was directly across the street from the Nicolas Flamel house on the Rue de Montmorency. It’s the oldest house in Paris. Right now I prefer to be excited about you and your trip than spare a thought about what’s going down on Capitol Hill.
I don’t blame you. I’m keeping away from the news as much as I can.
I can feel your excitement building! I remember looking at maps and feeling like wow, I’m really going to be in Paris! So much to see and do, you will have such a grand time. I will say when I went to Paris we booked a limousine to pick us up and I’m so glad we did. Since my luggage was lost and I hadn’t had much sleep I was a bit of a mess. Our driver waited of course and then was so helpful about calling the apt manager to meet us there. It was worth it to me and I would do it again. If you are interested I can get the name of who we used for you I think.
I’m trying to back away from Washington and the debacle going on. I have let my feelings be known about this and that’s all I can do right now. Then VOTE in November elections! How long will you be gone? I’m glad you will post a bit when you can on the trip. So excited for you and Don. Much love sent your way!
Sure, I’d love that information, Linda. We will have flown overnight to Edinburgh, then we catch a shuttle to Paris, so we’ll be very tired!
So happy and excited for both you and Don. Looking forward to reading your blog as you live your ‘dream trip’. I forgot the exact date of the special day so I will say Happy Anniversary now. Safe travels and have a wonderful time!
Thank you so much, Cathy!
hope you feel no pressure to blog while on your trip … absolutely zero pressure! i think it’s safe for me to say we all just want you and don to have safe travels and a wonderful time in europe, enjoying every second there and not thinking about blogging or stuff happening here. we’ll miss you, but we’ll be here when you get back.
kathy in iowa
Oh, I’ll want to share, I just won’t want to do it every day!
When we were in paris, we used train and metro to get around. You can buy passes at train station at airport terminal one or two can’t remember which. Then metro connects to train.
Thank you for that information, Tammy! I appreciate it!
I second the train (RER), which connects to the Metro. Be sure to get one or more (free) metro maps at the station. If not available there, pick up at any other open Metro station office.
https://www.welcomepickups.com/paris/charles-de-gaulle-airport-transfer-to-city/
Try to get a Plan de Paris par Arrondissement (usually about $10 US — doesn’t have to be expensive to be good)at the bookstore/media store at the airport at CDG, unless you will have wifi (WEE-fee en français) on your smart phone. In case this hasn’t been mentioned before, you can find any street in Paris and the nearest metro stop. Perhaps someone you know could loan you theirs.
I also recommend a visit to Père Lachaise Cemetery if you don’t have it on your itinerary. The metro ride could be a bit long to get there.
https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71470/Cimetiere-du-Pere-Lachaise or
http://www.perelachaisecemetery.com/visit/
If you cannot fit it in, it is completely understandable — there is soooo much anyway. I only saw it after 6 or 7 visits and was sorry not to have gone before then. Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde (although his family changed his memorial I read — too many lipstick kisses on it) , Chopin, and more. It is about a half-day visit including Metro ride.
Do please sit in a café and order “un grand café crème” and enjoy.
Bon voyage avec amitiés
Martha
Thank you so much, Martha!
Oh goody! I was hoping you’d say that. So it looks like I’M going to Europe next week too. YAY! Very exciting. Last time I was in Europe was 1973. And now that just seems like a hazy dream. So I can’t wait for Sunday! Have fun getting ready [is that an oxymoron?]. Peace.
#Resist
#ProtectMueller
Thank you, Janet!
Safe travels, Claudia and Don! Although I want to hear everything about the trip, I would like to give you this advice: blog without obligation. Don’t feel you have to blog if it takes too much time. You can tell us all about it when you get home. Live every moment of your fantastic trip.
Thank you, Brenda.
as I see it dearest bean… you have only one obligation.
to live every single moment in the NOW and enjoy every memory making moment with your beloved Don! wishing you a safe trip. and God Speed! xoxo
Thank you, Tammy!
Enjoy each other and every precious moment! We will be thinking of you and hearing all details when you have a spare minute. The limo sounds like a plan if possible.
Thank you, Dottie!
I’m getting excited for you two and happy to tag along!
Thank you, Deb!
The anticipation for your trip is just wonderful and i am sending along wishes for a fantastic and wondrous shared journey! May you savor the precious moments and worry not over the blog.
Thank-you for thinking to share! and i will be checking however prioritize your enjoyment!!!!
Thank you, Grace!
I am delighted that you will be ‘taking us along’ so to speak, but please don’t feel obligated to blog at all. Your only job is to have a fantastic time with Don!
So…keep making those lists…keep plugging along. Before you know it you will be flying away on a jet plane. I am so excited for you! ;)
Thank you, Donnamae!
Pretty exciting that we are going to Europe next week! The best part is that we don’t have to shop or make to-do lists!!
I am also glad you can leave the crap going on here behind you for a bit. The fact that another narcissistic, screeching, woman-hating, man-child is getting such extreme power over our lives and our liberties is disgraceful. So much for thorough investigations.
Back to your trip, I hope you make a million memories and have safe travels on your wonderful journey. May you and Don have the times of your lives!! ♡
Thank you, Chris!
Safe travels. Remember one bad thing happens on almost every trip. You just have to get through it and move on. I hope your “bad thing” won’t be so bad.
Enjoy!
We haven’t had any bad things on our last few trips, so I’m trusting it will all be good.
Agree with those who write that you don’t have to blog, but we would love sharing your adventure if you do. I know you’ll have catch-up blogs for us when you return. Have a simply lovely time, Claudia. You and Don deserve this so much.
Thank you, Wendy!
Hi Claudia,
If you take the shuttle from London, you just arrive at Gare du Nord inside Paris, not at the airport.
How do you get in Paris ?
Madeleine
We’re flying into Paris from Edinburgh.
We will take the Eurostar when we leave Paris for London and then we’ll take the train from London to Edinburgh when we leave.
Claudia, When you get to Paris, I hope you and Don eat at an outside café. I hope you kiss in the moonlight. Do all the wonderful romantic things, to have beautiful memories . Blessings, xoxo, Susie
Thank you, Susie!
Hi Claudia no morning glory blooms with me – i have leaves bigger than my hands though
dq
Same here!
Have the best time ever!! I get so excited thinking of you and Don in Paris!! Such an amazing city! Ron & I will look forward to any bit of a blog you decide to do:)
I’ll definitely pray for traveling mercies for your entire trip. God bless you both!!
Thank you, Debbie!
I am so happy you might be blogging on your trip!! I’ve never been so can’t give you any tips! But one tip: enjoy every minute. And another one I give to all people on vacation. Have a cross body purse that you put on before you put on your jacket or coat. It will look funny in the mirror, but no one else will care a whit. You won’t be sorry. Safe travels. Paris!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Tana.
Paris Métro is perfect. Take the blue line from the airport. Safe travels and have fun! Regula
Thank you. We may take a taxi because it will be the end of a very long 24 hours.
Don’t you worry a bit about blogging!…I want you both to do everything possible to have fun on your once in a lifetime adventure!!…We can all wait to hear about it when you get home if needed!!!..I will be checking in every day in case you post though!!!!
Thank you, Nancy.
Well, if you go ‘way, ‘way back to blogs, from my impression/understanding, starting out as personal online journals, it makes sense to take your laptop so that you can record as much of your travel with photos and narrative as possible because it’s now also your travel diary so that you’ll never-ever forget anything long after your return but, gosh, how lucky for the readers; can’t wait for your posts from these lovely cities! You write SO well and take such excellent photos, we’ll be in armchair-travel heaven, Claudia; whoohoo!
Thank you, Vicki!
So the easier is to get a taxi. It costs about 60 € (the bus from CDG is 40 €) and you arrive directly at your hotel without carrying your luggage. The métro is very old with a lot of stairs and corridors. Maybe you can ask at your hôtel, some of them have a “voiture” and can fetch you.