Thursday, July 16 - New Friends

In the fall of 2013, Sally and I loaded the Westfalia and headed for Yosemite, Death Valley, the Grand Canyon and other national parks. While exploring the giant Sequoias of the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite, I happened upon a couple from Switzerland. We struck a conversation and instantly connected, talking about travel, families and what a wonderful thing life was. I recommended they stop by Glacier Point for the sunset on their way back toward the Valley. Sally and I were planning to watch the sunset and alpine glow on Half Dome as well, so it was little surprise to find Roger and Marlis on the point. Two hours passed while we enjoyed the sunset and the lights appearing in the Valley far below. We had to loan Marlis a jacket as the advancing September night was getting chilly. Roger and I shared a passion for iPhones and were comparing notes and apps, taking pictures with a variety of camera apps and doing touch ups as the sun set. We exchanged e-contact cards and promised to visit each other if we were ever traveling near each other's homes. 

When we began planning this cycling trip in Europe, we thought of Roger and Marlis and sent an email inquiring if we could come visit them. We got a return email very shortly saying "yes!"  They were in Alaska cruising the inland passage, but would be home during our planned trip. Our two hours of conversation on Glacier Point opened a door to an intercontinental friendship. 

We spent today touring the Lucerne area with Roger and Marlis. We had a blast. After a breakfast of soft boiled eggs, bread, cheese, Muselix, fruit and tea we drove around one arm of gigantic lake Lucerne, climbing up to a ridge 1000' above the lake with a commanding view back across the lake to Lucerne itself. We walked through the construction area for two 5 star hotels perched right on the ridge and followed a trail clinging to the cliff 1000 feet above the lake for better than a mile until we reached an elevator whose base was constructed into the cliff and whose top a couple hundred meters above extended out from the inward sloping precipice. We rode to the top to find a view down either side of the ridge, a cafe and a sun deck to enjoy the view. 40 minutes on top and we rode the elevator back down and hiked back to the cars. 

On the drive back to Lucerne, we stopped at a famous Swiss artistic glass factory and watched decoratory glass plates and jars being hand made. The process goes on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can't let the furnaces cool, so they just keep them running and manufacturing. The artisans worked with a measured rhythm and teamwork. It took three men working in synchronization to make each piece, each man with a specific time and temperature sensitive job. 

The highlight of the day for me was seeing the 30' x by 18' sculpture of the dying lion carved into a cliff in the town of Lucerne. It tied together quite a few pieces of history I have been studying and visiting lately. When Louis XVI proved inept on the throne of France and the citizens revolted, they stormed the Palace of Versailles, broke through the doors, killed most of Louis guards and took the king prisoner. All Louis guards were Swiss guards. In tribute to their sacrifice, the carving of the Lion of Lucerne with the names of the officers and the number of men killed etched below was commissioned in 1820. Marlis had read about the history about ten years earlier and tried to recall the story, but somehow Napoleon and other facts ended up jumbled in. She laughed embarrassingly as we read the correct account off the web, but we really appreciated her attempt and smiling attitude afterward. 

By the time we got back to the house, about 7:30 pm, we were all tired and hungry. We cooked up sausage, potatoes and a salad for dinner with ice cream bars for desert. We talked until about 12:30 am, Roger and I swapping iPhone app knowledge, movie tips and engineering ideas while Marlis and Sally discussed family, Marlis's work as a dress maker and craft designer and merchant. We set our alarm for 7:00 am as we crawled in the tent and bed. 

Wednesday, July 15-Roger and Marlis

This is going to be a tough day.  I never was good at staying up late, even as a kid. But, it was worth it last night to see the Bastille Day fireworks. 

We were up at 4:30 am this morning, sneaking around the flat getting ready to go. I ran the ridiculous bike boxes down to the courtyard, then made another trip with the panniers. By 5:15 we were ready to go. I had a string holding the two bike boxes to my pack. With panniers attached to the bikes and the bike boxes dangling from my pack, we rode the 1.5 miles to the train station in the early morning dawn light. Other than giggles from the early risers we passed on the street, all went very well. Sally ran in to find which hall our train left from (Hall 1) and we soon staked out a territory around a cluster of chairs to disassemble and box the bikes for the train ride, as the French require. We were boxed and ready to go by 6:30 am, with casters inserted into the bottom of the boxes so I could roll them both easily to our platform and train.  Our train left at 7:23 am. We had a few moments to sit. They don't announce the platform the train is at until about 20 minutes before departure. We kept an eye on the big board. As foretold, our platform appeared on schedule and we hustled our bags and boxes down to our assigned car. 

There was no place to put the bike boxes. At the end of each compartment there is a luggage rack, but it is too small to accommodate our boxes. Sally scoped out other options while I held the boxes in the passageway between the two cars. The report back was no place big enough. We decided the only thing to do was leave them in the passageway between the two cars. I wedged them so they did not block access to the water closet or either doorway and sat down next to them to keep them from falling over. Our train ride was 3 hours. This was going to be a long babysitting job. I was pleased when the doors closed, exactly on time and we started rolling down the tracks. After about 15 minutes, and no authorities stopping by, I took out a piece of line and lashed the boxes to the handrail and walked up to my assigned seat next to Sally for the duration. 

At 160 miles per hour the scenery flies by!  We dozed and blogged as we whisked across the beautiful French countryside. On one trip to the water closet a Swiss customs agent was eyeing the boxes. I explained our trip to him and his partner. They thought it sounded fun and left the passageway. 

We unloaded at Basel, Switzerland and inquired which platform for our connection to Lucerne. We had to ride an escalator up, cross three tracks and then down another to platform four. 30 minutes later and we on our next train. This one had a space for our bikes, boxes or not. 

We stepped off the train, after an hour, in Lucerne and saw Roger and Marlis waiting for us. They had scoped out bike storage options at the station. One Swiss Frank a day!  We reassembled the bikes in a side alcove and as we did station workers came by and offered to dispose of our boxes. Soon we were wheeling our bikes to the storage facility. What a facility!  Racks and racks for bikes in a huge area. After our bikes were settled into their racks, we loaded our bags into their car. 

We walked to a lakeside cafe and talked for an hour over Cokes and coffee, then spent the next four hours touring downtown Lucerne on foot, walking the ancient wall that used to surround the city and seeing the river and town. 

About 5:30 pm we headed for their home in the outskirts of town. It is a beautiful, modern home. Full basement, second floor and nicely arranged living area on the first floor. Roger has a band in which he plays lead guitar. He has turned one room in the basement into a acoustically excellent recording studio. While on a tour of the house we stopped here. He brought up some tracks his group had previously recorded. They are amazing. Roger is excellent on lead guitar and their female vocalist is unreal. He played along with the tracks on his guitar. We got about three songs in before Marlis came down to tell us dinner was ready. 

Their daughter started a resort in Thailand seven years ago, at age 23. They have made a few trips to visit and got interested in Thai cooking. Tonight they served Thai soup, that they made, with white rice, wine, water with gas (love that name!), bread and cheese and ice cream and fruit for desert. It was wonderful. 

I was enjoying the company and conversation but by 10:30 pm the cobwebs in my head were thick and heavy. We pitched the tent in their yard, crawled in, and we're soon fast asleep.  

Roger and Marlis are amazing. We had such a good time today! 

Tuesday, July 14-Bastille Day

Claustrophobic. I am surrounded by people. Nearly shoulder to shoulder. I rode my bike to the Champs de Mars Park at the base of the Eiffel Tower to watch the Bastille day fireworks celebration. It feels like all of Paris, if not all of France, is here. I am half a mile from the tower, in the park. It is solid people for 500 meters on all sides of me and probably beyond, but I can't see that far. It is nearly dark. The orchestra has been playing since I got here an hour ago with opera singers, male and female entertaining the masses on jumbotron screens. The Eiffel Tower is brightly lit as the backdrop with the orchestra below. We know the crowd is awaiting the fireworks, but it is not quite dark yet. The crowd is lively, but orderly. No one is really listening to the concert. Most everyone is chatting to the person next to them. It is about 75° and perfectly clear. A gorgeous summer night. 

I have a train to catch at 7:23 am tomorrow morning. Before I can board it I have to ride a mile carrying my bike boxes, disassemble the bikes and box them and load them on the train. We plan to rise at 4:45 am, be on our bikes by 5:30 am, to the train by 6:00 am and have the bikes boxed before 7:00 am, ready to load. We won't know what platform our train leaves from until 20 minutes before departure, so I have castors mounted on the underside of the boxes so I can wheel both boxes at the same time to the train.  I'll let you know how it goes in tomorrow's post. 

Sally and I rose about 7:00 am this morning and mounted our bikes for a ride thru the city. Traffic is light early in the morning, and with it being Bastille day, many must be off work, because the tragic is light.  The gendermie and military have the streets closed off in preparation for today's parade and other activities. We were turned around a few times by Uzi toting uniformed men. A stop for pastries at the local bakery for breakfast  and we were back by 8:45 am to find the kids up and alive. 

We had been mixing expenses while traveling together. This morning we spent an hour on Andy's computer sorting out who owes who. With the books balanced, we headed for the Montmartre area, the bohemian enclave on the hill north of town where Toulous LeTtec, Van Gogh and other pioneering impressionists hung out. Between waiting for bathrooms, touring chocolate shops and sitting down for a baguette and cheese, it was 2:30 pm before we used the metro to get us to the Rodin Museum. 

The line outside the Rodin Museum was a block long and a dread of standing in line for hours overtook us. But, we asked at the front door and were immediately invited in, ahead of the whole line. Museum passes. If you ever travel to Paris, get a museum pass. It lessens the cost of seeing multiple museums and allows you to bypass the people purchasing tickets. 

I had no idea of the magnitude of Rodin's work!  6500 sculptures. About the same number of drawings, plus others. He donated all his work and his home to the state of France in 1917, during the war and the state accepted in 1919. It has been a museum ever since. I had seen the "Gates of Hell" sculpture at Stanford years ago, but without context it meant little to me. Here, at the place of its conception, it took on magical dimensions. We toured the grounds and the temporary exhibition (his house is closed for renovation), stopping to admire "The Thinker" and other works. Very impressive. 

We walked down the street to see Napoleons Tomb. Being Bastille day, it was open to the public for free. At this point we separated. Andy and Tabitha headed for the Eiffel Tower to be in good position to watch the fireworks tonight. Sally, Jeff, Jackie and I headed back to our room to rest, find a place for dinner, and pack, as we each are leaving Paris tomorrow. 

We headed for Chinese food but found it closed so we settled for pizza. On the walk back to our room we stopped for a pop and some vegetables. 

Sally, Jeff and Jackie decided to stay in the rest of the evening and get some sleep before our travel day tomorrow. I decided to ride over to the Eiffel Tower and join in the festivities. The ride across town is about 4 miles, and with no obstructing traffic it went quickly. I was hoping to locate myself at the far end of the Champs de Mars do a full view of the tower, but the density of people forced me into the middle of the park. I could not reach the open ground I the middle as it was packed with people, so I settled for my somewhat tree obstructed view. 

The fireworks began at 11:00 pm. They were spectacular!!  The show lasted a half an hour, set to music, both fast and slow, modern and classical. But, throughout it all the fireworks kept on coming, blasting from the base, but also from all over the length of the tower. It was remarkable. Most impressive show I have ever seen. I recorded about 10-15 minutes of it on my phone. Amazing. 

At 11:30 pm the show ended and the gigantic crowd began to disperse. I have never been in a crowd that big before. At first, all you could do was walk in the same direction as the crowd flowed. After a few minutes, as the surface area of the expanding circle of people, growing at the square of the increase of the radius, allied the crowd to spread out a bit. At some point it became dispersed enough hat I could begin to ride my bike. As my speed increased I began to outdistance the crowd and was soon pumping along at full speed. I have was back at our flat by 12:15 am and ready to sleep, as soon as my adrenaline calmed down. Andy and Tabitha soon texted, stating they were working their way back on foot. During the fireworks the texting did not work due to the jammed cell lines. They got in around 1:00 am. By this time Jackie was feeling very sick and started to throw up. We situated her down on the couch close to the bathroom and I think we settled in to sleep about 2:00 am with our alarms set for 4:30 am. What a day!

Monday, July 13

Jackie visits the emergency room to see a doctor about her sinus infection. The doc starts her on antibiotics. We tour the Notre Dame and Saint Chapelle. I ride to a bike shop to buy a new tire. Quick lunch at the flat and we meet Tabitha and Andy at the Pompidou at 1:00pm. After the museum we metro to a cafe famous for hot chocolate. Sally and I excuse ourselves and return to the flat for a break, then meet the kids for a walk to Chinese dinner in the Latin district. Great food and fun. Home late. 

Sunday, July 12

Andy and Tabitha needed a day to sleep-in after our marathon Normandy travels that started the minute they hit the runway in Paris. Jackie needed rest to quell her sinus infection. Jeff, Sally and I decided to visit the Louvre this morning. Actually, we had planned to go with Andy and Tabitha, but I missed the memo finalizing the plans, so when I woke Andy at 7:30 am to start our journey he told me they were sleeping in. I assumed (what's that saying about asses, you and me?) Jeff was in the sleep-in camp and did not wake him. I hopped on my bike and found a route to the train station for our departure early Wednesday morning.

The Gard de Lyon is only a mile away, and I stayed along the river as I negotiated the light traffic. At one point I had to lift my bike over a barrier. I decided there must be an easier route. At the station I walked the different halls and platforms, getting the lay of the land. In the process I ended outside below the station where the homeless must sleep. Wow!  Did it stink of urine. So bad, that the city has mounted urinals right on the walls of the train station, out in the open, to give the people a place to relieve themselves other than the street. 

I arrived back at the flat about 8:45, our appointed departure time. Jeff sleepily asked me why I did not wake him for the Louvre. We renegotiated our contract for the morning, ate breakfast and headed to the Metro stop "Pont Marie" to ride to the Louvre. 

We were about an hour after opening and concerned the line would be long and slow. As we approached the pyramid entrance we saw a vast line snaking up to the door. With museum passes in hand, we approached the head of the line to inquire if they would shorten our wait. Like a magic wand, the pass bewitched the attendant. He opened the door and we were in without a missed step. Once inside Jeff and I put in our EarPods, switched on the Rick Steves Louvre tour and were led through history, from the ancient Greeks, through the Romans, dark ages, and Renaissance in France and Italy, Mona Lisa included. 

Two hours later we were back on the street and headed to the flat.  Lunch of bagettes, cheese and soup and Jeff, Jackie, Sally and I were headed for the Picasso Museum. Andy and Tabitha did laundry and rested for their tour of the Eiffel Tower tonight.  A couple hours with the demented, brilliant man and we were ready to leave.

Back at the flat, Jeff and Jackie wanted to rest for the rest of the afternoon. Sally and I decided to take our bikes out in the city, especially after our bike tour experience of the night before. We rode to the Gare de Lyon train station via the Bastille Monument and found it a much better route the the one I had tried this morning. We rode to the Notre Dame and rested on the park benches at the back, where we discovered free Internet service provided by the city. It was faster than my 3G service, but not by much. 

For dinner, I cooked noodle and carrot soup, following Jackie's instructions. It was a great dinner. Afterwards, I went down to the courtyard to work on my bike. My rear tire is out of round. As I roll down the road I "whomp, whomp, whomp". My bike was perfectly fine before I left home, and the only thing I changed was to let the air out of the tires for the flight and then inflate them again when we arrived. Somehow, they won't seat correctly to the rim to create a round wheel. After prying, inflating, massaging, coaxing and spinning, the tire still had a flat spot. It was now dark, so I returned to the flat to find Andy and Tabitha had returned from the Eiffel Tower and had somehow slipped by me. 

We compared experiences from the day, made plans for tomorrow and went to bed. The plan is to visit Notre Dame and the Pompidou Museum and then go out to dinner. 

Saturday, July 11-Paris, Again

Jackie is having a rough go of it. Her sinus infection has her suffering through each day. Yesterday she got into the hotel a little afternoon and slept the rest of the day. We had put our packs in their room when we left to get the bikes and return the cars and were not able to retrieve them until late evening when they awoke.  

This morning I rose, showered and walked to the palace to be in line by 8:45 am. Andy and Tabitha were to meet me there. I started texting them about 8:00 am, but was getting no response. About 8:20 am they responded, and I had concerns they would not make it on time. I had forgotten they were only. Five minute walk away. They joined me in line about 8:40 am. I had purchased six chocolate filled donut holes at a bakery we passed. We munched on them while we waited for the palace to open. We were in nearly the same position in line today as we were yesterday, although the line behind us grew rapidly and soon was snaking up and down the courtyard. 

When the gates opened at 9:00 am, we briskly walked by all the introductory exhibits and wen straight to the chapel, where the Rick Steves audio tour begins. We had the place to ourselves. Well, in truth, we only had to share it with a few tens of people rather than hundreds. Andy and Tabitha really enjoyed the audio tour and the chance to take in the palace once again, as did I. 

At 10:10, I headed back to the hotel while Andy and Tabitha continued their tour of the grounds. Sally was up and packed. We moved the bike boxes (remember those-the cause of much consternation) and our panniers to the lobby. I unlocked the bikes from the courtyard, attached the panniers and prepared the bikes for the ride to the station. Jeff and Jackie arrived on time. They graciously lugged our boxes the three blocks to the train station where we boarded the Paris bound train. 

In Paris, we exited the trains into the subway tubes, then carried them up a few flights of stairs and through a access gate to reach the surface streets. Not a terrible ordeal, but not convenient either. It was about half a mile to our next AirB&B and we were soon there. 

Oliver, the host at this B&B was a little lax in his communication and had us scrambling last night to make connections to get in. His address is not on his information sheet that is given out where your registration is accepted. We were relying on him to get it to us, as well as a description of how to get the key. Late yesterday afternoon we finally received a long text, from Ecuador, where he currently resides, with the details. Everything was in order, and we were able to access the room easily. 

This room is on the top floor, 101 steps up, on the island behind the Notre Dame, Isl de St. Louis.  It is a single room with a bathroom in the corner. On top of the barroom is a loft with a mattress. It has a nice kitchen area and two large windows looking out over the street. When Andy and Tabitha arrived from Versailles I leaned way out those windows to watch them approach. At street level is a large wooded door that allows small cars to access the inner  courtyard. A door within the right hand door is for people access. We were given a code, which worked well and let us in. 

Once in the flat, we established territories in the open room, then headed to the out for a quick look around. Jeff and Jackie stayed to rest. Sally and I walked up to the Norte Dame and out to a store for some groceries.  When we returned we found Jeff and Jackie in the line for what Rick Steves calls the best ice cream in Paris. The shoppe is directly below our flat. We each had our choice of flavor and agree it was good, but not worth the 30-45 minute wait the line caused. 

Andy and Tabitha arrived about 4:00 pm on foot, having just ridden the train from Versailles. We chatted for a few minutes, had a bite to eat and then took the metro across town to Fat Tire Bike Tours near the base of the Eiffel Tower. 

The tour lasted for 7:00pm until 11:00 pm. We had a blast. Our guide was 26 year old Alan from Venezuela. He was full of energy and fun. First thing, rode across town back the ice cream shop below our flat, stopping at the Notre Dame on the way for a quick lesson on Disney's history of the cathedral, with a nod to some guy named Victor Hugo. He had a humorous take about each landmark, although mostly we just rode. I spent some time riding with him at the front and found him an interesting kid. He has a masters in communications and is attending school in France. He has only vermin Paris for six months but has built a good circle of friends around the other kids at the bike tour company. The esprit de corps is like that of a summer camp. 

 Jackie suffered on the ride. Her sinus infection really set her back. We took the metro back to our flat and got to bed about 12:30 am. 

Friday, July 10-Wealth and Power

What a shame. Honfluer is gorgeous. Quaint. Charming. Inviting. A place to hang for a few days and relax. Our B&B was super funky cool. Super comfortable. Four floors above the  picturesque streets of Honfluer. A cross between a road house, galleon and a loft. Taken together, town and flat, a great place to spend a couple days. How unfortunate for us. 

We needed to be in Versailles at 8:30 am in the morning to tour the palace. Versailles is 2 & 1/2 hour away. Before we slept last night we set our alarms for 5:00 am and agreed to be on the street with our bags by 6:15 am. 

The contrast between Honfluer at 4:00 pm in the afternoon and 6:00 am in the morning is remarkable. Where once we feared to drive due to masses of people we now cruised quickly in deserted streets. We loaded up our cars and headed south. We met a little Friday morning rush hour traffic in the outskirts of Versailles, yet we still made it to the automobile parking lot at the Palace by 8:25 am. Although the palace opened at 9:00 am, a sizable line of a few hundred people had already formed. We locked the cars and joined in the line. 

Jeff and Jackie did not find the palace interesting, whereas Andy, Tabitha, Sally and I found it spellbinding. It's place in history, the craftsmanship, painted ceilings, sculptures, architecture and the display of wealth and power are fascinating. Jeff, Jackie, Sally and I did a quick tour while Andy and Tabitha took their time. I listened to Rick Steves tour of Versailles as we walked through the rooms. We exited to the gardens and did a quick walk down to the Apollo Fountain and back. Whereas most recommend a full day to tour Versailles, we only spent three hours. 

Jackie has been suffering from a sinus infection since she landed. We hoped we could check into our hotel early and get her to bed. We also had our bikes waiting for us at Anne's B&B that we had promised to pick at 1:00 pm. We left Versailles at 12:00 pm. I circled the hotel in our Renault while Sally, Jackie and Jeff inquired in the hotel. They had J & J's room ready, so they set up camp and housed our luggage. Sally and I GPS'ed ourselves to Anne's to pick up the bikes. Luckily, the Renault we rented was a wagon. By simply removing the pedals and turning the handlebars 90° I was able to get both bikes and the boxes In one load. 

I parked the car up on the sidewalk outside the hotel and reassembled the bikes, then rolled them into the courtyard and locked them to the railing. The boxes and our saddlebags of gear we carried to our room. 

We knew Jackie and Jeff would sleep the afternoon away. I had another task in front of me. I arranged to meet Andy at 2:45 pm to return our rental cars at the nearby Avis at the train station. I texted Andy at 2:30. He was just walking from Versailles to the parking lot. I pulled into a loading zone and waited for Andy to find his car and approach the exit gate of the lot. He texted he was just about to the gate, so I spun around and timed it perfectly. He pulled in right behind me and we began our journey to their hotel then to fill the cars with diesel before returning them to the agency. 

At Avis we had an issue to resolve. Andy's Fiat picked up a rock ding in the windshield out in the Normandy area which progressed into a full running crack across the screen. We figured this was going to be expensive as we did not buy the optional insurance. 

The agent was a young man in his late 20"s with a quick smile and good sense of humor. We joked and poked fun at inferior Italian cars while he figures out the financial damages. €199. Amazingly cheap!  Andy's credit card covers such damage so it did not add to our bill. 

Andy, Tabitha and I walked to our hotel, about half a mile. We chatted with Sally in the lobby for a few minutes before Andy and Tabitha continued their walk over to their POSH hotel on the border of the Versailles Palace grounds. 

After Sally and I sorted our gear we walked out to look for food and do a little strolling. Next, we hopped on our bikes and rode across town to see Andy's digs. Super nice. Two balconies, one out the bathroom, one out the bedroom. 

We returned across town and planned our escape by train to Paris the next day. We hoped to catch a train about 11:30 am. The walk to the train station was only about three block, so an 11:00 am rendezvous with Jackie and Jeff in the lobby seemed perfect. I also made plans to go through the palace again with Andy and Tabitha in the morning. They had used the palace audio tour today and wanted to hear the Rick Steves version after I described it to them. They also wanted more time to soak in the ostentatious surroundings, as did I. I worked on my blog before falling asleep.