"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake"

We take the RER from St Michel to Versailles.

Like London and Rome, the transportation systems are intertwined. The metro/underground will take you to the train you need to take. The trick, of course, is to know what train to take and, therefore, what station you need to be at when the train leaves.

Today, the St Michel station serves both the RER and the Metro. In London, it is stairs. In Paris, it is walking and stairs. Paris Metro makes sense and is logical. Know where you are going and you can get there. The Paris systems run parallel to each other. In London, they are on top of each other.

So, you can have a quarter mile walk to connect to your next train. That is unusual but it can happen. The hike will always involve stairs - up and down. There is always some poor woman with a large, large suitcase trying to pull it up the stairs. I say "woman" because that I saw the most. I cannot think of a reason.

People do offer to help and occasionally it is accepted.

The RER trains are comfortable and do become crowded during peak hours. We leave about 10 AM so we avoid the morning commute. Versailles lies in Zone 4 so separate tickets are required. The automated ticket machines are easy to use. Pick a language and follow instructions. Credit Cards are accepted and recommended. The machines do not always give change.

But - a strong "but" - you have to know your pin number. Europe has had chip cards for years. A European credit card user will either use his pin or in some cases, swipe their card - think Apple pay ,but better and smoother. Only, US cards require signature.

You can speak prefect French, but your credit card will give you away every time.

The problem is that in most cases, your credit card company will not give you the pin for security reasons. Hint: if all else fails, what last 4 digits follow you everywhere you go.

The trip to Versailles is visually more pleasant than the train to Charles De Gaulle Airport. You pass the Eiffel Tower and run parallel to the Seine. The city becomes modern with corporate architecture and residential multi-story buildings. The new "downtown" Paris with high rises is on the horizon to your right.

As you leave the city, the homes become more suburb and middle class. They are charming with a splash of new thrown in.

Versailles is the end of the this line (you want the stop Chateau De Versailles - yep, there are a number of Versailles stops along the way.

We quickly join the flow. When in doubt when a tourist trying to find the attraction, follow the crowds. Only a very slight chance that there is a cliff.

From the station to the gates of Versailles is most likely 800 yards. The main street is offices and souvenir shops and eateries. Turn right at the corner, there is Versailles flanked on both sides by late 1700s buildings.

Versailles is a huge complex of buildings. You follow the signs. The French do not give quarter - Most other countries which attract tourists have their language on the top and English below - the French give no quarter. It is in French - deal with it.

It is really impossible to understand the size of Versailles because you do not see the entire complex. It is expensive to restore and I am sure the stables/kitchens are high on the list of most tourists. (although we saw the Royals Mews (stables in London and Henry VIII kitchens at Hampton Hill).

It is crowded. There are French school groups and a few "flag" groups. Versailles, like most of the French historical sites, are really recreation. The period of 1790 to 1880 was not kind to the preservation of the contents of these great buildings and homes.

So the furniture, paintings, wall coverings and sculptures are not originals, often on loan. The furniture gives you a feeling of the opulence of the period. But, the furnishings do not really do justices to the rooms.
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The "Hall of Mirrors" is impressive. It is smaller than you than expect. The great hall in the Louvre is more impressive in length and height. Compared to a visit the Lamps Plus, the "Hall" is tame .When you remember that mirrors were still rare and expensive in 1700 and these are floor to ceiling.
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It is the history that takes hold. You can sense how these buildings and this hall must have overwhelmed. What can advantage that Louis had when dealing with friends and enemies. Anything was possible for a man who could have this.

The French never lost a war. Or, at least, they never documented any. As you pass into a huge hall with vast paintings of military history (victories), you notice that the early kings were military men. The early kings lead from the front. As the centuries, the kings lead at the end of the conflict. At the end, the generals win the battle.

What surprised me was that Napoleon is so prominent at Versailles . His victories and carination are well advertised. Napoleon did begin the restoration of Versailles and Napoleon is definitely a national hero.

Two distinctly different perspective of Napoleon. The British and French. Greatness is not necessary resolved with time.

Our lunch was at Angelina's. Angelina's is famous for their deserts. Baguettes and desert and an opportunity to sit down. When you visit Versailles plan to stand and walk a great deal. I cannot imagine how crowded and difficult it is too move around in the height of tourist season.

The Queen's chamber are closed. The apartments of two of Louis' spinster daughters are open. If you want a strange and sad story, I would read about Louise and Sophie. To be princesses is not fun.

Finally, we walk the Gardens at Versailles. The gardens live up to their reputation. Size does not describe them. Even on a somewhat cold and windy day, they are beautiful and splendid.

We walk. John leads. We seek the small palace that Louis XVI built in the Gardens for a homesick Marie Antoinette. Styled as an Austrian country home, the retreat is neither small or rustic. Louis built a small Austrian village near by to help Marie feel more comfortable during the transition to the queen of France. And, you thought Walt Disney thought of that first.

We walk the gardens which mover from formal to informal to managed wild. There is crafted "ruin" with water and a trail which apparently leads nowhere since we all get lost.

It is the end of the day, we take our final walk and discover that a portion of the gardens are still part of the real world. There is a park which most likely is adjacent to the Gardens but for practical purposes of the experience. We walk by parents following their kids. Ladies walking small dogs. Men running. They say "bonjour". No tourist would be here.

People live in those buildings. Versailles is obviously upper middle class. People do People things even when the view from the kitchen window is a Palace.

We are home. I fall asleep after a short meal. Kids wake me up at about 10:30 to go for Falafel and Nutella filled crepes.

"I see a beatiful city and brillant people.."

Paris is alive and well. The streets are full. The cafes are full. People still sit outside and sip coffee. The French still cluster in groups. People do not shun non-French. There are not armed soldiers at every corner. The metro and train stations are not armed camps.

There is security. The media has it wrong. Media makes the interviews fit the agenda - higher ratings. The French and the English are living their lives and enjoying.

We begin the morning with croissants and baguette and cheese. The apartment has an old fashion metal coffee percolator. I cross my fingers and hope I remember making coffee for my mom and dad over 50 years ago.

It works but the coffee is not great. It is very strong and flavor is flat.

We have decided on our order of sightseeing. It is regulated by the four day Paris Museum Pass. The Pass allows entry into all the major museums and allows for fast entry. The lines even in spring can be extended so it is an advantage. The Pass is a great idea and recommended. But, the Pass begins at the first hour of use and ends 24,48,72 or 96 hours. You need to plan to attend the sites within the allowed time frame.

Versailles is on the list, but it is a full day excursion. The Louvre, D'Orsay, Norte Dame and multiple museums are also on the list. The good news is that we discover that we have sun light until 8:30 which gives us time. The museums are open to 18:00 (6 PM) so we can cover a lot of ground.

Tuesday is Norte Dame and the D'Orsay as the targets. Last visit to Paris, Betty and I did not go into the church. The line was long (the church is free) and we knew that we would see a ton of churches so we walked around and discovered a great little garden at the rear of the church.

This time we enter the Church. I am glad we do. It is both what I expected and more. It is a working church and you can imagine the history that has occurred. You can see the damages of riots and revolutions on the walls. Like most of the French historical monuments, you are looking at facsimiles. The furniture and paintings are reproductions. The best guess. At Norte Dame, the paintings date from 1870s.

I can understand why Norte Dame was a target. It lies on the island in the middle of Seine which was the heart of French Government. It would have been the most visible of the two headed monster that consumed their labor without contribution. The church took tithes and the state taxes.

In 1790, the towers of Norte Dame would have dominated the Paris skyline. Paris is a new city. Damaged by riots, mobs and multiple revolutions over a hundred years (1790-1871), Paris is the original urban renewal project. Wide boulevards are to allow swift movement of troops into and around the city. Frame structures were replaced with up scale housing and to reduce the city's exposure to fire.

It is about a 40 minute walk around. We leave. We avoid the line of tourists waiting in line to claim to the top of one of the bell towers.

I am confident that Betty will want to see her garden again. This time it will be spring. The park is beautiful. Flowers are planted and in bloom. The trees are in bud and some are flowering.

We cross the bridge of lovers (Pont des Arts) - the bridge that was covered with locks. Lovers have over the last few years expressed their devotion by locking these locks on the bridge.

Last year, the bridge was covered. This year the bridge is being repaired due to the damage resulting from the excise weight of hundreds of thousands of metal locks attached to the bridge.

As the day before with Caroline, Betty and I take John and Angela to Shakespeare & Co.. I do not think they see what we see. It is a small, cramped bookstore. It is crowded with tourists. I can understand, but it is still our place. I think every visitor develops an infinity for certain places. Those places become their own. In Rome, it is the Spanish Steps.

When we return to those cities, we stop for coffee or glass of wine. Regardless, that these sites are shared with thousands. It is quietly ours. It changes. But, still yours.

We take the RER to D'Orsay Museum. You can purchase a five day pass for the Paris Transportation system which includes the metro (subway) and RER (think metro train). The pass is sold by Zone 1,2,3,4 ... Almost all the tourist locations are within Zone 3. Versailles is in Zone 4. You buy a separate ticket.

It is a small paper ticket about the size of movie ticket. It is easy to loss. In London, their pass card is plastic credit card; rechargeable: excess is refundable and more universal on their transportation system.

We have lunch in the Cafe' Campana as we did last year. The food is good. The environment is excellent. The restaurant is on the same floor of the majority of the Impressionists. One of our favorite places. It is familiar and not formal. You can pay your bill and wander within feet to Monet.

We separate. I wonder off. The exhibits are crowded with school groups. There are more Monet this year I am starting to appreciate Sisley.

I am tired. I visit Van Gogh. An old friend, but he has a lot of visitors. The "flag" groups have arrived.

I venture further into the museum to non-Impressionists. Impressionism was revolutionary. A huge jump in the execution of art. It was a revolt against the existing styles. As you investigate the various halls, it is evident.

I move into the Tissot (1836-1902) exhibit. On the front wall, there is a large painting of well dressed men sitting in a garden. There is a plaque on the wall describing who the attendees of this meeting of luminaries in the French government are.

Number 7 is a far distant relative and a Baron no less. My energy levels spike. I am running around the museum to find the kids and Betty to show them the painting. They think it is cool. But, not as much, as I do.

It is late afternoon but still time to see more. John leads us in the direction of the Hotel de Invalides and Napoleon's Tomb. It is a much longer walk than we thought.


We accidently walk past Rodin's Museum. Betty has missed the museum twice over the years. It is karma. The museum will close in an hour. Betty leaves us to go

We walk about another mile. This time there are soldiers at the gates to inspect bags. The building  is baroque and therefore, gaudy. I am not a fan of Rococo ( quick, do a google search)

But, it is interesting. Napoleon is glorified in statutes and paintings. His victories are in stone. I believe I have been told that Napoleon's body is deep within seven tombs. Not only to protect the body, but also to make sure he stays where they put him.


We walk over to the military museum. It is late and closing time. John and Angela say they will return (they do). I just want to sit down and go home.

Betty calls. The Rodin Museum has closed. It is a great museum. Betty is sitting at a café waiting for us. A short walk to the Metro and we are home.

"It's too real and too beautful to ever let you forget anything"

It is Monday.

Paris begins to be a working city again. I take my morning stroll to orientate myself. Where am I?

Cities have a character to themselves. A few moments in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, you know where you are. You feel Paris. The sounds are European. The car have horns frequently used and the motorbikes have a unique sound. The emergency vehicles have the sound so familiar to movie fans.

Paris sounds are great. I have to admit that I have fallen in love with Paris. I was apprehensive about Paris and Parisians on this trip. Our previous visit was enjoyable and friendly. We found that contrary to the urban legends the Parisians have no problem with people attempting to speak French and are more the quick and happy to speak English with you.

They are not angels. They will give a quick look if you are not quick on the uptake of when to put the credit card in the handheld credit verification machine. But, it is the same look you will see in any small or big city where you are not a local.

As it London, I cannot understand why "Uber" exists. Cabs are ubiquitous even in the rain. They are clean, uniform and metered. You do not tip (you do round up as in London). Most importantly, they are polite and knowledgeable about their city. Metro is less expensive than London (wow) but for a group over 3, taxi is definitely affordable and "door to door".

I discover that we are within the District 6. Picasso and Balzac is just down the street. We are on the Left Bank and the area quickly blends into the French Quarter.

As I walk I pass the cafes and find that we are on the opposite side of the Luxembourg. We stayed our last time in Paris within blocks of the same gardens. Our visit was in October. So, we have seen fall and now spring..

I walk quickly through the gardens. I want to save for later when we can all enjoy.

I walk to the Sorbonne and the Pantheon. The Sorbonne is a disappointment. It is very much an institutional school. It has no character or charm. After centuries of student riots and uprisings, the rulers of France intended blandness.

I circle back to the apartment. With the gang awake, Angela and I go shopping for lunch and breakfast. Angela handles the language. She enjoys. The two ladies at the boulangerie (bakery) are delightful. They have it down to a science. The younger lady takes the orders in a mixture of English and French (depends how much you try) and the older lady tallies on the register and collects the payment. Works great.

Deserts look great. They have Napoleons, but, of course, they are not called Napoleons so you point and gesture.

We take off for the day. A slow walk in the late morning. It is cool, but not quite the chilling cold of London. As we walk to the park, rain begins to look more and more likely.

The trees are not quite in bud. The flowers are planted and the ground is green. We stop at a café in the park. Always expensive, but always a memory.

(comment: the euro on this trip is about 1.12 to the US dollar, on the last trip, the euro was @ 1.27 so it is noticeable. Advice: when traveling, it does make a difference to use credit cards which do not have foreign currency charge (1%-3%) and debit cards which reimburse for ATM fees and currency)

We stop by the men playing Boules (Petanque). We play Bocce in Arizona. Same game, but different in style and execution. Boules takes experience to even play, Bocce is friendlier to beginners.d

It pours. We have forgotten umbrellas. A word on English and French weather forecasting - you would think that with 5,000 miles of ocean in front of them that they can see storms or cold fronts accurately.

We stay medium dry/medium wet under a roof where men are playing chess. As the rain turns to shower, we look for the Pantheon and lunch. John and Angela pick a crepe restaurant within a block of the Pantheon.

I have an omelet. Everyone else has various types of crepes.

Eighteen months ago, we never saw "crepes" or "cheeseburger" in Paris. No, the food is everywhere. Waffles also. Crepes are especially the "food". It is the "street food". Available, almost anytime but breakfast. The filling of choice is Nutella. But, everything is everything.

We walk to the Church of Saint-Sulpice. John and Angela go in. Caroline, Betty and I take photos. We separate. The three of us walk to The Shakespeare & Co.. Betty and I want to show Caroline. We want to revisit a new old friend.

It has changed. They have added to the right with the acquisition of the building to the right. It is small. There is now a coffee shop at the end of the building. Things have to change.

Strangely. it is crowded by tourists. It has always been tourists, but tourists who knew who Hemingway, Pound, Fitzgerald, Ford and Elliot were. These tourists have to ask and then wonder "who".

The coffee shop fits in. Young people trying make a living. The coffee and tea are tasty and we share a piece of cake.

It is a second date with a girl who will be a good friend, but not the girl of your dreams.

Back to the apartment for a dinner of bread, cheese and wine. No TV. I was looking forward to watching French TV.

Tomorrow. Musee D'Orsay.

"Obviously. you're telling the truth, for why would you invent such a ridiculous Story?"

Okay, backwards. We begin at the end of the day.

We finished Sunday night in Paris at a restaurant called Chez Fernand, 9 Rue Christine. I mention the address that some day you may go and some day we may return.

We had cheese and wine about 5 PM and took naps. We assume that supper on Sunday is as late as Saturday. We have no reservations. So Caroline and Angela google YELP ( you realize that 15 years ago that verb and objective would have made no sense to anyone).

Down the street is Chez (House) Fernand, at 10:30 we are dressed in our travel clothes and walking about 400 yards to Chez. In the middle of a side street off Rue De Dauphin, the restaurant's sign proclaims it is open.

With no reservations, we enter slowly. There are tables. More importantly, there are people at tables eating and drinking. Not crowded, the guests seem content and enjoying themselves.

There is a table for five and the waitress sits us promptly with friendliness. Eating is a good time and the staff seem to enjoy a good time. There are two staff - a waitress and waiter. The waiter is the showman and the waitress is the straight man. "Sit, Enjoy" "English, American" "Fantastic".

"Menus!" Of course, here is the French for you "Monsieur". The table with 12 people has the English menus. Mademoiselle, your French is excellent." "Madame, you must speak French."

The banter is quick and jovial. It is inclusive.

The wine list arrives. The prices are not bad. The wine is practical and the vintages newer. Most wines are made to be drunk within five years of vintage even French wines. Betty's wants a glass of white. She orders a Sauvignon Blanc. Caroline joins her. I order two glasses of 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape ( I know name dropping - but, honestly, I want to try a southern Rhone to compare to Paso Robles Rhones).

What a friendly atmosphere! We order. Caroline, Angela and John order the Beef Bourguignon. Betty orders the Bass. I order the appetizer of pate foie gras for my supper. I am confident that Caroline will share her Beef with me later.

I order the Pate because it is now difficult to order in the states. I get a whole slice which is a lot of pate for one person. The slice of toast quickly is used up transfer to bread. I had expected to share. Pate is not a favorite among the family members. I enjoy it. It is too much.

The Beef Bourguignon is an all time favorite - it will never be better.

More wine is ordered. This time a chafe of the red and two glasses of the white.

The servers continue to interact and the service is excellent. The kitchen is efficient. There are two other tables - one with fourteen people and another with six. Food comes just when you are ready for it - after a few sips of wine, the appetizers of pate and onion soup (yes, Virginia there is French Onion soup in France).

We have coffee and share a desert of cherries and ice cream. We are so content and so happy. For all this happiness, the bill is extremely reasonable.

Now the beginning the beginning of the day.

The Eiffel Tower is a short metro ride from our apartment. We are in District 6 with the residence where Pablo Picasso painted and Balzac wrote  just down the street. We are within walking distance of St Michel, Norte Dame and the Left Bank. The Sorbonne and Pantheon are within blocks.

We have reservations for 2 PM. We arrive early - way too early - my fault. I have tales of the long lines and I am very unsure of the process. The weather is blustery and in the 50's. The sun appears irregular and provides light but no warmth. We are not dressed for the chill. We relied on the damn Yahoo weather forecast and false sunshine.

We wait at the bottom. I check boldly and am told that 14:00 means 14:00(2 PM). In any language, politely we have told to "wait". Nothing to do but be cold. Caroline mentions that when she was here last - high school junior year - that the area under the tower was full. It is Sunday, but it is also early April. The majority of tourist are French. We discover that the English, Americans and Asian tours arrive later in the week.

The reservations do work. It is always nervous ordering on line the first time. I ordered the tickets about 2 months ago and have only pieces of paper to confirm my expenditure. Fear is constant. Did I get the date right? Hell, did I get the year right? Did I ? A lot? A little?

Answers are "YES". The reservations are worth the price. The line for tickets is long. We allowed in quickly to the elevator to the second level. The view is spectacular. Photos are panoramic. We wait in line for the summit. I had to buy tickets to the summit to have tickets to the second level.

It is cold and uncomfortable. The Tower was built by businessman and engineer, Mr. Eiffel. The structure was to be torn down after the World Fair of  1900. It was then and is now an attraction to all tourists. Judging from the number of French tourists and school children, it is the place to visit on a Sunday.

The views at both levels are fantastic. I am surprised that we all go to the summit. The line is efficient and moves quickly. But, it still takes about 25 minutes to get to one of the six elevators that take you to the summit. It is a Disney type line, you think you are making progress when the progress is not as great as you think. It is good on the morale. It is the wind that chills you. The tower is 1,031 feet high so the wind is an issue even on a less blustery day.

Coming down, Caroline and Betty take the tram elevator. John, Angela and I walk down to the first level and then take the tram elevator to the ground.

We walk to the REF station. On our last trip to Paris, Betty and I used the Metro system. The Varin station was just around the corner. We learnt this time is that the Paris Metro system is very integrated. Since we are closest to St. Michel and are traveling most of the time parallel to the Seine River, it is the REF (more of a regional type train - think, the Metro train from Chicago to Mt. Prospect).

Same ticket. Suggestion. If staying more than 3 days, buy the passes. It most likely is "break even" on cost, but the convenience makes it a good idea.

Monday - rain and Luxembourg Park.

April in Paris

I know ... I know .... I know I have jumped way ahead.

I will get back to London in the next few blogs. Briefly, we visited the British Museum; the Tower of London; the Crown Jewels; rode down the Thames; the British Library, the Royal Mews, the making of Harry Potter; saw a musical play on the West End; the National Gallery again (with expresso and mocha - but no commentary); Buckingham Place for full hour changing of the Guard; ate Ramen, Pizza and greatest cheeseburger alive; rode the Underground extensively and took the Chunnel to Paris. I should also mention back to Covent Garden and about 14 miles of walking in one day.

That is Wednesday through Friday. And on Saturday we rested and travelled to Paris.

So I have a lot to tell. But, not right now.

We are in Paris. We arrived this Saturday afternoon via the Chunnel. Okay, it is cool to travel under the channel. Italian trains have these trains (the return trip to London was much better) beat on cleanliness, comfort. They were just cool. Italian seats have a table between them so you can talk to your party: the seats can face forwards or backwards and the Italian trains have in the middle a elevated digital sign informing you the speed of the train. It simply is no fun to be going a 160-180 miles an hour if you do know you are going 160-180 mph.

Security at St Pancras station is airport tight. I was pulled out for inspection and check for explosive residue. It took about 10 minutes. The young lady was very polite and I was very polite. Politeness is a good thing in a security area.

I do have a recommendation. I noted too late that in London and Paris ATM ask if you want Euros or Pounds. I now know why. Before boarding the train/plane, you obtain the monies appropriate at your destination. I know "simple" "makes sense". You're ahead of me right. Yes, that was me walking in front of the Gard de Nord trying to find an ATM for cash to pay for the cab ride to the apartment.

The apartment is great. It is small as you expect. It is on the fourth floor which is actually five floors up. It is a challenge. There is an efficient elevator (again, small - one person, maybe two)which helps.

The apartment is laid out on two floors with the kitchen and living area at the top of the building. The view over the roof tops is Norte Dame central right from the windows and the rest of Paris before you.

The adventure is that the single bathroom is on the level below with a rail-less narrow stairway as the ingress and regress. Further complication is that this bottom level also has the larger bedroom and entry so more narrow steps to climb and descend - but, at least, it is a short narrow stairwell so if you fall you will bounce off the walls on the way down breaking your fall and limiting injury to head and shoulders.

It is worth it. In the "Movable Feast", Hemingway's apartment was on the top floor. I am inspired.

As is my custom (see already I sound literate), I take a walk to familiarize myself with area. I find Les Deux Magots ("Two Chinese Men") and Café de Flore within a 5 minute walk on the Blvd St Germain. Obviously, tourist populated. Rick Steves says so. But, you are never sure if or when you may return. The tables are inviting. You have to sit somewhere and have a drink - why not here. The people are interesting and it is Paris.

It is 21:30 or 9:30 PM. It is time for supper. Honest, the restaurants are full and lines are outside waiting for their reservation. Some of this is that it is Saturday night.

Caroline leads to Moutarde Street Burger. First the English, now the French. Both attempts at the American Classic are excellent. The American gourmet burgers chains in USA should be embarrassed. The burgers have great size, taste and well prepared. When you say medium, you get medium.

The buns and toppings are exceptionally. They enhance the burger, not overwhelm because they are free.

It is the fries. Again, you would think. Come on, guys -you buy the potatoes, cut the potatoes and you fry the potatoes. Yet, the French, particularly, and the English do it better. They are crunchy. Well, not exactly crunchy, but close. The English fries (chips) hold up to mayo, salt. malt vinegar and ketchup. The French are just great. Yes, there is Heinz Ketchup on the table.

The waiter is very cute and he lived in Victorville, CA for eighteen months on a student exchange. I apologize for Victorville. He says he enjoyed his stay.

It is close to midnight by the time we leave and stroll back to the apartment. Crepes are the constant for the street vendors. Street vendors occupy small ""off the street stores". Long and narrow, they are walk-ins. The food is popular fare - this year it is crepes.

The kids order Nutella filled crepes and enjoy. Betty and I head home. The kids spend a little more time walking.

It is Saturday. Tomorrow the Eiffel Tower.

"I ain't dirty! I washed my face and hands before I come. I did"

It is Tuesday.

This may be the best weather of the week. London cold is blustery and chills. The cold reminds me of the cold you experience in San Francisco. The temperature is in the mid 50s but somehow you are not comfortable. When the sun infrequently shines, it does help. I am learning to never leave without an umbrella.

Natalie returned to University this morning. We are now five.

Today is our first real excursion using the Underground. The kids have it down - well almost - some consultation is still need. Leaving from Notting Hill Gate Station (literally, around the corner), we take the train to Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey is within the core of tourist London. There are a great many tourists - both local and foreign - and school children. I have not seen the large tour groups with the guide holding a flag as their charges follow behind. I am surprised. Perhaps, the language barrier does not exist. The largest "flag groups" tend to be Asian and English is a language that is familiar to them.

The Abbey is a Gothic style church with flying buttresses, long narrow main aisle and in the shape of a cross. Construction on the present church begin in 1245. The complex of buildings encompassed within the grounds is huge and, like St Peter's in Rome, still very much an active church (tour entrance ends at 3:30 everyday for services) and an educational institution.

As a point of reference, the church is across the bridge from Parliament, next to St Margaret's Church (the church of Parliament), across the street from the large Methodist church and within the government buildings (including 10 Downing Street) complex.

Poets' Corner is fascinating. Some of the literary stars you expect. Some you do not. Americans have their memorials - Longfellow and Henry James. The honorees of Poets Corner are both entombed or have memorial plaques.

Most appropriate is that the ashes of Sir Laurence Olivier are buried beneath Shakespeare's Memorial.

Of course, the history of the Anglo Saxon, Plantagenet and Tudors is clustered together in tombs of the Lady's Chapel. Queen Elizabeth l lies with Queen Mary of Scots. Now, think about that heavenly conversation for an eternity.

All this is narrated by Jeremy Irons. The Abbey has a free hand held audio system that works and makes sense. Jeremy Irons makes it so British.

I think whenever the British government needed a few pounds sterling they allowed another memorial to a forgotten admiral, general or British citizen. If you think Aunt Betsy's house was cluttered, Westminster has a thousand more meaningless statutes.

After lunch, we decide on the Churchill's War Room. The sun is out. It is breezy and chilly. It is within walking distant of the Abbey and 10 Downing Street. The exhibit is exceptional. Again, the audio handheld system is free and excellent.

I am struck on the complexity of Churchill. He was adamant in his fear of communism decades before his "Iron Curtain" speech. I am not sure he believed in democracy. But, he feared mob rule. My thought is that Churchill believed in democracy as long as the righteousness of  the aristocracy ruled. Churchill, therefore, was confident of his own superiority even when others did not observe it.

As with heroes, it is his faults in that time of stress that alters history. Ego becomes boldness. Narcissistic behavior becomes assurance.

The exhibit is a great blend of recreated rooms within the bunker that Churchill and the government existed from 1940 to August 1945. There are audio/video and interviews with people who lived in these quarters underground for weeks at a time. Smoke filled rooms, no sun light (they had one hour with a sun lamp once a week), twelve hour shifts, dorm living with no privacy sleeping on basically cots. (Churchill and his secretaries quarters were small, but much better, Churchill had his own chef.) The interviews tell the story. No medals. At the end of year, the women lost their clearance and had to accept that they did nothing.

This is a must - see exhibit.

Leaving the War Room, we walk to The National Gallery. It is 4:30 PM and the Museum closes at six. We split up. Fortunately, the Gallery is on the 2nd floor - a big , long second floor. Of course, Caroline and I go directly to the cafe for a cookie (dodger), mocha and expresso. The barista is Italian. We enjoy and then begin our tour of the 2nd floor. We search out Turner, Renoir, Monet, Manet, Seurat, Michelangelo, Rubens, Constable and Rembrandt. We accomplish all this and still have time to sit and discuss our opinions of Impressionists.

As they close the door, we are on our way to Covent Gardens. A short walk, we outdoor are at a large outdoor mall at the former Vegetable and Fruit Market. Street performers are excellent and the crowd immense. The evening is just beginning. There are families, couples, older and youths.

Finally, we are on the Underground and on our home. It is getting dark.

"Because My Face Fell Off"

Our First Full Day Touring. It is Monday.

Yesterday we walked through Kensington Garden and Hyde Park to Piccadilly Circus. Several of us have Fitbits so the constant refrain is "how many steps". We exceeded over eleven miles. We finished the day with excellent Fish and Chips at a local shop.

Classic British "Fish and Chips" menu offers various fish fillets. The most common are Cod and Haddock. Preparation is a single fresh fillet lightly battered in front of the customer and then deep fried. The fish fillet is offered in three sizes - small, regular and large. Depending on your appetite, the portions will satisfy your appetite. The "chips" are thicker cut fresh potatoes. They are also deep fried as ordered. The Fish and Chips are then heavily sprinkled with malt vinegar and salt.

As with all foods, there are purveyors and excellent purveyors. The Fish House in Notting Hill is excellent. The owner and his key man understand that even with "takeaway" the experience is enhanced with interaction (friendly conversation) with the customer. In short, a worthy adventure.

Today, I hailed a black cab. Well, not quite black. Under the advertising stencil, it was black. Black cab driver are professional and they use a professional tool - their cab. They know every street and the best method to arrive. These are .not the "mad bombers" of New York. The drivers are quick and efficient. The meter runs. There is no waste. If you are a group of four or more, take the black cab.

The cabs are constructed to be cabs - not modified. They are uniform. They are very well maintained. They are designed to easily handle four to five riders. Ingress and regress is quick and comfortable. Because of the design of the doors and the roof of the passenger area which is slightly elevated, you literally walk into the cab. To add to the convenience, the backseat is set back and with two jumper seats in front and attached to the driver's section, there is abundant floor space.

Even when it rains and during peak hours, hailing a cab for six was easy and convenient. I cannot see why you need Uber in London.

Four of us walked to the Albert and Victoria Museum. .Betty and John took a cab. Still learning to navigate London, we had to begin with something relatively close. It was a great choice.

The Museum is a lot more than you are led to believe in the guide books. The museum works at being a museum. It is free and accessible. It is mixture of old and new architecture. It is not large. You are not overwhelmed. There is no "Got to See" item. Like the museums of Milan, the exhibits are interesting and in some cases, thought provoking.

I viewed the "Reimagining of Botticelli" exhibit. Not what I expected. The first portion of the exhibit was recent artists working with the images of Botticelli's "Birth of Venus". Initially, I was not impressed. Still not. I did see my first Warhol.

But, it was thought provoking. I have seen the original. It is impressive and inspiring. The modern adaptations are clumsy and self absorbed. What I learnt is that in attempting to change the medium of the art, present artists are emotionally and intellectually bland.

The second portion of the exhibit presented several attributed Botticelli and paintings by his workshop. You can quickly see the difference. The lines and the colors in a Botticelli are bright and lines confident.

What I learnt was that Botticelli was talented, but had the unfortunate luck to live in turbulent times. Dependent on commissions, he moved to the rhythm of the contrivances of the wealth of Florence.
First, the church, then the Medici and then the religious intolerance of the Savonarola (think Cromwell, Inquisition and Salem Witch hunting rolled together).

But, when he was good, he was very, very good.

We now have a routine. At the entrance, we go to our specific interests and meet again at designated time and place. With International cell service, coordination has become easy.

John has become our guide with Caroline and Angela our voice of what is reasonable. John is often twenty feet ahead with us straining over the multitudes to see our leader. An advantage of advancing age is that the kids become the decision makers. The pressure is off.

Our first stop after the Albert & Victoria Museum is an Indian Restaurant. I have never had Indian food and the guide books are adamant that London is the place.

We are a few blocks from Herrods and upscale. Haandi is a white tablecloth restaurant, but the clientele is strongly ethnic which is always a good sign. We sample from each other dish. The Naan bread and rice are outstanding. I had a lentil soup with cumin. Fortunately, Angela is familiar and helps us order.

After a very leisurely lunch, we investigate Herrods. Okay, why? The answer is because "you can". Betty mentions that it has changed from her last visit in her youth. It is a temple of consumerism. It has the Egyptian columns on the five story escalators to prove it.

Like the department stores we have seen throughout Europe, Herrods is a collection of boutique designers and brands within finely defined floor space. The merchandise is exceptional well landed out.

Yes, it is expensive. But not as bad as you might believe - it is high retail (no  20% sales here - no house brands). It is,after all, Burberry ,so $400 for a shirt is quite believable - I said
"believable "not reasonable. What makes it "eye popping" is the 20% Valued Added Tax (Sales Tax) included in the price (Ted Cruz's 10% VAT will not be popular).

We finished the day with a black cab ride to Westminster Abbey (closed at 3:30). We walk with a gathering storm past St Margaret's Church, walk across Westminster Bridge, a viewing of Parliament and the London Eye and, finally, a walk in the rain back across the bridge down to 10 Downing Street and to Trafalgar Square.

It is late and the museums are closing. Tomorrow.

We have arrived - The Beginning

Air France is still the reigning champion among the international airlines we have traveled.  Betty did a great job with Delta in an upgrade to "Comfort Plus". The location on the plane was great with more leg room. It is just the service. Air France has Delta beat by a mile and a half on service and quality of food and comfort. Delta flight was an older model Boeing refitted. Delta has entertainment screens in the seat in front of your seat. Air France has it in the your seat arm rest which pulls out. Much better arrangement. Easier to see and more private..

Delta's seat are the most uncomfortable of any airlines I have flown. I am older so I am boney in the butt. In general, airlines have gone out of their way to make air travel uncomfortable to force upgrades. But, when you upgrade and still get seats with flat cushions, it is discouraging.  Hey, I discovered a new handicap - boney backside.

The trip over was fine. It was a long journey. With connections and airport early arrivals, we were traveling about twenty hours.

I would not describe ourselves as experienced travelers. I would describe myself more as "moving up the curve". We, now, know not to exchange money at Travelex at the departing airport since ATMs at the arriving airport will be everywhere and much with lower fees and better exchange rates and to take taxis from the airport when possible.

Arriving after a long trip, you are unfamiliar with the location of your hotel or apartment and possibly the language. You are intimidated.  Travel books are great but they are not real. With the pressure on, simple questions like "which train", "which way", "what platform" "where to transfer - you quickly panic. All of the transportation options are expensive. There are five of us plus one (part of a party is with us for three days) and the expense quickly adds up.

London has one of the most expensive transportation systems in the world.

The advantage of taxis is that the price is metered and rate is set. Another advantage is that the driver knows where they are going - and in London, particularly, that is so helpful.

We piled into a very nice van taxi with our luggage (everyone of us has one carry on and backpack - travel light is the only way to go ). We give the driver our best guess an the address (advice: have the addresses readily available, not buried in the backpack). We sat back and watched.

We arrived within 45 minutes and the cost was substantially less than taking train and the Tube. More importantly, we did not get lost and were still talking civilly to each other. Nothing test friendship or relationship more than dragging luggage and backpacks on and off trains while getting lost.

The next best decision is that - this time - we bought an international phone plan. So we called the owner (after three attempts as to how to dial) and within 20 minutes we are touring the apartment. We are unpacked and deciding on a Pub.

Tomorrow will be the beginning.