The Amazing Maeve

I'm running out of pictures of Maeve so I decided that this post is dedicated to The Amazing Maeve!

First, some shots of us on our Saturday night Seine cruise.  What is it about the Eiffel Tower?  Why is it such a big deal?  It's sort of like the aptly named Paris Hilton - famous for just being famous but it doesn't actually DO anything noteworthy.

 Dinner on Saturday night was enhanced by a game of hang man.  Is it airplane or aeroplane??  

Culture clash!!

 Maeve eyes my meal with trepidation.  Don't worry, you don't need to eat the warm goat cheese salad.

Sunday morning good byes.  BOO HOO!!!!

 I think Maeve and I are twins separated at birth (and about 36 years apart).

It was very sad to see Ann and Maeve leave for Charles de Gaulle after a fun 48 hours in Paris.  Diane is in Ireland right now reading this with Maeve and Ann.  Hello from Eton!

PS George Clooney is NOT gay.

Carnies in Paris

If you thought Paris was all designer labels and wine snobs, guess again.  There are also carnies!!  A Fun Fair was set up on the grounds of the Louvre so we decided to go check it out.  It was the usual assortment of rides, games and sugary teeth-rotting food.  I didn't bother to find out if French cotton candy and fried dough is better than American - we'll just assume that it is.

 No one wanted to go on the death defying rides like the one where you end up hanging upside down in the air on the end of  along arm.  I don't know how those people are not vomiting into their plastic helmet hoods.  Instead we chose a nice, gentle ride that probably won't kill us if it malfunctioned - the carousel.  We did our best to make it exciting.

 The real action was at the shooting range.  Maeve really wanted to win a teddy bear.

In Europe, everyone thinks that all Americans own and shoot guns.  I used to think that was a silly generalization until I saw"Gunslinger" take down a row with bullets to spare!!

As soon as they saw that Annie Oakley was in town, they changed the Teddy Bear requirement so we would have to pay more than it was worth in bullets to even try to get it.  I guess carnies scam you no matter what country you're in.

Locks of Love

Our Paris hotel was ideally situated next to one of Ann's favorite stores so she and I hit the sale while Maeve and Diane stayed in the room catching up on 4 years of The Jen and Bill Experience.  Ann and I did very well for ourselves - please note the 50 - 70% off tags on everything!!

 Next stop - The Musee D'Orsay.  Here we are in line - Maeve and I are sporting our new haberdashery from  yesterday's trip to Galerie Lafayette.

 Across from the museum was one of several bridges covered in locks.  Of course we had to make our mark.  We bought three matching blue locks and each of us wrote our own little message and dates.

 I didn't have room to write TLA or 4-EVA.  Bill and I are locked together forever on Pont Leopold Sedar Senghor.

 It was not as easy to get the lock on as you would think - perhaps because we bought the smallest (least expensive) locks we could find.   The guys selling Eiffel Towers really need to all transition to selling locks on the bridge because it is quite a racket.

Next time you are in Paris, go to the Pont Leopold Sedar Senghor across from the Musee D'Orsay and visit our three blue locks of love!

Bill and Travel Monkey Battle the Elements

My three week journey is coming to an end.  I needed to end on a high note for what has been a very tiring trip.  Predictably, I had scotch, cigars and golf.

I almost cancelled my golf outing because of a driving cold rain, but I was determined to add another golf country.  So far I have the US, UK, Scotland, India and now Australia.  I've golfed in Florida, which should be it's own country, but unfortunately it is attached to the US. 

 Travel monkey was not a good caddy.  He ate my Curly Wurly.

 I protested this hole.  I don't agree with the nudging of flying foxes.  Join me in my fight against nudging.

 Cup of water.

 My pink converse were destroyed.

But I'm happy to have completed my round and extremely happy I am done with this trip.

Meanwhile, back in Paris, the ladies are having a wonderful time (although I am missing Bill and excited that we will be reunited on Monday.)
Stay tuned for more stories from Paris this week!

America and Ireland Converge in Paris

Our day started at the La Pomme (the Apple Store) in the middle of Paris.  Unfortunately for Di's ipohone, the French and American versions have differences and they couldn't apply their French tech support skills on Di's American iphone.  We didn't even mention that it was covered in pee.

These are our traveling companions - Ann and Maeve!!  They are Diane's cousins from Ireland and we are all staying at the same hotel for the next few days.  According to Diane, Anne and I are impossible to tell apart by looking at our legs.  Maeve is 11 and gave me a run for my money with her photo poses.  

We spent a few hours in the Lafayette  - a giant upscale department store.  If you shop it bottom to top you are rewarded with this view at the end of your spending spree.  We relaxed out on the roof terrace a while before we went back for a few more items.  Ann and I are shopping kindred spirits, leaving no hat untried, no scarf untied.

This is the inside of Lafayette - - we were able to shop and sightsee all at once since it was such an amazing building.

At the end of our day, Diane decided to take bath while I went for an evening stroll.  The Arch de Triomphe is not far from our hotel.  This is it at 10:30 at night.  The round about that goes around it is crazy!  You can see how all the headlights seem to go in different directions.  I don't know how there isn't an accident there at least once an hour.

 Place de Victor Hugo is just a few blocks from our hotel.  I snapped this on the way back.  Not quite as majestic but still beautiful.

Di's Last Day in London

For Diane's last day in London we did it up brown (that is an actual expression that has nothing to do with poo).  After a morning of packing and work and general hanging around, we went to tea at the Duke's Hotel.  

Tea was served in a very peaceful room full of tables with comfy couches and chairs.  We were seated in a little alcove - as if they knew we might be a little rowdy and wanted to separate us from the other clients.  This is my sexy tea look. 

After tea we took a stroll by Buckingham Palace.  No baby news yet but the press had tents and equipment all set up around the palace, ready to report.  Here's me on The Mall....

 and me & Di in front of the palace.  

 We ended the night at Billy Elliot.  As usual, it's all fun and games until someone drops their iphone in the toilet.  Poor Di didn't even know it was in there until after she peed on it. She used one of those super sonic hand dryers on it and is hoping for the best.  Will she really want to put that up to her ear after this?  Supposedly rice works wonders but we don't happen to be traveling with a bag of Uncle Bens.  

P.S. I'm posting this tonight because I may not have time in the morning.  So consider this to be Friday's post.  Or maybe, if you're lucky, you'll even get another Friday post from Paris.  And Fletch, Diane is anxiously awaiting a comment from you on her guest post!!!  :-)

Pesto is the Quiche of the 80's

Welcome guest blogger: DiDi!!

My week at Brocas Terrace is coming to an end tomorrow, so Jen invited me to do a guest post.  I can only hope this meets with Fletch's approval (though I don't think Fletch has ever done a guest post!)

Jen and Bill's flat (or is it a cottage?) is fabulous. It's amazing how the Brits utilize the space so well. Check out this funky shower door -- you'd think water would get all over the floor, but remarkably, it's quite effective.

Jen is a fabulous hostess. Breakfast each day was a lovely assortment of eggs, bread and fruit. And we had beautiful cheese plates and wine each night while watching Game of Thrones.  Many of the actors have appeared in other shows -- no need to check IMDB, though, Jen knows them all!

Are readers aware of just how much Jen loves England and the Queen?

She even did my laundry while I was out and about!!! (Does she do yours, Bill?)

Best of all, though, Jen hired a carnival to set up in the field behind her garden. 

In honor of Bill, I decided to take a cruise on the Thames and even fed the swans. 

Jen and I are having tea and seeing a show in London tomorrow, then off to Paris for the weekend. I can only hope the rest of my trip is as wonderful as the past week has been (though perhaps several degrees cooler!) Thank you Jen and Bill!!!! 

xoxo

DiDi