October in Paris

The leaves are turning yellow and red, the air is filled with smells of roasting chestnuts and warm crepes filled with chocolate and bananas. Yet around each corner we find another sight which inspires reflection and just simple observing. Paris is never short of feasts for the senses!

Crepe post Musee d'Orsay. Mmmmmm!

Looking out of the Musee d'Orsay to Sacre Coeur

I first became enthralled with the work of Auguste Rodin ever since my brother Tom gave me a replica of The Thinker when he was my sponsor for the Holy Sacrament of Confirmation. The Rodin Museum is located on the grounds where Rodin took boarding and did much of his work.

The Burghers of Calais on their way to the gallows after they traded their lives for safety of the city

Victor Hugo

Hydrangea in bloom

The Arc de Triomphe was the site where we were nearly victims of a scam! Just after Martha and I watched mesmerized that any vehicle could navigate this massive roundabout, a young woman bent over and picked up a solid gold ring. She said she "found" it at our feet and tried to convince us it was solid gold. Since it didn't fit her finger, she thought I should keep it. I thought, "why not keep it if she doesn't want it? It'll make a good story!"

She walked away for 10 seconds then came back asking for money. Blink! went the dim bulb in my brain and we refused any donation. But she took the ring back, quick as you please, and ducked into the crowd.

Four days later she tried the exact same scam on us outside the Musse d'Orsay. We laughed and told her she'd hit on us at the Arc de Triomphe. But before we could reconnect with her about old times, she sauntered away.

There were other frequent scammers, but she was the most persistent.

Champs-Élysées has everything!

Many major car manufacturers have elegant show rooms, yet this concept uni-vehicle by Toyota was the most eye-catching. It leans back at higher speeds but is more upright for inner-city commuting to enhance visibility.

Gotta get me one of these!

Doing the tourist thing above...

...and below!

Strolling through the Jardin des Tuileries enjoying the sun and sights!

Boys and their boats in the Jardin du Tuileries

Musee d'Orsay from the Seine River

As a public testimony of their love, couples will toss the key of their lock into the Seine to seal the deal! And, to answer one of your questions, the locks are cut off about every 3 months to make way for the next batch of romantics.

A beautiful scene...

...made better!

Breakfast on Rue des Ecoles, a few blocks from our hotel

The Jardin du Luxembourg.

The Jardin du Luxembourg palace

In many quiet spaces of this magnificent garden, we saw masters teaching or groups practicing tai chi or yoga!

The fountain at Place St. Michel, the traditional core of the Left Bank's artsy, liberal, hippie, bohemian district of poets, philosphers and winos.

The Shakespeare and Company Bookstore, started by Slyvia Beach as a place for writers and other creative types to share ideas, lodging or to just read. This place was frequented by the likes of Hemingway, Shaw, Joyce, the Fitzgeralds and the Kerns!

I took advantage of proximity to hobnob with history by reading in this reading room. I flipped through biographies about Truman Capote and King Louis XIV, the Sun King, who created the palace at Versailles. And I even read from an aged copy of Victor Hugo's "Hunchback of Notre Dame" immediately across the Seine from Notre Dame Cathedral!

Vendors across from Notre Dame

Same cathedral, different vendors, different trees

Posters of past rockers

Street musician on bridge to Notre Dame. This bridge had the most locks on it for some reason. Whole lotta lovin' going on in this city!

Lunch in the Jardin du Tuileries with Pepe Le Peu, next to Martha

We closed out our Thirtieth Anniversary Adventures on the streets of Paris when it becomes magical in the rain.

And we were doubly blessed to share this special evening with my high school buddy and his wife, Norm and Janet Becker, who happened to be passing through Paris on their own tour!

We had a superb dinner on the street above then found a creperie to cap the event with creamy doses of whipped cream adding velvety essence to the chocolate crepes!

Early morning shot of our Familia Hotel just before we left for the airport to come home. It was a nice place for us, centrally located in the Latin Quarter with very helpful staff.

An early morning event told me it was time to come home. We'd been warned as we came in from dinner that France was changing to standard time that night, so we'd have an extra hour of sleep. Smart guy that I am, I changed my watch back one hour, set the alarm and asked for a 6:15 wake-up call to catch our 7:10 shuttle.

What I didn't realize is that my watch has two time options. So, when I awoke and read 6:22, I jumped out bed in the pitch dark, called to Martha that we'd overslept, and promptly drove my forehead into the corner wall of the bathroom. As blood streamed from my eyebrow, Martha coolly went back to sleep.

As we waited in the Charles de Gaulle airport, we thought of the wonderful experiences we've had and thought ahead to our next adventure!

Au revoir!

Memorials and the Mont

Being so near to the historical sites of World War II drove Martha and I to catch a train to the ancient city of Chartres and rent a car to visit the Beaches of Normandy.

Sometimes we say at the hospital, "you can't make this stuff up!" The same things happen when you travel.

Our train got into Chartres at 1130 yet the Hertz rental shop closes for 2 hours at noon. Luckily, a kindly gentleman found a map of Hertz's location on his smartphone, and sent me on my way at a fast clip zigzagging through streets like the one above. Merci beaucoup, monsieur! (Hey Mary K., Bro. Filliatraut's first year French is paying off.)

After collecting directions from others, I ran the last few blocks to the shop only to see people scurrying out of Hertz. I asked one lad on his bike to help get the car and he only pedaled harder. My last chance was just inside, but he would hear nothing of my plea and locked the door, jumped into his running car and sped away, also. I guess Martha and I will get to discover the essence of Chartres and its dominating cathedral after all.

Eventually, we figured out the road signs, endless roundabouts, disappearing directions and the language to safely make it to Bayeux for the night. We finished off a lovely dinner with calvados and cafe au lait.

We had beautiful weather to view the historic sites on the beaches of Normandy. Much better than June 6, 1944 when the British, American and Canadian troops stormed ashore in rain; just days before a devastating 3-day storm washed over the forces. This beach at Arromanches was where the British established the world's first pre-fab harbor.

You can still see some of the caissons and sunken ships used as breakwaters and parts of the temporary harbor. Because of the successful establishment and support of this one harbor, it is believed this turned the European front in favor of the Allied forces.

Next we made it through some narrow village roads to find Omaha Beach, one of the two American landing sites, and one of the deadliest efforts in the war. The American Cemetery is built just above Omaha Beach and is such a powerful tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

As we walked among the headstones we thought of how our fathers, Piatt Hart Bliss and Thomas Albert Kerns (both now deceased), served during the war; we thought of the sacrifices they, their friends and all the young families made during this time. We each left wishing we could have told our father about our trip here and all the incredible sights we are seeing.

After such a moving morning, we sought a change of scenery and arrived at Mont St. Michel, a place that has intrigued me since I first read about it in National Geographic as a boy!

And it's just as mystical and mysterious as I recalled!

They tried to keep Martha out, but we convinced the monks she would behave herself, this time!

The Chapel of Michael the Archangel, who inspired the building of this abbey in 709 AD.

The challenge of building this village and abbey on such a remote rock didn't escape us. Especially when the inhabitants have to live with amazingly fast moving tides. Just notice the water lines in the parking lot.

Despite repeated overhead warnings, three cars had to drive through the bumper-deep rushing tides to safety.

These parking lots went from dry to submerged in less than 20 minutes! And it didn't stop there. Within an hour the visitor entrance ramp was completely covered and the tide was washing about 10 feet into the entrance door!

After that excitement of watching the car escape, we had dinner on the rock. Neither the waiter nor I could translate to each other what was included in the traditional Normandy stew. He was saying "ribs" and I confirmed ribs by pantomiming his words. He nodded happily and Martha ordered it.

As the dish was served, it landed in my setting by mistake and never moved. The smelly dish turned out to be intestines with all the fat left on. I let Martha have my pork and learned that if I gagged and snapped my head back, I could eat most of the intestines! I guess I took one for the team on this one. (Note from Martha: "Boy, did he! I practically gagged just smelling and looking at it. Thirty years of marriage and he's still my Prince Charming!)

The 1 and 1/2 mile walk back to town in the dark was a refreshing end to a jam-packed emotional day!