Blogs from Île-de-France, France, Europe - page 2

Our route is commencing on the train to Glasgow, then we’ll be on our first flight for 4.5 years ....... to Paris, where we spend two nights before a further flight from Paris Orly to Yerevan, capital of Armenia. We’re celebrating Marion’s significant birthday, originally imagined to be a circular trip around the Black Sea. Odessa was high on the agenda. But recent events have changed our plans. So, because our trip to Georgia made such an impression we are now focussed upon the the adjacent mountains of Armenia for our next exploration. We considered travelling overland, but ended up back tracking on our vows to stop flying by air, opting for a fast, direct flight with Air France/KLM budget airline Transavia. We’ll have two weeks in Armenia, followed by one week in Georgia and a ... read more

We've been busy these past 2 days in Paris taking the metro, ubering and of course walking a lot. We've had delicious meals and snacks and a few drinks. Paris is a beautiful city, with very crowded streets and roads. People we've met, especially asked questions of, were very friendly. Cafes seem always busy and people are sitting in them taking their time and enjoying. Terry and I had a plan for our time. While we wanted to relax and take it slow, the draw of things that Rick Steves said we should see, was strong. We had museum reservations each morning. On Wednesday it was the Orsay where we had a date with Rick and the Impressionists. It was beautiful...just seeing the highlights we spent a couple of hours with Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh. ... read more

On a pretty last minute spontaneous decision I'm traveling to Paris and Nice with Terry, Roberta, Cheryl, and Naomi. Terry was feeling the need to take a trip this summer and as long as we found a good deal, I was in. After some time looking at Nova Scotia, we heard about the wild fires and couldn't find a good deal, somehow traveling to Paris became an option. Thanks to Travel zoo, which we'll never use again, and Terry's persistent negotiating skills we got the deal we were looking for. 8 days, really 6, air fare hotels and train all for $2000. Terry and I were never in France and the others had but liked the idea of taking the trip together. France was never high on my travel list but seeing the Eiffel Tower and ... read more

. France - and a bit more: Episode 5 (Finale) This blog describes our 2023 journey to Europe; specifically France (with the possibility of a small foray elsewhere as both Italy and Spain are 'next door'!). As always, we segment the 'blog' into roughly weekly or fortnightly posts (this being the 5th). Our travel blog has been written for family and friends to 'travel with us'. We now recognise we write the blog for ourselves; it is how we revisit our past adventures and remind ourselves of the the enjoyment. Thus, there is more detail included than merely a brief discourse for family and friends. BTW, if you want to see the picture in a larger size, just click on it. Oh, and if you missed Episode #1, you can find it here, and Episode #2 ... read more

Our 77-day odyssey is rapidly coming to a close, as we begin to prepare for our return to the states in a couple days. We'll probably maintain a low profile in our little garden cottage until then, while packing our suitcases for the last time on this trip, and attending to other sundry tasks in preparation for our departure on Thursday. Our taxi driver will meet us here at 6:00 AM for the ride to the Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris. We'll fly via Aer Lingus to Dublin; then connect with a transatlantic Aer Lingus flight to Orlando, where we're scheduled to arrive around 6:30 PM local time. Yesterday we enjoyed a visit from our charming French friend, Sophie Lamarre, who lives in Tours, a city in the châteaux region of the Loire River valley. ... read more