http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , France , Upper Normandie , Rouen en-us Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:25:36 +0000 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:25:36 +0000 This middle ages city is well preserved and so pretty. It is here where St. Joan of Arc was sold to the British who tortured her as a witch and burned her at the stake. It seems that no one spoke up on her behalf. The church built in her memory is an incredible piece of very modern architecture in the town of gothic churches The cathedral of Notre Dame so frequently painted by Monet dominat http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-442695.html Hey everybodyWell I just wanted to update a bit unfortunately cannot post pictures on this entry but I will try on another computer at some pointSo we left London early on Saturday morning Aug.8. We arrived in France via the Eurotunnel quite quickly spent most of our first day travelling. We made a brief stopover on Saturday in Iepres Belgium to see the MenenMenin Gate. It is a war mem http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-427613.html Upon landing we departed portable steps to the tarmac and a line extending to Lichtenstein but the efficient French shuttled us through in record time as we almost passed a rock snail and a lightning quick sloth. Getting our rental car the French agent handed me the form and said Sign. Since Visa is supposed to cover CDW collision I asked to make sure it was not included. He said T http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-426481.html Drove 40 minutes to Rouen an historic city full of half timbered houses. Most famous for its Cathedral and to being the place Joan of Arc was captured and executed by burning at the stake. Visited these places as well as walking down many interesting laneways. Most shops were closed for Easter. Also visited the plague cemetery where a mass grave of plague victims is in a fully enclosed courtya http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-390619.html Well I remember being told the stories about Joan of Arc when I was just a kid in grade school. That was back when the nuns thought they could motivate the kids by giving them balloons and gold stars. Thank goodness todays employers of high quality professionals would never insult their employees with such a tactic in todays highly competitive work place. But as usual I digress. Rouen is e http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-386116.html Ooookay one more week to go and we'll be on our way. Skills at this time are Onething in the Moment and Focus on what works. At this time it means to get clear about what I am taking and make it as streamlined as possible. No overpacking. Did that when we went to Ireland several years ago. What a mistake but of course since I'd never traveled in the British Isles before or anywhere that far o http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-339147.html Hey Hey la gang je bet que vous vous fassierz du l'inquitude pour notre caseih ben on nest rendu a saintmalo mais on fait les journes pour les dates qu on a manquenotre dernier jour a rouen cetait la foire a tout Maman tu serais fiere de Myriam et de sa passion pour les ventes de garage euhm nous avons aussi fait gouter du simili sucre a la creme a nos amis Adrien et Anelise je dit http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-325382.html aujourd hui le 13 septembre etretatcest la qu il y a lequivalent francais du roche perce. nous y avons ete avec Adrien et Anelise nos deux nouveaux amis normand. la vue etait superbe surtout dans les yeux de myriam. maintenant je peux dire que jai mis mes pieds dans les deux bord de latlantiqueSimonNous avons une chance incroyable d avoir de un une super belle temprature et de deux des g http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-323215.html Today is sweden's nation day so let's break out a smorgasbord of celebration Apparently it's not a big deal in Sweden so we'll settle with going into town tonight and maybe some pastry at lunch.We are planning on going to the DDay beaches this weekend along with mount saint michelle. Today is the 64th anniversary of the landings. There are a few celebrations going on in Bayeux this weeken http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-284348.html The hookah bar was very interesting. The atmosphere is quite relaxing plush benches that are low to the ground with pillows surrounding a few tables in the middle. A big lsquosheetrsquo silk billows down from the ceiling producing an upside down arch. And they had some music on. There were a number of these rooms tucked away in the corners. Definitely a middle eastern feel to the p http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-283217.html The sun finally came out yesterday first time since I got into Rouen. The weather is nice high 60's but it has been raining a lot. Our lab flooded yesterday some pump broke and water came in from the ceiling it was a big mess. I went shopping for the first time the other day there is a place like wal mart that is close. A baguette costs 0.32 euro and I bought a bottle of wine for 1.08 http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-281392.html Well I made it to Rouen just fine as you all know. The ride up was nice rolling hills with wheat and corn. All the fields have scarecrows in them and the ones that didn039t had crows in them. Lots of little towns and villages about 5 or so km apart. They are all quaint with very old buildings and windy streets. Every one has a steeple. The farmers live right on the edge of town they ar http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-280771.html I arrived at the Rouen Gare late on Friday night around 1230 pm. Tony and Olivier met me at the train station they had just finished an evening Jam Session at Olivierrsquos place. They are forming a band and have started working on a few songsmdashincluding Green Dayrsquos lsquoGood Riddancersquo and a song by lsquoThe Callinghelliprsquo Olivier is one of the many guys on the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-276861.html Our second stop on our tour de France was Rouen way up in the north. Really I just wanted to go here to see cathedrale notre dame...the cathedral that Monet painted. It is my favorite series of Monet's. After a day on the train from Nice to Rouen we arrived around 9 pm took a taxi to the hotel and pretty much went to sleep. The next morning we woke up and headed out. It was raining...the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-274764.html We are now in our final week of our final dance residency here in France. It has been yet again quite a while since I have written and as has been my pattern thus far this year you can expect a flurry of blog activity in the coming week. I take my moments as they come....but it is safe to say that the fact that I have not written in over a month is not a representation of lack of subject mat http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-274254.html Brittany and Normandy. The area was a hive of conflict in times past and was disputed over for nigh on 300 years by the French and the English. Sounds like a precursor for the Rugby semi finals but I'll come to that later.Brittany first up and on arriving the architecture appeared to be plucked direct from the English rural scene. Hang on England is part of Britain I think. Britainy Put 2 and http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-212023.html We ended up renting a car for the few days that we were here in Rouen so we actually never really spent too much time in Rouen itself our hotel was about 20 minutes or so they said outside of Rouen. The first day it took us over 2 hours trying to find our hotel google maps did not help what so ever Google maps has everything based on road names but over here all the directions are based on c http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-203327.html ROUEN One of Rouen's claims to fame is that Joan of Arc was tried for heresy and burned at the stake in the central square Place du Vieux Marche in 1431. The futuristic 'Eglise Jeanne d'Arc' with its fishscale exteriour and stark castiron cross marks the site where Joan died.Rue du Gros Horloge This main street is spanned by an early16thcentuary gatehouse and the Gros Horloge a large http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-188534.html I am trying to get the hang of a French keyboard again so please bear with any mistakes. I can't imagine what Kyrgyz keyboards will be like... I am on my second day in Rouen and am enjoying it muchly. But first will just explain the remaining pics from London. I think I mentioned in my last entry that Estella and I caught Othello at the globe Maybe I didn't. It was excellent Iago was perfectly http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-170972.html My final game in France was a good one. I pitched we won 30 against Dunkerque. Josh the other American hit a home run and so did Eric Coutu a leadoff bomb right down the left field line. I had 15 strikeouts in 7 innings the most I have ever thrown in a single game. And even though we made some errors I was happy to finish the game giving up no runs. After we had a small barbecue at Jea http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Upper-Normandie/Rouen/blog-160967.html