Leaving Paris

Off to join up with Jef in Fontainebleau. Jean Paul came to check us out and figure how much I owed for electricity. This was a strange additional fee of nine euros, but since phone calls world wide were free, and we did call the USA for long calls, I didn't mind.

Taxi brick came as promised and took us to the car rental place. It was closed. The guy was across the street having coffee. We have a Peugeot mini van, so there is enough room for all of us and all of our stuff. It has a GPS which is taking some getting used to.

Jef had had a fine visit with her friend Michelle. She lives right outside the grounds of the chateau. When we got there we went out to see the market and then for lunch.

Michelle joined us and the kids had a ride on a newer carrousel - circa 1900.



We walked through the palace gardens to her street.

When driving through small French towns, I have often wondered what was behind those doors that open right on the sidewalk. Now I know.

This is the house. The lowest windows were the laundry room and behind it some storage and her husband's office. The open window above is the dining room.


Up a flight of stairs from the front door.


Turn right into the dining room


This is the entire kitchen. Michelle is cooking on the stove and to her right is a waist high refrigerator with a microwave on top of it.


The living room


The small deck. This their only personal green space, but they really utilize the palace gardens.


Up another flight


Guest room


Bath


Study with a convertible sofa


Up more stairs


The master bedroom


Their baby's room


The other side of Alyia's room


Another family came from England for a visit and overlapped our stay one night. All told, Michelle had 8 extra people in her house. I stayed at an Ibis a few blocks away. It was sort of nice to be by myself for a night.

We all went out for pizza for dinner.

We left the next day after lunch. The kids had grilled cheese sandwiches picnic style in the living room and the adults had a chicken pasta and salad in the dining room. Here is Michelle with her husband and daughter.

Paris day three

Jef is going early to fontainebleau, so we planned to do things that the kids would love so they wouldn't mind her leaving.

At the Luxembourg gardens there is a very old carrousel. Alec loved it when he was calder's age. There is also a fabulous pay to play place. A good plan.
B at the top - she is the climber in the family. It took Calder several times on before he risked the top.






A climbing maze


The zip line





This space was filled with American kids. Lots of people were giving them breaks. This place had just opened when Alec was 7. We went to it with friends from school. We think that sometimes people just throw there kids over the rail and go to work.
The part we really came for






Alec is standing on the ground. The horses just hang. The only place to be is an outside horse, because you have a stick to snag rings. The ride ends when all the rings are gone.



Calder really concentrating.

Moved on to the Pompidou. Not much action.



Calder at the Calder.


Tried for crepes for dinner, but settled for Mac 'n cheese instead.

Packed our stuff and are ready to go in the morning.

Paris day two and another zoo

When we started planning this trip, Alec said that we should do castles - knights and princess ones. Instead we seem to be doing zoos of the world. The large Paris zoo has been closed. Perhaps for reconstruction, we dont know. (it's a shame, the last time I was there they had a baby Pygmy hippo.). But, Paris has the menagerie, which was the king's zoo.

We went to the salon du tea around the corner for breakfast. When we finished the guy explained that he was closing for vacation, but that the brasserie down the street was good. There are three in a block. The first one was sort of OK, the second one was bad, the third one was the good one that we should go to.

This zoo is small enough to see all the animals, but after the snakes, Branwen pooped out and wanted to just sit. Calder and Alec went on so that he could see the biterong, his necessity for this zoo. Climbing on the hippos was very popular, and we all thought of Chuck, since this was his favorite animal.


We had a quick bite at McD and then walked along the river to the isle St. Louis for Bertillion ice cream. The actual shop closes for the whole summer, and all school holidays, which is more than strange! Now, other places on the island have it in the summer so we could still get our fix.

We chose our flavors and wander up the street. We had just finished when we came upon another shop with some different flavors. We got those in a cup for sharing.

We split up at this point. Jef and I went to some foodie stores, the famous knit shop and Fauchon. Alec and the kids walked along the Paris plage (beach). In August, they turn a major highway that runs along the seine into a beach, with sand and chairs and umbrellas and misters and games and entertainment. A wonderful thing to do for the people who cannot leave the city. The plan was that they would go a short distance and take the metro home. Instead, they ended up seeing the pyramid at the Louvre, the ferris wheel in the Tuilleries and the obelisk at the place de la Concorde, then they took the metro home.

We went to the good brasserie for a very late dinner. The kids were very adventurous. Calder had smoked salmon, and Branwen had quiche. We ordered 6 escargots so they could see them - Branwen thought she would try it, but gave up at the last minute when it didn't come out of its shell easily.



Fell into bed.

Paris day 1

The kids both were excited about visiting the Eiffel Tower. We knew that we had to get there early, because the crowds are unreal. The lady in the information booth recommended 8:15. Alec and the kids got there at 8:30, and were in the middle of a Spanish tour group. Jef and I brought pain au chocolate and some drinkable yogurts. Then we took over the place holding and Alec and Calder found hot chocolate. I started chatting with the spaniards, so they stopped trying to go around us.

It was great. We got to each level without having to wait in any more lines and could see stuff without being squished. By the time we were ready to go down, the lines on the ground were snaking all over the place.

We walked back to the apt. for a bathroom break and then went to the Champs Élysées. We ate at one of the outside cafes. Alec had frogs legs and both kids tasted. I had croquet monsieur, which they also tasted. They are being fairly good about trying new things.

Alec showed them where he went to school and we visit every soccer team shop on the street.

We took the metro to the Gilmour apt. The big excitement was that I saved Jef from a pickpocket.

As were getting on the train, a young woman was pushing her way by in a strange way. I grabbed her arm and told Jef to check her purse. The woman immediately showed me her empty hands. She had a scarf or sweater over them which was strange, but I was still holding on to her. She wrenched herself free and hopped off the train - a real confirmation that something was wrong. She didn't get anything, but jef's purse was half unzipped.

We did a casual dinner with the Gilmours and went on the Bateau Mouche. I think a good time was had by all, but we are going our own ways. We aren't really doing a true sightseeing trip, and their girls are old enough to see more.

No pictures today. I didn't take my camera.


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On to Paris

Monday morning the Whitten and Gilmour families moved out. We were all taking the same plane to Paris. Tim told us to just take a cab. I had found what seemed to be a taxi gathering place on our street - to call it's a taxi stand would be giving it too much stature. The problem was that twice when we went by, there were cabs and once NO CABS and I needed a large cab or two small ones. Tim had also warned us that sometimes they tried to rip off tourists.

The plan was that I would walk out and get the cab. The thing that made me nervous was that I didn't have a plan B. I realized during this, that I always have a plan B.

We decided that we would go to the airport early and have breakfast there. That way there was time to wait for cabs to arrive. It turned out that I had worried for nothing. My next problem was to convince the cabbies to let me take the second cab in line because it was a large one. Much talking and gesturing. My cabbie got the point and started explaining to the first guy. I then had to get him to make a u turn and go to our apartment and pull up on the side of the road where everyone was waiting so that they didn't have to drag everything across the street. I really am good at this, even if I do say so myself! We got to the airport and he charged us the amount that we had been told would be the base with luggage added on. No add on. I gave him a nice tip.

The bride's parents brought the Gilmours. We all met up at our gate and were able to arrange the seats so that the kids got to sit with their friends and I sat with Maggie and Larry.

Our apartment is great. We are all really pleased and I would rent this one again. The living room. The red couch pulled out and the kids shared it.




An adjoining room with a table and single bed. This was my room. There were boxes of games that the kids really liked.


Kitchen



Master bedroom


Bathroom that NEVER turned into a swamp - one of my pet peeves in France.


Separate toilet room.
Very fragile table place exactly where someone exiting the bedroom would fall over it. Notice it only has two legs. When we moved in, it was attached to the wall with two nails just at the ends. Alec took it apart and fastened it more securely. We managed to leave it in one piece.


Very narrow elevator. Alec wore his backpack on and couldn't turn around. To get the suitcases up and down was tricky, but we have played this game before. Load up suitcases with one person, send them up. Call it back, load just suitcases and call it from the apartment floor. Repeat as many times as necessary.


We went to la vauban for dinner. This is right behind Les Invalides and Chuck and I had eaten there a couple of times. Everyone liked their dinner and except for some burping were very well behaved.

Afterward, Branwen and Jef went back to the apartment and Alec, Calder and I walked over to the Eiffel tower to find out what time it opened in the morning. We ran into Larry who had come over to take pictures, so we all hung out together until it started to sparkle.



Home to bed.

The Reception

Alexander turned the AC on full blast when we got back in his car and assured us that the reception would be air-conditioned. Kristina had said that it would be from 3 to 10:30. We figured that we would take a cab home when the kids conked out. It was waaaaaaay out in the woods and up in the hills - we were going to be there until the end.
The hall


The drinks offerings - and the waiters kept them coming and coming and coming. Alec said that every time he took the first sip from a beer, they put another one at his elbow.



Two teenage girls in the family had made little wrist favors. Guests gave them money, and we figured this was for the bride and groom. Branwen and Isabel started to help and I think may have upped the contributions.


It turned out that the money was for the girls and came to about 20,000 dinar $300. They were going to split it 3 ways, and maybe were thinking that the little girls had horned in on their action. Jef straightened it all out. The little girls got 1000 each and they were thrilled. The older ones split the rest and they were thrilled, too.

At the beginning the band played old American songs - they were the ones that I remembered from proms. Maggie and I were taking turns identifying them and what movies they were from. Then they started playing Serbian folk songs VERY VERY VERY LOUDLY.


The dancing is done in a long line around the room. It is like doing the hora in a straight line for hours and hours. The guy in the front is in the national fold dance troupe with Kristina's brother. He was very good. The group is going on tour to Mexico in Sept.
Tim and Kristina had their first shuffle. There is a reason to take some lessons and have something choreographed.


Food started coming first course



Second course chicken soup. Third course stuffed cabbage



Chunks of whole roasted pig for the main course with. A salad plate with tomatoes, cucumbers and shredded cabbage. There was also spicy green peppers and horseradish for condiments.

It's was so loud that we took turns escaping to the parking lot so we could hear and talk.


The cake which had many flavors


The bride and groom figures


The father of the bride. We were trying to get him off the table to say goodbye.


My ears rang all night. We had a great time and were truly welcomed by the Serbian relatives.

Home to bed. We leave for Paris in the morning.

The. Wedding Day

The reason for our trip is finally here. Details have been a little vague, but last night at dinner, I found out exactly what we were doing. Kristina's cousin Alexander has been assigned to be our driver. He will pick us up at noon. We will go to the church and then to the reception with him. He is wearing a jacket and a tie (it is really hot here - the guys really wanted to know this).

When we woke up this morning, we discovered that the Mosquitos had discovered fresh blood in Serbia. All of us had lots of bites. I have seen one or two in the apartment - but by the bite count, we should be seeing squadrons of them.

We walked down the street to a McD for breakfast and through an open air market for ambiance. Then we dressed in our finery. Calder has the cutesy tie. It is pre tied and zips up. Since fewer and fewer men wear ties regularly, this might be a good idea in full size ones.
Alec and Calder


Me, Jef and Yelena


Dan (Tim's brother), Nick (the best man - had to be Greek Orth. And not a relative. L.A. Is great - he happened to have a friend who fit the bill.)


Kristina, the bride


We stood through the ceremony. Since no one had told us how long it would be, I was a little worried. There was a lot of circling this table. They walked around it three times with the kit candles, then later three more times with crowns on and their hands symbolically tied together.


Tim in his crown.


The kids keeping quiet.


The walls of the church were covered with icon frescos.


After the ceremony, we stood around for awhile in the courtyard and gypsies begged, they also had a band that played for tips.

I have some movies of some of these things which I will post from my real computer when I get home.

Day two continued

I'm just going to post without pictures. I will through up the whole lot when I can.

A few minutes later Calder said that he smelled zebra poop so the zoo must be nearby. I smelled poop - but was not identifying a specific animal. The Serbians said that this wasn't anything special, but we really enjoyed ourselves. It was small, but charming, and since in Eastern Europeans feed the animals, the animals are very aware of humans and livelier.
This guy was handing over something that looked like cheese puffs. The elephant loved them.



We saw mountain goats having head butting wars, lion cubs nursing
And tortoises mating.






The face painting only cost $1.50 so both kids had it done.







On the way out we had a photo op with a man on a camel. It reminded us of Chuck.



We went back to our apartment to change for the rehearsal dinner. We were a pretty big group. So we sort of broke up into smaller pods for ordering. We had several pig parts - pig is big here.



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