BARBEYROUX

Here are a few pix of the place In Barbeyroux where we’ve been staying for the past week. It has been fantastic! Our hosts, M et Mme Vallée, at Barbeyroux welcomed us with a glass of cidre—sparkling wine made from apples. Our room is incredible, upstairs in a stone building that is hundreds of years old. Hand hewn timbers support the roof. We have a nice porch where we can enjoy a glass or two of wine, some cheese, paté, sausage . . . It doesn’t get any better. The place is located at the end of a long road from which it is barely visible.

IT'S A GOOD DAY!

Paris street music, a really good group!

PARIS!

Our stay in Paris has been great. Even though it is much like it has always been for us there are things we noticed that are different. People still hurry from place to place. It’s as if they were 10 minutes late and rushing to catch the last train to somewhere. This, even though the trains run every two minutes. It’s no different on the street. Cars, bicycles and scooters all come to a stop at a red traffic light but when the light turns green, the race to the next light is on with jack rabbit speed. Speaking of bicycles, there are more of them than we remember. You can even rent them at hundreds of locations all over the city. Pick one up at one station, return it at another. No cash needed, just plug in your bank card or get a year’s pass for as little as 19 Euros. Like in most big cities, there are street entertainers wherever there is a crowd. We’ve always said that it’s hard to get a bad meal in France. That’s not true. In fact, the first supper we had was not so good. The format was kind of interesting though. It was a serve yourself, all you can eat place. You could choose starters and a main dish for one price or starters, main dish and dessert for another. We had high hopes because the restaurant had the look of one of those out of the way, undiscovered gems—unfinished wooden floors, campy decorations including a stuffed wild boar’s head and antique stuff. Not undiscovered! Unremarkable. The restaurant down the street made up for it. Like most places, it had a limited menu and two tier pricing. The food was carefully prepared and tastefully presented. Also like most places, the pace was leisurely. It’s interesting that Parisians who always seem to be in such a hurry take two hours or more to eat supper. Of course, we had to pay a visit to “that church” (as we’ve always referred to Notre Dame). Somehow, its immensity never registered as it did this trip. Also registered this time was throngs of tourists. I have pictures of Claudia years ago in front of Notre Dame and there were no other tourists in the picture—an impossibility today. There were literally thousands in line to go inside. The multitudes around the cathedral did not detract from the street music on the bridge behind leading to tiny Ile St Louis. One final note about Paris—Kentucky burley farmers, rejoice! Smoking is alive, well and thriving in Paris. No smoking signs in the cafés are considered suggestions and ash trays are in place on every table

THE SEINE, THE SEINE

After an enjoyable breakfast of café au lait on the picturesque market street, rue Daguerre, we headed for the Gare Montparnasse to buy tickets for the train to Bordeaux. The train station was crowded with people heading in every direction. We had to stand in line for an eternity. But, it was worth it. We now have our tickets and a rental car reservation for the trip to the Périgord. Then, a short Métro ride up Blvd Montparnasse and the cafés made famous by the likes of Hemingway and F Scott Fitzgerald.

Escargots washed down with a pleasant Beaujolais from Brouilly made a fine, light lunch (gotta save room for supper!) As many times as we have been in Paris, we’ve never taken a ride on the Bateau Mouche—tour boat. It is a version of the tour boats that ply the waterways of Fort Lauderdale. We always wanted to take the tour, but always ended up saying, “Next time.” Then, “next time” would come and we’d say it again. Now, we’ve done it. We, along with a busload of Japanese tourists

and several busloads of French school kids who delighted in amplifying their screams with echoes every time we went under a bridge.

Like kids everywhere they were exuberant and invulnérables.

The quays along the banks of the Seine were lined with cruising, liveaboard barges

and people enjoying a fine summer day. Even though the French always seem to be rushing to wherever they are going, they know how to take it easy.

This certainly wasn't the first time we've seen the landmarks of Paris, but seeing them from the river provided a new perspective.

La nouvelle aventure a commencé

From the throes of Beryl to the nursery on Delta flight 44--fellow dock sixers Don and Ann delivered us to the airport in Jacksonville and a few hours later we were on board a Boeing 767 with a couple of hundred other adults, young people and far too many infants. A tail wind got us from Cincinnati to Paris in 7 and a half hours. After a train ride from the airport to our old stomping ground near Place Denfert Rochereau on the south side of the city we enjoyed a fine cup of café au lait.

I left Claudia at the café and went in search of a hotel. We were just a block and a half from the hotel that was our customary abode many years ago. We decided that it was just a bit too austere for us now. After covering the entire quartier on foot, I finally found a very comfortable place on Ave Général Leclerc conveniently situated directly across the street from a Métro stop. Here’s the view from our hotel.

ROLL OUT THE BERYL!

Beryl paid a visit to Brunswick Landing Marina. She brought rain, wind and an incredible rainbow.

BLM loves a party! Tropical storm or not, the show must go on. Memorial Day, Sherri’s first party of the year. The day dawned with rain and wind and a hundred boaters anticipating a party. The south side of the dock house at dock one was sheathed in plastic, the bath-house likewise. At 2:30, the food started pouring in and the rain as well. The Dogg Brothers set up shop and the music began.

Earl from Painkiller and Lee from Morning Glory cooked up the steaks and the party began. The weather was no match for the merrymaking and the rain dried up and the sun came out. Those who have spent much time at BLM know that they can count on each other for a good time at any time. Beryl, eat your heart out!

Bahamas 2011-12

I haven't figured out how to embed a video into the blog but here is a link to the slide show that I created https://vimeo.com/42771249 Be sure to turn on your sound, go to full screen display. Pause the show for 10 minutes or so in order to allow the show to buffer completely. Stay tuned for our next adventure starting next week!