Jeffrey Johnson 6/8/23 Jeffrey Johnson 6/8/23

Paris, La Ville Lumière

May 16th Paris

We woke up to a cool, sunny morning in Paris. Enjoyed walking outside to view the sights of the busy city passing by below our perch. Baby up and everyone dressed for the day, we headed downstairs for a hearty breakfast to started the day.

Our tour guide was scheduled to show up soon in his retro vintage car for a ride around the city. (A '78 Citroën, Orange and White) Finished with breakfast, we made our way outside and found our driver patiently waiting on us.

Jeff in the front, the baby and I in the back. We started out by making our way down the Champs de Elysee Boulevard passing by many interesting places including the Ritz Hotel which isn’t far from the Champs Elysee. We would go around the Arc de Triomphe later in the tour. We continued on up to our destination, Montmartre for some great views of the city.

*Champs de Elysee and Arc de Triomphe in the mirror*

*Destination Montmatre standing tall in the distance*

*So many Locks of Love lining the fences surrounding Montmatre*

*Enjoyed passing over the many cobblestone streets and by beautiful buildings*

At one point our driver stopped and rolled the top back to let the fresh air and sunshine in. Then on we went with the Chauffeur giving a little of the city's story along the way. We pointed out statues and buildings along the way and asked for the story or meaning behind them.

The traffic was horrendous. Some roads seemed to be blocked off and traffic had to be rerouted. This required more navigating for our driver. While we just relaxed and took in the sights/sounds around us. Paris has always had its own culture of road rules it seems. I will always gladly let a driver chauffeur me around.

Paris, it seems, is a busy city getting her best face on and all made up in time for the Summer Olympics of 2024. We saw lots of scaffolding setup, hiding the fronts of a number of popular buildings.

*Scaffolding hiding part of Eglise de la Madeleine*

*One of the building hosting events for the 2024 Olympics*

We drove by the Princess Lady Diana's Enternal Flame Monument near where the car crash happened. Never Forgotten, Always in our Hearts 💕.

*Contact 2CVParisTour.com to book an enjoyable tour of Paris in a Vintage car*

Ending our drive, We asked to be dropped off by Opera Garnier for a self guided tour through this magnificent building. We had pre-purchased our tickets on line. There wasn't any waiting line so we made our way quickly inside to soak up some splendor in such amazing architecture all around.

*Such Beauty All Around in this Entrée Foyer into Opera Garnier*

Just imagine the soothing harmonies and healing frequencies that must reverberate through the body when a performance is in play. Such a magnificent structure built to capture the essence of music. A quick tour would have to suffice for this trip.

*Grand Stairways leading to the Auditorium*

Back outside we headed over to the nearby Café de la Paix for a cup of fresh squeezed orange juice.

By this time it was time for the baby to have a nap. We summoned an Uber for a ride to our hotel. Back at our home base, we ordered a late lunch to our room for an afternoon pick me up.

*Our Parisian terrace, a perfect place to enjoy a relaxing lunch*

While the boy was fast asleep, we enjoyed a relaxing lunch from the terrace with the Eiffel Tower in view.

Since we had a few more places to visit yet, it was soon time to head back out. Our favorite Receptionist, Jerome met us in the foyer and wanted to bid us Farewell until the next time we visit Paris. So kind of Jerome. Thank you for all you did for us during our short stay at your beautiful, boutique hotel. You always made feel at home and we look forward to a future visit and stay.

Finding ourselves back out on the streets again, hailed an Uber to take us to Musee D'orsay. (Quick Tip: Uber worked out very well for us with a baby) We arrived at Musee D'orsay around 17:15 only to find we had made it a bit to late for the last entry of the day which was at 17:00. Feeling more than a little disappointed, we walked around the outside to at least catch glimpse of the clock we wanted to see from the inside looking out over Paris towards the Louvre.

We took some time to view River Seine as we collected our bearings and moved on. Téo enjoyed the boats passing by and a few riverside ducks on their afternoon paddle.

Deciding to take a walk, we crossed over the bridge to walk through the beautiful gardens Jardin de Tuileries which is in front of the Louvre and bordering River Seine.

We continued along the Seine walking by the waters edge until we reached the most gorgeous Bridge Pont Alexandre III. We took time to admire the details and beauty of the bridge.

Then crossing over the bridge, we could clearly see the Eiffel Tower and the golden top on Napoleon’s tomb in the distance, such rare beauty all around.

Soon we found ourselves wandering near a large grassy area, we stopped to let Téo play in the grass. It was a very panoramic area with Bridge Pont Alexandre III in the background with it’s four Golden Angels on each side on the high pillars holding either the trumpet or the sword. On the other side of us, stood the golden dome of Napoleon's tomb. Today's Paris is so stunning… what must've it looked like in the centuries past?

*Beautiful grassy area to with Bridge Pont Alexandre III in the background*

Continuing our adventure we spent our evening meandering through the Streets of Paris in the 7th Arrondissement.

*So many inviting shops to visit while passing by*

Beginning to feel hungry, we let destiny determine where to stop for dinner. Really, there are so many exceptional options, how does one decide? Just wandering through streets…we discovered Restraunt Le Campanella. It's persona beckoned us to stop…this was it! A very inviting environment for delicious meal after a long walk.

Truly this is one of the simple joys of visiting Paris, to wander the streets without a plan letting the perfect place draw us in. This is also one of those things that can bring the reminiscing nostalgia back, once away and keep us returning to this magical city of La Ville Lumière

The baby started crying soon after placing our order…nap time again. To respect our by-sitters at the nearby table, we took turns spending time outside beside the bustling street getting him to sleep before heading inside to enjoy our dinner.

*A special Ravioli a secret recipe of France*

Holding a baby and eating does work after a fashion just part of the adventure. The good and the difficult times are all memories to take back home with us and to reminisce over the years to come.

As the sun set,we summoned a Uber to take us to a particular viewing spot of the Eiffel called Jardins du Trocadero. It was the spot to be. People were coming to get a taste of the beauty and see the lights start to illuminate the Eiffel Tower in the sunset lighting.

Sitting on a stone wall, we enjoyed watching all the people and waiting for it grow dark enough for golden lights to illuminate the Iron Lady. Such an array of cultures were gathering for the evening illumination, a beautiful site of our fellow mankind. Though we might be different in some ways, we are still so much the same. Finally the golden lights came on, in a spectacular show.

As the evening came to a close we hailed our last Uber of the day for a ride back to the Hotel San Regis. Upon walking into the foyer, we had the opportunity to say “Bye until till next time” to our new friend Seydina. Thank you, Seydina. Téo always enjoyed your interactions with him!

A quick elevator ride up to our room and terrace to catch a glimpse of Eiffel. As the clock stuck ten, she began to serenade us with all her glitter and sparkle.

A dazzling Farewell of silver and gold to end the our last evening in this wonderful country of France, for sometimes good things come to a end. (Or let's say one good thing coming to a close, only means the beginning of more good times on the horizon!) For tomorrow we will travel back to Mississippi. Home where life awaits us until our next adventure takes us away to explore a new area of our beautiful Earth….

Jeffrey Johnson 5/28/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/28/23

Train to Paris, City of Light

May 15th Tours, Train to Paris

Our day began with one last French breakfast at La Jucherie BnB. Then packing all our belongings back into the tiny Fiat. Double checking the cottage for any left behinds. Farewell to Justine and Jean-yves. Hugs and handshakes all around, We said "We will see you next time!". Waving our goodbyes as we headed down the lane. I have a feeling someday in the future we will meet again!

*Goodbye La Jucherie, Chef Justine, Sean-Yves and Napoléon! The best memories were made here. Thank you for everything you did for us!*

Paris bound. Our train is scheduled to depart at 10:39. First things first, setting our GPS for the Hertz drop off location at Saint Pierre de Corps train station. Everything went smoothly with the drop off. We are sure going to miss her. She was a Jazzy little thing. Back on our own two feet with no little Fiat to transport us around, we made the short walk to the train station.

*Train station Saint Pierre des Corps near Tours. Several rental car options close by quite convenient.*

Here we spent a bit of time people watching while we waited on a platform to be assigned for our train to Paris.

*Train assigned to platform 2 shows on the monitor.*

*Patiently waiting the arrival the train*

*Roller bags stuffed to the bursting point.*

Once assigned we made our way out of the station to platform 2 to await our train. The layout of the train was on a screen nearby. We were looking where wagon 3 would board . It is nice to know the correct location for boarding the right wagon instead trying to find the correct wagon once on board;) It was super helpful.

The Train arrived on time. We were settled in and soon on our way. (Tip: Train travel in Europe is highly recommended but be on time waiting for the train of choice. It only takes roughly 5 minutes to load and then the train will depart on time.) A short one hour train ride to Paris. Train travel is a relaxing way to go. Quietly gliding along watching the scenery through the large windows and the whoosh of a fast passing trains on the opposite track. Our train had no stops. Straight to Paris we went. Upon arriving in Paris we navigate our way burdened with our luggage and a baby through the bustling train station, to a waiting line of Taxis to be transported to our hotel. Costing about 15 Euro. ( No car seat needed for the baby when catching a ride with a Uber or Taxi, we would just hold Téo.)

Upon arrival at what would be our home in Paris for the next two days, we were greeted by the door keeper at Hotel San Régis. He took care of our luggage and ushered us inside to the beautiful foyer and to the amazing receptionist, Jerome. Jerome greeted us warmly, welcoming us to Paris and to this stunning family owned boutique hotel. Which is situated ideally in the 8th Arrondissements, close by the Champs de Elysee, Arc de Triomphe, River Seine and only a 20 min stroll to the Eiffel Tower. After Jerome checked us in and explained our room would soon be ready for us.

In the meantime, he showed us to the lounge area with the most relaxing cozy atmosphere. Introduced us to the waiters and made sure we were well taken care of. He asked if anything was needed while we waited for our room. We settled for hot tea and cold water while letting Téo crawl nearby.

Soon enough our room was ready for us. Again Jerome kindly led the way to the tiny elevator we all crammed in and up to the 6th floor we went.

Up one flight of stairs we found ourselves 7th floor standing before room number 71. What awaited behind this door? We were in for a real treat.

Jerome opened the door, welcoming us to our beautiful Paris suite. First he lead us to the beautiful terrace with a small table and chairs overlooking the streets and sights of Paris. A perfect place for enjoying a breakfast or a dinner while taking in the fantastic view of the Eiffel Tower! We can't wait to see the Iron Lady sparkle this evening. Jerome proceeded to show us the makeup of the room, the amenities, etc… A very thorough reception indeed, we felt welcomed and very much at home. It wasn't hard to tell Jerome enjoyed what he did and had cultivate excellent PR skills. Thank you, Jerome for your kindness and warm hospitality you showed our little family.

By this time it was high time for the baby to take a nap. Soon he was fast asleep is the baby bed. Mandy and I took this opportunity to go downstairs to the hotel restaurant for a quick relaxing lunch in the cozy dining room.

We were impressed with the selection of the menu options. I settled for the Truffel Risotto and Mandy went with the San Régis Salad with Quinoa and fresh Julienned Vegetables garnished with a Carrot Orange Sauce. Fresh bread and an espresso to top it off the meal. So good, the perfect lunch on cool rainy day outside.

This was great place to plan the rest of the afternoon of what to do before our Eiffel Tower tour at 6:30 pm. High on our list of the many things to do in Paris was to visit Laduree on Champs De Elysee Boulevard which was only a short 10 min walk away. Let's go! First we headed back to our little Parisain Oasis to awake the baby and pick up the umbrella provided for us.

Out the streets we headed off with Google maps leading the way. Destination: Laduree the home of the delicate pastry called the Macarons. The very drippy day had we three huddled under the one sturdy umbrella. Rain or shine Paris is still beautiful, passing many opportunities for window shopping along the way.

Crossing the Champs de Elysee Boulevard you can get a great view of Arc de Triomphe in all its Grandeur.

*Laduree obviously the shop front was being worked on with the front being covered, inviting none the less.*

We made the Laduree destination to find line of people waiting all with the expectation of deliciousness. The thing about lines you have to use the three feet apart rule to keep Téo from pulling on other people's clothes:) Once we reached the counter we picked out a pretty box to be filled with six macaroons of our choice.

The flavors we chose were: Orange Blossom, Pistachio, Marie-Antoinette Tea, Strawberry Poppy, and two Coconut Lime. We kept them in the pretty little bag and continued shopping the boulevard. We enjoy savoring them, eating one at a time. Thinking upon the memories made!

Passing many end stores, the high end store we went into was Tiffany's (jewelry). Admiring the many fine pieces. I may need a bigger penny bank to make a purchase. We took note of the Gold and Silver intertwined locks they had on display.

A store on a bit lower spectrum was Monoprix. Here I bought an outfit for Téo and a dress for myself. Still dripping a bit outside we made our way back to the hotel to prepare for our next outing in the rain. Destination: Eiffel Tower

Finding ourselves ready to go once again, we headed down to our awaiting Uber. Along the drive taking in the bustling city of Paris and with anticipation catching glimpses of Eiffel along the way.

Our driver dropped us off at a small store front where we huddled out of the rain with the rest of the group awaiting our tour guide for the Eiffel Tower. (We used a guide to help get us through the security lines quicker and access to the top floor.)

The weather seemed to worsen and the wind picked up as we made our way to the Tower for our 18:30 time slot.

*Dark and formidable in the cloudy weather but still majestic*

The less sturdy umbrellas others had bought were blowing inside out. I was Thankful for the sturdy San Regis umbrella. I held the baby all bundled in a blanket and Jeff held the umbrella over us trying to keep us as dry as possible. My leather shoes didn't fare as well, the rain put a soakin on them. Finally we made it through the security checkpoints and ticket scanners.

After a short history brief we found ourselves tightly crammed on an elevator enroute to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. You had to get off the elevator and board another to the top. It was so cold and windy. Not sure I wanted to go to the top with the baby. Jeff went ahead while I tried keeping the baby out of the wind. He must have stayed a little warm. He fell asleep! Jeff found his way back down. Telling me it was enclosed and warm up top and I should go. We both went and the lady kindly let Jeff backup with his ticket that was already used.

Wow! We made it this far for such a view from the top of the Iron Lady in all her glamor and glow who stands watch over all of Paris through grandeur changing over the years Though the day was cloudy and cold, the love of Paris burning within us kept us warm!

*View of Jardins du Trocadero. An excellent place to view the Eiffel Tower from ground level*

Back down and finding ourselves back out in the rain again, we searched for a cozy spot on the way back to the hotel to have a warm bite for supper.

*A wonderful meal awaited us at Linette*

We found the perfect spot, warm, cozy so welcoming with Parisian vibe! Jeff ordered French onion soup and a Burrata tomato salad. I had a veggie Lasagna with a salad along with fresh bread. Bon Appétit! The table was so small we had to use the table next to ours as well. Which led to a conversation with our bysitters. A chatty group of young folks. Interestingly one of the boys was from GA not far away from where I grew up. The funny thing being we had them fooled for looking French they were surprised to learn we were from America and spoke English.

This brings us to quick tip suggestion. (Tip: Jeff has this thing to try to blend in with the crowd when in another country/culture to avoid pickpockets etc…clothes matter! Basically if a person looks like a tourist likely be treated more like a tourist. Interestingly, it must of been working for us, along our travels in France we had people come to us asking for direction or conversation in French only to be disappointed we unfortunately weren't fluent in their language. We do want to learn this beautiful language and encourage anyone thinking of traveling, to at least learn some of the language prior, it will help. Jeff knows more French than I and we managed alright. We unfortunately didn’t study the language like we should have )

Everyone of the waiters seemed to have made friends with Téo. They all had to say their goodbyes to him at the door when we left. So fun to intact with the locals and I will say, traveling with a baby has opened the door of conversation often, a big plus! We walked across the river enjoying the river traffic.

We walked some more in the evening glow all the way back to the hotel. Every step taken is a bit more of Paris explored.

*Walking the streets of Paris in the evening glow.*

On arrival to Hotel San Régis, we were greeted at the door by a wonderful kind-hearted gentleman named Seydina. He took to Téo immediately and conversation flowed easily. We looked foward meeting him in the lobby each day after, one of our many new friends in France. Téo was shy to to begin with but Seydina would always try to get him to smile and soon had won him over.

We made it back to our terrace just in time to view the Eiffel Tower putting on the light show of the night and she did, all glittering gold.

*The Iron Lady sparkling in her golden glow*

What a magical ending to a afternoon spent in Paris. Paris we love you, bon nuit!

Jeffrey Johnson 5/23/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/23/23

Chedigny, Amboise, Sunday Drive

May 14 Chedigny, Amboise, Sunday Drive

The plan today is a a Sunday drive visiting Amboise market again, Château Montrésor, Château Montpoupon, Pagode de Chanteloup, and Chedigny.

A First Mothers day spent in France. One worth remembering! A bowl of Fruit for breakfast. With a selection of fresh Croissants, Pain au Chocolate and a cup of hot Tea. A perfect start to the day ahead.

Today we decided to head back to Amboise to explore the Sunday Market. Friday Market is more for the locals, Sunday is a lot bigger and more for tourists, we found out. Friday would definitely be our choice! We had to park farther away beings parking was hard to come by. All good though. We enjoyed our walk by the river to the market on cloudy, chilly day.

*Walk along the river on our way to the market*

After jostling through all the people at the market, lunch started to sound like a good idea. We found our way out and back into town. We settled on Bigot for lunch. We had the “coziest corner in town” is how Jeff worded it.

*Fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juice… or Jus de Fruits as its said here*

It was perfect for a cool day. Téo really enjoyed visiting with our by-sitters (An older couple, they had just biked in 3 hrs from Tours). It's always a relief to the mom when the people sitting close by enjoy the baby sincehaving your own space is a little more confined when in France. Téo also enjoyed his high chair just like his at home.(Stokke highchair) He always seems impressed to have his own chair.

*Perfect cup of hot chocolate on a chilly day*

Full of good food and perfect cup of hot chocolate. But still room for more we stopped and bought some Apricot sorbet on the way out. Speaking of Apricots, they are in season here and the dried ones are so yummy. A favorite treat for snacks on the go. Back to Jasmine the car parked by the river and setting up several destinations in our GPS we continued our escapades.

A drive to Pagode de Chanteloup. A glimpse of it down the tree lined avenue was enough. After being destroyed in 1823, this is what is left of the Loire Valley version of Versailles, one lone monument and a large pool marking the spot where it once stood. (We visited the real Palace of Versailles which close to Paris in 2019. It a very stunning palace and makes the Châteaus in this area look more like large royal country homes.) It was cool and windy and the baby was asleep so on we went to Chedigny (The town of Roses).

The mayor left a lot of Franks (Swiss money) to the townspeople telling them to use it towards planting roses. The sleepy little town has now bloomed literally. Parking our car we joined the other Europeans taking their Sunday stroll through this quaint village. Pretty it was. Even if the storm from the night before may have had a toll on the roses a bit.

Next destination was a drive by Château Montpoupon. Yes we could have gone in and taken a tour. In the moment we felt all cozy tucked up in our tiny car. The view was good enough.

On our drive you would catch glimpses of color along the road. A flashy pheasant it would be. They are so stunning. Montrésor as the next destination. Only to realizing we had already drove through the town before. We did find a gas pump there. That was a big plus! A cute one too. It had flowers growing around it.

*Single pump filling station. Fuel can sometimes be a challenge to find*. *Green is Petrol and Yellow is Diesel in France*

It was early evening. Heading back to the B&B to relax, pack up and prepare to leave La Jucherie tomorrow for travel day by train for our next destination…Paris!

Upon arriving back at La Jucherie we found ourselves outside, taking Téo for a swing, enjoying the flower garden, assembled a small daisy boutique and barefoot in the soft green grass. Napoleon ( the big fluffy white dog) soon came by to check on his buddy Téo.

Jean-Yves brought out some cushions for the lawn chairs. The kitchen door was open letting in the fresh air. We could hear Justine talking on the phone while she prepared dinner. Our laundry Justine had done was outside soaking up the sun a well. So relaxing…I found the gate at the back of the property. Beyond was a whole new world to explore. Vast fields. We three ventured out for a walk. The crops were so tall. Enclosing you, you felt all alone in the peace and quiet of nature. I could have kept on and enjoyed the adventure. Back to dinner we must go.

Well not supper quite yet. Justine talked Jean-Yves into giving us a ride in Bertie Blue the old car 77 model he was with soft cushy seats. With the sun shining now it was time for a ride!

The baby was sleeping. Justine looked after him while we went for a little jaunt in Bertie Blue around the countryside. Such fun!

Back in time for dinner we found the baby still fast asleep. It worked great to put him down for a nap while we enjoyed our meal or at least part of it. He didn't always sleep the whole time. Our last supper with Chef Justine. Good food and good talks. For this meal she made us a Salad with Apples, Ratatouille and for dessert Strawberry/Raspberry Meringue. Jean-yves opened a special bottle of wine for Jeff to try. I opted out for an virgin cocktail with a black currant fruit syrup. The Mum needs special treatment as Justine would say. After all, it's Mothers Day.

A Mum also needs a warm shower too, to finish the day. After a shower and packing up, we were ready to call it a day. Sweet dreams of Paris as we slept, for Paris is calling and we must go!

Jeffrey Johnson 5/23/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/23/23

Tours, Château Villandry, Loches, France

May 13 Tours, Château Villandry, Loches

Our day started with the view of clouds and rain falling. Hoping soon the weather would break and the sun would peek out we headed off for Tours a 50 min drive. Our first stop would be the Money Exchange office, the only one in this area. We had USD we needed to exchange for Euros. Visa and MasterCards are widely accepted throughout France however in some market stalls or small shops cash is only accepted. We found a vacant parking spot a short 5 min walk from the office and soon the exchange was complete.

*On this street in Tours the Money Exchange Office was found*

On the way back to the car I stopped in at this inviting little bakery and bought a cookie to go.

*Inviting Boulangerie on the same street as money exchange stopped in for a cookie*

On our way again we left Tours bound for another Château Villandry that our host recommended. This chateau was known for its beautiful pristine gardens. We arrived in the village of Villandry around 11 am, and found parking on the outskirts of the small village. The Château was only a short walk away.

Entree fee for this Château was around 11 Euros per adult. We wandered through the Château, beautiful but seem to be lacking the cozy atmosphere of a home. Here are some pictures of the inside rooms of this Château.

From time to time we would look out through windows to view the surroundings awaiting us.

We took notice of the beautiful and unique paintings in the art gallery.

At one point we made our way to the top of Château to see the views of the gardens below from a greater heights.

*Notice the pristine designs of the gardens*

With bright warm sunshine beckoning us from outdoors we soon answered the call to explore these pristine gardens. First we took the long walk down the treeline lane.

It wouldn’t be hard to imagine horses and horsemen riding these lanes in full colors keeping watch over this country Château and welcoming the gardeners, porters, chefs, and families coming and going to carry out their duties while overlooking these stunning gardens.

The back portion of the gardens we found large grassy lawns with water fountains. This setting was a setting for true relaxation, contemplation, and meditation. We let Téo play in the lush lawn.

While we sat close by, soaking in the sun, breathing deeply in the fresh air, in a state of true gratitude for this opportunity as a little family to explore the unknown and the new to us. Truly we have found traveling to be a time of rest for the mind, body, and soul. To embrace a new cultural way of life in this beautiful country, we hope many others visit sometime.

Next we crossed over the threshold into the gardens laid out in designs as this blueprint shows.

*Garden description showing the designs*

Rows and rows of colored cabbages, spinach, lettuces, herbs and many flowering plants all around make up this garden.

Hungry, we set out in search of some food, and settled for a little pizza place in the village.

After lunch we loaded back up in our Fiat Mini and set the GPS for destination Loches. Loches is a midsize Village only about 16 mins from Saint Hippolyte where we are calling home these few days. The reason for visiting Loches was mainly to explore the village, walk the street and shop at the boutique stores. Also I had this thing, I really wanted to get a French haircut somewhere while in France. The hunt for a barber shop was on. When we arrived at Loches it began to rain. We were able to find a parking spot near a barber shop on a side street, however there was no availability at this one. Not willing to give up so quickly decided to go scout other barbershop options in Loches to see if any had a last minute appointment available. The third barber shop I tried let me schedule an appointment for 5 pm which was 45 minutes away. This gave us time to browse the shops.

We came across this petite baby/children clothing store, found a nice long-sleeved shirt for Téo here at this cute, second hand store.

By this time it was nearly time for a French haircut experience. I headed up the street to this welcoming barber shop, leaving Mandy and baby Téo to continue shopping on their own.

Arriving at the barber I was led to the back of the shop by a hair basin. First things first, put on the robe then she proceeded to wash my hair. Next the barber chair, but since the lady barber didn't speak English, I typed into Google translate the type of cut I was looking for. This included converting inches in centimeters. She nodded and to make sure we were on the same page. She demonstrated the length and type of haircut. I nodded in affirmation. For better or worse, off she went snip,snip using only a pair of hair scissors. It didn’t take long and she had completed the cut. She held a mirror so I could see the back of my head as well. The final outcome was a great cut. I was really impressed with the efficiency and talent with a pair of scissors. This cut cost 23 euros plus a 2 euro tip.

With the hair cut, neck trimmed, hair blow dried and styled it was time to head back out into the street hoping Mandy would still recognize me. She seemed to approve with a laugh and Téo looked and looked at his Da with a grin. Success! Mission complete! Next time we visit Loches in the future I'll know where to go for a styled haircut.

We stopped by a cozy café to relax and catch up over a coffee.

Outside we notice the rain had stopped for the time being. The sun was shining brightly through the parting clouds, inviting us to continue our exploring of this beautiful country village.

Mandy had spotted a shoe store down the street and another boutique shop that we had to visit next.

At the shoe store we had fun buying a pair of shoes for Téo the kind lady that helped us knew very little English. This made for an interesting time trying to describe that we were looking for a pair of shoes for when he was a bit older. After several pairs of shoe fittings we settled on a size 21… Hopefully they work for a while in a few months time.

Funny thing while trying to find the right size the sales lady brought out a pair of sandals and a pair of Pink socks. We all had a good laugh even Téo seemed amuzed!

The shoe store gifted Teo a free carousel ride. Of course we had take advantage of this opportunity for his first carousel ride to be in Loches, France. How exciting! After the shopping was completed we walk to the towns square where we found the carousel waiting with lights blinking. Since it had been raining we would be the only riders. Mandy joined Téo hold him in place in the big orange truck with an eagle, an Indian on it and a license plate with the number 2907 it actually looked quite American. Téo looked alittle unsure at first but soon was enjoying himself. A great memory in a special town.

What a fun day, it was now time to head back to our country cottage to see what Chef Justine had prepared for us this evening. On the way we enjoyed the drive passing the many wheat fields waving in the breeze.

There is alot of agriculture in this area with large fields full of wheat, mustard, hay and some young crops just being planted.

After arriving back to pur country cottage, soon dinner was ready. Once again beautiful candle light dinner awaited. We were truly being spoiled. A Starter, baguette bread and for the Entrée a fresh garden Mousse. For the main Plat, paying homage to our American cuisine, Chef Justine made us large burgers made with eggplant, tomato, cheese on a fresh Brioche bun with cole slaw and sweet potato fries on the side. Bon Appétit! 😀 For dessert a delicious crepes filled with our choice of filling. I had a hazelnut, chocolate spread with banana. Jeff’s had Chef's carmel filled crepe.

After a yummy meal and fun meaningful conversations with our host we headed to bed. Bon Nuit!

Jeffrey Johnson 5/21/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/21/23

Amboise Market, Château de Chenonceau, Loire Valley

May 12 Amboise, Château de Chenonceau

Cloudy morning in the Loire Valley. First Breakfast with Chef Justine. In search of sunshine we set out for markets, a Chateau and small villages. Amboise market was our first stop. A lovely market all full of great looking fruits and vegetables. This market is on the banks of the Loire River the longest river in France and this is the best market in the area, they say. It was really neat especially on Fridays.

*Market view of one of the rows of venders to expore*

*The locals are out with a mission in mind*

*Fresh Mediditerrean Olives beckoned us. We bought some for nibbles and lunch… so yummy*

*Picked up some Madagascar Vanilla beans and Spices at the this booth*

Making our way through the many booths we stopped one particular Bakery booth known in this area for winnning the best croissants, unfortunately we were to late. Already sold out, instead, we purchased some of the best fruit and nut bread. (Unfortunately we weren't able to make it to their bakery which is close to Tours, maybe next time we visit this area.)

*The bakery booth was out of the award winning croissants. We settled for the best fruit and nut bread.*

The strawberries we purchased were free from pesticides the best ones we have ever had, super sweet.♡ Wishful thinking, wishing I had a great big market basket to fill with veggies and fruits. Maybe next time:).

Crossing the street in the town of Amboise we found ourselves meandering the quaint streets.

*Found lunch on this street at the Patissier*

Here we bought Téo a little black car to remember the trip to resemble the black Mini Fiat 500 we are driving. Jeff went into a shop to get us some sandwiches for lunch.

In the meantime,Téo was getting hungry and making quite a fuss. So we went back to the vehicle to feed the baby and Jeff walk to the nearby Boulangier/Pattasaier called Bigot known to habe the best icecream/gelato. We splurged on some Pistachio and Coconut gelato to eat Before lunch.

*Yummy and silky smooth. Pistachio and Coconut*

Everyone was ready to go again.We set out for the grand Château de Chenonceau to find a place to have a picnic to enjoy our market shopping and then tour the Château.

Finding a picnic area nearby in a quiet peaceful area near the entrance to the estate.

We enjoyed our spread while the boy played nearby in the grass. (*The bread in these sandwiches wasn't the best. With so many excellent bread options around it was a little disappointing) The other food options we bought at the market were so delicious!

Picnic over, we paid the entree ticket booth 18 Euros for per adult and soon found ourselves walking down this long, magistic, tree-lined lane leading directly to the Château de Chenonceau in the distance.

*Stunning tree lined lane leading to the Chateau*

Château de Chenonceau oh the beauty of the past. Why do we let beauty go? The whole earth could be a fairy garden full of positive energy. This Beautiful Château is built over the river capturing the energy of the flowing water.

So many buildings and beautiful gardens on the grounds of the Château.

These pictures will give you a peek into some of the rooms on the inside of the Château including the long bridge portion spanning over the river below.

Téo fell asleep in the carrier on Jeff's back as we strolled around the gardens, carriage houses and the apothecary. Yes, an apothecary. In this era they knew the power of the plants surrounding us in nature. All labeled beautiful jars for herbs, rare plants etc..

Next we ventureed by the nearby carriage house and surrounding buildings. Here we learned this area was used as a hospital during the world war.

We wandered through the Château's large vegetable gardens nearby.

Enjoying the beautiful sunshine in the gardens, our day was filling complete. All that was lacking was spending time around Chef Justine's dinner table.

On the drive back we drove by Château Montressor. Feeling like we had seen enough Château for the day, we decided a look from the outside was good enough.

We continued on through the countryside and small towns.(* The streets are so narrow throughout the towns; one way is always given the right away. You have to watch the signs and the obstacles in the roads. Cones, speed bumps, wire cages with rocks etc. Anything to go around to slow you down or a obstacle course as Jeff would call it. It did seem like a obstacle course with partial roads blocks at random places. No texting and driving here 😀. There may have even been a speed trap coming into these small town (electronic police). Hopefully we don't have any tickets coming in the mail. We weren't aware of the signs and what they meant at the first part of our trip. Thanks to Jean-Yves advice, we now know.

Passing through the beautiful agriculture countryside called for converting our Fiat into a convertible to enjoy weather.

Back at our B&B, Justine gave a tour of her yard and garden and Téo spent some time with his buddy Napoleon the dog.

Then we cleaned up a bit before dinner. Justine served us Olive Tapenade Toast for a starter, fresh bread, fresh Tomatoes Avocado Mousse for the entrée, Pasta with fresh Pesto and Pine nuts for the Plat. Last but not least, a Rhubarb Crisp for dessert.

Such Yumminess, Thank You Chef!

Cozy ending to a beautiful day!

(Till tomorrow)

Jeffrey Johnson 5/16/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/16/23

Lyon, On to River Loire Valley, France

May 11 Lyon, Lorie Valley

Our day started around 8 am in our cute little apartment Airbnb. We decided to go out to see the impressive clock in the Cathedral just down the street. They were having a service so wasn't able to get a good picture of the clock.

On the way back to collect our bags we stopped in a little Café for croissants, an espresso and a hot tea. It hit the spot on a cool morning and was so delicious.

The trek back to our car parked by the river began with bags in tow and baby strapped to Jeff's back. This time we navigate an easier route with less cobblestone. Cobblestone streets are amazing but pulling roller bags on them can be challenging. The parking ended being 23 euros for the night parking, which was higher than expected.

Next we drove up to the cathedral at the top overlooking Lyon with beautiful views of the city below. Stopped by the Villa Florentine Hotel for a casual look at the lobby and view, beautiful hotel.

On the way down we stopped by this Roman theater. It looks like they still use it today.

Next ww stopped by the botanical gardens for just abit. Then weheaded out of the city with the destination being Saint Hippolyte,in the Loire valley, where our next BnB awaited us. Easy driving through the beautifulagriculture countryside and many cute little towns. The drive was long enough and took us around 4 hrs and 40 mins along with a stop for a sandwich for lunch on the go.

When we arrived into the little village our GPS said we had arrived. We clearly hadn't arrived according to the directions given us by our host. We contacted our host for help and further directions. Justine was so kind. Told us we needed to go out of town past the school on the right and Marie on the left, then continue up a hill and down another… or approximately 2 km. She sent her partner Jean to stand in the rain at the end of their driveway with a black umbrella to help us locate the correct place…felt a bit sorry for Jean since it was raining moderately with cool temperature. Soon enough we arrived to the warmest welcome, hugs all around, and called by name straight away. Their big fluffy white dog named Napoleon took to Téo right away and made us miss our dogs back home. We arrived here around 5:30 pm.

This cute countryside cottage was to be our home for the next 4 nights. What great place with very special hosts. We felt very grateful to have this opportunity to stay at La Jucherie.

We had our own seperate house called a gite or rental here in France. Justine gave us a tour of the cottage. Turns out she is an excellent chef. She had mini cakes waiting for us as a welcome. Let us know us dinner would be ready around 7:15 in the main house. We cleaned up abit put the baby to bed for a nap, then headed over for dinner. We were treated like royalty with candle light dinner. A selection of fresh bread, drinks of our choice, an appetizer, starter, main course,last but not least dessert. It was all so good and hearty.

Conversation flowed as we began to get acquainted with our new friends. Stuffed to the brim we said goodnight, went back to our cottage. Settled in, and spent some time trying to catch up on our blog.

If anyone is interested in bookinga stay at La Jucherie in the Loire Valley, here is the link on Airbnb. https://air.tl/tEBxLjIs

Tomorrow we will explore the area and visit one of many grand Châteaus in this region of France.

Jeffrey Johnson 5/14/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/14/23

Lyon, France

May 10 Alarm rang around 6:45 hit snoozed a time or two. I wanted to go to the local bakery at Ménerbes before we leave this area today. Mandy stayed at the cottage with baby Téo while I went out to find some breakfast. It was a beautiful sunny morning. Parked the Fiat below the village and climbed the stairs through the stone walls lined with ivys and flowering plants.

Soon found the main street and wandered the street to find the Boulangerie (bakery). The first place I stopped by was a little coffee shop. Paid 1.5 euro for an espresso and enjoyed it overlooking the valley from the terrace.

Next discovered one bakery was closed and the other one didn't have I what was looking for. I settled on some fresh croissants, a slice of quiche and an apricot tart like pastry at a third bakery/store. So neat to experience being one with the locals going to buy the coffee and pastry while the town woke up.

All packed and ready to leave around 11:00. We had a couple of stops to make. We stopped in at Les Roullets to buy some fresh olive oil. Next we drove into Ménerbes, Mandy wanted to shop a bit at a store that had caught her eye.

Au Revoir, Ménerbes and Provence! We left the Lavender fields, vineyards and fruit orchards behind. Google maps leading the way we began the 3 hr trip North to the city of Lyon.

We had a tour with a local booked for 3pm. We were feeling a little rushed since we didn't leave as soon as we planned. The trip was uneventful and we arrived into Lyon around 2:40 pm however finding the parking lot which our Airbnb host recommended turned out to be quite challenging because we didn't recognize the parking sign.

We settled for a different parking lot. Tried to figure out how the paying process worked. Then we started the trek to find our place to drop off our luggage. It can be a workout hauling a baby, pulling luggage up cobblestone streets while trying to follow Google maps in the walking mode. By this time we knew we were running late. As fate would have it, we crossed the area where we were to meet our tour guide, with our luggage in tow. Totally concentrated in following directions on the phone, we were quite surprised to heard someone calling my name. Turned out it was our tour guide Isabette. She offered to help us find our Bnb and to carry some luggage. We were so thankful for the help. Ended up being quite close to our place and soon found the door marked 60 with shops on either side. The door opened into an alley where we climbed a flight of stairs to locate our door on the 1st floor with a lock pad outside with the keys.

Soon we were off on our delayed walking tour. Isabette did a great job of taking us through an old part of Lyon called Vieux Lyon. Tour took us through beautiful, colorful streets, by a big cuckoo clock and many historical buildings of days gone by.

Towards the end of the tour she recommended an Italian place she likes to eat. We ended up going there later for a meal. The tour ended in front of this unique morale painted on the entire side of a large building. Representing well known people of Lyon in life like scale.

Said goodbye to Isabette and walk out to further explore Lyon. We found this beautiful water fountain in a large open square.

Walked along one of the two rivers of Lyon and headed back to bnb before going to find some food. Lyon is a beautiful city with bridges spanning the rivers. Culinary wise lots of cuisine options to choose from in Lyon.

Tomorrow we will spend the morning in Lyon heading west towards the Loire Valley which is around 4 hrs and 40 mins drive.

Jeffrey Johnson 5/14/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/14/23

Marseille, Southern France

MAY 9 MARSEILLE

Waking up to cloudy day. Without a set plan for our day's adventures. Shall we go here or there is always the question? Looks like we may have to leave some jaunts for next time.

Marseille the oldest sea side city in Southern France was decided upon for the destination for our day. An hour and seven minute drive from our location. The Little Fiat was in need of some gas. Our first stop on the agenda once we found some. It's almost like a treasure hunt searching for the nearest gas station, not near as convenient as the states.

Enroute i spotted a Fruit and Vegetable market. Just had to stop! So colorful and vibrant and such a selection of good eats. Always wishful thinking… I would love to have markets back home like this. After buying groceries for supper we were back on the road again. ( going to places we had never been:) )

Cruising down the freeway, we like to take notice of the old cars being driven in France. Today we spotted this Porsche. It's she a beauty?

Tolls, so many tolls to be paid while driving on these French roads. They have a very slick system of paying the tolls easily and quickly but they are so expensive. A journey with 2 to 3 hr distance traveled on toll roads can add up to be nearly like paying for an additional tank of fuel for the journey.

Driving in France with Google maps has worked out very well. Definitely a bit of a learning curve with a new language, road signs, narrow roads etc but overall easy to navigate.

Upon entering Marseille we discovered this fountain with an inscription. Dedicated to Mary Magdalene. The said story goes in this area sometime after Jesus Crucifixion, Mary Magdalene (known as Mary of Magdala) Lazarus, Martha, Maximine and a few others fled by launching a boat into the Mediterranean Sea. Adrift on the sea they eventually found their small boat coming ashore here in Marseille, France. Interestingly, seems some of the French have continued this story and throughout France there seems to be streets, basilica, and in this case a fountain dedicated to her memory.

In the old port area of Marseille we found this little ticket booth to ride a touristy train from the Port to a lookout point high above the city with wonderful views all around of the city, the sea, and most importantly Château D'If sitting on its own little island in the distance. Soon we were on our way passing by the many boats in port. Along the way we had great views of the bay and out to sea.

To see Château D'If was a highlight of our visit to Marseille. This makes the captivating story of The Count of Monte Cristo and the injustice the main character called Dantes (or later known as the Count of Monte Cristo) endured there. Though it's a fictional story, it's said to be based on a true story. The story has so moved many readers and is considered an outstanding old Classic novel.

Téo seems to enjoy his petit train on the ride up.

After taking in the views from the top we were ready to head back down on the same train system. We were told every 20 mins a train would arrive. However the line of people waiting to catch the train down made us believe the trains most be running behind schedule. We waited for a while, then decided it was time to just call an Uber instead. Turned out to be an easy quick solution.

The country cottage was calling us to return. Soon we found ourselves heading back to Provence to little paradise we had come to call home for a few days. Upon our arrival, the rain began to fall making for a cosy afternoon for a quick nap for Mandy and baby.

Jeff headed out to have good swet in the cutest little sauna on the property. Afterward, taking a cool, refreshing swim in the pool while the rain fell.

For dinner Mandy made a delicious meal from the groceries we purchased earlier in the day.

Our last evening in this part of France was coming to a close. But then we noticed the rain had stopped and sun was peeking through the clouds beckoning for us to take a drive through the country and village in the after rain beauty as the sunset. We even caught glimpse of the stone quarry on the distance.

Back from our drive,the fading daylight found us wandering through the orchards, admiring the new clusters of grapes and picking some ripening cherries from the trees…so yum.

Tomorrow we pack up our bags and head north to the city of Lyon. Sad to leave but looking forward to what is waiting up ahead.

Jeffrey Johnson 5/11/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/11/23

Oppède, Gordes en Provence

May 8 Today was a low key day. We had a lazy morning at the cottage. Around 12:15, we headed off for lunch at Bastide de Marie which is a beautiful boutique hotel set in the countryside surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and beautiful scenery all around.

We had a relaxing lunch on the outdoor patio on sunny warm day in the Luberon Valley. An attentive waiter soon made friends with Téo and commented on how he had the same eye color as Téo's. He said that was so rare to find someone with his eye color.

Delicious lunch was served with assorted basket of fresh bread, olive oil and dash of salt. We had the entree a fresh Tomato Gazpacho, Green Salad for Mandy and Tomato Linguine pasta for Jeff. Little Téo had the option of playing in the grass while we ate.

In the afternoon we visited a couple villages in the area. One called Isle Sur La Sorgue known as the Venice of Provence because of the canals going through the village. From there we headed to Gordes a beautiful hilltop town. Stunning views of the valley below over looking the Gordes walls and the beautiful view of the town from the road leading us into Gordes. We wandered the cobble stone streets and alleys. We bought some groceries for our dinner that evening and some Lavender from the area for a souvenir.

Over all Gordes is stunning, definitely a place to visit but it ended up being a bit to touristy for us. We preferred Ménerbes for the simplicity, beauty and quiet atmosphere.

We retuned late afternoon to our cottage. There we explore some of the property of Les Roullets. Visited their vegetable garden and stopped by an old under ground water irrigation system said to be build and used during the visible Roman occupation of this area. On the way back to the cottage we stopped and admired the beauty of thus old Oak Tree said to to be around 700 years old, Stately and Magnificent.

Mandy made a delicious meal in the evening from the fresh produce we purchased from the market in Gordes.

The day ended with us planning what to do the next day. Should we stay close by or venture out on half day trip to explore another area?

Check back soon to see how we spent the last day in Provence area.

Jeffrey Johnson 5/11/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/11/23

Menerbes, Luberon Valley en Provence

May 7 Goult , Menerbes, Oppede, Provence, Les Roullets Cottage

Bonjour! Awakening from our slumber in our little cave-like abode. Readied ourselves for the day and set off in search of a bakery. Ended up with mostly bread, getting a whole loaf sliced due to a little miscommunication (language barrier). Hopefully I can keep from looking like a puff pastry by the time I get home. Temptations everywhere!

Made the decision to go fetch our car from the parking area. The idea was to go stop by our AirBnB and pick up our luggage on our way out of Goult. Our plans changed however due to a Marathon taking place in the town of Goult and resulting in blocked streets for cars. Managing to get a bit closer with help of local Goult resident. We still had to haul our luggage a bit to the vehicle. Upon leaving or rather trying to leave we got ourselves into more of a bind and had to wait out the race. Thankfully we ended up at a scenic site, a windmill called Moulin de Jerusalem.

Finding a mowed area in the grass we sat down for a little picnic brunch. ( bread, dried apricots, dried figs, and apple slices).

Looking like the race was letting up we made our escape. We made it this time! Our next lodging which only a short drive from Goult between the villages of Oppède and Ménerbes. Our cottage wasn't quite ready upon arrival.

Setting out in search of some food we found the most charming little town by the name of Ménerbes. We settled on a pizza place with outside seating, a Margarita pizza and two great big salads suited our needs just fine.

We stopped a little Boulangie (Bakery) for a little dessert.

Traveling down narrow country lanes lined with wildflowers and old stone walls we found ourselves at Les Roullets Cottage and BnB. What a gem she was all cute and cozy. We fell in love with her straight away.

Lots of french doors to let in the fresh air. A comfy cottage vibe. Settling in we made use of the lounge chairs and pool before the sun left us. Téo enjoyed splashing around in the outdoor shower.

Travel and keeping up with a little one makes a person a bit tuckered out at times. I laid down a bit and rested. Jeff went on jog around the property and checked everything out. He thought he needed his exercise before eating again ;) .

Suppertime again, We headed back to Ménerbes. Reservation made at a little local restaurant called Les Saveurs Gourmandes.

This place had excellent food without the big prices. The chef made us a special dish with all vegetables for a main dish. It was all so yummy!

We enjoyed the chef. He had a friendly relationship with his costumers and came out and talked with us. Caring about the food and the people. A big plus and great PR move. Teo didn't want to sit still the whole time. These kind of meals that come in courses take time. So we took turns spending some time on the street with him watching the swallows find their roost for the night, a stray cat, a few passersby, and now and then a car would clatter by on the cobblestone.

Thankfully everyone seems to like the little boy and we usually pull through ♡. (Teo is showing his first two teeth. Maybe a cause of some of his emotions. They popped through on this trip. Something new for him to work through.)

After a wonderful meal and dessert, on our way out, we met a lady from Vermont that was collecting antiques to take home to sell. Talked a bit on the street corner with her before heading back to our cottage. Great way to end a fun day filled with memories Bon Nuit!

Jeffrey Johnson 5/9/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/9/23

Monaco, Menton, Goult en Provence,Southern France

May 6 Today we woke up to the fresh sea breeze and brilliant sunshine. Breakfast was waiting for us downstairs in the sunny kitchen, a good selection of fresh healthy items to choose from to start our day right. After breakfast Mandy headed to the spa for a massage and time of relaxation. Téo and I headed out on a walk along the sea to soak in the sunshine and the fresh sea air. Our exploring led us to the outdoor tennis court and a large outdoor chess game. It would be fun to play a match with these large pawns.

Soon our exploration excursion came to an end and it was time to head back to our room for a Téo's nap and time to pack the bags to leave this gorgeous oasis. The family back together Mum looking really relaxed, we loaded the bags in the car or should I say the Bell Boy did. (Which seems a little unnecessary in my opinion but they are so happy to be of assistance.) Our next destination is the small village of Goult in Provence. Where our Airbnb for 1 night is located. We took the long journey of getting there. Since we were only 15 or 20 minutes drive from the tiny but very wealthy country of Monaco, we just had to visit. This is where Princess Grace resided. An American actress who fell in love with the Prince of Monaco,Prince Rainier III. She had quite an impact on this little country.

Interestingly enough in 2 weeks time the annual Grand Prix will be held here on the central streets of the city. This Saturday however the electric races were being held. So unfortunately we weren't able to drive into the central parts of the city. It was interesting, nonetheless, good exercise for the driver to navigate lots of traffic, pedestrians, motorbikes etc on the narrow streets.

We continued our eastward direction along the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea until we reached Menton which borders Italy. This area is known for pastel-colored buildings and lemons. It was so nice to slowly drive along the sea with the Mini Fiat in full convertible mode. (This car has won us over so much fun to drive. We need to have these in the USA.)

Soon we found ourselves heading westward towards Provence. Passing the signs for the towns of the French Riviera and Côte d’Azur region, Nice, Cannes, Marseille, Saint Tropez etc..The drive was an easy 3 hour drive to Goult. With the Fiat in the wind, the tunes playing,and the baby sleeping the time and scenery flew by.

We found the BnB easily in the small village of Goult. It was located on the cutest street with climbing roses and many varieties of plants along the street.

Xavier met us at the door, helped move in and explained how he remodeled and decorated this character home. He added an in-ground pool in a relaxing atmosphere.

After we settled we headed out to see the tiny town. There was a grocery store, several bakeries, restaurants, cheese store, crafts etc all within a few minutes walk.

Stopped by the grocery store and bought a few things then headed back home to give the baby a break before going out for dinner at the restaurant called La Terrassa 19:30.

They seated us out on the terrace which was fine. Soon it filled up. This is when Teo decided he'd had enough. French etiquette is quiet during meals, talk in low tones so as to not disturb the neighboring table (which we really like the concept and show of respect for others). This however has proved to be challenging at times with a baby. The French people seem to be understanding with us having a baby, still we traded off this meal to take Teo out while the other ate. He helps keep things interesting and it was still a delicious meal. .

Back to our place of lodging for the night, we settled in and said Bon Nuit to the day. Tomorrow we move on to a country cottage not far away. Where we plan to stay at for 3 nights in the beautiful Luberon Valley of Provence.

Jeffrey Johnson 5/8/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/8/23

Eze, Saint Cap Ferrat, Southern France

May 5th

The breakfast once again did not disappoint…yum! Today we check out of our hilltop Chateau hotel, catch a Uber to Hertz Rental Car desk at the Nice Airport. Beautiful ride through the seaside city of Nice. The ride took about 35 mins. Here we were able to rent a Fiat 500 Mini with convertible top. The cutest little car! Perfect for our little family of three. The biggest question would we be able to load all of luggage inside the tiny boot? The answer is no, we can only fit all two bigger carry-on bags, most of the other smaller bags came inside the cabin in the back seat area with Téo. All loaded up, the navigation in a French began! The road sign are similar to USA, a few differences and a few don't dos. For example the turning right on red here, must wait till green. Overall it's been a blast to drive this well made Mini Fiat in this country so far. Our experience is vehicle size in Europe, smaller the better for parking in tight spaces, super narrow and winding roads, the option to turn on a dime is a big plus.

Arriving at Cap Estelle. A beautiful seaside escape on the French Riviera. A place in time dating back to the early 1900s with a list of previous visitors worth taking note of. Greetings from our gracious hosts make us feel at home and welcome. A skill we all can learn from! How to be of service to others in a talented, polite, professional manner. Our room was not ready upon arrival. We passed the time by a tour of the grounds and enjoying lunch at their outdoor restaurant. Meanwhile trying to keep the baby happy.

Finding our way to our space for the next night. All set up with a cute baby cot, beautiful bouquet of flowers, heated bathroom floors, and a few treats to make it extra sweet.

We were told we were lucky to have such pleasant weather and sunshine. Our manifestation of sunshine really did work! Putting it to use. We changed and headed to the private little beach.(All to ourselves)

A pebble beach warm from the sun. A bit cleaner than a sandy beach. Teo enjoyed the array of different colored rocks as long as they stayed out of his mouth. Climbing the seaside rocks, drinking a lemon soda from Menton, and taking a cold plunge into the salty sea an adventure for three. Refreshing and so peaceful watching the water lap the shore.

Refreshing and so peaceful watching the water lap the shore. As the shadow of the rocks crept upon us we set out for warmer waters. Up at the beautiful infinite pool, little Téo had a grand time in the hot tub with me while Jeff swam around a bit in the large pool. Feeling we had enough water outside we headed inside for a soak in the shower and ready for dinner.

Supper was calling or rather we called supper. Had supper brought to our patio for a more relaxed vibe. Allowing the baby to crawl around and explore. While waiting for supper we took a walk outside up through the hillside garden to catch the sunset views. Sea, Sun, Spectacular views a great way to end a great day!

Jeffrey Johnson 5/8/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/8/23

Village Eze, Southern France

May 4th. The internal clock reset is real. The bébé had a rough time trying sleep last night. Having traveled ahead in time by 8hrs, it took till 230 am before he was fast asleep. We started our day around 830 am. Had a very inviting complimentary breakfast buffet waiting for us. Delicious assortment of fruits, fresh juices, pastries, yogurts, breads, savory options such as cucumber salad, Mediterranean olives etc etc etc…too much to choose from. Paired with the best view high above the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

What more could we possibly ask for to start our holiday in France? It was perfectly perfect… even the weather was sunny and warm. We are so grateful to have this opportunity to spend time in the stunning panoramic village of Eze, France. After our morning meal we headed out to explore the grounds of the hotel property and to give Téo the opportunity to play in the grass.

Just outside the Château Hotel grounds we toured the local Village of Eze. Winding through the quaint cobblestone streets and shops we eventually found our way to the park at the pinnacle of Eze with Panoramic views of the area all around. The park was filled with cactus and dry land plants. Very beautiful!

In the afternoon we spend time around the pool swimming and soaking in the sun.

After a much needed nap we dressed up headed for our dinner reservation just up the street a short walk we found Restaurant Château Eza. A michelin star experience in the most cozy atmosphere overlooking the bay of Cap Ferrat. This experience can be summed up in a few words. France on a Plate. Sophisticated, Delicate, Precise and Delicious.

Elegantly presented by the most cordial waiters willing to go the 2nd mile to help in any way. Which included helping Mandy find an alternative changing space for the bébé after a very dirty diaper. Dinner over we headed back through quiet village streets to our place of lodging under a bright moon shimmering on the sea in the distance.

Tomorrow we will rent a car amd head to our new home for one night at the edge of the Mediterranean.

Jeffrey Johnson 5/2/23 Jeffrey Johnson 5/2/23

Travel Day to Southern France

Our journey to Nice begins! We left our MS home around 4:14 PM CST heading for GTR Airport only a short 25 min drive away. The adventure to southern France begins with an additional adventurer. We are traveling with our 9 month young baby. 👶 Bags are packed and bursting at the seams. Diapers stuffed in every crooks and cranny. Our goal is to travel with carry on luggage only to help avoid any delays in making our connection to Nice in CDG Paris. So far Téo has been a real trooper off to a great start. He seems to like to wave at the neighbors in the seats around us. We left GTR at 6:00 pm headed for ATL. Au Revoir Mississippi 🫡. At ATL we will board an over night flight to Paris. Looking forward to a decent sleep onboard and waking international.

After a 7 hr 50 min flight we arrived at CDG Airport. The flight was uneventful as a flight should be. We got our laughs in with the baby and the bassinet Air France provided since we were in bulk head seats. Téo was quite intrigued with the whole situation and thought it was the greatest thing to lounge with an arm over the edge and view the people from his perch instead of sleeping for a while. After some sightseeing, he settled down and got a decent sleep in. We woke him up when it was time to land. (Quick Tip: for anyone planning to travel on a long flight, try securing seats with the bassinet option. The bassinet hook ups are only in some of the bulkhead seating arrangements)

Air France served us Masala Rice with a side of fresh fruit, bread and garden salad for dinner. It was delicious for airplane food. For breakfast we had an assortment of breakfast items. Such as croissants, bread, fruit, orange juice and tea or coffee.

Next up, catch our short flight to Nice…Escorted through the airport and passport control. Near our next gate, we spent some time in the Air France Lounge in a more quiet and comfortable place then in the main terminal. There we had a variety of complimentary food and drink options to choose from. After a 10 or 15 min delay we boarded our flight number AF7310.

It's been a good travel day, 16 hrs later, its nearly finished. Our transfer to our hotel in the near by Village of Eze should be waiting on us when we arrive.

Beautiful sunset over the Mediterranean Sea so relaxing after a long day and makes the traveling worth it. Now it's time to say Goodnight (Bon Nuit😴)

Jeffrey Johnson 7/12/21 Jeffrey Johnson 7/12/21

Arrivederci Italia…

Buongiorno! Our alarm rang at 7 am this morning tempted to hit the snooze button but it wouldn't be any easier in 5 mins. The reality is we are leaving Italy today, sad but true. We dressed for the pending travel day and finished packing up. The luggage is full and heavy… hopefully no issues at the airport.

Next we headed down stairs to fill our hunger on a delicious power meal before our water taxis due to arrived at 9:30 to pick us up from the dock outside. Breakfast over we headed up stairs to collect our bags. Noticed out the window our taxi had arrived early.

*Our water taxis has arrived at Cima Rosa dock early…so excited for this transfer to the airport*

So convenient to walk out on the dock hand our luggage to the captain and hop on board.

Now all we have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy ride. I think this is truly the best way to arrive at an airport. What do you think?

*The most relaxing taxi ride to the airport ever!*

*Notice how shiny even the top is..of the boat not the captain…*

We’ve been so looking forward to this experience of riding one of these beautiful boats to the airport. It’s not cheap but well worth the convenience especially with our burdens of luggage. Taking the water taxis to the airport cost one hundred twenty euro. It’s about a 20 to 30 min ride.

*We have arrived! Look at all the water taxi docks at the airport*

A little treck later we arrived at the terminal. We booked through Delta, however this flight was with their partner airline Air France. Spotting the Air France airline counter we headed over to check into our flight from VCE to ORD in Paris. The monitor showed the flight to be on time all was going as planned so far. Until we reached the ticket counter…

The lady helping us to check in, asked for our passports to look up our reservation. Soon she told us there was a problem with our reservation, she said wasn’t able to fix it and that we needed to go call Delta Airlines. This was all very strange and confusing being we had all the information needed on our app but the seat assignment and boarding pass. She said we had no seat on this flight and our reservation only showed assigned seats from ORD to ATL and ATL to GTR. So we headed off for a quiet spot in the terminal to try to call Delta.

As expected we couldn't get through to them with a 1800 number in Italy and the international number didn't work for us either. Bummer…Time is ticking by are we going to make the flight? The anxiety level was starting to creep up alittle, then alot. I decided to go back to the ticket counter to pleading with them to help us figure what was wrong with the reservation. This time I was met with a more helpful personnel the same lady but she was now ready to look into what could be done. Great I wonder what changed! She contacted her manager to help her figure out what to do. Mandy was waiting with the luggage aways off, still unsure how this was going to turn out, getting hopeful I messaged her to come to the ticket counter. After awhile I was told the problem with the reservation was that someone had taken our seats…? They did have some seats available in the back of the plane would we like to take them? Yes! With a big sigh of relief we headed off to the security line and on to the gate. Soon the boarding call came. At the boarding gate we were told one of our carryon bags was just to heavy and we would need to check it in all the way through to GTR. Finally on board and settled in, the flight departed on time at 12:15 bound for Paris.

It was good flight and the scenery outside wasn’t bad either!

Two hours later we landed in Paris ORD safe and sound.

We needed go through passport control. Impressed with this airport seemed very clean and tidy. We passed through a nice shopping area on the way to Gate E44. Here Delta had a couple tables set up to check our passports and Covid test results. We also had to filled our some other paperwork. All good we are cleared to fly!

Close by our gate we notice a vendor selling Laduree Macarons. No way we could pass this opportunity up to have a taste of Paris to take with us on our flight.

We bought a chic box of six macarons pistachio, coffee, lemon, chocolate, orange blossom, and a maple flavored. Of course we had to try as many as possible! They are the best…and helped bring back memories of the few days we spent in France in 2019.

Our flight from ORD to ATL departed a bit late due the luggage loader's transmission giving out…Lol. Twenty to thirty minutes later we were finally on our way. Oh well just makes our connection a bit tighter in ATL. All settled into our comfortable seats, soon after take off our first meal was served. Mandy had the Ravioli entree and Jeff had the Roasted Chicken entree both were good.

This flight lasted around 9 hrs and was uneventful like a flight should be. Always good to land safely back in the USA.

We breezed through the Border Control Customs area. This was the first time using our Global Entry. Wow it saved us some valuable time. We possibly couldn't have made our connecting flight if we would have had to wait in the line going through customs. As with any international flight arriving into the USA we had to collect are checked luggage at the baggage claim area then recheck it into Delta to continue on its journey to Columbus, MS. Time was speeding by as we waited for the luggage to arrive on the conveyor belt. After the luggage was claimed and rechecked in we headed for the TSA security line. This was a very slow moving line plus we happen to choosen the slowest line of all the lines… (Lol it doesn't help when the flight is leaving earlier than expected, it’s the last flight of the day, and Delta Airlines had already determined we wouldn't make our connection and emailed us saying they were looking into rebooking us on another flight.) Amazing not even a special TSA Precheck line in this security check point. TSA Precheck is really quick and helpful in most domestic security lines. It is also an added bonus of having Global Entry. We eventually made it through the check point. One humorous thing was the wooden rolling pin we had in the bottom of the our carry on luggage. It didn’t raise any alarm until this security line. Guess it looked just too suspicious until the agent dug in and pulled it out. “Oh a rolling pin" he said. Finally free to go we had about 15 mins to get from terminal F to D44 which happens to be at the very end of concourse D. We caught the plane train to terminal D and then we ran to Gate 44! We beat the odds… all is well that ends well. Now for the short 45 min flight from ATL to GTR to complete our long journey back to Mississippi.

We landed around 9:00 pm Mississippi time which is an eight hour time change difference from Italy Time. We have found out jet lag seems to be much worst when traveling west back to the USA then traveling east. I wonder if it’s the opposite when traveling from USA to example Japan…does someone know? We had left VCE airport at 12:15 arriving at GTR airport around 16 hours later.

Arriving back at our home, we unpacked to see if our checked luggage goodies made it safely home. Yay all good!

*The goodies made it home safe and sound*

Memories made, what a holiday, what a journey, now what? Well sleep seems to be the first on the agenda…then we are thinking of going down memory lane abit and posting about our 2019 journey to western Europe, including the itinerary, sites we seen and foods we ate. Our trip started in England, spend a few days in France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands during the spring tulip season. Maybe we will post some tips and tricks about travel that we have learnt through trial and error. Who knows what the future holds, one thing is for sure the call to a new adventure will begin to stir again inside and we'll begin reseaching, savings the pennies and dimes for a anticipated destination. You are welcome to check in from time to time..!

Jeffrey Johnson 7/11/21 Jeffrey Johnson 7/11/21

Venezia

Good morning from Venezia! Blessed with another lovely day! Enjoyed our relaxing breakfast by a open kitchen window.

Curiously observing the morning canal traffic. Everything being transported by boat gives a new perspective to take in.

*Boats, boats…always amazing to see the many different type of boats. Boats for every need.*

Giada came to Cima Rosa at ten. We were so looking forward to seeing the markets and all the fresh food! A start to our tour was the Fish Market. The fish market is a daily occurrence. A place where the restaurant chefs and home cooks will go each morning to pick up the seafood they will need for the daily specials, so fresh!

*One of the many tables of fresh sea food from the Adriatic Sea…*

*Cuttlefish…found out what it looked like uncooked.*

*This is how to protect pedestrians from the sword fish…just a chunk of styrofoam.*

A Venician diet consists of a lot of seafood. After taking in the fishy smells we moved on to the produce area of the market. Buying us a bag of delicious looking cherries to eat in between our other eats!

*Wishing our small Mississippi home town had this market…*

*Notice the Zucchini flowers for sell…we told our guide we wanted to try the fried Zucchini flowers. She made it happen later in the tour. Zucchini filled with Mozzarella cheese.*

*We bought some cherries from this vendor*

Our tour continued on through the streets and over the Rialto Bridge. Gathering tid bits of information and history along the way. Finding ourselves at Fondaco dei Tedeschi ( a high end shopping mall ), we took the escalators to the top terrace for excellent views of the city.

*This overlook is in the corner of the Grand Canal*

*Beautiful view of the grand canal and all of its boat activity*

A waterfront along the harbor stroll Giada pointing the houses of long ago merchants, and the islands where Murano Glass is blown by the glass makers. Some Real Murano glass (not the fake glass, be careful ) makes a great Venician souvenir!

*The area cruise ships pass through so close to the main city*

This city is an amazing engineering accomplishment. The majority of all the buildings, streets, etc…are being held up by many, many wood post driven deep into the mud below. This is one of the reason the Venetian people loathe cruise ships docking at the their harbor. Their unique city and way of life is fragile and has been slowly sinking over time. These massive cruise ships move so much water their fear is this is only speeding up the decay below the city. The other side of this argument is the fact Venetians depend on the tourist money to survive. Maybe there can be compromise made somehow in the city's behalf? Time will tell.

Took in a view of the gondola workshop. Notice the Chalet looking houses in the picture. Interestingly the boat builders originated from the Dolomites.

*Walked passed this gondola repair and new gondola construction site.*

Stopped by a couple churches to take in the paintings and hear a little history. After the bright sunshine the dim interiors of the churches are refreshingly cool.

*Such narrow alleys…where Giada leads we’ll follow*

Last but not least, Giada took us to her favorite pizza place. We divided the cherries we had bought between us before saying our goodbyes. Some relaxing while enjoying a cold coke and yummy pizza ensued. (Well not quite as yummy as Naples pizza ;) !

Once again we were on our own. We headed out to find the spice store that Giada had told us about. Only to find it was closed but would be opening soon. In the meantime before it opened we enjoyed a cold coffee drink and found us a spot along the canal to enjoy it. Back at the spice store we bought some olive oil and a bottle of good Balsamic vinegar for the food we are dreaming of making back home.

*Local spice store. Here we bought olive oil and balsamic vinegar to take home. Had to wait for the doors to open*

Alas no credit card were accepted at this store only cash they said. Off we went to find the nearest ATM before we could make the purchase.

Jeff wanted to see the Bridge of Sighs and I was wanting to walk through a few of the Murano glass stores. We set off on a bridge hunt! Once again it took alot of walking! After a little confusion with Google maps again, we spotted the Bridge of Sighs. According to legend, the name comes from when condemned prisoners were taken to prison or to be executed. They would cross this bridge and could briefly catch a glimpse of the world outside through the windows on the bridge.

Along the way I was enjoy looking at all the pretty glass. Ended up buying a lovely Murano vase as a Venician keepsake.

It’s our last day in Italy...trying to soak up as much of Venezia as we can! It was finally time to head back to our home neighborhood and Cima Rosa to get ready for Dinner. We were thinking maybe we should try a different restaurant this time. Only after a walk around we came back to the same one we had enjoyed for the last two nights. Jeff enjoyed his pasta with shrimp and zucchini. I had sea brim. The whole fish on the plate. Of course we shared like always! It was all good down to the last bite!

*Our yummy go to spot to eat dinner here in Venezia*

Arrivederci Friends, for we leave domani (tommorow) back the USA…Back to reality…I’m sure our dogs and the other animals will be happy to see us. Thank you to those who helped with all the chores at home! A special Grazie! to all our new wonderful Italian friends who so graciously shared their Italia with us...Per Favore (please) come visit us in Mississippi, prego!! We are so grateful to have had this opportunity in life to broaden our horizons, taste, learn just alittle about this delicious cuisine and to see another beautiful country in God's creation. Italy is truly a very special place with such well preserved architecture and an amazing culture. Hopefully this will not be our last time to visit Italia… One more thing, if anyone has any questions or is planning a trip to Italy, we would like to hear from you. If we can be of any help to you just let us know. There is so much more we could share then what we have written in these blog post…

We are back at Cima Rosa looking forward to a good night sleep before the Big day of traveling home. Our alarm is set to ring at 7 am...Bonne Notte! Till tommorow…

Check back soon to read about an unusual way to arrive at the airport and our traveling day’s events…

*Last evening in Venezia…sad but so grateful for the opportunity to experience this city and beautiful Italia.*

Jeffrey Johnson 7/7/21 Jeffrey Johnson 7/7/21

Venice, Treviso

Venezia! Buongiorno! We woke up in our beautiful room in boutique Hotel Cima Rosa to the sound of many boats going by us in the grand canal outside our window!

*The busy Grand Canal outside our window*

Wow what an usual sight and sound in such unique city that revolves around canals and boats of all kinds.

After splashing cold water on our faces and getting ready for the days new adventures we headed down the stairway we were greeted by our kind hostess Brittany. She made and served us our yummy breakfast. Sitting at our table by the open window looking out over the grand canal, since we were sitting at the kitchen table,, visiting with Brittany as made us breakfast, was easy and so relaxing. She served us a delicious parfait, toast n jam, fried eggs, fried speck, caffe' doppio, and a cappuccino for Mandy.

So interesting visiting with Brittany. She grew up in the Ohio (USA). She came to Venezia at the age of 18 with a student visa. In the meantime of studying, she found her future husband a local Venetian. She has lived in Italia for 22 years, raising a family and is the owner of Hotel Cima Rosa. We learnt so much from Brittany during our conversations during breakfast. We talked about Italy, Venice and yes of course we had to talk about the USA to. Thank you Brittany you are great cook and hostess. Mandy and I throughly enjoyed our stay at you boutique hotel. Come visit us in Mississippi!

Our tour guide (Giada) met us at Cima Rosa at 9:15. Tour was booked through the With Locals App. Today's agenda: catch the regional train from Venezia to Giada's childhood home town of Treviso. Giada grew up in Treviso, studied in Venezia, and now calls Venezia home. After approximate 30 min train ride we arrived in Treviso.

Treviso is a cute town that is sometimes referred to as Little Venice because of it's many fresh water canals.

Giada told us the interesting history of Treviso. Including the World War II history showing us buildings that had been bombed by USA bombers and rebuilt.

*Ancient frescos on part of the building survived after being bombed in WWII.*

We stopped for a quick snack of Panzerotti. She ordered two panzerotti for us. One had sardines and mozzarella the other had mozzarella and ham. Very good! Even had some local vino rosso which is so typical here in Italia.

*Our guide buying mid morning snacks for us*

Delicious fried snack — *Delicious* *fried snack*

A highlight of the tour was visiting the restraunt where Tiramsu was created and having a delicious slice with an espresso shot and a glass of water. Before heading back to Venice we had to stop for Gelato! Thank you Giada for a great day and tour of your home town Treviso.

Are you looking for the best guide in Venezia or Treviso? Book with Giada. Here is her link:

https://www.withlocals.com/host/giadaf247628eaa

*The restraunt that claims to have first created Tiramsu*

We arrived back in Venice around 2:30 pm. Took a scenic walk from the train to Cima Rosa where we crashed for a much needed power nap. Afterwards we wandered the streets and canal bridges of our local neighborhood. Feeling refreshed we headed out in search of a Gondalier that would take us on a long awaited first gondola ride. Beings there were not many tourists in Venezia during our time in the city, it wasn't hard to find an idle Gondalier waiting to gives a us ride in his prised gondola. We wanted to take a gondola ride starting from a back canal near our hotel, which wasn’t a problem. The problem was deciding which Gondalier to ride with! They all wanted the business after such a slow year of lock downs during the plandemic.

*The Gondalier and Gondola we chose to ride with*

*Our relaxing gondola ride in the beautiful small canals*

Having settled on a Gondalier he helped us aboard his boat named Claudia after his wife. Off we went gliding silently through beautiful back canals heading for the grand canal. A very relaxing experience I must say.

After passing under the Rialto Bridge we headed towards our starting point.

*Our gondola ride headed under the Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal*

Godola ride cost is 80 euros before 7 pm or 100 euros after 7 pm. This price is for the whole gondola not per person. Is it worth it? Yes, I would say so. It is such a old tradition in Venice that it really is something to experience at least once while visiting Venice.

*One of the numerous gondola moring areas on grand canal. Tip: find one in the back canals less busy…*

An interesting note: To become a Gondalier is not easy and is usually handed down from generation to generation. The Gondalier is an very skilled oarsman that can maneuver his gondola with one oar from only one side of the boat. He is always in the standing position riding in the rear of the gondola.

*Notice how he stands on the rear of the with oar on only one side…*

Todays cost for a new gondola is roughly 40,000 to 50,000 euros. They are very streamlined well designed boats. The Gondalier get to choose the accessories and some colors like the seat fabric etc. The Godola hule is always black.

*A place where Gondolas are built or restored*

Once again we had dinner at the local Trattoria just down the street and around a couple corners lol…which became our favorite closeby restraunt.

This evenings I ordered the grilled cuttlefish served with polenta and salad (which ended up being a totally different kind of fish then I was expecting).

*Grilled Cuttlefish, polenta, and salad*

Mandy ordered the Lasagna and a Caprese salad.

*The tourist entree in Venice…it was very good Lasagna*

After dinner we headed back to our room to take a convient, on the go, Binax Now Covid test for our return trip back to USA on Friday.

This we did by live video online. The certified personal walking us through the testing process. Taking roughly twenty five minutes. It is very simple and straightforward. If a covid test is needed we recommend this method for anyone looking for simple testing that can be done in your home or on vacation anytime of day. (Best option is to avoid all covid testing but sometimes there is no other option…) Delta and other Airlines will accept these test. Good News! We were both negative and cleared for our flight back to the USA in approximately 40 hours. We where then sent digital Negative test results to the Navica app on our phones…

Tomorrow at 10:00 Giada we take us on a tour of Venice. Check back soon!

Now it’s time for a long overnight nap. Bonne Notte!

Jeffrey Johnson 7/7/21 Jeffrey Johnson 7/7/21

Salute Dolomites, Ciao Venezia

Today found us packing around bags once again in preparation to navigating Eeyore through the mountains from Alta Badia.

After enjoying more fantastic cow milk, fresh yogurt and other goodies for breakfast at our hotel (free breakfast another credit card perk). The bellman helped us with our luggage.Which happens to be quite heavy by now with shopping that has been done. All loaded up, Eeyore is ready and we are ready...let's go. With google maps guiding us to the Hertz office in Venezia, we started on our three hour journey through the mountains heading towards the plains and the sea. Trying to keep the eyes on the road and take in the scenery can be a real challenge.

*Stunning views! Hard to keep the eyes on the road at times…*

The drive was beautiful and a bit of an obstacle course at times by going through construction zones on these narrow mountain roads and then dodging random orange cones. It took us around 2 hours to drive out of the mountians into the flat plains, an hour later we were driving over the long bridge into the outskirts of Venice.

We waited at the Hertz office for 30 mins or so until they opened back up after their lunch break (which lasted from 12:00 to 14:30). Thankfully we had full coverage and we were able to walk away from our damaged vehicle without being charged any extra.

*Poor Eeyore…mirrors and buses don’t get along*

So long Eeyore...you've been great!

Our long awaited experience with the city of boats and canals had finally arrived. From the Hertz rental car drop off, we headed off with our bags in tow. In search of the nearest Vaporette stop that would take us to San Stae station, nearest station to our hotel. (Roller bags are sure nice until the stairs appear, just sayin..;)

We found the ferry boat dock bought our first Vaporette ticket and rolled our luggage on board what we thought was Line 2. Blissfully unaware we were on Line 1. As we were taking in the sites and sounds of this amazing city it became clear we were not going to stop at San Stae Station but rather we were being dropped off at the Rialto Station.

*Our arrival into Venice by vaporette. That is one of the many public ferries lines.*

Thankfully a kind gentleman noticed how confused we must've looked and made sure we caught the correct ferry Line 2.

From San Stae station it should be only a short walk to our hotel. Anyone familiar with trying to navigate a new city with narrow alleys and tall buildings, with the Walking directions on Google maps will understand how confusing it can be to actually know if we are to turn down this alley or go down the other alley.

After while we gave up and messaged our host telling Brittany we were lost, Lol! Brittany tells us we are nearly there. We just need to walk down the ally in front us to end, turn right, then walk down a shorter ally until we end up in front of two iron unmarked doors and she would meet us there.

Following her directions we had no trouble finding the two iron doors, just to realize we had all ready came to these doors once before only to have determined we were at the wrong place.

*The unmarked doors outside our boutique hotel.*

Soon the big iron doors swung open and Brittany welcomed us into the beautiful garden piazza of Hotel Cima Rosa. Our home for the next three nights.

*On the otherside of the iron doors we were greeted by this peaceful and beautiful garden piazza.*

After checking in and learning about about our surrounding neighborhood, where to eat, things to do, etc we headed upstairs to our amazing room overlooking the Grand Canal.

*One of the many boat sightings outside our bedroom window*

This is only five room boutique hotel and we happened to have the whole place to ourselves for the first two nights due to covid their booking being lower than normal.

*Our home base for the next three nights*

This hotel is ideally located right on the Grand Canal with its own dock for water taxis. Excellent local neighborhood close by, with great small restaurants and many canals, bridges, and alleys to get lost in while exploring this incredible city built over water.

*The neighborhood Piazza were the children play and the adults gather to chat. Nice selection of Trattorias in this area to eat at as well.*

This city is an amazing engineering accomplishment. The majority of all the buildings, streets, etc…are being held up by many, many wood post driven deep into the mud below. This is one of the reason the Venetian people loathe cruise ships docking at the their harbor. Their unique city and way of life is fragile. The city has been slowly sinking over time. These massive cruise ships move so much water their fear is this can only be speeding up the decay below the city. The other side of this argument is the fact Venetians tourist. Many depend on the tourist money to survive. Maybe there can be compromise made somehow in the city's behalf? Like arriving into Venice by other means besides the cruise ships? Time will tell.

After getting settled in our room and needing food, we decided to head out into our neighborhood to find the local Venetian afternoon snack called Cicchetti. Which is usually a piece of bread with many different toppings.

Venetian cuisine revolves around what the sea has to offer. Our Cicchetti this afternoon were mainly fish inspired toppings. A couple had vegetables and prosciutto. All were delicious.

*The place we had Cicchetti on the left. A bakery is on the right.*

Feeling energized again we began the 15 min walk to the the must see Rialto Bridge.

After taking in the views from the bridge we decided to walk alittle futher to see the San Marco Piazza. We had seen the pictures of this square filled with people but found it nearly empty.

*An empty San Marco Piazza and the Tower we went up*

*San Marco Piazza and the Tower. An option for a great view of the city.*

It's a beautiful Piazza surrounded by restraunts and shops. We noticed the Tower in San Marco square was open and basically no waiting time. Since we were here we decided to go up and take a look around the city at sunset. Cost us ten euro each.

*A view from the Tower we went up in San Marco Piazza*

*Another view from the Tower in San Marco Piazza*

Now the for the 25min treck back to our hotel neighborhood to find a place to eat dinner. The feet say it has been a long enough day and the stomach is begging for food. We stopped at a Trattoria conviently just down the street from our hotel.

*The yummy Trattoria just down the street from our hotel*

*Pasta with shrimp, zucchini and tomatoes…so good*

We were so impressed with the food and price. This became the place we would eat at three times while in Venice.

It’s been a long but good day. We have seen so much from the mountains to the water city of Venice. Looking forward to meeting our guide Giada tomorrow morning at 9:15. She is going to take us to explore her home town Treviso. But first we need to take in the peaceful sleepy view from the dock.

*The dock outside Cima Rosa where we would catch a water taxis ride to the airport in a few days…*

*A evening view of the main street of Venice*

Jeffrey Johnson 6/26/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/26/21

Dolomites Mountains

Good Morning from the mountainous region Alta Badia of Italy with its Austria influence!

(Pictures do not do justice to the terrain and landscape!)

*To the mountains or the beach…? Hard decision sometimes but this area is spectacular*

Starting off the day with a hearty breakfast to fuel are days adventures! Jeff had himself a large glass of fresh milk. The dairy products are so good here coming from a local dairy right here on the slopes. We caught sight (and heard the cow bells) of cattle grazing as we rode the gondola up the mountain.

*Those cows can make some delicious milk!*

Wanting to hike around a bit and not have quite the climb we had on our hike in Cinque Terre area we decided on the easier option. We rode the gondola up the mountain to a plateau where the hiking was a lot easier.

Enjoyed seeing all the new spring mountain flowers (The honey bees were busy at work.), fresh green grass and sunshine.

Stopping a time or two just to relax lay back in the grass and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding mountians. Sometimes we took shortcuts by mountain chalets dodging the slushy areas still wet from snow melt. It was a beautiful sunny day! We were told two weeks ago there had still been enough snow to do some skiing!

*No words nor pictures can do justice…so majastic*

Stopping by the most scenic restaurant we got us a bite for lunch. The hot chocolate was tops! I had a dumpling dish and Jeff chose a pasta with pesto.

*The most scenic restaurant high up in the Dolomites*

*Dumplings, hot chocolate and pasta with pesto and a espresso*

Not feeling extremely energetic we went just a bit further on a trail to get a view of all the mountains surrounding us before hiking back to the gondola for the ride back down the mountain.

Back down, we walked down to the creek for a bit, explored the town a bit more, and stopped for a late afternoon snack of yummy homemade icecream.

Spent the evening up at our room. Did a bit more laundry and hung it on the balcony to dry. Jeff enjoyed a bit more sunshine out on the balcony ;). I was feeling the sunburn from the intense sunshine this morning and didn’t feel like I needed Any more sun at the moment ;). Instead sat inside on the couch and and did a little blogging.

I know Jeff is missing his dogs at home when he stands on the balcony and talks to the our neighbors dog down below or any dogs we pass on streets, Lol. We enjoyed watching this dog and his antics as he kept a close eye on the free range chickens.

Settled in for the evening, set the fire place ablaze and called supper up to our room for a relaxing evening before calling it a day…

*So relaxing and peaceful…drift away to sweet dreams*

Jeffrey Johnson 6/24/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/24/21

Leaving Tuscany, Destination Dolomites

On the road again, Going places we’ve never been…!

One last breakfast outside in the Lupaia garden, enjoying the morning sunshine. Our wagon load of luggage wheeled back out to the car in the wicker wagon. After a few “see you laters” or “Arrivederci” and we were once again on the road…

Destination Dolomites! The longest part of our journey was down the Auto Strata. Going through long tunnels through the mountains.

Amazing how many we went through! Take a ticket when you enter the highway and insert the ticket when leaving the Auto Strata. Which then caculates how much you owe. Beings we were foreigners and did not have a pass it was a bit pricey. Around thirty seven Euros from Tuscany to where we exited the highway to begin our ascent up into the mountains. Speed limit was mostly 130 kilometers, changing often. Maybe we didn’t see the police because they are there in camera form. Checking the speed and a picture of the license plate if needed for a ticket by mail! ( hopefully we won’t receive any tickets by mail in the coming months…)

Once we exited the Auto Strata we were in for a real ride in the mountians. Switchbacks, tight roads, and at times no guardrails. Great roads for mountain motor bikes. We saw quite a few of them. While Jeff was shifting gears in our manual Fiat 500, I found myself on the edge of the seat and gripping the armrest a lot of the time! Just not used to it all the height and sheer drop offs.

At one point a camper van and our car met on a curve. The wrong place at the wrong time. Beings we had nowhere else to go, it was our mirror that had to go, Oops. The rest of the trip our car had a Eeyore sort of look to it. With the mirror just dangling as we drove along.

Thank goodness for full coverage on the car!

Finally…we arrived safely at Alta Badia where we would be spending our next two nights. (Thinking we would blog and enjoy the mountain views. Only to realize we enjoyed the mountains more then getting the blogging done!)

Once again we were upgraded to a lovely suite! (Thanks to credit card perks!) Our very own woodburning fireplace in our room. So cozy!

A new place calls for exploring and adventure. Right? After standing on the balcony and taking in the mountains, the stream, and the free range chickens running around. We decided we needed to head outside for some fresh air and a walk beside the stream. Of course I had to find a place to get a feel of the water as well. So very cold!

The decision was to order food to our room. Once again our plans changed! We were told we needed to see the sun set on the mountains. Dinner was spent outside enjoying the the sunset. Watching the rugged mountians turn red with the last rays of sunshine. Feeling the chills of the mountian air after the warmth of the sun has left. We headed up to our room for the warmth of the fire place!

Bonne Notte…”GoodNight”