Europe 2015: Day Five

Saturday, June 20, 2015 (Day 5)

London, England to Paris, France

Today we are up and at breakfast at 5:30 a.m.  We are on our way to France.  We are leaving from King's Cross Station but we have one special stop in the station before we board the Eurostar train to Paris.

I am not sure why but I failed to take any photos on the train or in the Chunnel.  I love to ride trains and maybe I was just enjoying myself too much.

Our first stop in Paris is the Notre Dame Cathedral.  This structure is famous for its exterior including the famous flying buttresses but I loved the statuary the most.

We did get inside after awhile and took a walking tour through the place.  

There was enough time for us to get lunch so we went in search of some eats.  

Lunch = Crepes!

Denice and I took a walk around the exterior of Notre Dame when we returned from lunch.  

There was a fashion shoot going on at the cathedral.  I did not take advantage of this since I felt like I was horning in on the guy's life work but now I regret not shooting a few more over the shoulder shots.  

The Flying Buttresses

Billy Ney had already decided to attend a concert this evening at the Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral.  It proved to be a gorgeous venue for a concert and the sound was excellent in the cathedral.  

During the day, Denice managed to order tickets for all five of us so we could attend the show.  There were two shows this day but when we managed to find the address for the show there was little indication that the door we were at was the correct spot.  We asked others who were there and everyone seemed satisfied as to the location.  When we were let in, we had to go through a metal detector which was an upsetting reminder that even though we were at the Cathedral to hear music others might have more evil intentions.

This photo is from gobuz.com

The concert tonight was by Paul Rouger and it was spectacular.  I cannot express how captivating the entire event was and the selection of music was outstanding as it roamed from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Pachelbel's Canon in D to The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns.  There was quite an ensemble of talented musicians performing tonight under the banner of Les Solistes Francais (The French Soloists).  

This YouTube video will give you some idea of what we saw as it features many of the principals we saw in our concert:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKWJmU8AH3Y

Our last image of the night as we returned to our hotel.

Europe 2015: Day Three and Four

Thursday, June 18, 2015 (Day 3)

London, England

Our first goal on Day Three of this trip is the historic Tower of London.  

Before we got in, we had to wait a bit.  Standing outside this ancient fortress one cannot be interested in the contrast between the old and the new.  

Sometimes a photograph can become something else when you get home.  What does this next image remind you of?

As we walked to the Tower entrance, as is true in many parts of London, we could see something else altogether just as interesting.

A fact I learned on the tour is that the Tower of London was for awhile as much a public zoo as anything else.  That heritage is represented by statutes of some of the more exotic beasts held there.  

The Tower is as interesting inside as it is on the outside.  The best thing to see is the Crown Jewels which you are not allowed to photograph.  Denice and I made two loops around the jewels because they were just so darn interesting.  

Then we were in the tube and on our way to Buckingham Palace.

Unfortunately, the Queen was not at home when we arrived and we missed the changing of the Guard.  

The rest of the palace was not too shabby although they lost our reservation and therefore would not let us through the gate.

We grabbed some lunch around the Victoria Station and then did a bus tour with a cool guy named David.  It did repeat some of the things we had seen yesterday but I though it was with a different perspective so it was OK with me.  

I guess on this kind of trip you never know who you will run into.

Other people get to London on a different vehicle than we took.

Yes, this would be the Globe Theatre.  Unfortunately, on a trip like this you cannot say, "Oh, look--there is the Globe and let's take in a show."  But I sure wanted to.  

This night we enjoyed an authentic fish and chips dinner at The Centre Page, formerly the Horn Tavern whose first recorded mention was in 1663.

Instead of seeing King John at the Globe, this night we are booked on a Jack the Ripper tour which for some folks was about Jack the Ripper...

...but for me it was about all the great street art we walked past.

For me, it is always about the

 Friday, June 19, 2015 (Day 4)

London, England

Today we are on the bus and off to Bath where appropriately we are going to see the Roman Baths.  Built in the 1st century for Roman tourists, it still attracts tourists like us in droves.  No bathing allowed though.

For me, the museum that accompanies the baths was more interesting than the baths themselves.  The art was amazing as you can see.  

Next up:  Stonehenge.  Words cannot describe the concept of standing at one of the oldest ruins in the world.  Thinking about being there and who has walked before us was overwhelming.  

Dinner tonight was at Fuller's Ale and Pie House where we were served fish and chips.