France and Holland

My original plan was to go to Sonoma with a bunch of people from a local wine club this weekend. Then I added a participant. And then that changed. And then, dinking around, I discovered I could go to Europe for the week for less cost than the weekend. And then the wine club didn't go to Sonoma.

I LOVE Paris and I'd promised myself a trip there again - alone. And the proximity to Amsterdam was reasonable so I could see Joop again. And I knew Harald was able to get to Amsterdam fairily easily. Add one distant relative that lives in Pairs and voila' - a trip that can only be described as perfect.

Sunday: Claude (the relative) and his oldest son picked me up at the airport. His wife was home fixing a most incredible four course French dinner for me (repleat with fromage). They served some fabulous wine too. They went with me, by train, to the hotel.

Monday: Montemarte.

Tuesday: Isle St. Louis and Cite' via the Tuileries.




Wednesday: The 5th Arr. for shopping and just wandering around.

Thursday: Train to Amsterdam. Joop, with roses, picked me up at the train station. Indonesian dinner.

Friday: Amsterdam on my own for the day. Spanish dinner with Harald and Joop.

Saturday: Amsterdam tour by the Dutchman in the morning. The Holland countryside (with a double dose of churches), a quick visit to the North Sea, rescuing a 91 year old lady abandoned by a taxi driver in the afternoon and an evening picnic on a park bench.

Sunday: A tearful parting for home.