These are pictures that I promised from Paris. I've not had internet connection for the last week and a half--definitely had withdrawl. I'm, now, sitting on my screen porch in Michigan using someone's connection---Monday we will be hooked up with internet and cable tv. We spent 5 days in Lake Wales after arriving in Tampa and seeing John for a night. It was great seeing our good friends from church at group on Monday evening--we sure missed that on our trip. We left Florida on Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM. Stopped in Corbin, KY for the night and were on the road at 6:30 on Wednesday. It is so good to be home. Jen and the kids came for dinner last night. Wonderful being with them again--they all have changed so much. Jim has not relaxed yet. He worked on the sprinkling system yesterday and today---it seems to be fixed, now. Tomorrow is the family reunion at Ken and Linda' s house. Maybe Sunday we will relax after church!!!

I guess this means the end of our European Adventure---but, who knows? Maybe another will pop-up in the future???????

New York City

Back to America!! Had a very long day yesterday. Got to bed about 4:00 AM Paris time. We have 4 pieces of luggage and 4 carry-ons, so maneuvering around the airports was a challenge. Especially, when we didn't know where to go. JFK airport is the worst! Thank God for the little carts to push luggage around. So, today we are killing time until we leave at 3:00 for Tampa. We're staying at the Ramada and have to be out by 11:00 and then we'll take the shuttle to the airport. Jim bought a USA Today---he's in heaven with a real English newspaper. The International Herald was available in some spots in Europe, but it cost 2.50 Euros. Much too expensive. I tried pictures from Paris, again. No luck. Will try again when I get hooked up at home. Might be Michigan before that happens. We won't have TV or Internet in Lake Wales---not for the short time we will be there. Anyway, on to Tampa!!!

Auf Wiedersehen, AuRevoir, Adios, Ciao Europe AND Hello AMERICA!!!!

We're packing up and are on our way!! We've spent the last two days in a cramped motel room just waiting to get out of here!!! Thank goodness I had Internet and Jim had Suduko. Florida here we come. Michigan, too!!! There is no place like home.

Over 3,000 pictures, 12,000 Kilometers on the car, and Two Very Tired Stuenkels

I tried posting pictures, again, from Saturday and today---blogger just won't do it!!! Maybe tomorrow when we don't have a whole lot to do, I'll try pics again. Today, we drove into Paris and parked under the Louvre. Fifi did a great job again. We spent about 3 hours wandering the museum. Mostly, looking for the Mona Lisa. What an amazing place! So much antiquity in one spot. Had a sandwich and then thought we'd walk to Notre Dame Cathedral. Got part way and decided we both were beat. Picked up the car and drove past Notre Dame---I took pictures outside the window. Not very touristy of us, huh? We came back to the hotel and crashed for two hours. Our touring days are over. Hard to believe. I'll try pics tomorrow.

Fifi reigns.

Jim decided he did not want to spend $50 round-trip to ride the train and shuttle into Paris, today. So, we fired up Fifi and she was amazing!! I had said we wouldn't use her in the city, but we would have been totaly lost without her. We found an underground car park about 5 blocks from the Champs Elysees. Arrived about 10:00 and left at 4:00 with no major getting lost. Had a great day walking around Paris!! We visited the Arc De Triomphe first. And then walked to the Eifel Tower. That was a long haul. Jim's leg has been hurting him--he pulled a muscle the day before we left Switzerland--so walking was slow. But it was most enjoyable. We visited an open air market and bought nectarines that were to die for!! We went back after the Eifel Tower and bought more. The city was just packed with people--one of the pictures shows that, I believe. On the way back to the car we had a late lunch at a sidewalk cafe on the Champs Elysees--delicious--and the people watching was terrific. Tomorrow, we are driving back into the city and will go to the Louvre and to Notre Dame. Probably eat around there, too. Monday, it's packing our "stuff" and pitching what we don't need anymore, then, Tuesday we head home!!!! This has truly been a trip of a lifetime. There were moments when we wanted to come home, but that would have been silly. We have seen and done so much and have met many amazing people. Awesome trip Sorry pictures wouldn't load--will try again tomorrow.

Chamount, France

Well, we're on our way to Paris. We dropped Ken and Linda off in Basel, Switzerland about 10:30 this morning and then drove back to Bad Sackingen, Germany to pick-up the rest of our luggage and now we are in a small town in France at a McDonald's! We had a delicious meal and are now using the free Internet connection. We had a wonderful week with Ken and Linda. Saw amazing sites, had great food, enjoyed many laughs, and had an overall great time. The pictures I've posted are in reverse order. Sorry about that. The one at the top is of the field of sunflowers--I posted a field of yellow flowers at the beginning of the trip and am doing so at the end. So many sunflowers--beautiful. The second pic is off the back of the boat we took yesterday to tour Lake Neuchatal in Neuchatal, Switzerland. We went on a 3 hour ride--lake was calm, had a great breeze. Awesome. Next pic is of Jim, Linda and Ken on the boat. The third picture is of Linda and I at the Shuh chocolate factory in Interlaken, Switzerland. We did an hour tour of the factory and got to sample their wares. Best chocolate I've ever had. We're holding chocolate statues. I wanted to bring some home, but we just don't have anymore room in our suitcases!!! Last picture is of Linda and I in Thun, Switzerland. We walked the town some and did some shopping. Switzerland was the best, but extremely expensive. Tomorrow, we head to Paris to find a place to stay -- outside the city. No more driving in big cities. Even though Fifi was named in Paris, she can't go back! She gets too confused. We will take a train into the city to explore and then Tuesday we fly from Charles DeGaulle airport to JFK in New York City. We have to overnight and then leave Wednesday afternoon for Tampa. More later from Paris!!!

Unbelievable Switzerland

No pictures today. Sorry. I am in an internet cafe, again. Smoky and smelly. We are in Neuchatel. It is on a huge lake--28 miles long, 5 miles wide. Beautiful. Going to a musem--this afternoon--watch making is big in this area and the museum is about watches and time. Thursday we drop Ken and Linda in Basel, drive back to Bad Sackingen, Germanz to pick up our luggage and then head to Paris. We leave a week from today--Tuesday--from Paris to New york and then Wednesdaz to Tampa. Not long now. More later from Paris+++