Paris in the Fall / Paris a l'automne

(image courtesy Kathy) After an early morning  breakfast  & taxi departure for  Arlanda  airport in Stockholm, we were met at Charles de Gaulle airport in  Paris  by Foy & Cherie. They queried whether we ( particularly Kathy) were up to a little side trip on our return to Saint Germain en Laye to see the Basilica of Saint Denis/Basiliqué Saint Denis. We wholeheartedly acquiesced (I secretly had pondered asking whether we might include this in our plans in the short days remaining in Paris before we return to the States). I was so happy. To say that is impressive is a massive understatement. After a nice lunch in the plaza facing the Basilica, we toured the cathedral. The Saint Denis Basilica Cathedral is the Necropolis of the kings of France. The basilica stands on the site a Gallo-Roman cemetery with the tomb of Saint Denis thought to have been the first bishop of Paris, who was martyred circa 250 AD. This pl...

After a restless night anticipating our early a.m. departure, we are at Arlanda airport in Stockholm, soon returning to my sister Cherie & her husband Foy in Paris. It is a chilly & blustery morning today with strong winds blowing all the previous night, How our time has fl own! How very special to have our dear friend Anita Scuderi as our personal tour guide in her hometown.  Stockholm is a lovely  city & there is so much more to explore! We'll hope to return another time, perhaps in another season to experience more of its exceptional beauty.  With so much love & respect, Terry & Kathy  Med  så mycket  kärlek och respekt

  Today, on day 4 in Stockholm we plan to visit  Millesgården which is the home of the famous sculptor Carl Milles & his wife Olga.  Millesgården is an oasis just 20 minutes from downtown Stockholm. We took the Ropsten stop from Farsta on the subway & then transferred to a bus which got us close to Millesgården. It is located on the island of Lidingo. With its restful park, rippling sculptor fountains & flower-decked terraces, Millesgården is a unique environment that offers both relaxation & cultural experiences. The 5-acre museum park features sculptures, fountains, the artists's home, a collection of antiquities & an art gallery. The internationally renowned artist's most important works are installed here.  Weather was quite cool walking from the bus, but the day warmed & skies turned blue. Unfortunately in her pursuit of the best photos, Kathy fell on uneven cobblestones & fractured her foot. We were so fortunate to be with Anita who...

After toast & coffee we bundled up for the day and headed  down  the hill to the Subway or Tunnelbana. This morning we were headed to central Stockholm & the Katarina  kyrka or Katharine's church. The original church was constructed from 1656-1695. This Lutheran parish is where Anita was christened. In the surrounding neighborhood there are several very old buildings as evidenced by the dates on their facade. Many had really unique metal chimneys. The views looking back across the water were breathtaking. We continued in our church exploration mode & headed to the parish of Gustav Vasa ( remember  the Vasa museum?)  We encountered one of the parish ministers who Anita had met previously preparing for a baptism.  She had spent a year in San Diego at UCSD.  It was lovely to see several family &  friends  in  attendance  attired in their native dress.  We headed back  towards Gamla stan (Old Tow...

We awakened early and had our morning coffee and breakfast before bundling up to head out into the city. We began with the Vasa museum which was on Kathy’s bucket list to see. The Vasa Museum is a maritime museum in Stockholm, Sweden located on the island of Djurgarden. The museum displays the only almost fully-intact 17th-century ship that has ever been salvaged, the 64-gun warship   Vasa  that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628.   This was a fascinating experience not only seeing the restored ship but also the process by which it was raised from the ocean floor and had the museum constructed to house it.  https://youtu.be/Y9c4qqCwrYE We also visited the Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde museum (also in Djurgarden) in central Stockholm. The name is composed of Waldemar, an Old German noble male name and udde, meaning cape or peninsula. The complex consists of a castle-like main building- the mansion and the gallery building. The estate is set in parkland which features cent...

We arrived in Stockholm yesterday to visit with our dear friend & former UCSD colleague, Anita Scuderi. After an uneventful flight, we took the Arlanda express train to the Centrale/central station where we were met by Anita. We bought a week-log subway pass and headed to her home in Farsta. We had a lovely sunset this evening and shared a simple supper of potatoes, salad & smoked salmon before turning in. In the morning, the 3 of us awakened at different hours but after sharing coffee & breakfast, we headed into Stockholm. We spent time in Gamla Stan (old town),  walked along the waterway, observed the changing of the guard & keep walking & walking. How great to have our own hometown tour guide :) It was very cool & autumnal weather today but rain stayed away for most of the day.We definitely feel as if we are in another Climate zone! We had a Caffe Latte & a cookie at the Swedish version of Nordstrom's. More walking followed. We had dinner at...

Chartres Cathedral, also known as Notre Dame de Cha rtres   is about 80 km (50 miles) southwest of  Paris  & is the seat of the  Bishop of Chartres.   Mostly constructed between 1194 and 1220, it is in the  High Gothic  &  Romanesque  styles. The Cathedral was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979, which called it "the high point of  French Gothic Art &  a "masterpiece". The Cathedral is well-preserved &well-restored: the majority of the original stained-glass windows survive intact, while the architecture has seen only minor changes since the early 13th century. The building's exterior is dominated by heavy   flying buttresses which allowed the architects to increase the window size significantly, while the west end is dominated by two contrasting spires – a 105-metre (349 ft) plain pyramid completed around 1160 & a 113-metre (377 ft) early 16th-century  flamboy...

We began the morning with the Sunday Marche. This market is very  well  attended by many people from  surrounding  towns. In addition to the fruits & vegetables, they sell all manner of clothing, household goods, textiles & jewelry. I am again  struck  by how differently our lives would be if we shopped like this; not  only  on foot, but also with such farm fresh produce. We then headed to Giverny and our definition of heaven/paradise.   Giverny is a commune in the northern French department of Eure. A commune is a level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are analogous to civil townships & incorporated municipalities. The  village  is located on the right bank of the Seine, 80 km (50 mi) west-northwest of Paris in the  region  of Normandy. It is best known as the location of  Claude Monet's garden & home.  Claude Monet noticed the village of Giverny while looki...