HELSINKI 2

Thursday June 26.
We woke to threatening black clouds, but went on with our plans for the day.  We started out by walking in the direction of the downtown area.  We came upon a plaza full of folks shopping at a flea market.  They do this on a regular basis on what is called "cleaning day."  Not a bad idea.  We were given some information in a nearby building that housed booths of  vegetables, meats, cheeses and the like.  Good place to shop for food.  We set  out on our quest to find the Big White Lutheran Cathedral,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,The Helsinki Cathedral.
It is pictured on all brochures, calendars and postcards.  Beautiful place with a beautiful set of organ pipes.
Wish we could have heard it!  Just prior to finding that, we rambled around the train station to find some brochures.  We spotted a Holiday Inn, so went into that lobby and viola! many suggestions were found.
Off we trekked to find the Rock Church.  On our way we had a bit of rain.  Not a storm, just rain gently falling.  We stopped for a coffee and a hot chocolate at a little local eatery and added a custard apple crumble pie for a treat.  Yumeeeeeeeeee!  The Rock Church was/is incredible!  The whole thing built into the side of a hill of rock.  It is a Lutheran Church with a small pipe organ and the feeling there was serene and beautiful.  The rotunda ceiling is made of wide strips of copper winding round and round.  It is the most unusual place.  The Cascade Youth Orchestra  from Seattle is performing there today, and wouldn't you know that we have to hit the road this morning.
Next, we walked over to the Sibelius Monument set in a lovely park.  One can be under the "pipe" work and make your own sounds.  Big, metal pipes make the structure look organ like and it is set on a rock platform and it is silver in color.  There is also a bust of Sibelius mounted on a stone wall.  Very impressive place.
We enjoyed walking in the simple rain and returned back to the apartment and lauded ourselves in being able to find our way without a hitch.
Friday June 27.
We took the tram to the Arabia and Old Town district.  There was a delight in finding a museum of products made by the Arabia company back to the 1870s.  Beautiful hand painted vases, and dishes.  It was fun to find the Mummins on plates and cups and bowls and to see how they are made.  They displayed Mummin cups form the first to the last and even gave a spot for the 2015 cup.  We sold some of these in our Scandinavian shop, so it was extra fun to see them there, too.   We shopped at the outlet store there where iittala products, Rorstrand ,Finlayson, Fiskars, and a bit of Royal Copenhagen and , of course, Arabia Finland was sold too.  I wanted to fill a cart and bring it all home, but that was not going to happen.
One Mummin cup was $28.00 American.  And then to get it all back to Bellingham.   It was fun to dream, however.
We walked in what is termed Old Town.  Named as such because it is where Helsinki began.  The King of Sweden at that time wanted Helsinki to be a port in competition with Tallinn, Estonia.  It wasn't successful, so the whole town moved to the harbor where it now remains as a trade center and shipping place.
We found ruins still there from its first church and grounds are kept up with monuments of the first people to settle this city.  Old Town is now a center for sciences and the arts as well as residential district.
We really have enjoyed and like Helsinki.  We have found it friendly and beautiful, and who can contest the design ability?  We'll remember it fondly.

HELSINKI, FINLAND

We got on a huge ship that ferried us from Tallinn to Helsinki.  There were three full decks full of cars and trucks.  The size was unbelievable to us!  We have photos of the mechanics of the ship to let all of these vehicles on and off.  These folks have it down pat!
We found our apartment with ease and settled in quickly to our new "neighborhood" of three days.  We are located near the harbor and have easy access to groceries and restaurants and other types of businesses.
We decided to have a meal that would be totally Finnish.  A rugged, not-to-fancy restaurant was only a few blocks away and was suggested for price and quality. It was great!  Lamb stew, garlic potatoes, fish balls and great bread.  This place likes to use garlic and was everything delicious?  YES!  They had pickled garlic that we could help ourselves from a jar on the table.  The lamb stew had seasoning undefinable other than just plain delicious.  For dessert, garlic ice cream with orange-rosemary sauce.  ( Just had to try it!)   My garlic potatoes were sliced and sauteed and Dan's were garlic mashed.  Good start to a good few days here.
The weather is cold.  Like Fall or very early Spring.  I even have been wearing mittens and a scarf wrapped around my neck.  Truly, I need a winter coat here!  Dan has one.  Silly me thinking it is summer.  Folks say it is unusually cold for this time of year.  Still light at 10:30 pm!

RIGA, LATVIA

We came out of the hotel in Kaunas and heard church music in chant style.  It gave a nice "ring" to the start of Sunday morning and our 4 hour drive to Riga, Latvia.  The sky was black with intermittent blue sky surrounded by white cumulus clouds.  It was cold.  Riga is a city built by a big river and near a bay in the Baltic Sea.  It was a holiday there ( an annual celebration of some kind).  We got to park for free Sunday and Monday because of it.  YAY!  It  was bitter cold, but we had a nice stay in an old hotel and enjoyed seeing a few sights.  After a big dump of rain, the sky cleared and it warmed up a bit and we sat by the river and enjoyed watching the people and the activity on the river. We think that Riga is a destination for sport activities, especially in the summer.  Tourists from all over Europe like to go there.
Leaving there by noon, we headed for Tallinn, Estonia.

Tallinn, Estonia:  A port on the Baltic Sea.  We stayed here two nights in a very nice apartment, however a bit ill equipped in the kitchen.  Funny how one can get creative on how to use what one has.  We liked it here very much.  The business part of town is modern and driving in we immediately liked it.  There are some beautiful houses with yards and trees.  Something we hadn't seen in many of the places we have been.
The oldest part of town is situated up on a hill just beyond the port and is quite fairy tale in sight and feel.
On Tuesday we came into the town square from our dwelling and a band was marching up one of the streets.  I saw Norwegian flags!!!  I ran to grab a photo.  It was a youth band of 45-50 strong with ages ranging from 10 to 17 ( we were told by their leader).  They stopped in the square and played about 5 marching-type pieces and were delightful.  A great start to a warmer day.  We walked down to the harbor where we purchased tickets for the ferry to Helsinki, Finland.  We window shopped a bit, took some photos, had lunch and the day came to an end quicker than we realized.  I must say, however, it is odd to have it light outside at 10:30 pm.

LITHUANIA

So, leaving Poland.   We were just finishing up a bit of lunch at our rented apartment when the door was being unlocked and a woman entering.  Oh!  She was surprised as were we.  It was about 4:15 pm.  She spoke no English and we no Polish.  Keep in mind we had just finished a walking tour and were cold and tired.   She thought we left already.  We said no, tomorrow.  So we checked our itinerary.  SHE was correct!  So we apologized profusely and she left so we could get our things together.  A rush, is putting it mildly.  And...we had a reservation to be in a hotel in Zarasai that night.  We cleaned up everything and were on our way.  The GPS gave us directions for the fastest way there, but never does it include road work or the bazillion trucks that are on the road to slow one up.  The fastest way was not the best way as we found out.  There is a tiny slice of Belarus that the road comes between Poland and Lithuania,  After one hour of driving the road behind truck after truck after truck caravan, we came to a spot where over four miles ( not ks) of trucks were lined up on the right side of the road.  We knew then we were in some kind of trouble.
Yes, we were.  They would not let us enter the border.  So, back over the road we had just come for one hour, we traveled and got onto another road.  Two hours lost.  So, time went on and we knew we could not make our hotel commitment.  We were in the car for 8 straight hours with no dinner.  I grabbed the one banana we had and split that in two.  We had a bit of good bread that I broke into sections and that was our dinner.  We had some water.  We ended up in Kaunus, Lithuania at 12:15 according to our watch.  But, it was an hour different due to a time zone or whatever.  So, at 1:30 we finally were safely in a good bed and able to go to sleep.  Stuff of which experiences are made.  I might add the Kaunus is a lovely city and the people at the hotel were just great to us.  They even served a very good breakfast on that Sunday morning.

WARSAW 2

We woke to a chilly morning and discovered it had rained.  Not to worry.  The day goes on.  We ventured out with hats and coats and made ready to walk into Old Town again to pick up some more interesting places.  A quieter day as far as the crowds were.  Dan took some more photos and we went into "New Town" and found a few shops to mingle around in.  We sought out monuments of WWII history and read much about the insurgent uprising against the Nazis.  Thus, we came to an better understanding of Old Town and New Town terminology.   The place of Old Town has been totally destroyed by the Germans and New Town is where the rebuild began.  One church in particular that helped get the people to safety and also became a hospital until that was bombed twice.  Over 500 people were buried in the rubble of those bombings.  They are under that ground even today.
We had lunch at the place with blue and white tablecloths where we were welcomed the day before when we sat with a glass of wine.  On that first day a man with a chef's coat and hat and a huge wooden spoon invited us to take a seat on the patio.  He spoke a bit of English and seemed to like to get to use what he knew in conversation with us.  I had asked him if he cooked with that big spoon.  That opened up much in being able to communicate with him.  I call him the Spoon Man.  The second day we decided to have a Polish lunch there because of him.  Dan took a photo and now we have made another friend of sorts.
The food was good..... and so was the apple dessert!  ( I can't remember the name of the dish, but it is one of favorites of the Polish people.
On we walked, and walked and walked.  We had a little map and we wanted to see the monument for Chopin.  We found it in a HUGE, HUGE park that was so beautiful.  Well kept up and used by many.
The monument was worth every step it took to get there.  From some benches one could hear the music of Chopin.  ( somehow by modern technology ).  Gorgeous flowers everywhere.  There was even a bust of Franz |Lizst.  Chopin and Lizst were good friends and within a few years of the same age.
Day 3 in Warsaw had us back in New Town and then on to the Jewish community there and the museum that is new and not quite finished.  It was fun to learn the history of the Jewish settlement that started along the river.  They have a big part in the Warsaw story and still do have much in the growing and modernizing of
this grand city.
Now we have a better understanding of why the Nazis bombed and were so hard to go after the Polish people.  A sad, sad, part of history.
We did not get to Praga, a part of the city that is told to be very rambunctious.  We did read about it, however.
On the way to the New Town we took a different  route and found many other things that we did not expect.
Memorials, mostly.  There was a church with an open door and organ music was flowing out of it.
We decided to venture in.  No others were there.  Dan got a photo of the pipes and beautiful chamber with which they are housed.  Also, we saw the organist at the console and the music was super.  I could tell that the peddle work was expert as well as the rest of the music.  A little unexpected treat for that day.
We walked home, had a little bit to eat and it was a good thing we did.  More to come in the next blog.............

WARSAW

We arrived in Warsaw after a very bumpy drive on rough roads and much in and out of construction areas thereof.  A few spots had already been finished, so we appreciated the good road when we had it.
Weather was pleasant so that was good for the 8 or better hours we were in the car.
Our host for the apartment was smack on time and we settled into this comfortable nicely decorated place, however noisy as a construction site in immediately on the land next to this old building.  They work with heavy, pounding equipment through the night!
Our first day here was a holiday of some sort (usually to do with the Catholic church), so on that sunny day people were out in full enjoying the festivities.  Keep in mind that there have been at least 3 popes from this country over time.
Our first stop was the Museum of Frederick Chopin.  Absolutely amazing!  The entire mansion of four floors was full of collected manuscripts, photos, paintings and his history depicted in various ways.  His music was heard all through this beautiful place. On the bottom floor there were several stations where one could put on headphones and listen to his music while looking at a page of the score of music.  Each station was a particular subject of his music as mazurkas, sonatas, etudes, etc.  Not able to contain my emotion while listening to the music, I broke down in tears.  I wish I could have mastered at least one of his compositions.
I have always loved his music and now know where he was born, attended university and we learned much about his life in the four hours we experienced there.
On we went to was is termed "Old Town".  This is where insurgents fought against the German army in WWII.  A lot of history here in that respect.  Because of the holiday there was a free concert  in the evening.  We stayed to hear this full symphonic orchestra of young adult musicians.  Full title:  Polska Orkiestra Sinfonia Iuventus.  They performed original modern compositions that were unbelievably fantastic.!!!!
We enjoyed every bit of the one hour + performance while standing with the crowd around us.
About a 2 mile walk home and ending the evening with a glass of wine, day one came to an end.

PRAGUE

We arrived in Prague on June 10 and left on the 18th.  We loved it there and were close to much we wanted to do in the city.  We had a very nice apartment that was modern and we found the neighborhood

 where we were very safe and good with tree lined streets (unusual in these large cities).  Our first experience was to have a beer while we waited for our host to arrive.  The restaurant was only a few doors down the street with wicker furniture outside.  A couple was having a beer at the table next to us.  The man indicated to us that we were parked illegally, and would be fined heavily if we stayed where we were.  Thus, the car was re-parked and a friendship begun.  After we got moved in, we went out into the neighborhood to find some dinner.  Upon approaching a place to eat, we come across The Man again. He was with a man friend at this point.  We laughed about seeing him again.  He said we MUST eat at the place where we had the beer.  He was correct!  There we ate the best pork dinner we have ever tasted!  Pork knuckles and a hearty bread that was do die for!  

Sunday morning:  we were all ready for the day and started out walking.  Little did we know that by the end of the day we would have walked no less than 8 miles, maybe a bit more.  We visited a museum that was beautifully done on the subject of money.  The building was beautiful, as most were in this city.  Money: its beginning and how it has effected the whole world even up to today.  We milled around what is considered 

Old Town, watched the Astronomical Clock strike on the hour with a procession of apostles with a million other people in the square.  We trekked up to the Castle situated on a hill.  HUGE area of impressive buildings and, of course, a cathedral.  Many bridges cross the Vltava River.  We crossed two that day only to return to the same area so we could see and cross the most famous of them.

Thus, we returned to Old Town on Monday, but learned how to take the tram this time.  We crossed the Charles Bridge whose beginning construction began in the time of Charles IV (14th century) and completed in the 15th century.  It is 516m long and 10m wide.  On each end are impressive towers.  Artists and musicians entertain folks crossing the bridge as it was the first to link two parts of the city.  We had a dinner cruise on the river in the evening and enjoyed seeing the city lighted up.  On the cruise we met a couple from Germany.  The husband was a runner and had just finished a race in Prague.  He won the event as he has won many of the same at 100km.  We saw photos of his last two races with his gold medals.  They were lovely people and fun with which to have lively conversation.

Tuesday found us at a large, beautiful park where we saw a big vineyard on the hillside and a restaurant featuring the wine produced from the vineyard.  We were tired out this day, so sat on a park bench near a pond with running water.  It was quiet and restful.  ( crowds can take a lot out of a person).  On the way back to our apartment we had a beer at our usual wicker table and chair spot.  Who do we see about mid-glass empty but The Man!  We grinned again upon seeing him and he greeted us cheerfully.  A nice end to a relaxing day.   After a bit of dinner, while using the internet on the garden terrace, we met some folks from Sweden and chatted for an hour or more.  They were fun and enlightened us a bit about Sweden so we could be prepared when we get there in a couple of weeks.  They immediately knew we were American because of our accent!  They guessed American or Canadian!

We found Praque a lovely city with two interesting sides to it.  The old and the new.  Cobbled streets still abound as do cobbled sidewalks.  The new modern side has great tall buildings with construction seemingly happening in many areas.  It is good to see progress.  Life goes on.

BUDAPEST

Tuesday June 9th, we arrived in Budapest, a bustling city that we enjoyed and learned much about.

The Danube River winds its way through two sections of city life and a small island sits in the middle of the river.  Buda was a city of itself and was Pest.  It was decided to that they should be joined as one, so a big bridge was built so that commerce back and forth would be easier.  Good idea!  Buda is on the hilly side of the river and Pest on the flat side. Now there are many bridges.  We think it a beautiful place.  Our apartment  was located only two blocks away from the river, so we did get to go there often and walk and we were close to most all things we wanted to do.  Below us we had a shop with vegetables and fruit and yummy olives of various kinds. inexpensive wine, too.  We got to be friendly with the proprietors and we felt like we fit into the hub of folks there.  We ate a Hungarian meal of goulash soup, a meat filled "pancake", and 

catfish on some kind of pasta.  The food there was not my favorite.  Paprika is used much.  I stuck to cheese and ham.  

Wednesday we trekked around the city and discovered some of the main buildings such as the Opera House, the huge Parliament building, and plazas.  It seems many things have monuments and statues.  BIG ONES.  Most downtown buildings are blocky and solid.  Decorations on top and columns abound.  There are many big churches and cathedrals.  There always seems to be something to honor Mary.

Temperatures ranged around 28C to 38C.  Hot.

Thursday had us discovering the park on the river island called Margaret Island and we had a lovely whole day there.  The island is 2 miles in length, but width about 1/4 mile.  A great fountain attracts many viewers and music plays while water dances and shoots up and twists to the beat of the music.

The 1896 Summer Olympics were held there and we got to see the original lap pool and high diving board still in use.  The building that was built for that occasion is still kept up.  We saw the track for the running events.  Quite impressive.  In Budapest there are many bath houses, and one of them is on this island.

People go for therapy in these hot waters and also just for a warm/hot mineral bath.  We got a photos of a very unusual  water slide that many seemed to be having fun on.  On one end of the island is a Japanese garden. The lily pads were our favorite there and also a multi-water fall over moss covered rock wall.  In another area we watched storks feed there babies and clack their beaks.  There were the most exotic chickens in that little fowl area, also.  Two very old roosters crowing were humorous.  A peacock came up to the fence while I spoke to him, but he only gave me a big squack , and did not fan his tail.  That brought giggles to the folks sitting on the nearby bench.

Friday we went on a bike tour with our leader, Petra.  We were four hours weaving in and out of traffic and people.  All seven of us tourists were from the USA.  We had a lot of fun and even rode up one very steep hill.  I must admit that I had to walk my bike up some of it.  ( it was faster to do so, and my legs liked it better).  There are many students all around these big cities.  The three young women that we had as bike companions were delightful.  The two men, also.  Petra took us to some of the main sites and did a history summation at each.

Our mid-tour break was at a cool restaurant where we carbed up for the second half of the tour.

A great day it was!  Huge columns and statues and a castle..............monuments and a huge bath house.

Hungary is a small country and not rich.  The people are great, helpful and determined.  There is a mix of 

races  The world has become a melting pot and we are all part of the human race.

I hope the photos Dan enters can help tell the story.

Vienna 2

The acoustics were amazing! We were seated in the balcony 5 rows back and it was marvelous!
We attended a concert at the Mozart Music Hall, a huge place that was golden inside.  I had never been in a concert hall with such acoustical brilliance.  The symphony played  The Danube Waltz as an encore and I could not contain my emotion as I teared up.  An evening I will never forget and one that completed our stay in Vienna.

Now we are in Budapest.  It was not a long drive from Vienna, so we took a back road and went through some little towns to life away from the bigger cities.  We found a park to eat our lunch along the river Danube.  The weather was HOT.  When we arrived through the traffic into the city, we could see the the beautiful Parliament building across the river.  ( this building is pictured on brochures and everything you may read about Budapest )  This is a lovely city; quite different than I expected.  We are super pleased with our modern apartment.  Not a speck of dust anywhere and everything has a place and is in its place.  It will be a good stay here. And....... weather is HOT and is supposed to remain thus.  It is Wednesday, June 11.

Oh!  one thing that I have forgotten to mention a long time ago in France and Spain.  We helped pay for their highways!  Toll booths every so often.  We estimated that we had spent over $100.00+ in American funds.  We drove on great roadways, so I guess it is good that all people using the roads must pay for them.  Maybe we should follow that idea.  

Austria

Left Germany on Thursday morning and had a beautiful 6+ hour drive through lush green hills and valleys dotted with small communities, all with distinctive church steeples.  Coming through the part with the jagged, very tall mountain peaks capped with snow, we were reminded of the time when we were in those mountains at Berchas Gaden where Hitler had his special retreat called the Eagle's Nest.
I attended a music conference there at age 20.
Who would not love Vienna (Wien)?  The classical music capitol of the world.  We have a charming apartment and very sunny,very warm weather.  It is a national holiday here today(Mon the 9th)...........
All shops are closed.  Good thing the restaurants are not!  The afternoon took us along the Danube River at a huge park with tons of people.  We experienced seeing the most interesting concept in city living.  All modern day buildings; some of them sky scrapers, some high rises. All are living spaces with lower spaces for offices and the like.  This place called Danube City ( Donu City) is still under some construction.  It has a huge promenade and connects with the park and by bridges one can go over the hiway to the less new part of the city.  This whole idea is to have a community within the city.  We were taken with the whole idea.
The Danube.  A wide slow flowing river that winds through Vienna.  People were boating, swimming, sun bathing, walking and cooking on small hibachis.  The people were mostly East Indian at this part of the park.  We wondered how the women could tolerate being so bundled in dark clothing and scarves when were sweltering form the heat.  It is a melting pot of humanity wherever one goes in the world today.
Evening had us by St. Stephan's Cathedral at the Mozart Hous.  He actually only lived there for 3 months, but used the room they call a vault to compose his music and perform for the bishop of the local church there.  (not the cathedral)  There we heard an excellent chamber quartet and we were in the front row, basically arm's length from the cellist.  The music was astounding and the musical artists the best of the best.  A great experience, indeed.

In the same area we saw the Opera House and The Magic Flute was being performed that evening.
They have a huge screen so outsiders can view the live performance happening inside.
They even had chairs outside for folks to sit!
We have a few more days here, thus leaving on Tuesday morning.  We walk a lot and see a lot.
Vienna has been my dream city since I was very young.  What a privilege to be here!

Just a note:  Dan is also posting photos on his Google plus account.   captaindan31

Lindau, Germany 2

Just a quick post before we leave for Vienna, Austria.
We have a beautiful morning here; a good day to travel.

Yesterday ( Thursday June 4) we walked to our apartment into Lindau proper, which is situated on a little island.  We did a self guided walking tour to take in as much as we possible could.  I think mission was accomplished.  We walked around the whole island and in between!

I must tell you that the Swiss Alps are to the EAST of this lake.  Before I had mentioned WEST.
The lake is also known as Lake Konstanz (Constance).  A wonderful spot on this earth.  Sail boats dot the blue, blue, clear water and from the docks on the quay in Lindau, tour boats are seen coming back and forth.  First stop for us was a light house.  A new one, they say, but it looked old to us.  Yes, again we climbed stairs to have an overview.  102 of them; worth every step.  Then we just followed our little town map and took in buildings and cobbled streets.  The highlight was a swan family.  The BIG dad, the smaller mommy, and 5 fuzzy signets.  They came right up to us on the quay......  I think looking for food.  They were gentle and beautiful.  We got photos.
We had lunch at a big beer garden.  We can see where the summer months must have many more guests here then.  We finished our island walk by sitting in the sun watching the sail boats and just taking in the  great lake.  To finish approx. a 5 or 6 mile walk, we arrived back at the apartment a bit tired, but refreshed by our sights of the day.  It is hard to leave here, but look forward to what is ahead!

Lindau, Germany

Lindau Germany.  Wed.  June 4.
Situated on a huge lake that is named Bodensee, this place reminds us much of the village where we lived in 1969.  We would like to stay at least a week, but we will leave here on Friday as our itinerary demands.  We had to cross the lake on a small ferry to reach our destination.  We have a sweet apartment that is clean and modern and we like the little deck included in the living space.  Farmland encompasses the village and cattle low in the fields that are not taken with orchards and vineyards and other plants like strawberries, and such.
Seems the same theme, doesn't it?  I could decide to live here in a minute if my loved ones were not so far away.  Flowers abound everywhere and people take pride in their yards and dwellings.
We drove into "town" for some supplies and food this morning. We purchased fresh baked brochen (another name for Kaiser roll), fresh bratwurst and salad makings.  It was the BEST!  We have not had bratwurst like this since we lived here..........seriously.  Boy! did we like our dinner today!
The Swiss Alps border the horizon of the west side of the lake.  One can still see a bit of snow on the top peaks.  I read where the Kaiser once had a place here......................glad he is gone.  People bike and walk much.  We hope to rent bikes tomorrow to see how much we can see with a little ride.
Even though we woke to warm sun this morning, by early afternoon we had plenty of rain.  We played cribbage and Dan took care of his photo collection.  We must have good weather to get out tomorrow and see more of this place.  If you have a moment, look on a map and find a blue spot between Switzerland and Germany.  That is where we are.  Smack over the border.

Tournus, France

We left Lyon on Monday and drove the back roads to Tournus, France.  What a lovely, fun day!
Early morning dark clouds turned into a sunny afternoon and we discovered this little town built around an Abbey.  The abbey and walls and buildings of this place are still standing and still used.  We viewed the abbey church and fell in love with its simplicity and uniqueness.  The seating in the sanctuary is chairs with straw seats that are all connected at the legs.  Choir music was heard and gave a peacefulness and genuine hospitality.  The town is build along the Soane River and cruise boats come there often and we walked along that promenade, also.  Our hotel room was very charming and clean and we received warm smiles and warm service there.
We had a good meal at the restaurant next door and the wait staff was young, but very professional and darling!  Many people were ordering Snails ( you know the word ).

On our drive there, we loved the back road and now know why chickens are a part of French accents in design, etc.  Free roaming chickens were plentiful on fenced-in acres of land.  Many, many white and red specs over fields.  Lots of contented cattle, too.  Peaceful, idyllic feeling all over.
We ate our lunch in a small off-the-road spot that had two wooden tables by a stream.  In the stream we think the noises were frogs, but they must croak in French because we could not recognize the sound.  Downstream just a few feet where we ate chicken and cherry tomatoes, a bridge caught our attention as did the lily pads.  It was one of the best picnics we had ever had.  Out in the blissful quiet, the lush green and the blossoming bushes, we had a perfect day.

Tuesday morning, off to Lindou, Germany.

Lyon, France

We drove from Barcelona to Lyon, France on a clouded somewhat rainy morning.  The day, however, turned out very sunny with just a few scattered clouds and we again enjoyed the beautiful views of the mountains and valleys.  This was the third trip over the Pyrenees, albeit just the western tip.  We were treated again to fields and hillsides full of vineyards, orchards and acres and acres of poppies.
Finding an apartment in a large city with narrow unfamiliar streets can be challenging.  Finding a place to park in another.  Somehow, we always manage to receive some help when we ask, even if it takes two or three people to get to where we need to be.  Our apartment was situated on a narrow street and the building very,very old and after trekking down a long, rather dingy hall, had to climb 76 stone steps that spiraled up to the fourth floor.  An interesting experience at best.  A woman who is the proprietor of a restaurant on the ground floor next to the big green door where we entered the dingy hall helped us and used her own cell phone to call the person to meet us as he was late in getting there.  We appreciated her help so much.  We ate there later in the evening and got a photo.  The food was very very good.  
We liked Lyon.  The Soane  and the Rhone rivers meet at one point and the river seemed to be one of the best interests of the city.  Crossing the river from one side to the other was like having two different cities within the city.  We walked approx. 7 or better miles (put that to kilometers if you choose) up and down and enjoyed the sun and the people doing their thing along the water as we were.  The promenade was built to completion in 2007 and it is beautiful.  An open market of one kind or another is open along the riverside every day and it is BIG.  We did get to purchase some fruit and vegetables.  We  hiked up the big hill to view the Basilica dedicated to Mary, Mother of Jesus, because she saved the city twice .  It is a beautiful church and is lighted up every night.  Photos will show that.
A river ride was one of the highlights of our time in Lyon.  We learned much about the city and saw more that way even though we enjoyed the waking, too.  Some of the new architecture seems very out of place with the feel of the city.  New things need to be in this century, but thinking of this beautiful city on a whole does not have to have far-out buildings that don't fit in.  A new housing area by the river has some great new buildings and does not take away from the city itself.
We left Lyon a day earlier than we had planned.  We thought we had done what we wanted there, so moved on.

Here are some photos from Barcelona. I'll post about 30 of 200 or so I took of the Park Guell, the area around the Plaza Espana, and the 3 churches we visited Andrea probably mentioned that two of the churches were Basilica's and the other was a Cathedral.

I hoping for no sideways pics tonight. So far things have been going a little better.

Dan

From our apartment looking easterly

Olympic Stadium 1992 Barcelona Games 

A view of the National Museum

Fountains in front of the National Museum

Basilica Santa Maria Del Pi. ( pronounced pee) Or Saint Mary of the Pine

Olympic Statium

The alter in Santa Marie Del Pi

Processional Cross at Santa Maria Del Pi about 3 Ft. tall

This is the alter of the Barcelona Cathedral

The Crucifix in the Cathedral

The Alter

This is looking back from the alter you are seeing the choir seating

The Copse Barcelona Cathedral

This is at the back of the cathedral you are looking at
 where the choir enters their seating area

The alter of the chapel in the Cathedral

Organ pipes in the Basilica Santa Maria Del Mar.
How many Saint Marys are there anyway

The alter in Santa Maria Del Mar

Chapel in the Cathedral

This is for Cameron

The architect Antoni Gaudi Was commissioned to build a community.
Like his church it was started but never finished. The would be community is
now Park Guell. This is one of the entrances into the park

One of the columned walkways in the park

This is a bench the encircles the plaza that was to be a shopping center

Andrea enjoying her time on a Gaudi bence

This was to be the caretakers house

One of the walls in the park

the park has about 4 levels with stairs connecting each level.
These stairs connect the main entrance with the 2nd level
There are 3 fountains in the center of the staiway

A wide view of the Stairs

These columns support the plazza that was to be the shopping center.