The City of Lights

Hello again,

Just a quick word as we are in Paris, discovering the “City of Lights” for the week. We fly to the Canary Islands on December 11 and since we’re staying there for a few months, we’ll have more time to add to the blog. Aren’t you lucky!

Our last entry in October was from Ojen, Spain. November was busy exploring London and visiting family in Scotland.

I was excited to return to London. We rented a lovely sixth floor flat with views facing south over the city. The building did not have an elevator so the 100+ stairs provided the stairmaster. We could see the London Eye and St. Paul’s Cathedral and even on overcast days, the place was very bright with its huge windows. (www.vrbo.com/52647) It was close to Hampstead Heath, a great place for runs and walks...and outdoor bathing ponds open year round. More like duck ponds, I’d say and no, we did not partake in this fine London tradition. Many people did though!

Our last visit to London was ten years ago when we witnessed a monumental event...the FIRST London Starbucks opening! Now, they’re everywhere! This time, we went on the London Eye, the city’s enormous Ferris wheel, enjoyed two great plays; “Zorro” at the Garrick Theatre and The Norman Conquests – Round and Round the Garden at the Old Vic. We visited the National Portrait Gallery for Annie Leibovitz’s presentation, brushed up on our knowledge at the Science Museum, enjoyed both the Tate Modern and Tate Britain galleries and wandered around looking at all the Christmas decorations in the stores. We also reconnected with a friend from Vancouver, last seen seventeen years ago.

The month’s highlight was celebrating David’s Aunt Margaret’s 80th birthday in Dunoon, Scotland. David’s mom, Kathleen (Margaret’s sister) and her husband, George (are you still with me?) flew over from Toronto so it was a real family celebration.

After a week in Dunoon, eating and drinking much too much with David’s cousin Neil and his wife, Rhona, we went back to Glasgow for a few days to recuperate. We then spent four days in Carnoustie, Scotland, a golfer’s paradise on the coast just north of St. Andrews. Do we golf? No, but we couldn’t resist the great deals offered by the hotel. Even better, we were upgraded from a standard room overlooking the parking lot to a two room suite overlooking the golf course and North Sea! We also enjoyed some sunny weather...cold but clear. We’ve been joking that Scotland has been the sunniest country we’ve been in!

Paris has been magical. Our flat is in the Marais district, the 4th arrondissement www.vrbo.com/69232. We have wandered the hallowed halls of The Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay, travelled along The Seine on a tour boat, listened to (enjoyed? no, not really) an avant-garde organ concert at Notre Dame Cathedral, climbed to the top of the Arc de Triomphe to admire the view and puzzled over modern art at the Centre Georges Pompidou. Oh, and enjoyed much eating and drinking.

The Paris lights beckon us once again, so off we go. Au revoir!