Cool Stuff

Belinda let me use her memory card

London is coming to a close...reality once again extends it's fingers.

Today marks our last day in London, and the conclusion of our trip. At 2:45 we will leave the hotel (although that will actually be 3:45 since London starts observing daylight savings tonight)and venture to Heathrow for flight into Paris, and then back to the LAX at about 1:20 P.M. (Air France Flight #78).

Today we visited the AMAZING British Museum...wow! Everyone had the opportunity to stay as long as they wanted, and then we had some free time to explore the city one last time. Belinda and I visited the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Several people visited the Tower of London (some of us did that yesterday after visiting the Imperial War Museum), while others finished up their last minute shopping. (Apparently almost everyone is now pretty much broke)

Dinner of Fish and Chips, and a train ride back to the hotel now has everyone in and pretty much ready to wrap up the trip.

Paris in the rearview, London approaching.

I write this while traveling through the Chunnel (for posting when the internet becomes available.).

Paris yesterday was pretty wonderful. We arrived back in the city at about 10:45, then checked into our hotel, and then boarded the RER train into the center of town where we toured the Louvre. Afterward most of the students ventured off to the Catacombs (it was free time, and that was their choosing.)

Personally I visited the Musee dú Orsay. I highly suggest both the museum and the building.

Schedules varied, but for most the day was made up of shopping, the Eiffel Tower, a return visit to the Louvre, for many the Catacombs and for a surprising number...escargot. I believe the number who either tried it, or actually ate a full course of it was more than 50%. Bravo!

We are currently aboard the Eurostar train en route to London. Today’s schedule will include a quick bus tour of the city, dinner at the hotel, and then hopefully some time in the city. (Okay, that has now changed to almost all of the group going to see Wicked...at 27₤ each it is too good a deal to pass up....while others shop.

Tomorrow the plan is to visit both the Imperial War Museum as well as the British Museum....details to follow.

Normandy today...and now for some pictures from the trip

Today was pretty spectacular. We traveled out to the Battle Beach area, toured and explored Point dú Hoc, and then ventured toward the American Cemetery. Because of changes in the area we were not able to enter Omaha Beach in our normal way, but were rather forced to walk down from the Cemetery. That turned out to be a very good thing, since the new method of approach is a far better introduction to the beach.

After the Beach we explored the cemetery itself (respectfully I might add). We found the grave of AVC Alum namesake James F Ward and Theodore Roosevelt Jr. We also toured the all new visitor center, which is an amazing addition to the facility, and one of the best that I have seen in my travels.
Next, we traveled to Arromanches, site of the British Mulberries, and the eastern most point of Sword Beach, site of the British offensive at Normandy. While there we visited the excellent museum in the city, ate Bulot (Sea Snails)...really...Brittany even ate one...I have the video.