Overseas Adventure Travel – Page 5

Serengeti Animals

It’s just as well that I had to abruptly end my last post before all of the photos uploaded, because my Serengeti pictures are so much better than the ones from the Ngorongoro Crater.

We left the beautiful Tloma Lodge in Karatu at 7 AM for an all day drive to our tented camp deep within the Serengeti.

I’ll be honest. I was NOT looking forward to 8 hours of rockin’ and rollin’. The road along the dusty, misty rim of the Ngorongoro Crater was very narrow, the drop into the caldera was steep, and visibility was poor. We were ALL very grateful that our drivers (Freddie and David) were experienced and skillful.

After a few stops and a picnic lunch, things started to get interesting. When we spotted a lioness standing guard on a big rock, we figured she must be protecting SOMETHING, but what?

First, one little head popped out in the crevice.

then a second one,

JACKPOT! We couldn’t believe our luck.

That must have been auntie on lookout duty, because here comes mom.

But wait…it gets better.

Remember the discussion about the differences between cheetahs and leopards a few posts earlier? Which one is this?

What about this one? It was REALLY far away, so the photo may be pixilated, still, you might be able to figure it out.

Suddenly the drive didn’t seem long, or bumpy or dusty. We were ALL thrilled.

Despite being out in the middle of nowhere, our tents are quite comfortable. Best of all, the bucket showers are so easy to operate, compared to some of the complicated faucet configurations we’ve encountered.

You pull the one with the wooden handle to get the water flowing, and pull the metal one to make it stop. The temperature is Goldilocks perfect, because the camp staff has heated the water to baby bear “just right”.

If you need more than 5 gallons, you yell and a staff member will bring it to you, but I didn’t ever use all 5 gallons. Hey, water is a precious resource, so when I was clean, I pulled that metal chain.

My tent was the next to the last one, right beside the party animals, Rachel and Hannah, two of my new best friends. Their tent was the gathering spot for those who wished to drink wine before happy hour.

But let’s get back to the animals:

There were so many great hippo shots, I struggled to choose just one, but settled on the one that captured both the hippo AND the crocodile.

Babies are always popular, so here’s one hitching a ride on mom, with the second one shouting “hey, wait for meeee”.

Mom and baby elephant walked right in front of us.

We can’t forget about the birds. I don’t have time to look up the name but it is a lilac something or other.

We are at the airstrip waiting to board our flight from the Serengeti airstrip to Arusha, so forgive any typos or autocorrect. I’m pressing publish without proofing.

Animals of Kenya and Tanzania

Is that not the most fascinating creature you’ve ever seen? Its official name is “secretariat” but Frederick, one of our drivers, calls it “the waiter” because of its black pants and white jacket.

Despite its weight, I decided to bring my Panasonic LUMIX with its zoom lens and not rely solely on my iPhone 14. Good thing.

Fellow traveler Sue’s IPhone 15 Pro had some amazing zoom capabilities, as evidenced by her “unicorn” shot.

Clearly, there’s a big difference between the iPhones.

My Lumix is great for distance shots,

but it also allows me to eliminate distractions, like this jeep jamboree.

After being in Rwanda, where contact with animals was tightly controlled, we were horrified that the jeeps were allowed to get so close to this animal, but the lion didn’t seem to mind.

Although we would have liked to have had the animals to ourselves, as was the case in Rwanda, we also recognized how positive it is for their economy to have so many tourists visiting Kenya and Tanzania.

Sometimes the two legged creatures are every bit as fascinating as the four legged ones. Gotta have that Instagram shot for the friends back home.

I promised you animals in this post, so here goes— a tiny sample of what we have seen so far.

Our first hyena,

mom and baby baboon, (notice the red butt? It functions like a red light hung in a window.)

We’ve seen thousands of zebras. I like this photo because their stripes make it seem like an optical illusion.

This baby antelope was only minutes old. We just missed witnessing the birth.

Although it might not be apparent in the photo, WE could all see the afterbirth dangling from mom. She was cleaning off her newborn so predators couldn’t smell it.

Do you know the differences between a cheetah and a leopard?

The cheetah’s spots are all the same color; a leopard’s spots are rosettes with two colors. The cheetah has a black line from its eye to its mouth, and they are the fastest animals on this planet, but leopards are stronger, bulkier and great climbers. But the biggest difference? So far, we’ve seen a cheetah, but haven’t seen a leopard.

I never get tired of watching the big cats doing their grocery shopping.

Like the cheetah, these lionesses are on the hunt, but for them, it’s a group activity.

We didn’t witness the kill, but we DID see what happens after. Although HE had nothing to do with the meal prep, the dominant male eats first, then the lionesses, then the kiddies, then the oldest and weakest members of the pride.

We watched this young male chase his smaller brother away so he could fill up in peace. After he’s satiated, little brother is welcome to the leftovers.

See that horn sticking up? That identified the victim as a wildebeest. Theses guys were as numerous as the zebras, and we frequently saw them traveling together.

On this trip we have 5 full day game drives, (leaving between 6:30 and 7:30 AM, returning between 3:30 and 5PM), and 10 drives split between morning and afternoon. Believe it or not, I opted to sit out one full day and one afternoon drive, choosing instead to hang out by the pool, watching the black faced monkeys and the beautiful birds.

Here’s the thing. The roads are extremely dusty and incredibly bumpy. Sometimes you’re bumped and jostled for over an hour in search of elusive game. Because of the dust, the windows of the safari vehicle have to stay closed. And the afternoons are hot.

Hot, dusty, bumpy drive or an afternoon sitting by a pool in a beautiful hotel, reading a fascinating book about the Kibera slums (“Find Me Unafraid“ by Kennedy Odede and Jessica Posner)? Knowing there would be abundant opportunities to see animals made my decision easy.

These starlings are iridescent.

Tomorrow we leave for four days in the Serengeti, where we will have NO connectivity, so here are a few quick photos before we go “off the grid”.

Crown cranes,

There’s more, but it will have to wait for Arusha, because of the wonky internet.

Maasai Culture

Warning: This might not be a good post to read to children.

Yet another reason I choose to travel with OAT is the opportunity to learn about the culture of the places we visit. I also love that a portion of our payment for the trip goes back to the communities with whom we interact.

Our morning in a Maasai village was VERY educational. So, of course I feel compelled to share what I learned with you.

Did you ever wonder how you get goats to practice birth control? Let this Maasai chief show you. That yellow barrier strapped behind the goat’s forelegs stops his “love potion” from reaching its intended target.

I confess that I was slightly confused. I thought it was a GOOD thing to have lots of goats and sheep. Seleman, our wonderful trip leader, explained that for goats, like humans, timing is everything in life. The Maasai want to make sure baby goats are born when their likelihood of survival is maximized, so when the timing is right, the shield comes off.

Next the Assistant Chief explained (in perfect English) the tribal hierarchy. He described some of the Maasai rituals, the most memorable (to me) being circumcision. It is performed in public, without anesthesia, on a group of 12 to 14 year old boys. If they don’t cry out or even flinch, they are deemed worthy to become warriors. After surviving the ritual, the group goes into the bush for three months. When they return to the tribe they are then considered to be men.

Before climate change decimated their herd of cattle, reducing it from 290 to 10, the Maasai used to drink cow’s blood every morning. They made a shallow incision into the cow’s jugular, collecting at least a liter before they stuffed the cow’s wound with herbs.

If you ever doubt the impact that one amazing woman can have, let me introduce you to Lucy. For the past 13 years, Lucy has visited over 100 villages, providing health education, including speaking out against what WE call FGM ( female genital mutilation). What THEY call “the cut” was deeply imbedded in the culture and traditions. They believed undergoing this public procedure transformed a girl into a woman, and thus enabled her to be married. Like circumcision, removal of the clitorus and labia was done without anesthesia, by a “midwife” and women were expected to endure the pain without crying out. Lucy underwent “the cut” when she was 14. (She admitted to crying and screaming).

Although the government banned FGM in 2003, there was no follow up, so the practice continued. It certainly wasn’t easy, but after years of hard work, Lucy succeeded in eliminating FGM for about 99% of the girls in the villages she visited.

Lucy understood she had to “humble herself” in order to get her message across. To ME, however, Lucy is the embodiment of Katy Perry’s song “Roar”, especially these lines:

“ You held me down, but I got up, already brushing off the dust, I went from zero to my own hero…

I am the champion and you’re gonna hear me ROAR”

After the Maasai village visit, we headed to an elementary school that has been a recipient of funds from OAT’s Grand Circle’s foundation.

There are only 12 teachers for 183 girls and 230 boys. That’s quite a teacher/student ratio! .

While there, we learned how the Foundation‘s money was used. The first purchase was a copy machine, so the teachers wouldn’t have to walk for 45 minutes to the closest copier.

Under construction were bathrooms with flush toilets that will replace the two squat toilets currently being shared by all the students (and that some of us used during our visit).

During our interaction with the children, we told them a little about ourselves, where we were from (notice the map of the USA on the wall) and what our occupations were.

Fellow traveler Kalpana was by far the most inspirational. She told the students that she had attended a school just like theirs when she was growing up in India. Her hard work enabled her to become a doctor. Kalpana encouraged the kids to study, work hard and dream big.

I know, I know. I lured you in with that elephant photo atop this post. We will get to the elephants, cheetahs, lions and monkeys…and that post WILL be suitable to read to the kiddies. I promise, but first I wanted to share these meaningful and inspiring moments.

I’ll end this post with a photo of our group hanging out in a baobab tree.

Nairobi, Kenya

Okay, I’ll admit it. I came perilously close to becoming an “ugly American”. When I saw that the itinerary included a morning spent in the Kibera Slum, I seriously considered sitting out the visit. Why would I want to spend time in an area inhabited by 1.5 million people, jammed into a space smaller than New York’s Central Park?

Fortunately, the wonderful travelers on the Friends of Overseas Adventure Facebook page set me straight, and I’m so glad they did.

The area certainly has its share of the usual social problems. Blackie, our escort and Kibera guide, told us that when the police refused to safeguard the inhabitants, some members of the community administered “street justice”, which proved to be quite effective in reducing crime and violence.

The community has created their own schools and has organized programs to help their children make the right choices.

What we experienced during our visit was truly inspiring. Although the slum residents had few material possessions, no running water and lived in tiny shacks, they had a real sense of community, tremendous support for one another, and amazing resilience.

The friendly and curious children LOVED getting their picture taken-especially when I showed them their photos.

During our visit we were welcomed into two homes. In the first, three people (mom, dad and teenaged daughter) shared ONE tiny room. The daughter was sitting on the bed, because there was no place else to sit, playing a game on her cell phone. I continue to be amazed by the impact Steve Jobs’ “invention” has had on our planet. This device, which didn’t even exist 30 years ago has become essential to us all.

The second visit was to the home of Blackie, a three room hut that he shared with his wife, youngest son and grandson.

Kalpana and Ahit, two members of our group viewing the photo of our host’s grandson.

The grandson was so pleased with the photo that I took of him that he showed everyone, exclaiming “ that’s me”!

One of the many reasons I continue to travel with OAT is because of experiences like these. I never would have done them on my own, either because I didn’t know they existed, or my prejudgement was so very wrong.

Kobe Tough, our afternoon destination, exists because of the devastating impact climate change has had on the Maasai. Any American who doesn’t “believe” in climate change should come to Africa and speak to the people to whom it is a daily reality.

Successive years of drought killed the cattle the Maasai women depended on as their sole source of income, so they needed to find an alternate way to earn money.

They now make beautiful ceramic beads, which are hand painted and made into jewelry. I felt good buying bracelets, earrings and rings from their on-site store, knowing that the money will help these women support their families. The header for this post is a photo of some of their beautiful jewelry in their on site store. But you don’t need to go to Nairobi to own one of these unique pieces — you can buy direct from their website.

https://kobetough.com

If you visit Kobe Tough, you will meet the bead makers, who then entertain you with a wonderful rendition of “Jambo Bwana” ( hello, sir). And when they invite you to dance, I hope you’ll join them!

Another highlight of our stay in Nairobi was our visit to its national museum. I could have spent the entire day there! Did you know there are 1,500 different bird species in Kenya? I sure didn’t. You can see 900 of them displayed in the museum.

Who knew that hippos were related to dolphins and whales?

I wasn’t able to get a good shot of the remains of Turkana boy, which isn’t surprising, given that he’s 1.6 million years old. His skeleton was discovered in 1984, on the shores of Lake Turkana, giving us valuable insight into the evolution of Homo sapiens.

There is so much more to say about Nairobi, but this post is already getting long, so I’ll end with one final thought from the museum.

Next stop will be Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Rwandan Mountain Gorillas

Our 5 days in Rwanda have been absolutely glorious. Believe me, I KNOW how extremely fortunate I am to be able to have these amazing experiences and I am so very, very grateful.

We were able to see first hand the difference one person can make when we visited the Ellen DeGeneres Center, which honors the work of Dian Fossey.

Prior to Dian’s arrival in 1966, the mountain gorillas were close to extinction. Thanks to her tireless work and advocacy, which continued until her murder in 1985, these magnificent creatures have been protected.

Sigourney Weaver’s generous donation made it possible for us to view Dian Fossey’s cabin—sorta like Julia Child’s kitchen in the Smithsonian.

The center has fantastic hands on exhibits, a 360 degree theater, and virtual reality.

I’m VERY glad that I had the virtual reality experience AFTER the REAL gorilla trek because the virtual reality trip had a silverback coming right up into my face, and let me tell ya, it was SCARY.

For the ACTUAL trek, I thought I was prepared. I had spent many hours at the YMCA, because I expected to be walking uphill, at a high altitude, for several hours. The weather could have been hot and humid … or cold and damp. It was actually all of the above, and then some.

What I was NOT prepared for were the vines that grabbed my shoes and wouldn’t let go without a fight. This was not a photo of MY foot, but it gives you the idea of what walking along the “trail” was like. (Yes, that was the trail).

Okay so I’ll confess that more than once during our 2 hour trek, I had a “ what the hell was I thinking” moment. It also occurred to me that after we found the gorillas and spent our hour with them, we would have to walk DOWN the exact same way we had come.

Our porters did much more than carry our packs. They also held our hands during particularly treacherous stretches, for which I was especially grateful. There are no hand rails in the jungle, folks! Or bathrooms either.

Would I recommend gorilla trekking? HELL YES! I realize how incredibly fortunate I was to be able to spend an hour watching these majestic creatures in their natural habitat.

We spent the full hour with the “Lucky” Family, so named because their group included twin boys.

There are currently 24 “habituated” families living in Volcanoes National Park. Although there are several more families living on the mountain, the remainder are not used to human contact. It takes about 5 years of gradual exposure before tourists can spend time with them.

Was the experience worth it? You be the judge. How many people get to watch a silverback twerk?

Eventually we met most of the family: here’s one of the moms and her baby,

the twins, doing what brothers tend to do,

If you’d like to see them in action, just hop on over to YouTube.

https://youtu.be/fS1dMFJPgWU

And the adventurous toddler, exploring on her own.

If you think this trek would be too arduous for you, fear not. Rwandans have a solution that a member of our group used. Take a look at this alternative mode of transportation.

Not surprisingly, you pay extra to be carried like royalty, but for a once in a lifetime experience like this, I think it would be well worth the extra money.

My family would not be shocked to learn that I got lost while on the trail. Fortunately, one of my new best friends heard me calling out, and helped me find my way back to the group.

I *know*. I get lost a whole lot. But come on. Take a look at this trail.

As we were preparing to leave at the end of our hour, the family was also (as the Billy Joel song went) “movin out” .

So what else was memorable?

Seeing women work as porters, trackers, and protectors. Just in case we encountered an angry buffalo or rogue elephant, this beautiful young woman was prepared to guard us,

the gorgeous scenery on our way to the mountain,

returning to our fantastic hotel,

and best of all, being able to share the experience with a wonderful group of people, my new friends.

Next stop, Kenya, where our group will gain an additional member.

Rwanda

I had been dreading the long flight to Rwanda, especially because it departed from Newark after midnight. Surprisingly, it wasn’t too bad. Thanks to zolpidem, I was able to sleep on the plane, despite a whole lotta shakin’ going on.

I would have given myself the “seasoned traveler” award for anticipating that my luggage would be left behind in Istanbul. Upon landing in Kigali, I checked my AirTag and learned my luggage was 2,975 miles from me. So, I wasted no time watching other people’s bags pop out of the chute. Nope. I immediately took myself to the lost luggage desk to complete the necessary paperwork.

My backpack contained one change of clothes, my Jammie’s, chargers and toiletries, plus my credit card, cash and camera. Everything I needed for a couple of days.

Did you notice I said I WOULD have given myself the award? That’s because it got snatched away when I made the rookie mistake of putting a tube of toothpaste (big enough to last the entire trip) in my backpack. The toothpaste, plus my seasoned traveler award, got tossed in a trash bin at Newark Airport.

That AirTag was worth every penny I paid for it. I was able to watch my luggage travel to Lebanon, then Ethiopia, till it eventually showed up in Kigali a day later. Although airport staff had my phone number, email and hotel info, no one ever contacted me. Thanks to my AirTag, I didn’t waste time on the phone making international calls, trying to find someone who could give me information about my bag.

As they say in OAT world, this was a learning and discovery experience. I learned that the airline would not deliver my bag to the hotel. Instead, I had to drag my sorry ass to the airport, and then discover how very tight Rwandan security is. We had to get out of our vehicle, which was thoroughly inspected by people plus a sniffing dog, then once I got to the terminal, I had to go thru security AGAIN and visit 3 different places before my bag and I were joyously reunited. Fortunately, Fred( my hero and our driver) guided me thru the entire process.

The best thing about travel is it gives you perspective. After visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial, delayed luggage becomes a teeny, tiny, minor irritant.

30 years ago, over the course of 100 days, more than a million Rwandans were murdered. The victims were mostly Tutsi, but Hutus who refused to go along with the killing were also massacred.

Believing that churches were safe havens, many Tutsi sought shelter in the Nyamata Catholic Church. Shamefully, the Catholic priest did nothing to stop the slaughter. The perpetrators threw grenades inside the packed church, then attempted to finish off anyone still alive, with machetes and guns.

Nayamata Churcb is now a UNESCO site and burial place for thousands of victims. Particularly heartbreaking are the coffins for infants and children.

Luckily the attempt to slaughter everyone inside the church was not successful. The stories of those who survived are displayed outside the church to bear witness to what had happened. Here’s a short sample:

As terrible as the massacre was, Rwanda’s story is one of hope for the future.

We visited one of the “reconciliation villages” where perpetrators and survivors now live side by side in harmony. Naturally, it took a considerable amount of time for everyone to heal and to learn to trust one another. The perpetrators had to confess to what they had done, serve their time in prison and ask the survivors for forgiveness.

At the village, both a survivor and a perpetrator told their stories. We learned that those who committed the atrocities had been fed a steady stream of propaganda and misinformation. Agitators whipped up hatred for people who had previously been friends and neighbors.

Janet, one of the survivors with her daughter. Janet was our hostess for lunch at the village.

We have so much to learn from Rwandans, who exhort us to practice ubumuntu.

Perhaps Africans have a huge capacity for forgiveness? I recall Nelson Mandela didn’t seek revenge against his white captors, but urged the nation toward reconciliation.

America is now going thru a very divisive time. Maybe we can learn to speak to each other, listen carefully and exhibit “greatness of heart”.

RWANDA, KENYA & TANZANIA

I have wanted to see gorillas in their natural habitat for decades, ever since I saw the movie about Dian Fosse’s life. If I’m lucky, my dream will soon be coming true.

In a few weeks, I’ll be leaving for five days in Rwanda. This is the pre-trip OAT offers before their main trip to Kenya and Tanzania. The maximum amount of time that any group is allowed to spend with the gorillas is one hour. But that’s not guaranteed. If the gorillas become agitated, they could retreat into the bush before the hour elapses.

According to the documentation that I received from OAT, there are eight of us on the pre-trip. A ninth traveler will be joining us in Nairobi at the start of the main trip, so it’s a nice small group, composed of two couples and four women traveling solo. At least that’s what I’m guessing, from last names and geographic areas.

I have to tell you, getting to and from that part of Africa is not easy. My flight from Newark to Kigali leaves after midnight, stops for about an hour in Istanbul, and doesn’t arrive in Kigali until 1 AM the following day.

Okay, confession time. I screwed up. Originally I booked a one night early arrival into Kigali. When I got my flight information and saw I was landing the next day, I canceled the early arrival. It took me a while to realize that I HAD to book that early arrival, otherwise I’d be sitting in the lobby from around 1 AM until a room for that day was available. Not fun. By the time I figured this out, it was less than 90 days before departure, so I called OAT to rebook that room. That’s when I learned that OAT doesn’t allow changes within the 90 days before departure. Internet to the rescue. I booked directly with the hotel. They are going to keep me in the SAME room that I would get with OAT (which happens to be an upgraded room, at no additional cost), AND they are meeting me at the airport and transporting me to the hotel at no additional charge. I love it when my stupidity actually turns into a good thing.

For the return trip, I will be flying out of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, leaving at 2:30 AM, and arriving in Istanbul around noon. Because I’m hoping to sleep on the plane for BOTH flights, I decided to fly business class with Turkish Air. The OAT flight department was able to find me a reasonably priced flight as long as I stayed two nights in Istanbul. Such a deal!

While in Africa, we will be flying in small planes, so OAT supplied us with duffles, specially constructed to ensure that everyone’s luggage can fit onto the plane. When Mike and I went on OAT’s Ultimate Africa trip in 2014, we received similar duffels, which I decorated with sharpies, including–much to his surprise– Mike’s. After the trip, I gifted my duffel to my sister, Sandy, so new project!

The decorations made it easy to spot our bags, which was very helpful, because other OAT trips were leaving from the same hotel. Not only were we able to differentiate our bags from others in the trip, we were also able to make sure OUR bags were on the RIGHT trip!

Yes, I know it looks like the bag was decorated by a not very talented six year old. But you have to admit, no one else will have a duffle that even REMOTELY looks anything like this.

OAT’s documentation included confirmation of the hotels and lodges, so I checked them out on line. I couldn’t believe that almost all accommodations have swimming pools, so I added a bathing suit to my packing list.

I am beyond excited about this trip! I hope you’ll travel vicariously with me. The next post will be from Africa. The map at the top of this post shows where we will be visiting.

Lyon

Mike and I visited Lyon and Paris in 1976. Although I vividly remember Paris: visiting the Louvre, Napoleon’s Tomb, Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower, I have absolutely NO memory of Lyon. There was never anything that kindled even a little spark of recognition.

Our hotel is a short block from the Rhône River, and within walking distance to the old city. People in Lyon use EVERY mode of transportation—bikes, unicycles, scooters, so you aren’t just dodging cars, buses and motorcycles when you cross the street.

It is difficult to get lost in Lyon, even for me. From the river banks, it is easy to find three important landmarks. The black domes are atop the Hotel Dieu. Now a luxury hotel, from the late 1400’s until 2010, that large building was a hospital. The white building to the right (in the distance) is the cathedral and barely visible, on the far right, behind the dome is a fake Eiffel Tower.

Now why would there be a second Eiffel Tower? Well, back in the day, tourists would visit the outskirts of Lyon, but never bothered to visit the city proper. So, knowing how poorly educated people are about geography, the town fathers rightfully guessed that people were aware that there was an Eiffel Tower in France, but had no idea in which city it was located. Voila! The tourists did indeed come into the city center to view the “imposter” tower. And a tourist trap was born. Clearly that was well before the advent of Ms Google.

The “tourist trap” needed a better photo, so here it is.

We took the funicular up to the cathedral. I know, yet ANOTHER church. But this one had some rather interesting features.

Check out the number of columns in this cathedral—and how ornately decorated they are, with different statues standing on the top. At the base of each pillar are birds, all slightly different. Some of them are looking straight at you, others have their beaks lifted at varying angles. Admit it—have you EVER seen birds on a church column? On the INSIDE of a church, that is. I sure hadn’t. Perhaps they symbolize the Holy Ghost?

Before we descended, we had to check out the incredible view. More later about the three white towers in the distance .

During our time in Lyon, we had two scheduled activities. The first, a food tour, brought us through the old city, and consisted of tasting stops at a chocolate shop, a bouchon and a pastry store. The food wasn’t wonderful ( fish soufflé at the bouchon, overly sweet pie at the pastry stop) but the guide was.

Our local guide explained that the hospital (now Hotel Dieu) was located at what was once the border to France. At that time, our hotel would have been in Germany! Why was a hospital located there? So that the medical team could examine all travelers before they were allowed to enter France.

The second tour which focused on the Resistance, took us to a different part of Lyon. This tour consisted of walking up and down narrow cobblestone streets to view plaques affixed to various buildings.

We also went thru passages the resistance workers took to evade the Gestapo. Now the buildings are covered with graffiti and the passageways are entrances to apartments and function as storage areas for trash cans. The walk was uninspiring, however once again, the guide was great. Although I was listening intently to her description of the mind sets of the French during World War II, I found myself more interested in the abundant street art than the plaques.

Take a look.

I initially thought someone stuffed a funky gorilla into a hole in this building, so of course I had to examine more closely. This very talented artist somehow achieved a three dimensional effect on a flat building wall. Wow.

When the guide asked if there were any questions, did I ask about Marshall Petain or the Vichy French? Hell no, I wanted to know what kind of business had paintings of “come thither” women in the windows.

The answer: a strip club. And now more street art.

Ms Google translated the artist’s intent, which was written in French below the artwork. Here’s the “ readers digest” version. The hearts, facing each other, have different motifs. Despite differences, the two hearts can find understanding and coexist.

Believe it or not, the above is a message to Macron. The words “straight into the wall” doesn’t mean anything to me, but apparently the French get it.

Lyon is a very walkable city so I did some solitary exploring. Remember those white towers visible from the Cathedral ? Lyon had hoped to be selected to host the Summer Olympics, so a swimming complex was built. I’m not sure what the function of the towers was because they seemed too high ( to me ) to be diving platforms. But then, I’ve never seen Olympic diving platforms other than on TV, so maybe they were.

Unfortunately, Lyon wasn’t chosen, but at least the residents ended up with a great place to cool off during the hot summer months.

In front of the towers is a skate park, where I watched a young man perform amazing feats on his bicycle.

The river banks were a favorite gathering spot for people AND swans.

Next stop, Paris, via the high speed train.

Paris

What can I say about Paris? Our time there was very short – just a day and a half. But I didn’t regret not staying longer. Instead, I figure at some future time, I’ll visit Paris on my own for several days, probably at a less popular time of the year, when the city isn’t crowded and the weather is less beautiful.

I really didn’t want to spend a gorgeous day wandering through a museum when I could be strolling down the Champs Elysees. And that’s exactly what I did on our only full day in Paris.

But first, let me tell you about our arrival.

Our train from Lyon pulled into the Paris station in time for a late lunch (or in my case, a glass of wine and appetizers, because I ate on the train). Some of us were lucky to have Laetitia, our very lovely tour guide, join us. Side note: despite being 4 months pregnant, Laetitia had boundless energy. I figure our group was perfect training for future class trips with her child, except a bunch of elementary school kids will probably be much easier to manage.

During the afternoon, we experienced two different modes of transportation: the metro system and a boat ride on the Seine.

Richard very graciously gave us a demonstration of what not to do on the metro. Unlike elevators, metro doors do NOT reopen when you stick your hand between them. Fortunately, a metro worker responded to our shouts and Richard was able to get on board, with his hand still attached to his body.

We were never able to figure out what Annie (Richard’s companion) did wrong trying to get thru the turnstile, but a French woman took pity on her, put her arm around Annie, and they went thru the turnstile together. So much for the stereotype of the unfriendly French!

Luckily the boat ride was very relaxing and mishap free.

These are just a few of the landmarks we saw on the boat ride.

For our last “dinner on our own, Nancy, Steve and I walked through the neighborhood in search of a suitable restaurant. There were lots but most were jammed with young adults smoking and drinking beer.

Photo of Steve and Nancy taken at the winery—NOT at dinner.

We finally settled on a delightful cafe, where we enjoyed a fabulous dinner, seated by a large open window. When Steve asked me if I knew where the hotel was, I responded with my usual answer: “I have no idea”. He then pointed to a HOTEL sign about three buildings away, thereby confirming I had the very worst sense of direction of anyone on the trip.

I was very grateful that Jean and Jim had a similar vision of the perfect last day in Paris, because if I didn’t have them guiding me, odds are I’d still be wandering around the city, looking for our hotel.

Our hotel wasn’t far from the Bastille metro stop, so that was our starting point for our Sunday adventure.

Because of the upcoming summer Olympics, several metro stops were blocked, so we rode to the Charles de Gaulle stop and backtracked to visit the Arc de Triomphe.

The Arc’s chaotic traffic circle is where I channeled my inner Grammy (my family knows what I mean) and convinced my travel companions to brave the oncoming traffic, rather than use the pedestrian tunnel.

We decided our RETURN trip would be less exciting, so smartened up and used the tunnel.

There were so many beautiful, whimsical sights along the way. Here are just a few:

These gold medallions swayed in the breeze and sparkled in the sun.

This sculpture reminded me of Seward Johnson’s work in New Jersey’s Grounds for Sculpture.

Of course, all the high end stores lined both sides of the Champs Elysees. I found the Vuitton store particularly clever, because because part of the building was designed to look like their signature bag.

We spent the day meandering aimlessly, stopping whenever we felt like it, taking detours to side streets, having lunch outside in a quiet, smoke free cafe. It was heavenly!

What Jean thought might be Pantheon, was actually the Church of Mary Magdalene. Even though the church bears her name, you’ll see that Napoleon got the top center spot in the artwork, and the most brilliant clothing. Everyone’s eye is naturally drawn to the red robe, right? Even Jesus’s clothes look like they could use a wash, compared to Napoleon’s. You might have to zoom in to get the full effect. I guess every age and culture has its Narcissists.

The prep work for the summer Olympics was visible everywhere, but we still managed to find some unsullied vistas.

By the time we reached the Louvre, we were ready to hop on the metro. There was wine to be shared, and the hotel was the perfect gathering spot!

*How many bottles of wine are on that table?*

It was sad to say goodbye to the wonderful friends I made on the trip, but it’s good to be home again.

Carcassonne

Sometimes you need to let the bliss sink in, and boy oh boy, am I ever blissful right now!

Yes, we’ve done a lot during our stay in Carcassonne, and I will eventually talk about that, but right now I am thoroughly enjoying the perfect weather and the after effects of a wonderful lunch in a nearby French vineyard/winery, Chateau Auzias.

After the vineyard tour, we were given 4 bottles of wine to taste, plus measuring equipment so that we could concoct our own blend using whatever combo of the 4 we desired. When departure time rolled around, we were presented with our blended wine to take home. I liked their Cabernet franc so much, I decided not to muck it up with Merlot or either of the two Syrah varietals, so I was glad that taking one of the vineyard’s regular products was an option.

As you can see from all the smiling faces, a good time was had by all. Especially me.

Okay, so that was the sum total of YESTERDAY’S blogging.

TODAY we are leaving the countryside, traveling by train to spend three days in Lyon, then finishing the trip in Paris. But before we move on to the big cities, let me tell you about our last medieval town.

Carcassonne’s most prominent feature is its huge castle, which dominates the landscape.

I was lucky enough to score a hotel room with a balcony, so I was treated to this spectacular view (of a portion) of the castle, which is beautifully illuminated at night. The plant you see in the following photo is the wonderfully scented jasper hanging from my balcony. ( my cell phone’s zoom can only do so much…)

The castle is so enormous, it was difficult to fit it all into one photo, until I visited Tribe restaurant during one of our “free” evenings. The food was every bit as great as its view. A bonus: the restaurant is owned by an Australian, so they have both French and English menus, AND it is really close to Les Chevaliers, our hotel.

Every castle should have a good story and this castle is no exception. Let me introduce you to Lady Carcas, whose statue at the main entrance greets visitors.

This Saracen princess is credited with saving the city from Charlemagne, who tried to starve the inhabitants into submission by surrounding it for five years. Although they were almost out of food, Princess Carcas decided to feed the remaining wheat to their last pig, then catapult the fattened animal over the city walls into the enemy camp. According to the legend, when Charlemagne saw the splattered remains of the well fed pig in the middle of his camp, he figured the Muslims still had plenty of food. What’s a warrior to do but pack up and head for home, which is exactly what he did. Lady Carcas was so excited by their departure, she ordered all the church bells to be rung. Upon hearing the bells, a soldier exclaimed “Carcas rings”, but he said it in French “Carcas sonne”, and that’s how the city got its name. Or so the legend claims.

Check out the fortress’s outer ramparts. This photo was taken from the inner, and higher, protective wall.

If the invaders are able to breach the first wall, they still have to make it over the moat and past the aptly named “kill hole” .

You can see why a siege was preferable to a full blown attack on what sure looks like an impenetrable fortress.

At the start of the tour, you are given an audio guide, then watch an introductory multi media show projected onto a wall.

The rooms inside the living quarters were transformed over the centuries by its various inhabitants: Romans, Saracens, and Christians.

We ended our visit with a walk around the ramparts, which was an excellent vantage point for viewing both the countryside and the interior of the fortress.

Our guide told us the fortress currently has 55 inhabitants. Although during our ramparts walk, we viewed several lovely residences, with gorgeous gardens, I certainly wouldn’t want to live in a place overrun by tourists. (Do they even have WiFi?)

Laetitia cautioned us that there was some up and down on uneven steps on the ramparts walk, but Nancy and I didn’t find it at all challenging.

In retrospect, I wish I had spent most of the day within the castle walls, but we had so much fun on our boat ride in Angers, we decided to give the afternoon Carcassonne canal ride a try. Big mistake. It was crowded, hot, and boring. The lack of photos from the boat ride tells you everything you need to know.

But that happens with travel. Sometimes you hit and sometimes you miss.

On to the cities…

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