Jetlag Maybe

I'm home and I'm not really tired. I'm at my parents home in Plant City because I don't feel like driving to St. Pete. I finally go to bed around 1:30 AM. I wake up 6:00 AM the next morning. I don't feel tired and I can't go back to sleep so I do some laundry and vacuum. I leave my parents around 1:00 PM. I'm driving my car and it feels a little different. Cars, trucks, and eighteen wheelers make up the traffic. Taxis and buses aren't seen on my way home. Very different from the traffic in London and Paris. I arrive home to lots of mail. I fall asleep reading my mail. I go to dinner with my sister and nephew. The waitress asks if we want separate checks. I 'm not sleepy when I get home so I watch shows that I have taped on my DVR. It's about 2:30 AM and I'm still not sleepy, but I decide to go to bed. I wake up 6:00 AM and I think I should unpack but I just don't feel like unpacking. So I read a book. It's about 11:00 AM and I'm feeling a little tired. So I go to sleep. I wake up eat dinner and I go back to sleep. The next time I wake up its Sunday night around 8:00 PM. I eat popcorn and watch a TV show. I sleep some more and Monday I'm just tired. I sleep all day. I don't feel like doing anything. I try to watch The Closer but I fall asleep during the show. Now it's Tuesday morning and I don't feel tired. I unpack my luggage and I work on my blog.

I'm Back!

It's good to be home! The flight from Paris to Newark was long. How long can two small children cry, no SCREAM nonstop? What is 45 minutes? The seat belt sign is on and everyone has to stay seated because of turbulence. Finally I'm free to walk about the cabin and the two darling screamers have stopped. The flight is perfect to Newark after this. Customs was quick. Yes! Now I'm off to catch my connecting flight to Orlando. The weather was perfect in London and Paris but my flight is delayed in Newark because of severe weather. (south) Almost home but no flights are being cleared to fly south so I'm sitting in a plane waiting for the pilot to get the go ahead for flying to Orlando. He has no idea how long our wait will be. The wait was 30 minutes on the plane but it seem like it was longer. The flight was rerouted to avoid the weather. I will arrive in Orlando much later than scheduled. No worries. The flight seemed short and the landing was Perfect. The passengers applauded the pilot's perfect landing.
I'm back in Florida and I'm almost home.

Wine tasting

After the grand tour it was time to sample the champagne. The cellar was a chilly temp that felt good. The dust was a different story because it started my allergies. Just coughing instead of continuous sneezes. Boy was I glad to taste the bubbling champagne.

Moet and Chandon

The day was picture perfect. The town was so picturesque. It was somewhere you would like to stay for awhile. I learned the history of champagne or Moet and Chandon's history of champagne making. A monk, Dom Perignon, discovered champagne by mistake. What a fantastic mistake. I think knowing the history made the wine tasting better. My mouth is still bubbling with the taste of the champagne.

Street scenes on Saturday

Saturday was a day for exploring. I enjoyed strolling the streets taking in the interesting sites along the way. I captured a picture of a teen carrying his younger sister across the street. Big brothers are great when they are nice. ( Big C is great all the time)

The Louvre in Paris

The Louvre has many statues and paintings. My focus for the visit was statues. The Louvre is the perfect spot for capturing pictures of statues.

The Gardens at Versailles

The gardens designs at the palace were awesome. I didn't go out into the gardens because it was raining. I took many pictures of the garden from inside the palace.

Palace and Gardens of Versailles

This former hunting lodge of King Louis XIII was transformed by his son Louis XIV who enlarged it and made it a central point for his government and court. The ceilings are works of art to me. I was amazed at the vibrant colors and details of the ceilings.

The Louvre in Paris

Myra at the Eiffel Tower

The feeling was unbelievable. Me up close to the Eiffel Tower. It was an amazing site. The views were out of this world good!

July 10th group photo at the Louvre in Paris

Visiting was lots of fun. You can spend hours exploring and there will still be more to explore.

Last Day in London

The last day in London was memorable. On the way to the British Library I was not able to get on the bus because my Oyster card needed money but I didn't know until I tried to use the card for bus fare. I also was the last person in my group getting on the bus. Everyone rode off on the bus without me. I go in panic mode.I needed exact change to get a ticket for the bus. I get change from a store and I buy a one day ticket. Now that I have my ticket I'm not sure what bus I should be getting on. Many buses stop and go but I'm pretty sure they're not the bus I need. I decide to ask if anyone knows what bus to ride to the library. The first person I asked said she did not live in the area. All the people I asked where not able to help me. I debated going back to the Centre to get the address but the bus approaching is the bus I believe will take me to the British Library. I get on the bus but I don't know when to get off. I decide to tell the driver I want to go to the British Library and he driver says he will let me know when it's my stop. He announces the British Library stop for me and when I'm getting off the bus he points to the building. I thank him and I'm off to the library. Wow I made it. I take pictures of the building. It has a modern look. Finally I go inside and get an map of the library. To the right of the information center was a listening room. There is a list of categories to help you make your selection. I select Americans because I see a picture of Booker T. Washington on the wall. My day made me think of a Booker T. Washington quote from his speech the Atlanta Compromise. "Cast down your buckets", He says. Embracing differences in a foreign country is casting down you bucket. Talk and interact with those around you. I listened to other speeches also.
The library was very interesting.

Paris

Visiting the Eiffel Tower yesterday was amazing. The views from the tower were incredible. We arrived a little before sunset. The pictures of the sky and Eiffel tower are beautiful.

Last Day in London

Boy it seems like I was just packing to go to London. The time has passed quickly for me because I was busy with activities exploring the city. I'm finally getting the hang of pounds and pence. Know is to to pack to go to another exciting city. Paris here I come !

The park before the kids enter

The memorial park is designed for kids but adults have just as much fun.

Myles Loving Princess Dianna's Memorial Park

The Princess Dianna memorial Park is located in Hyde Park. There are slides, swings, see saws, forts, and much more. Myles did not want to leave the park.

Off To See The King

The View From Primrose Hill

The view from the top of the hill was worth the walk. I imagine Mary Poppins flying a kite on this hill. I wonder if she was more successful with her kite flying. Many people walked up the hill to eat lunch. Myles and I ate our lunch and we looked down below at the city.

Let's go Fly Kites

Kite flying is fun on a hill top. It was a bit of a climb to get to the top of the hill but it was worth it. Kids aren't the only ones that have fun flying kites. My kite took a couple of nose dives to the ground. The wind was very strong. It was a challenge to keep my kite a float. My kite"died" before my picture was taken. Here is a picture of Thomas the highest flying kite. Thomas also had auto pilot. Boy did Thomas soar high in the sky.

Abbey Road

It was a lot of fun yesterday crossing Abbey Road trying to recreate the famous Beetles crossing. It was fun to us but I'm pretty sure it was not fun for the drivers who had to stop to let us cross because the crossing is a zebra crossing and you must stop in London at zebra crossing for pedestrians to cross. Not only did we cross but we turned around a crossed the road again and again. Of course we had to walk slowing for the pictures.

Hampton Court

I visited William III's and Mary II palace first. Can you imagine a room that has no furniture? Well the palace has such a room. The room was were the king and queen greeted guest and no one sits in the presence of royalty. The audio guides were perfect because there where mini stories within the palace history. The mini stories told the "good the bad and the ugly acts of royalty".

Flowers of Regents Park

All flowers are beautiful! The colors and all the different smells make each flower unique.