End of the Trip

Go figure that in the mountains we had a cloud of crud on the camera lens that all-but-ruined many photos. Bummer. It was easily removed eventually, but a couple of dozen shots have a big old splotch in the middle of them. Here are a few decent ones though of the mountains, of "Mami Ty" (Anthony's dad's first cousin's wife who completely doted on Beatrice during our time in Pau), of our last day in Paris (and first escargot), and the long trip home.

The Pyrenees

Meeting many members of one of Anthony's family tree branches was a very special bonus to our France trip, especially since this branch is the link to Vietnam. They treated us as honored guests, with Beatrice being the focal point. We ate delicious French and Vietnamese food, drove into Spain through the breathtaking Pyrenees, visited a cheese farm, picnicked with horses and cows on the mountain, and saw beautiful scenery on the train rides to and from. I was dreading going back to Paris, but we had a fabulous last day there, visiting the hills and windy streets of Montmartre. We're home now and adjusting well, all unpacked and catching up on sleep. The only thing that's left is charging the main camera that has most of the photos of the last several days on it, downloading them onto my computer, and selecting some to put on the blog! Here's one anyway, of B. in the yard, "making apple pie." One of the special treats of this place is that they have fruit trees in their yard from which we all just picked and ate. She was in heaven.

Which of these photos should be titled "Child Abuse?"

The fun continues and the time is passing quickly. I know Beatrice won't have clear memories, per se, of her trip, but I know she's absorbing everything and enjoying herself. We leave Friday morning for Pau, a 5-hour train ride to the south. I'm looking forward to some good views of the Pyrenees mountains. There we will meet with several members of Anthony's paternal grandmother's side of the family, the one with the Vietnamese history. It should be a wonderful weekend. We return to Paris on Monday and then back to the US on Wednesday.

At the local park

The "Queen of Sheba" gets carried up and down stairs all over the city

Perhaps my favorite pic, outside the apt., but I can't get it to download in its correct rotation!

An "illegal" snapshot from Musee D'Orsay

Sitting in a cafe

Outside Musee D'Orsay

Outside our apartment

Doubled over fast asleep after another long day

On the Champs-Elysee

Holding tight on the Metro

Deep in thought outside the Lucian Freud exhibit at Georges Pompidou Centre

"Do you Like Paris Beatrice?"

Answer: "No, me like Hanoi!" But the photos show a pretty happy girl..

Paris

We are alive and well in France! Beatrice slept about 3 hours in the 20 hours door-t0-door travel time but, despite that, has kept a smile on her face and has fallen quickly into her usual schedule despite the naps in the stroller and the 6-hour time difference. Anthony commented that we named her correctly, since BEATRICE means "voyager" (through life). She is destined to be a world traveler and her flexibility and resilience is incredible. We have been to the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, George Pompidou Center, and are heading to the Louvre today.

Another "Funny"

We just got back from a visit to Victoria Station. (Beth:they now make huge, round, individual chocolate fudge cakes, to the tune of $8.95 and delicious, worth every penny...at least I'm guessing). Beatrice was sitting up on the counter as usual. The time came to pay and I asked her if she had any money. She replied "yah." I asked where it was, and she said "in here (pointing to her tummy)...in belly button..........(big smiles)!!!!" ha ha ha ha

On Becoming Clever

Beatrice has become quite the little comedienne lately. (She's also had a string of terrible-two days, but that's a different post.) She recently started to "get" the concepts of silly and ridiculous, loving the Laura Numeroff books like Dogs Don't Wear Sneakers, If you Give a Pig a Pancake, etc. She likes asking questions like if Sula will come shopping with us, and then answer it herself with a big smile and a "Noooooooo!" like it's the funniest concept in the world. She also made up her first joke a week or so ago, and delivers it with enthusiasm. I've tried and tried to videotape it, but she erased the only decent version I could get. (yes, she handles my little digital camera with amazing dexterity). It won't work as well in text, but here goes.....drumroll please...and you have to imagine the final word being shouted loudly and with no "r" sound in sight for the full effect....."People eat DIRT!!!!!!!!!!"

That's it. We have no idea how she came up with that one. It comes out of nowhere, in cars, in public, at 2 a.m., and is followed by lots of laughter and expectations of others to do so, and we and all hearers of it oblige of course. Yesterday, we were driving in the car singing Down by The Bay (Raffi version)...you know the one that goes "did you ever see a ______(insert animal)_________(doing something silly that rhymes with the animal name), Did you ever see a BEAR COMBING HIS HAIR????? So anyway my friends Uncle John and J.J. and I were singing and taking turns making up verses and, after a while, I declared it to be Beatrice's turn, and she comes out with Did you ever see a "turkey (pause)....working?" Brilliant! Hysterical! And it even almost rhymes! Her next attempt was just "Did you ever see....DIRT!....WORKING!" Eat your heart out Carol Burnett.

She is too much, too much indeed.

We'll see how funny she is flying an overnighter to France tonight......

And, just because it seems cruel to do a post with no photos, here are some shot yesterday of her helping Anthony stuff some envelopes for advertising mailers, followed by her usual sleeping pose lately. It took me a while to clear the Color Accent mode she had set the camera in. Also, some of just minutes ago picking out something to wear-her choice today, (if I told you her clothes are usually neatly folded and today was just an "off " day, would you believe it?), brushing her teeth and showing a cheesy grin. I hope to be able to post pictures from Paris and Pau over the next 2 weeks. Please send prayers and thoughts for peaceful flights and a safe, healthy trip!

I'm throwing away my garlic peeler tool