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.