London and Paris - Nov. 22 (118 Images)
1. The Northern Lights
during the flight to our layover in Iceland.
during the flight to our layover in Iceland.
2. Our London apartment was in a residential neighborhood,
behind the orange door.
behind the orange door.
3. Behind the orange door - welcome
to Tanner Studios!
to Tanner Studios!
4. The view from our bedroom window.
5. Rick had some trouble sleeping in London,
and we suspect the decorating in our
apartment may have played a role.
and we suspect the decorating in our
apartment may have played a role.
6. The pub where we had our first dinner in London, after a long day of travel.
7. Sunday roast, a British tradition.
mmm, mmm good...
mmm, mmm good...
8. Tower Bridge, which was only several
blocks from our apartment.
blocks from our apartment.
9. A view of the 95-story Shard from Tower Bridge.
The Shard was looming in the background
during much of our time in London.
The Shard was looming in the background
during much of our time in London.
10. The lack of sleep during our flight, combined with a beer,
eventually made things a little loopy.
11. Julie at the south side of London Bridge,
which has not fallen down yet.
which has not fallen down yet.
12. The British Museum, opened in 1759.
13. Lots of cool antiquities at the Museum,
including this modest gold collar from ancient Egypt.
including this modest gold collar from ancient Egypt.
14. The Holy Thorn Reliquary, from 1400, which purportedly contains a thorn from the Crown of Thorns worn by Christ. Hmmm...
15. The bust of Rameses the Great,
another of the many artifacts pilfered from Egypt.
another of the many artifacts pilfered from Egypt.
16. The British Library, which showcases great works from its
literary, scientific, music, art, and sacred texts collection.
literary, scientific, music, art, and sacred texts collection.
17. A little ditty that Mozart composed in 1789.
18. The lyrics to "In My Life," which John Lennon wrote on the back of a birthday card that he gave to his son Julian, and then promptly took back.
19. Riding the tube (subway) in London is always an adventure.
(By the way, this is an escalator to the trains, not the tube itself!)
(By the way, this is an escalator to the trains, not the tube itself!)
20. See what we mean? An iconic London tube sight warns
of danger - in the infamous and mysterious gap.
of danger - in the infamous and mysterious gap.
21. Outside the ABBA Voyage Arena,
where we saw ABBA perform all their hits.
where we saw ABBA perform all their hits.
22. Imbibing before the “really big shew.”
23. Pretty cool atmosphere inside the arena.
24. ABBA 3D holograms onstage -- it seemed very real
and was an experience straight from the future.
and was an experience straight from the future.
25. The Imperial War Museum, focusing
on WWl, WWII, and the Holocaust.
on WWl, WWII, and the Holocaust.
26. This toy makes life in the WWI
trenches seem like child's play.
trenches seem like child's play.
27. It was anything but, though…
28. The King of England was so grateful for American soldiers participating in the war that he prepared this letter, which was delivered to each soldier.
29. Borough Market.
30. We bought Xmas pudding from
this bloke, which tasted a lot like
fruitcake - the pudding, not the bloke.
this bloke, which tasted a lot like
fruitcake - the pudding, not the bloke.
31. The Shard, looming up close and personal.
32. Prosecco, anyone?
33. Rick enjoying Prosecco, while the bartender
seemingly gives photographer Julie the evil eye.
seemingly gives photographer Julie the evil eye.
34. Tower of London, with the Shard looming in the background.
35. The Churchill War Rooms, a secret bunker
used during WWII, right in the middle of London.
used during WWII, right in the middle of London.
36. There were nearly 500 people working with
Churchill to kick some Nazi ass.
Churchill to kick some Nazi ass.
37. One of the primary war rooms.
38. Big Ben!
39. A helpful swan points the way to Kensington Palace.
40. Kensington Palace, where eighteen families with royal blood currently live, courtesy of the British people's pocketbooks.
41. A grand staircase inside the palace.
42. The Jewel Room.
43. There's elegant decorating throughout.
44. Rick does one of his famous ballroom dancer impersonations.
45. One of the royals landed at the palace,
just as we concluded our visit.
just as we concluded our visit.
46. Spending time at the London Beer Factory,
which is along the Bermondsey Beer Mile.
which is along the Bermondsey Beer Mile.
47. St. Pancras Station, as we wait to travel to France under the English Channel.
48. Julie outside our Eurostar car.
49. That bugger really went fast - that's about 165 mph!
50. Traveling near the speed of light,
our bodies took on strange, ghostly forms.
our bodies took on strange, ghostly forms.
51. Bienvenue a Paris!
52. Our Paris apartment was on the
4th floor of this building.
4th floor of this building.
53. It was a cozy two-bedroom,
with a really cozy kitchen.
with a really cozy kitchen.
54. The view out our windows.
55. Sampling the just-released 2022 Beaujolais
Nouveau at a cafe along Rue Rivoli,
which was only a block from our apartment.
Nouveau at a cafe along Rue Rivoli,
which was only a block from our apartment.
56. Rue Rivoli during a lull in auto traffic, but the
bike (velo) traffic was coming on strong.
bike (velo) traffic was coming on strong.
57. The Hotel de Ville (former city hall), just across
the street from our Beaujolais Nouveau tasting.
the street from our Beaujolais Nouveau tasting.
58. Enjoying a walk along the Seine River.
59. Inside the Conciergerie, a former palace dating back to the 1300's, that became a prison
during the French Revolution.
during the French Revolution.
60. Cool art exhibit there, with everything made from sand.
61. Marie "Let 'em eat cake" Antoinette, spent some
time in a cell in this area before she lost her head.
time in a cell in this area before she lost her head.
62. Inside Sainte-Chapelle, a royal chapel adjacent to the Conciergerie, which was built from 1238 to 1248.
63. Amazing stained glass on
all the walls of the chapel.
all the walls of the chapel.
64. Norte Dame de Paris - severely
damaged by fire in April 2019.
damaged by fire in April 2019.
65. The Notre Dame reconstruction work is a significant undertaking.
66. Berthillon - a place for some tres bonne, very expensive ice cream.
67. Yummy!
(That's make-your-own hot chocolate on the trays to the right.)
(That's make-your-own hot chocolate on the trays to the right.)
68. A big red door.
69. A VERY BIG red door.
70. Bercy Village -- now a mall, but back in the day, for over a century, it was the largest
wine market in the world.
wine market in the world.
71. We had some unusual, but tasty, savory
crepes for dinner at Bercy Village.
crepes for dinner at Bercy Village.
72. Then we headed back to the Paris Marais
neighborhood to relax with some drinks.
neighborhood to relax with some drinks.
73. A mixed drink in a beaker - now
there's a new one for you!
there's a new one for you!
74. At the Marché des Enfants Rouges, a charming urban food market where Julie enjoyed
a sweet crepe for breakfast.
a sweet crepe for breakfast.
75. Strolling through Paris, with a quick stop
to check-out an information kiosk.
to check-out an information kiosk.
76. The Musee de l'Orangerie, a Monet-centric art museum.
77. Some of Monet's water Lilies in the type of relaxed,
quiet, open setting in which he wanted them displayed.
quiet, open setting in which he wanted them displayed.
78. But also room for a Renoir. Remember when art museums generally prohibited photography? The museums are no match for the world of cell phones...
79. The Eiffel Tower, along with
some other vertical objects.
some other vertical objects.
80. The Ferris Wheel at the site of the Tuileries Garden
Christmas Market, and we were there for 2022's opening day.
Christmas Market, and we were there for 2022's opening day.
81. It was fun exploring a Paris holiday market combined with a carnival.
82. Quite the grill for cooking bratwursts and other sausages!
83. A larger-than-life German
Christmas pyramid candle.
Christmas pyramid candle.
84. Raclette cheese melters!
85. Rick on the Roue de Paris
200-foot-tall Ferris Wheel.
200-foot-tall Ferris Wheel.
86. Our ride on the Wheel
provided great views of Paris.
provided great views of Paris.
87. We were lucky to have dry weather for riding
the Wheel, as it had been raining some in Paris.
the Wheel, as it had been raining some in Paris.
88. Back in the rain, posing for a unique mirror shot
on the Sunday morning streets of Paris.
on the Sunday morning streets of Paris.
89. The large stores in Paris go all out with their
Christmas decorations. This is Dior.
Christmas decorations. This is Dior.
90. The Palais Garnier, a 1,979-seat opera house constructed in 1875.
91. The opera house is an amazingly ornate building.
92. The theater itself - photos weren't allowed there, but who's that stopping?
93. The Gen-Zer's were in full force, striking all sorts of modeling poses for their Instagrams,
so we decided to have some fun.
so we decided to have some fun.
94. Bravo! Encore!
95. The ostentatious and rather gaudy
reception area for intermission breaks.
reception area for intermission breaks.
96. Julie to the rescue with hot chocolate
at the Lindt Shop Paris, which was a welcome
respite from the rain and cold.
at the Lindt Shop Paris, which was a welcome
respite from the rain and cold.
97. The Galleries Lafayette, a century-old department
store, that really knows how to do Christmas.
store, that really knows how to do Christmas.
98. Still outside the Galleries Lafayette.
99. The Galleries' bold and ostentatious (word of the day?) Christmas tree, below the store's
steel-frame art nouveau glass dome.
steel-frame art nouveau glass dome.
100. An Instagram-worthy selfie,
if ever there was one.
if ever there was one.
101. Let's have another look at
that crazy, ostentatious tree!
that crazy, ostentatious tree!
102. The Paris department stores have Xmas window displays with decks so the petite ones can get a look.
103. We were on the Champs-Elysees when the city turned on
the Christmas lights for the start of the 2022 shopping season.
The Arc de Triomphe is in the background.
the Christmas lights for the start of the 2022 shopping season.
The Arc de Triomphe is in the background.
104. A view of the Champs from the
top of the Arc de Triomphe.
top of the Arc de Triomphe.
105. The Eiffel Tower was also in fine form.
106. The staircase for descending the Arch.
There was another staircase for going up
that was just as dizzying!
There was another staircase for going up
that was just as dizzying!
107. We spent our last day in Paris at Disneyland,
only a thirty-minute train ride from the city.
only a thirty-minute train ride from the city.
108. Unfortunately, the rain had
returned with a vengeance.
returned with a vengeance.
109. And the crowds were unexpectedly large for November. We waited over thirty minutes
for a rather lame Pinocchio ride.
for a rather lame Pinocchio ride.
110. Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant
(Sleeping Beauty Castle).
(Sleeping Beauty Castle).
111. Phantom Manor.
112. Inside Phantom Manor. Spooky, but fun!
113. Perhaps the best news of the day?
We only waited ten minutes to ride the merry-go-round!
We only waited ten minutes to ride the merry-go-round!
114. Taking the RER train to the airport
for our trip back home. Rick had a cold,
so he tried to be a good citizen.
for our trip back home. Rick had a cold,
so he tried to be a good citizen.
115. Look at all the ice on the
approach to er, um ... Iceland.
approach to er, um ... Iceland.
116. We had to take a very crowded bus from the
terminal to our plane headed for the USA.
terminal to our plane headed for the USA.
117. Comfortably situated for the seven-hour flight from Reykjavik to Denver. As you may have noticed,
Rick’s mask didn't make it this far.
Rick’s mask didn't make it this far.
118. Julie snapped a fantastic shot of Greenland, about an hour or so into our flight. Fortunately, Denver was not covered with as much snow when we got back home.