State Your Vacation Location!

[0388631]

Yeah, sounds about right. Most people in their late 50s and onward will know F and C, while those younger will know mostly or only C.

I don't mind pounds and ounces. It's fairly simple to do big math in your head using those units. Though when trying out a new recipe or buying a book, I'll seek one out using grams instead of other forms of measurements simply because it's more accurate.

 

[Huntn]

Only real old people in the UK use F (like my parents). Everyone else is in C.
We use Miles, pints and stone.
But meters, litres and kilos.

We like to keep our hand on the new and old world!

I stayed up till 8pm local (1pm my time), then was awoken at 5am (10pm my time) by a fire alarm. Non- smoking hotel and someone was smoking in their room, emptying the hotel occupants into the lobby. This is a non smoking hotel and unlike the States (I think), the smoke detectors are sensitive to lesser cigarette smoke. Sometimes back home we run into these heavily deodorized rooms that either had a smoker or a pet in them.

A good opportunity to eat breakfast. I got to use my translator app with a room cleaner asking about ice machines in the hotel, no restaurant only.

 

[Huntn]

We visited Versailles today. Impressive, huge, guady, after a while you could become numb to the excess. We enjoyed it, but it helps add clarity to the origins of the French Revolution. I think my phone takes pictures better than my 10+ year old digital camera. When I get home I’ll stitch some panoramas together and see if it competes. These are with the iPhone, tap to see full size. Both are panoramas.

Slush on the ground after light snows


The War Drawing Room​

 

[arkitect]

We visited Versailles today. Impressive, big, guady, after a while you could become numb to the excess. We enjoyed it, but it helps add clarity the origins of the French Revolution.

View attachment 818009
Slush on the ground after light snows

View attachment 818010
The War Drawing Room​

I agree, the main palace really is overrated. And overrun with touts and tourists who snap a pic and walk away… snap a pic and walk away… stifling yawns

The best parts of Versailles are Petit Trianon and Grand Trianon… and the gardens of course.

Probably not on your agenda, but worth visiting is Vaux le Vicomte… built by Louis XIV's embezzling finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet. He built an absolutely stunning chateau — Louis came to the opening party. Didn't say much, but had a very good look around… a couple days later Fouquet was arrested and jailed.
Louis took the Architect, Louis Le Vau, The Interior designer, Charles Le Brun and the Gardener, André Le Nôtre off to Versailles.

He was not going to be upstaged.

If you are curious about the French Revolution, go see the Musée Carnavalet. Recommended.

[doublepost=1548427588][/doublepost]

Yeah, sounds about right. Most people in their late 50s and onward will know F and C, while those younger will know mostly or only C.

I don't mind pounds and ounces. It's fairly simple to do big math in your head using those units. Though when trying out a new recipe or buying a book, I'll seek one out using grams instead of other forms of measurements simply because it's more accurate.

Cups and spoons are my least favourite system… No idea why the US clings to it in recipes.

3 Cups Broccoli… err… what? Give me grams and kilos any time.

 

[Huntn]

I agree, the main palace really is overrated. And overrun with touts and tourists who snap a pic and walk away… snap a pic and walk away… stifling yawns

The best parts of Versailles are Petit Trianon and Grand Trianon… and the gardens of course.

Probably not on your agenda, but worth visiting is Vaux le Vicomte… built by Louis XIV's embezzling finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet. He built an absolutely stunning chateau — Louis came to the opening party. Didn't say much, but had a very good look around… a couple days later Fouquet was arrested and jailed.
Louis took the Architect, Louis Le Vau, The Interior designer, Charles Le Brun and the Gardener, André Le Nôtre off to Versailles.

He was not going to be upstaged.

If you are curious about the French Revolution, go see the Musée Carnavalet. Recommended.

[doublepost=1548427588][/doublepost]
Cups and spoons are my least favourite system… No idea why the US clings to it in recipes.

3 Cups Broccoli… err… what? Give me grams and kilos any time.

Very interesting about Vaux-le-vicomte!
Unfortunately the outside of the palace was a slushy mess and we did not make it over to Trianon part of the grounds or the Queen’s hamlet. Not the best time of year to enjoy the grounds.

​

 

[Apple fanboy]

Very interesting about Vaux-le-vicomte!
Unfortunately the outside of the palace was a slushy mess and we did not make it over to Trianon part of the grounds or the Queen’s hamlet. Not the best time of year to enjoy the grounds.

View attachment 818011
​

I went in the summer as a child and remember the gardens were spectacular.

 

[0388631]

Cups and spoons are my least favourite system… No idea why the US clings to it in recipes.

Think it drove my mother mad when we first moved out here. Even the cups and spoons made for baking and cooking aren't exact. If I have to, I stick with Oxo since they're fairly accurate.

 

[Huntn]

I agree, the main palace really is overrated. And overrun with touts and tourists who snap a pic and walk away… snap a pic and walk away… stifling yawns

The best parts of Versailles are Petit Trianon and Grand Trianon… and the gardens of course.

Probably not on your agenda, but worth visiting is Vaux le Vicomte… built by Louis XIV's embezzling finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet. He built an absolutely stunning chateau — Louis came to the opening party. Didn't say much, but had a very good look around… a couple days later Fouquet was arrested and jailed.
Louis took the Architect, Louis Le Vau, The Interior designer, Charles Le Brun and the Gardener, André Le Nôtre off to Versailles.

He was not going to be upstaged.

If you are curious about the French Revolution, go see the Musée Carnavalet. Recommended.

[doublepost=1548427588][/doublepost]
Cups and spoons are my least favourite system… No idea why the US clings to it in recipes.

3 Cups Broccoli… err… what? Give me grams and kilos any time.

As you know spoons work great for a variety of finely ground foods or liquids. But I agree that something like broccoli would be funny to measure by the cup.
[doublepost=1548536829][/doublepost]We visited Mont St. Michael today, a cool, dated from the 8th century, World Heritage site on the Western edge of Normandy. However the Abbey showed up later. A lot of step climbing if you want to get to the top.

​

 

[0388631]

Beautiful. Speaking of heritage, any chance you can convince your wife to go to Normandy for a day or two? See the beaches... you know what I'm getting at. We haven't travels in a few years due to the kids and mostly because I'm not all too trusting nothing will go wrong. We'll probably wait another year or two. Otherwise they're well behaved compared to other kids we've seen.

I did the touristy things in my youth. My excessive drinking gave solace to trees in France by way of natural fertilizer tainted with red wine and vodka. And excessive amounts of cheese.

 

[Huntn]

Beautiful. Speaking of heritage, any chance you can convince your wife to go to Normandy for a day or two? See the beaches... you know what I'm getting at. We haven't travels in a few years due to the kids and mostly because I'm not all too trusting nothing will go wrong. We'll probably wait another year or two. Otherwise they're well behaved compared to other kids we've seen.

I did the touristy things in my youth. My excessive drinking gave solace to trees in France by way of natural fertilizer tainted with red wine and vodka. And excessive amounts of cheese.

I’d more likely talk her into moving to Tuscany, however this is a close second. We are staying in a 17th Century Normandy Chateau tonight and tomorrow night.

Today we did the WWII Normandy Tour starting at Saint Mere Eglise, the church were two paratroopers got hooked on the roof, then Pointe du Hoc, where special forces scaled the cliffs to Omaha Beach, and the Normandy American Cemetary and Visitor Center.

The amount of effort, coordination, and deception that went into the DDay invasion is amazing, the sacrifices were sobering. It choked me up a bit, and simultaneously made me mad based on the current condition of our National leadership and our self inflicted wounds with our Allies. This is not PRSI so I’ll say no more.

I have one more stop regarding WWII and Normandy on this trip and that is Pegasus bridge, featured in The Longest Day Movie and in the video game Call of Duty, (not making light of the fighting of British soldiers to secure this bridge).

Speaking of The Longest Day, several parts of the movie were filmed on location including Saint Mere Eglise, Pointe du Hoc, and Pegasus Bridge. If I read it right, beach landing shots were filmed on Corsica. It’s possible the beach front property on Omaha Beach would dimish the ambiance. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Longest_Day_(film)

As someone who was born 7 years after WWII ended, I grew up with it. I wonder how kids today regard it? Something that is significant or just an ancient historical event, that just happened to save the free world?

Looking East from Pointe du Hoc. The water by us is 100’ below.
There are gun implacements along this path.


Looking East along Omaha Beach


Looking West along Omaha Beach to Pointe du Hoc​

 

[Apple fanboy]

I’d more likely talk her into moving to Tuscany, however this is a close second. We are staying in a 17th Century Normandy Chateau tonight and tomorrow night.

Today we did the WWII Normandy Tour starting at Saint Mere Eglise, the church were two paratroopers got hooked on the roof, then Pointe du Hoc, where special forces scaled the cliffs to Omaha Beach, and the Normandy American Cemetary and Visitor Center.

The amount of effort, coordination, and deception that went into the DDay invasion is amazing, the sacrifices were sobering. It choked me up a bit, and simultaneously made me mad based on the current condition of our National leadership and our self inflicted wounds with our Allies. This is not PRSI so I’ll say no more.

I have one more stop regarding WWII and Normandy on this trip and that is Pegasus bridge, featured in The Longest Day Movie and in the video game Call of Duty, (not making light of the fighting of British soldiers to secure this bridge).

Speaking of The Longest Day, several parts of the movie were filmed on location including Saint Mere Eglise, Pointe du Hoc, and Pegasus Bridge. If I read it right, beach landing shots were filmed on Corsica. It’s possible the beach front property on Omaha Beach would dimish the ambiance. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Longest_Day_(film)

As someone who was born 7 years after WWII ended, I grew up with it. I wonder how kids today regard it? Something that is significant or just an ancient historical event, that just happened to save the free world?

View attachment 818457
Looking East from Pointe du Hoc. The water by us is 100’ below.
There are gun implacements along this path.

View attachment 818455
Looking East along Omaha Beach

View attachment 818472
Looking West along Omaha Beach to Pointe du Hoc​

My grandad was at D-Day. Also Dunkirk. He must have been incredibly lucky to survive both.
I’m glad I wasn’t born then. Not sure I’d be as brave.

 

[Huntn]

My grandad was at D-Day. Also Dunkirk. He must have been incredibly lucky to survive both.
I’m glad I wasn’t born then. Not sure I’d be as brave.

I was in the military, but never in combat, my timing was too good. I can only imagine the changes to your psyche after experiencing prolonged warfare. Aside from physical injury, some people psychologically hold up better than others as we know.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I was in the military, but never in combat, my timing was too good. I can only imagine the changes to your psyche after experiencing prolonged warfare. Aside from physical injury, some people psychologically hold up better than others as we know.

He never spoke about his time in the army. Except one year we were going to Normandy, and my father mentioned the towns we were visiting. He said he remembered Caen. Bodies stacked as high as a house.

Pretty sure he saw things he never got to forget about.

 

[jeyf]

we got back from a week in nyc:
-there seemed to be less Broadway shows than previous years
-it was restaurant week so we ate well
-the all the iPhone apps were like a disorientated step child but it took only a day to figure the subway out manually.
-we bought a week unlimited subway pass, not that expensive. With the pass was more than a few minutes away, efficient.
-the streets felt safer than previous years. Dont know why?
-stopped off at the up town apple store and it was under construction.
-Julliard had a free pre-college music recital, the participants sounded super great

on our return:
-we left the dog with a neighbor and the animal was in great shape
-the boiler went out while we were on vacation, i was working on it last night and got it to ignite. I cant get the 2nd stage to fire up tho so currently heating the house with a propane shop heater.

 

[Huntn]

Yesterday we visited the remains of the Mulberry Harbor (the portable, artificial Harbour), built in the UK and towed across the channel, used to assist the landing of millions of pounds of supplies to accompany the D Day Invasion at Arromanches, France also known as Gold Beach (British Landing Site).

Actually not a lot to see there, large dark distance shapes out in the water. We had some hot chocolate and French Frys at a resort hotel restaurant by the beach. One was also built at Omaha Beach but was destroyed several days later by a storm.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry_harbour

​

Then over to the Pegasus Bridge on the Caen Cannal. It was been moved to a Museum adjacent to the site, but the replacement looks practically the same. The Longest Day Movie sequence for Operation Deadstick was filmed there on site. The Glider sequence was actually harder in real life, than portrayed in the movie were it was portrayed to be a clear night, with the landing zone in sight. Nope, not like that. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegasus_Bridge

Current bridge


Original Bridge

Glider Documentary, Flying blind...
​

Then spent the rest of the day in Caen and Bayeux.

 

[Huntn]

Today, dissapointed The Monet House was closed in Giverny. Will try it at a better time of year for flowers in May, so as to appreciate the gardens, but not this year. Spent the rest of the day running abound Rouen, stopping by the Fine Arts Museum.

 

[Huntn]

Ah, the joy of standby travel. The Polar Vortex (many cancelled flights) got us in combination with a cancelled 777 (mechanical). Decided instead of sweating it out in the airport, to depart on Monday when all of the loads open up. Went downtown Paris yesterday on a train pass and today, just taking it easy in the vicinity of CDG (Paris).

 

[iTurbo]

I went on vacation once to Hilton Head. I loved that place. It was like I was on another planet compared to home.

I still get the creeps when I remember being stung by jellyfish though.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Ah, the joy of standby travel. The Polar Vortex (many cancelled flights) got us in combination of with a cancelled 777. Decided instead of sweating it out in the airport, to depart on Monday when all of the loads open up. Went downtown Paris yesterday on a train pass and today, just taking it easy in the vicinity of CDG (Paris).

Watch out for the protesters! It might be cold in Europe, but still much warmer than parts of the US.

Safe travels.

 

[Huntn]

I went on vacation once to Hilton Head. I loved that place. It was like I was on another planet compared to home.

I still get the creeps when I remember being stung by jellyfish though.

Jellyfish can be nasty. Did you know you can bounce on their tops and not get stung?

 

[iTurbo]

Jellyfish can be nasty. Did you know you can bounce on their tops and not get stung?

I was amazed when I got there...first the sea breeze, then when we got down to the beach at night I combed the sand with my toes and the sand sparkled with some strange glowing creatures.

But yeah, being in the water and feeling what felt like hair drifting by your legs and then the sting....I felt a weird shock afterwards not knowing what was happening. We found a few dead jellyfish globs and even some washed up horseshoe crabs on the beach. Wowsers.



I could drive 1/2 hour to Devil's Tower, but have never been to Yellowstone yet, despite being here most of my life.

 

[Huntn]

Made it home 2 days late, but overall a satisfying trip to France, Belgium (passed through), and Luxumborg.
Tips

• Museum closure- Be aware that some museums in France (Europe?) in the Winter maybe closed. We missed out on the Monet house in Giverny because it was closed till March, but the main focus was seeing Normandy and WWII DDay sites. The American Cemetary and Visitor Center (with a lot of historical info inside) above Omaha Beach was open 7 days a week.
• Drive Paris to Normandy- About a 2.5 hr drive depending on traffic from Paris de Gaulle (CDG) to Normandy landing beaches.
• GPS vs Phone- is vital for relatively stress free driving. Despite one place down on a beach where we lost cell coverage, until we drove back up on a ridge, my iPhone using Waze was the winner. More accurate and robust than the latest Garmin Europe Map, using a Garmen Nuvi dedicated unit. But I still like having backup although, you may ask yourself if a $100 map update is worth it considering there is no expense with a phone, with the huge caveat that you have an economical Europe friendly carrier plan, that includes free data. Otherwise phone navigation might get very expensive. T-Mobie: free unlimited text and data in both France and Luxumbirg, phone calls $.25 a minute.
• Transport around Paris- Day train passes for Paris metro are 20 Euro, per person, per day. The subway system at first can appear daunting, but a little study will simplify things. However one station we wandered around in was poorly marked getting through the maze between a metro subway line and RER train.
• Is iTranslate Converse a language translation program that allows you to talk into your phone and for it to speak in the target language, in both directions, worth it? I used it a couple of times and it helped, and one time the person in the hotel had no idea what I had asked. So I could have gotten by without it, but $5 for a month (for 1 month) was not a terrible price to pay for this app.
• Airline Travel- As far as classes of travel, I highly recommend Delta Premium Select, very comfortable, pillow, blanket, and fed well, more economical than Delta One (full recline seats).
• Return to US- For US citizens, the tip I got about Mobile Passport was very handy! (Thanks @tizeye!) The app is officially approved, allows you to easily fill out your Customs and Immigration form on your phone after landing, and there was a dedicated Mobile Passport line, with no one in it (for immigration). At least we were first, and I imagine as this catches on, that will change. However note, if you have Global Entry and use Mobile Passport, at Immigration, at Customs, they would not allow me to switch to the shorter Global Entry line. Not a big deal.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Day train passes for Paris metro are 20 Euro, per person, per day. The subway system at first can appear daunting, but a little study will simplify things. However one station we wandered around in was poorly marked getting through the maze between a metro subway line and RER train.

€20 is pretty steep unless you’re making a ton of rides around the city per day. For future reference, you can buy a pack of ten single ride tickets for €14.90. It might work out a bit cheaper. Although those won’t get you to the airport on the RER, that ticket costs a separate €10.30.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Been enjoying Barcelona since Sunday. Go home tomorrow. A beautiful city.
I’d not want to come in summer though. It’s plenty warm enough now and busier than I’d like.
Bought a metro pass for four days. €28. Gets you on the buses to. Cable car was extra.

A couple of iPhone snaps. Plenty more to look through when I get my DSLR home.

 

[Huntn]

Been enjoying Barcelona since Sunday. Go home tomorrow. A beautiful city.
I’d not want to come in summer though. It’s plenty warm enough now and busier than I’d like.
Bought a metro pass for four days. €28. Gets you on the buses to. Cable car was extra. View attachment 825007 View attachment 825008

A couple of iPhone snaps. Plenty more to look through when I get my DSLR home.

Casa Mila, if I got the name right is a cool building.glad you had a great time!