The biggest thrill is that my passport finally has a stamp in it. I just looked and I got 2 stamps. Woo hoo!!! I wonder why they didn't just put the stamps next to each other.

April 7 - left for JFK to catch my flight to Dulles Airport at 7:00am Saturday morning. Met up with my friend, R, and ate breakfast before heading back to Dulles to meet up with B and the rest of the tour group. We were airborne on Air France to Paris landing at 6:15am Sunday morning. For our dinner menu on Air France, we were served tuna salad with marinated chickpeas, choice of chicken fricassee with mustard accompanied by mashed potatoes and spinach or beef ravioli served with marinara sauce and broccoli. They ran out of the chick dish when they got to us. We also were served cheese, entremets, lemon poppy seed cake, coffee and tea. You were also allowed to have as many drinks as you wanted including soda, water and wine.

Observation: Air France has the flight tracker just like JetBlue. The difference is that Air France tells you the local time of your destination, how long you have traveled, how long to your destination, the altitude of the plane and the speed at which the plane is flying. Jet Blue has the altitude of the plane, where you are at and the speed.

April 8 - Already I've been up for 24 hours. Our first adventure awaited us after arriving in Paris. Our hotel accommodation was at Holiday Inn Caen City Center.

• We drove to Bayeux to see the famous tapestry The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth which depicts the events leading up to, as well as, the Norman invasion of England led by William the Conqueror.
• After viewing the tapestry, I walked up the block to see The Cathedral Notre-Dame de Bayeux.
• We then drove 3 hours to our hotel in Caen, France. Along the way I saw cow farms (most of their cows were light brown), sheep farm and a horse farm.
• There was a flea market in Caen, so we strolled towards it went the purpose of finding a place to eat We found the Café Brassiere where I dined on jambon panini with home frites and a glass of carbonated limonade. The others had something similar.
• Dinner at Saint Andrew's Restaurant in Caen. We dined on fisherman salad (oysters, salmon and sardines or herring). It was delicious. Our main entrée was Filet de canard aux griottes (duck) and Coquilles Saint Jacques au beurre blanc (scalloped potato). For dessert I had raspberry sorbet, the others had Tarte Tatin flambée au Calvados (Tart flamed with Apple-brandy).

Observation: In the small villages, the cars parked on the sidewalks. And they don't honk their horns when you walk in front of them or block their way.

Observation: I know it's their culture, but they don't say "excuse me" when they want to pass you by, they simply push you out of the way. If you're standing on a line and you're not quick enough or you're with a group, if you are in their way, they will just cut the line right in front of you, again with no "excuse me".

Observation: what's with women going into the men's bathroom? The women's bathroom was full and I saw several French women go into the men's room. This lady told me (actually pointed since I didn't understand her) to go in. So I thought the men urinal would be behind doors, so I enter and see a man standing there. I got out of there rather quickly. No way, jose.

April 9 - Up early for breakfast - some of us fixed a plate in the wrong room then along with our plate went to the correct room for breakfast. The bus ride to Normandy was 35 minutes. Saw an Equestrian Academy. Along the drive, I also saw a donkey farm.

• We arrived at Arromanches, where the Normandy landings took place on D-Day, on June 6, 1944 to see one of two artificial Mulberry harbors built on the Normandy coast.
• At Arromanches 360, we saw the film, Price of Freedom. The film mixes unreleased footage from archives of war correspondents with present day pictures shot on location in now peaceful settings. This is so awe inspiring.
• Then off to Longues-Sur-Mer to see the German battery guns
• Then off to see the Normandy American Cemetery "Omaha Beach" at Colleville-sur-Mer. This is where when reading history books about WW II you saw the many, many rows of white crosses that represent over 9,000 American servicemen and women.
• Off to the Pointe du Hoc Federal Monument where Second Ranger Battalion scaled a 100-foot cliff.
• Off to St. Mere Eglise where we saw the hanging paratrooper, John Steele, who fell on a church steeple and was shot in the foot. He pretended to be dead for 2 hours before his capture. The movie "The Longest Day" is based on Private Steele's escapade.
• While at St. Mere, there was a horse jumping competition and I saw the most beautiful mare.
• Dinner at Saint Andrew's Restaurant in Caen. We had salad with apple strips and goat cheese. Cheese toast, Fricassèe de veau aux champignons et petits oignons (veal fricassee w/mushrooms and small onions), mash potato and Crème froide caramélisée à la cassonade (caramel flan).

Observation: The French love bread and cheese. My lunch throughout this trip consisted of baguette and jambon (ham) and cheese. Also noticed that the only juice they had was orange and apricot. Only in Paris was I able to find at Sprite. Also their orange Fanta soda is not as sweet as the American orange Fanta. Their hot chocolate is not like ours either.

Observation: About their toilet - sometimes it is a hole in the ground. I chose not to use those. Other times you have to press a button to flush as opposed to pushing a lever as we do. On two occasions, we had to pay 40-cent euros to use the toilets during our travels.

Observation: I noticed on several occasion that if some men have to urinate, they simply unzipped and urinate without a care in the world if someone see them. No hiding for them. I did notice women adjusting their lingerie also without a care.

April 10 - We began our journey with a 2-hour bus ride from Caen, France to Mount St Michel which is located in Normandy. Mount St. Michel is a 3-acre rocky islet crested by famous Gothic abbey

• First stop was through the single street with many restaurants and souvenir shops. Enough to tantalize you before taking that first of many steps up the mountain.
• To reach the top where the abbey is located, we had to climb up 90 cobblestone steps.
• We were given a guided tour of many of the rooms and halls in the majestic abbey, among them the guard room, the bone room and the chapel.

The bus ride to our next adventure in Vannes was 3-hours where we checked into our rooms. Our hotel accommodation was at Mercure Hotel Cannes Aquarium. Dinner at the hotel included duck pate; fish w/mushroom and sauce. Dessert was rum ice cream.

Observation: What is with this no air-conditioning when it's hot? In both hotels, we walked into stuffy hotel rooms and the hotel in Vannes didn't even have a/c.

Observation: What is with not having a wash cloth or hand towel in our hotel?

April 11 - We had bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast and it was nice and crispy. Of course there was the usual fare of bread, cheese, croissant, breakfast cereal, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, apple and apricot juice.

• Off to Carnac, in Brittany France, where we will see stones of various sizes that stretch over a mile-long.
• Then off to St. Nazaire to see the submarine pens.
• We then toured Espadon, the only submarine still afloat in France that is open to visitors to see/hear the life of the crewman. I wouldn't want to live on a submarine now or in the past.

The evening found us in Nantes, France where our hotel accommodation was at Oceania Hotel de France.

• Dinner at hotel included: pain de courgettes aux aromates (zucchini herb bread), roquette croquante a l'huile de noisette (crunchy biscuit in hazelnut oil), rumsteack grille sauce au poivre vert (grilled steak in rum sauce with green peppers) pommes Darphin (potato), trompettes de la mort and gateau nantais (Nantes cake).
• Took a stroll through the center of town. Saw a carnival with rides. Then saw several churches with amazing architectural style.
• We saw a lot of kids playing in the street after 10ish. At this time, kids were on a 2-week holiday.

Observation: I'm not a history or architectural buff, but it was amazing to see the other people in the group who are history/architectural buff eyes light up with they came upon these majestic sites. It made me feel awe-inspired to hear their knowledge of what they were looking at.

Observation: when you have weather-induced migraines, heat will cause you some irritability.

Observation: what's with their tub, it's higher than ours. I had to climb (not literally) into it. And the hand-held shower, what's with that?

April 12 - We began our next journey to Chartres, France on a 3-hour bus ride. Our hotel accommodation was at the Holiday Inn Bastille.

• First stop, the Cathedral of Chartres, which is considered to be the finest gothic cathedral in France. We were given a tour of the stain glass windows and they were magnificent to see.
• While on our drive to Paris, I could see the Eiffel Tower looming from afar. At this point I was getting excited because that and the Louvre were the two sites I wanted to see.
• As we approached Paris, I saw less and less of cow farms, sheep farms, donkey farm and horse farms. We were now entering an urban city.
• Dinner at Bistro Romain Bastille - don't remember, I thought I wrote it down

Observation: how come most of the churches have Notre-Dame in them? Every time we saw a church, the title Notre-Dame is included. I kept thinking these were the famous, well-known Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Observation: stamp prices are not consistent throughout France. When I mailed postcards from Chartres, Caen and Nantes, the cost was 85-cent euros. In Paris, the cost increased to 95-cent euros. Here a stamp is 39 cents (until May) throughout the states.

April 13 - today was our longest and busiest day out in the sun. We did a lot of walking (and my feet is still aching) and my face is peeling and my knees are cranky. But overall, it was enjoyable.

• First stop was at Montmartre, is a hill 130 m. high in Paris, known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur. There were many steps from the bottom when we were on the grounds to the top where the church was. Unfortunately we had cloudy skies, so we were not able to see the Paris skyline. We were given a guided tour and then left to peruse the neighboring street.
• Next stop was the real Notre Dame Cathedral which is still used as a Roman Catholic Church. Notre Dame is widely judged one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. We were given a guided tour. This is a beautiful cathedral.
• We drove by the Louvre and the Sorbonne (University of Paris).
• Next stop is the Army Museum where Napoleon's Tomb is located. This was interesting, if you walked on the grass; the security blows a whistle and motions you to get off the grass.
• Dinner at Bistro Romain Bastille included salad, quiche, white fish, French fries and orange slices w/almonds for dessert. The only thing I left on my plate was the quiche.
• After dinner, we went to see Paradis d'Amour at the Paradis Latin Cabaret. When we were seated, we had two bottles of champagne for the four of us. Yes, J, I took a sip…didn't like it. This was one of those burlesque shows with tasteful nudity and they featured an high wire act. It was totally enjoyable. It doesn't matter that you don't understand French; it's the performances that enraptures you.

Observation: why are there many steps to climb before you got to the church doors?

Observation: The French sure love riding motorcycles. I've never seen so many motorcycles at one time except Rolling Thunder. They are also bike riders and I saw several of those Smart cars.

April 14 - our journey begins when the sun was evidently shining too strong because my right cheek started peeling.

• First stop: Chateau de Versailles, a majestic palace where King Louis XIV built in to show off his wealth and power. We took a tour of the garden which is huge. We climbed down more steps and circle the first rectangular landscape. We then was given a guided tour of the palace and saw the chapel, the king's bedchambers, the throne room, the queens's bedchamber and the hall of mirrors. Did you know when the delivered, there had to be witnesses to the event so that the baby or heir was not switched at birth?
• Next stop: the Bateaux Parisiens - a one-hour cruise down the River Seine for a view of Paris.
• Next stop was the Eiffel Tower, where we went up to the second floor and enjoyed the panorama view of Paris. I took a picture looking up to the top of the Eiffel Tower. While waiting to go up, we saw several French security carrying machine guns. I didn't see any police dogs though.
• We drove through the tunnel where the paparazzi chased Princess Diana which resulted in the crash that ultimately killed Princess Diana. We also saw the Ritz hotel where Diana stayed.
• Dinner at Bistro Romain Bastille. Again, I thought I wrote the menu, but all I can remember is chicken and probably potato.

Observation: The most common phrases you need to know are merci, bonjour, bon sour, ou est les toiletes?, mademoiselle, monsieur and eau.

April 15 - our last journey begins at 8:30 in the morning where we are headed to the Louvre. I only wanted to see one thing, Mona Lisa. We just happened to come across runners participating in the Paris marathon. We were given a guided tour and saw the following:

• The Dying Slave
• The Winged Victory of Samothrace
• Mona Lisa (what a beautiful lady)
• Aphrodite (Venus de Milo)
• Louise XV's Coronation Crown

I went back and checked out more painting and then the Carrousel du Louvre before heading back to the hotel. I took the Paris metro and it was a piece of cake. I remembered what R said about being in the middle of the train and when I got off at the stop, keep walking until you see the huge Holiday Inn sign and then I walked down to the hotel. Because it was a Sunday, not a lot of things were open. Unlike NY which is open 24 hours and is the city that doesn't sleep, Paris sleeps. But it was a nice stroll around the neighborhood.

Our final dinner was at Chez Clement Bastille. Our meal was salad, goat cheese pastry, one-quarter chicken roasted with thyme, one-quarter spareribs of honey and spices and one-quarter beef sirloin sauce Clement, apples Pont-Neuf with mash potato and gravy. Dessert was a Frozen chocolate melody.

Observation: They sure love to smoke and drink wine. Wine was served at every meal except breakfast (I think). It will take me days to get that smoke smell out of my body.

April 16 - we barely made it to our flight. By the time I was at the counter, the plane was already boarding, and then we had to go through customs. Finally made it on the plane and the plane was delayed because there were still more people waiting to get past customs. The menu on this flight was tomato tarte tatin, choices of chicken fillets with mild spices accompanied by semolina with coriander and vegetables or salmon ravioli Florentine. I chose the chicken dish. Also included was camembert cheese, Madeleine, farmer's cheese entremets with mango, coffee and tea.

The flight was okay until later when we experience rough turbulence. I believe the pilot took a different route coming from France and when the got to Washington/Virginia, due to strong winds, the plane had to take circle around and come in a different way before landing at Dulles. After going through customs, I ran to catch the 3pm flight and was placed on standby. Unfortunately I didn't get on it, so I sat around the airport until I overheard someone mention that my flight was delayed until 9pm. I went up to the ticket agent every hour asking her the progress. Finally the flight from NY came in early and we were allowed to board, but we sat while the plane was refueled. I think we took off at 9pm and I got home to my place around 11:45pm.