Winter

Last December, when we made our way through Europe, we had the good fortune to miss all of the winter weather, which swooped in as soon as we left a city.

Luxembourg Gardens, Thursday

This year, no such luck.  Paris was beautiful when we finally landed last Thursday, blanketed in snow.  But the snow didn't last long, turning to slush later the same day.  It was cold and gray, but mostly dry.  We had hoped to go to Normandy on Saturday, but there was too much snow there and Joel was still nursing a cold.  So we stayed in Paris.  I can definitely think of worse ways to spend a day.   We wandered around the Latin Quarter and St. Germaine on Saturday, visiting several museums and just enjoying the day.  See the contrasting photos from Thursday and Saturday in Luxembourg Gardens.

Luxembourg Gardens, Saturday

Sunday we headed to the Montmarte to see Sacre Couer (the white church on the hill) and wander the narrow streets filled with artists.  We then headed to Printemps and Galleries Lafayette to check out the Christmas displays.  They are the two most prestigious department stores in Paris.  The crowds were unbelievable!  There were definitely no signs of a weak economy there.

Galleries Lafayette

We walked back to our hotel, through the Christmas market on the Champs Elysees.  I think that the rest of the citizens of Paris who were not at the department stores were there at the Christmas Market.
Monday, I spent a wonderful day by myself, first viewing the Monet murals at L'Orangerie and then 3 hours at the Louvre, studying Italian painting with an audio guide.  We took the train to London later that day, which is another story that I won't go into now.  Let's just say, it was not a smooth journey.

Joel at Lincoln's Inn

We are now enjoying London, and went on a walking tour of the Inns of the Court this morning before Joel went to work.   The legal system is very different here than in the US and we learned about its origins in the 12th Century.  And also the reasons for the black robes and bad wigs.  The weather was getting worse throughout the day,  damp and cold.  There is a very good chance of snow before we leave.

Ciao


Sharon and Joel