Cheerio!

Glenn and I have spent the better part of the month getting settled into our apartment in Gentilly, learning our way around our neighborhood, opening bank accounts, trying to get cell phones, meeting folks over meals and catching up (not yet succeeding) on emails and phone calls.

We've been into town on public transportation 3 times to meet folks so we're slowly learning how to navigate the bus, tram, metro and train system in Paris.  

I'm finding my way around the various grocery stores and enjoying discovering some things we couldn't get in Hungary.  These pre-made cookies break apart just like the Tollhouse dairy case cookies!

Amazing!  The French version of Pillsbury Poppin' Fresh Cresent Rolls!  They also have this for rolls with chocolate strips called Pains au Chocolat!  Can't wait to try them!  By the way, pain is the French word for bread.

I learned that if a bakery shop calls itself a boulangerie, they make their bread "sur place".  Here, at the Depot de Pain they just sell bread that is made elsewhere.  Good thing ... because they don't look very sanitary!

We've got similar cereals here in Paris as we had in Budapest with the exception of Kellogg's Rice Krispies and these chocolate and cappuccino crunchy granola!!  I think my son-in-law would like this cereal!

Oh, we can also buy Golden Grahams cereal here, which is one of the few cereals I enjoy.  In addition to the cereal, they also have G.G. cereal bars.  How nice for that breakfast on the go!

This is not something we had in Hungary, mustard and pickle flavored potato chips.  Don't think I want to try them.  :-)

I was planning to post pictures of things in our neighborhood but we took a trip and I decided to show you pictures from the U.K..  However, I did have 2 pictures I wanted to share with you.

This is a sign for a handicap parking spot.  It says, "If you take my place, take also my handicap."  Well said.

Last week we were politely informed by our downstairs neighbor that we were making too much noise outside the prescribed time for making noise.  He brought a copy of the rules of the apartment complex for us.  :-)  After asking us to respect the noise hours, he (slightly embarrassingly) told us he was going to be having some work done in his apartment last week, but he assured us the workers would not work during the lunch hours (12:30-3:00 pm) or after 7:30 pm.

We had the entire conversation in French.  The next day he posted a sign on the wall of the elevator apologizing to the residents for the noise from the work being done in his apartment, all written in French EXCEPT for the last sentence that says: For our American neighbors: We do apologize for the noise caused by the works.  He (it) will just last a few days.

Did he think we didn't understand what he said, even though we talked with him for 5-10 minutes?

Okay, we just got back from a trip to London to visit with 3 Member Care couples and our boss.

We thought they spoke English there but we didn't understand one of the first words we saw as we got off the plane!  Do YOU know what a travelator is???  (It's an escalator without steps.)

We spent one rainy afternoon walking around the tourist area.  This is the street that leads to Buckingham Palace.

We walked through a couple of parks and admired the gorgeous flowers.

A photo op in Trafalgar's Square.  Do yo see the point down at the base of the monument?  That's the Big Ben clock tower in the distance.

The London Eye.  No, we didn't ride it.  I don't like heights. (Glenn doesn't like things that go 'round and 'round so we don't ride anything at carnivals!)

A view across a pond with a name that I forgot.  :-(

One day we spent some time with Jerry and Kathy.  They asked what we wanted to do besides just be together.  

I told them what I'd always wanted to see .... , so we drove 1 1/2 to 2 hours outside the city to see it.

Stonehenge

... was awesome!  As you crest a hill out in the country, all of a sudden it is just THERE!  

How on earth do they get those stones on top of the others??

Temperatures were mild but it was very, very windy.  

I didn't find out how they put those stones on top of another but I did find out how they move them from one place to another!  Really ingenious!

I'll be back soon.  I hope.  I'll try, anyway.