And we are off

We are sitting in the Eugene airport and ready to go. I have been waiting to post about Paris because there is so much that I want to do that I can't say for sure what we are going to do.

If you break Paris up into 'areas' then you have about 14 sections of varying places (museums, parks, markets, etc.). Here are some of the areas and what I would most want to see.

• Invalides and Eiffel Tower - We are staying a block from the Eiffel Tower so I thought I would start here. The most suggested activity is of course is a picnic with a baquette, champagne, and fruit. I think we will also visit musée Rodin to see The Thinker.
• Chaillot Quarter - Palais de Chaillot
• Champs-Elysees - Petit Palais
• Montmartre - The Montmartre Vineyard is the last surviving in Paris.
• Tuileries Quarter - The Louvre and the Palais Royal and gardens.
• St. Germain des pres - musée d Orsay
• Luxembourg - Fontaine de Médicis
• Latin Quarter - dancing and bookstore Shakespeare & Co
• Jardin des Plantes Quarter - Rue Mouffard (market)
• Ile de la cite - Notre Dame
  
• Marais - musée Picasso
  
• Beaubourg and Les Halles - Fontaine des Innocents, St. Eustache, and Tour St. Jacques

That is all for now. We are about to board to go to Portland. Then to Frankfurt... EEEECK!

Wohin fahren Sie?

Here is the basic plan.

We leave Eugene for Dresden on June 14. On June 20, we leave Dresden for Venice. On June 24, we head back to Germany to Jülich. On June 27, we leave Germany and take a train to Paris. On July 1, we head back to Eugene.

Dresden, Venice, Jülich, and Paris. It will be a decent amount of of time in just a few places so we can soak it all in.

Travel tips

Seasoned travel that I am, I still have a lot to learn. Misty has picked up a smorgasbord of travel tips from her friends, and I, in turn benefit from their collective wisdom. Here's one tidbit: Invest in some moisture-wicking (non-cotton) clothing that can be handwashed in the hotel room at night and dries by morning. REI has plenty of clothing that fits the bill, like the pictured shirt, for example. The last time I went to Europe, I ended up doing laundry twice! What a waste!



Days to take off: 22

preparing

suitcase: check
backpack: check
all ticketed and booked: check
plan: not quite hee, hee

SOOO EXCITED!

Days to take off: 24