France 2025 - Day 8 & 9

 Day 8 was the day to hit the major tourist sites. We had hoped to get into the catacombs but you can only buy tickets one week in advance and they were sold out by the time we landed the Friday before. We also found that we needed advanced tickets for the Louvre and the Muse D'Orsay. Both of which had not been that way the last time Dad was here.

We started by heading for Notre Dame, then taking a hop-on-hop-off bus from there.

This was, like, the fourth picture we took. I have no idea why it was so hard.

France 2025 - Day 7

 This was our first full day in Paris. We had a nice breakfast in the hotel and headed off for Les Invalides, Napoleon's tomb and the French Army Museum. We took the metro again. It really is a great system, easy to use and fast.

We arrived at the opposite side from the tomb. Through those doors we bought our tickets to the museum then headed over to see the Great Man's final resting place.

France 2025 - Day 6

 This is the day we left Normandy and headed to Paris for our last three days. We got up early because we wanted to see the sites of the island, mainly high tide and empty streets. Just like the hotels all share a single front desk, they provide breakfast at one of the local restaurants. We found ours and had a very nice buffet with both French and American style food. 

This was all sand yesterday.

France 2025 - Day 5

 Day five we transitioned from WW II battlefields to other stuff. Truth be told, we were all kind of tired of seeing WW II stuff so we were ready for the change. On this day we went to Mont St Michel.

We started by eating breakfast made up of bread, cheese, sausage and pate. We then had a 90 minute drive to the parking area at Mont St Michel. Since we were spending the night on the island, we had to take our backpacks so Dad and I took the bus, but Owyn wanted to walk.

Dad and I with the monastery behind us. It was very windy.

France 2025 - Day 4

 Day four we were off to Utah Beach, and a new town for the night. Utah is the real point of the trip. It's where my grandad landed on D+3. He said he walked off the landing craft onto the beach and didn't even get his feet wet.

Walking up to the museum, cafe and beach entrance.

France 2025 - Day 3

 Day three started out with a search for breakfast. We stopped in a patisserie and had coffee, bread and croissants. They had some really beautiful pastries and tarts on display.

We did not buy these, but we wanted to.

France 2025 - Day 2

 Day 2 of the trip we visited Caen, Pegasus Bridge, Merville sur Mer and the Longues-sur-Mer Battery, then back to Bayeux for dinner.

Owyn wanted to see a castle and the one in Caen is in pretty good shape.

The castle from the parking garage.

France 2025 - Day 1

 This year Owyn graduated from high school. We were considering an overseas trip to celebrate and decided to invite my father along, and the three of us would go to Normandy. My Grandad landed at Utah beach on D+3. My father and I had planned to take a trip to Normandy with him, but he died before we got around to it. Now my father is 73 and we felt like it was time to make the voyage.

Owyn is in there, I promise.

UK 2024 - March 20th London and Barcelona

 Wednesday was a down day for Rhys, but not for the rest of us. Rhys needed to stay in and nest for a day. We left him with strict instructions not to leave the boat. (Narrator - Rhys would leave the boat).

Tracy, Hannah and I walked down to the river taxi and took that back to Tower pier.

A picture standing on the roadway after visiting the engine rooms.

UK 2024 - March 19th London and Salamanca

 This was our first full day in London. It was a busy one.

The Tower Bridge has never looked better.

UK 2024 - March 18th London and Toledo

 The 18th was a travel day, Nottingham to London. The train didn't leave until 1130 so we had time to lay in a bit and get breakfast. We took a taxi from Kings Cross to the Limehouse Marina. 

Limehouse Marina.

UK 2024 - March 17th, Nottingham and Arrival in Spain

 The morning of the 17th we woke up at a reasonable time, grabbed some coffee and bacon baps and got on a train for Nottingham. It was a five hour ride south to the city of lead. This is the part of the trip that Rhys was most looking forward to. More than anything he wanted to go to Warhammer World.

UK 2024 - March 16th - Edinburgh

 Saturday the 16th was my first day of vacation, finally able to join the family enjoying some time off. Today we were headed up to Edinburgh, along with several of my co-workers and their families. We all had one last train ride together before we split off to do our own things.

Edinburgh Castle

UK 2024 - March 15th

 The 15th was Friday and was the first full day after Tracy, Rhys and Hannah arrived, along with the husband and son of one of my co-workers.

While went to work, the two families, along with my boss' wife, went into York, followed by high tea at Betty's.

 

UK 2024 - Thursday the 14th

 Tracy, Rhys and Hannah left Denver on Wednesday night, right before Parker got slammed with 30 inches of snow. Great timing by Team Hunt on that one. My attempt to upgrade them mostly failed, Hannah got an upgrade but Tracy and Rhys did not.

DIA. No sign of snow yet.