Cassis

What was my very favorite stop? The French fishing village of  Cassis. What a charming place. I felt like I had stepped into an Agatha Christie novel and this was the type of place where Hercule Poirot would go. There were shops, and restaurants with patio seating and a beautiful harbor. There's even a castle! My only regrets are that I couldn't stay longer. I want to go back. This story is told in pictures. 

 

A Day in Barcelona

Barcelona was the next stop after Gibraltar. Any tour has to include the famous, or infamous, Gaudi Cathedral, begun in 1882 is scheduled to finally be completed in 2026. That's 144 years. Photos don't begin to convey the scale and scope, nor the detail involved.

 Browsing in a souvenir shop near the cathedral, it took a moment before I realized that a) I could understand the words of the song playing in the store because it was in English and b) it was full of curse words that would never be played in a public place in the U.S.


I  love  strolling shopping districts. You get such a feel for the people and the place. Here's some other sights I took in.

I don't run across many condom stores. 

I was mesmerized by the fact she's wearing heels and hose on a scooter. 

Ornate detailing on a bank door

  

F

Visiting The Rock of Gibraltar

We spent a day at sea between Lisbon and Gibraltar. One of the things I learned that day is that Europeans have no body shame. Some of them should. I have seen things at the pool on this ship that make me wish for eye bleach. Speedos should be illegal.

A man decided to change his shorts under his towel on the deck. I saw his entire flat ass. Sir!

So on Day 10, we docked in Gibraltar. It's essentially a large rock - a promontory - in the strait between the Atlantic and Mediterranean that is British controlled territory off the Southwestern tip of Europe. While it's the property of the United Kingdom, it's borders

Spain.

I was disappointed that we had not gotten our passports stamped at the various ports, but we got one here.  The chaplain at the port said they don't really bother with stamps in Europe anymore.

The island is known for it's population of Macques. There is a cable car that takes visitors to the nature preserve where they are, so we didn't see them. However, we wandered the Main Street that seemed to go on forever. We saw a military "parade," and just enjoyed the day. 

Our new friend Malcolm is the taxi driver who brought us back to the port. A real charmer, he cracked us up with his stories about visiting Chicago.

Arrival 

Map of The Rock

A Commemoration on Main Street

The British influence 

Farewell, Gibraltar

Paris!

Fall on The Seine 

So I must be one of the most inconsistent bloggers around. I never finished posting from my Big50Trip last year.  I really  need to finish that.

But a couple of weeks ago, I made my first trip to Paris, so I'm going to post those pictures now, and circle back to the rest of last year's vacation.

I was in London for work and took a day trip to Paris. Just 2 1/2 hours by train, the day started with an early morning cab ride to St. Pancras Station. St. Pancras is somehow connected or next to Kings Cross Station and I was reminded of Harry Potter's Platform 9 3/4.  Traveling with Golden Tours, the trip included the round trip train ride and a one-hour boat cruise on  the Seine.

Viewing Le Tour Eiffel

Le Tour Eiffel 

We departed London and arrived at Paris' Gare du Nord mid-morning. After a quick survey of the neighborhood, I purchased an all-day pass for the Metro, got directions to the boat and made my way  into the city. Exiting the station at Trocadero at the Musee de l'Homme, 

I was awed to find myself right at the Eiffel Tower, as I thought it was at a different stop.










After lots of picture taking, I headed to the river cruise, which allowed me to take in many famous Paris landmarks, including The Louvre, Notre Dame and the famous bridges of Paris.

Passing The Louvre

One of the famous bridges of Paris 

Arch de Triomphe 

After the cruise, I made my way to the Arc de Triomphe.  My inner history nerd thrilled to imagine the Allies marching through it following the liberation of Paris. I remember learning about this and the famous Champs-Elysees in French class. It was thrilling to stand on that famous street. I had lunch there, too.

As evening approached, I decided to head back to the train station and just people watch until it was time to leave. It was a quick trip, but what a fantastic day.

Notre Dame during the boat ride on the Seine