Trip Starts Here in Paris - For planning and earlier posts, please scroll down and check dates. Thanks!

June 1 - Tuesday - Afraid we rather slept-in.  Catching up.  But caught the camp shuttle to the Metro.  Just about whipped my butt, getting a ticket out of the machine, but Jody has more patience - and, of course, her incredible ability provided by her French training thanks to the insistence of JLH, et al.  Rode to the Louvre wich we knew would be closed (on Tuesdays) but the Muse d' Orsay, housing modern work, across the river was open and quite special.  A huge Manet exhibit.  Then back to the Louvre and a walk through the Touleries and up the Champs-Elysees - where we stopped for chocolate and beer - all the way to the Arc de Triomphe.  A ceremony honoring the war dead had just ended.  We could see the top of the Eiffel tower from there - and although it was 6:00 or so, Jodie wasn't ready to quit, so we hiked over there and went up for a look at the "Paris sans pair."  Really quite fun!  Found bus #82, which took us back to the stop where the surely camp bus driver appeared to be waiting for us.
     Not having seen a market, we ate from our Wally-World supplies again.  Dried spuds and canned corned beef.  When the dishes were done - it was still quite light - and 10:00 pm!  Pretty big day.  Tomorrow, out into the French countryside starting with Versailles.

June 2, Wed.  After two or three accidental arrivals at Versailles over the last two days - the day we tried to get there was frought with missed turns - several of them 180 degree, GPS "recalculations," and a pretty steady stream of cursing - the like of which unherd since Long John Silver - the single source being Ms. Jodie herself!  Between missing our new atlas and relying on the 10 yr. old one, a rebuilt discount GPS - and our general lack of French - it became something of a trial.  But Versailles, seat of the French Monarchy was nearly worth the hassle.  Its import became increasingly understood as we saw palaces all across Europe that had looked to Versailles for design and concept.

July 2, Thursday.  (Jody writes:)  After continued struggles with a lack of navigational skills, (stars don't come out until 10:00 here.) we arrived at Amboise.  We found the campsite 20 min. before closing (praise God) and got a place by the johns. (Praise God again!)  Horrors!! No gaz means no hot meal.  We had stopped somewhere on the way and bought Camembert, bread, tomatoes, and onions.  Voila! - French country picnic food.  To bed around 10 and up late - no coffee - why get up?  Broke camp around 10:00 - and off to the Chateau d'Amboise.  Lovely place - much of the structure is not open, but what we saw was beautiful. Lunch at an outside cafe in the town.  Pain (bread), kebab & frites, tea, and a beer.  On to Chenonceaux to see the chateau "standing" in the river Cher.  Great old house reconstructed by Henri II's mistress, Dian de Poitiers, after demolishing a mill on the river.  UKsed pylons from the mill as a foundation for the house.  Back to the car and on to Tours.  Found a great store in a "mall" got a new tank of gaz, bread, water - (This camel had had just about enough of the desert and needed water.) cucumber, and electrical splitter.  Wow! Two gadgets plugged into the car's power outlet.  Bet by the end of the trip I'll have all four going. (We were running the little fridge, phone charger, camera battery charger and one more.) On to Angers and a great campsite.  Gaz = hot meal!  Had a bottle o'cider and a bottle o'wine.  Don used the wine bottle to pound a tent stake.  No wine for dinner.  dishes - shower - bed.
June 3, Woke with the Rotell folks at 6:30.  Rotell is a German tour company that hauls customers in a bus during the day, and puts them up in tiny bed compartments in a truck or trailer for sleeping.  They cook up a breakfast and dinner for them.  Maybe I can find a picture of the sleeping trailer. . .
Seems like a pretty neat system.  I've noticed them for 25 years and the patrons always seem to be adult German folks.  Many would think the compartments claustrophobic, I should think.
       Got a wifi signal and Jody made some home contacts.  Beautiful campground, found by Jody and the not-always-too-cooperative GPS.  Off today for a spot between here, Angers, and Mont Ste Michael.  Feeling no rush, we drove north, intersecting the shore of the sough English channel at St. Malo.  We saw little of the port before the traffic & the GPS pushed us east to Mont Ste. Michael.  The first image of the Mont - Well, the awesome nature of the sight doesn't leave you - even after your last view. . . . . .

Such a structure - built upon such an island.  The church itself, at the summit is surprisingly plain, hard, cold and Norman.  It lacks much in the way of decoration.. . .a place where a monk could, as St. Benedict admonished, ". . . work and . . . pray." . .with little distraction.  Even from out tent-site at the very back edge of the campground, the mont was visible - hazy and mysterious - one of those sights you look forward to. . .that doesn't disappoint.

June 4th, Saturday.  Broke camp for a fairly early start to Bayeaux, home of the Bayeaux Tapestry, depicting the Norman Conquest of 1006 and the Normandy beaches.  A nice combination of country roads, tiny picturesque villages, and the big, fast "A" roads.  Nice day - Top down a lot.  Found the tapestry - quite fun really.  Unexpectedly easy history lesson.  The D-day beaches are a far grimmer lesson.  Such a beautiful beach - swept by large, regular combers rolling in.  A place for kids and kites - and even beach movies - How could it have spelled the place of death for so many thousands of young men?  The American cemetery is an endless field, planted with white crosses, many without even the name of the soldier.  Most, however carry the name, rank, and hometown of the deceased - all of them having died within a year or two of my own birth.  Truly, they died so that I could be born free.  So awesomely sobering.  The absolute waste of war.  Why can't we learn?
       We still had a few good drivng hours left and set our sights (and the GPS) on Roen.  The GPS took us to a municipal camp. Very host, about to close.  8.5 euros!  We waited for a short shower to end before setting up - showered again a few times during the night.  But we remained dry and warm.  Perhaps this is the time to write of staying dry. 

A vestibule visitor

       Our tent (an MSR "Mutha-Hubba") is, like most modern lightweight American tents, a tent-within-a-tent.  The inside tent is of nylon netting and a waterproof floor that comes up the wall 3" or 4". (the red part) We've used it by itself when we were totally alone and no rain was likely.  The outer tent, or rain fly, (the yellow part) is of waterproof ripstop nylon.  We buy and trim to fit, a $5 nylon & plastic tarp (the blue part) to use as a groundcloth or footprint under the tent, largely to protect the tent floor.  We take care when choosing the site, that it isn't lower than its surroundings.  We look for a bit of a hummock or rise where it will be level enough for sleeping, but any rain will drain away.  If the fly extends past the sides of the tent and the edges of the groundcloth, it will take a good deal of rain before a puddle gets deep enough to cause problems.  The mutha has a vestibule at each end, one we use for a kitchen, and the other an entry where we leave shoes and flip-flops.  It has comfortable headroom for a seated person, and we have had 'mad-river' style sling chairs for years to make sitting pretty comfortable.  If we can park close to the site, as is usual, we can set up and have everything in the dry in 10 minutes or so.  If the morning strike is wet, we can strike in about the same time, but the fly and ground cloth will be packed wet.  If we can get set up again by 6 or 7pm.that night, we'll have a couple of drying hours before dark, and if it's sunny and breezy, all will be dry again.
      Meanwhile, back in Roen, we had a nice dinner of sausage, new white spuds, and slaw.  I'm afraid I'm wearing Jody out on sausage.  It's so easy.  I can boil the spuds in a small pot while I'm making the slaw in another.  Then pull the potatoes when they're done and put the sausage on the one burner, and then drain the spuds when the sausage is done, and we're set.  I think tomorrow is Sunday which means that we've finished our first whole week.  Doesn't seem possible.  Today we said 'good-bye' to Normandy and struck out for Brugges, Belgium.  Won't see France again for a couple of months.. . . .Light showers through the night.  As the cathedral above us chimes for the 7:00 am service, the rain continues and Jody slumbers on in blissful peace.
       June 5, Sunday -  Nice that the rain stopped while we broke camp.  First time this trip to pack up a wet tent.  Pretty continuous driving day, staying grey much of the time as we drove north.  Spent a good bit of time in search of a Dunkirk memorial of some kind and ended up settling for a long look at the windy beach, watching a ferry in the haze, making its way against heavy seas toward the port of Calais.  Thought I'd remember Brugges.  Have a pretty clear picture of a large municipal 'camping' (that's how europeans generally refer to a campground) just outside the town gate.  We're several miles away at a huge private operation.  Perhaps we're trying to cover too much ground.  Long drives on the A roads burn a lot of time and fuel.  A fill-up is about 50 euro.  Think we did two yesterday.  Jody called home,  I texted the kids.
      June 6, Monday - Broke camp and cleared out at 9:20 headed for a tour of the town.  Very little that I remembered.  The parking garage probably tells the tale of tourism increase over the last 45 years - It was 5 floors underground!  Wandered about, looked at lake and met a talkative old lace peddler.  Jody bought a piece to remember the place.  Lunch at a street cart and we hit the road for Amsterdam.  Jody had the GPS set for "shortest distance"," best economy "- She(the GPS)took us on miles of backroads - scenic but slow and finally asked for speed and we were in Amsterdam by about 4:00 - set up by 5 - ate at a normal hour --- and then Jody went totally NUTS -- found a washing machine and did the lights, then darks - dryer, etc.  I'm not sure what she's running now but don't believe she'll sleep until everything we own is clean.
Now she's recently returned from the showers - they wanted tokens even for a cold shower.  This site is totally off her list!!  Too bad because we're here for 2 nights.  Tomorrow we'll have the day to explore the city.
      June 7, Tuesday   Woke at 5:00 - so did the rooster.  Ablutions, coffee, read all we have on Amsterdam.  Jody snoozing.  I guess it's only 6:30 - no one else is stirring.  Completed a crossword.. Duck has stuck his bill under the tent flap a couple of time - drinking from a little puddle on the ground cloth.  If he spoke a language other than Nederlands, we'd be good friends.  (Jody writes)  Into Amsterdam to the museum.  Found underground parking - not the "bowels" this time - only 1 floor.  Saw "The Night Watch" and a modern piece - man in a clock box erasing and redrawing the hands on the clock EVERY minute.  Walked several miles trying to find the dam - no luck - lots of McDonalds though.  Finally gave in and ate at one.  Beautiful town - took pictures of boats, buildings, and bikes.  SO MANY BIKES!!!! Found our car again - 24 euros to park - WOW!  Home to Camping Zeeburg - bath tonight - only 1.80 euros - ducks and sparrows came right to tent and scavanged - got great pictures.  Rain began after midnight and Jody had left towels on car to dry -NOT-on to Denmark tomorrow.  Met a lovely couple from Australia - Peter and Lela - motorcycling to the Arctic Circle - 2 months on the continent.  They shipped the bikes (Hondas, but nice people anyway).  Had a nice conversation - Don gave them a card - she works in an oil refinery and he is an electrical engineer.  Jody won at Cribbage - A FIRST.
     June 8, Wednesday   (Jody writes) Not a good night - rain, pain, and more rain.  Towels, shoes and tent fly soaked.  Broke camp and packed car in mist.  Ready to go by 8:20 but reception doesn't open till 9:00 - well might need Don's passport so guess we will wait.  Start out for Bremen - then decide to go on to Hamburg - still time, let's go on to Flensburg ( nothing but relentless rain, may as well make time and cover some distance).  Stopped in Jarplund, grocery shopped, found campground just in time for a deluge - set up quickly and tried to find a place to buy camping gaz.  That was an experience - tried to follow GPS, took a wrong turn then she went silent - guess I finally ticked her off for good - NO INFO (couldn't get satellite signal for all the rain)  Wandered around ALL over Flensburg - after about an hour we found our way back to the campground and retraced our steps to a Home and Garden center where we got gaz and shop towels to dry things.  Returned to camp in a real deluge, had a great dinner, dishes rinsed by Mom nature and to sleep.  WET night, but we are not about to be put off by a little weather.
     June 9, Thursday (Jody writes)  Rain stopped in the night but things are pretty we.  She is blue and we packed up in dry - on to Copenhagen - gray skies following all the way. Quick stop in Ladby for a look at a Viking burial ship (very cool) and on to Domino's pizza place at lunch for chips and a drink to go with sandwich.  Crosse the bridge from the island where Odense is to island where Copenhagen is located.  Decided to camp at Roskilde (beautiful spot on the fjord) Set up, put wet things out to dry, then on to the Viking museum.  We got there at 3:00 (closed at 4:00) and were very impressed.  Found a grocery store then back to camp.  JOY, as we drove into camp we were "acosted" by a group of 40+ teenagers on a camping holiday.  Lucky us !!! - they chose our little knoll to camp on - feel like I'm at Alamo at lunch recess - except our kids are better behaved.  Don treated me to dinner AND a show - consecutive groups of "amateurs" tried to set up a tent.  Finally, they gave up and moved down the beach to join the others.  Then we met the most delightful German couple - she was walking her dog and we had a little trouble communicating.  She brought her husband back to translate.  He was from West Germany and she from East Germany when they met at a seminar, and married in San Francisco - what a small world we live in. 
     June 10,  Friday (Jody again)  Up with the chickens - and the children- no sausage, so hard-boiled eggs on bread with slice of cheese.  On to Copenhagen - found city car part and off to explore.  Found the National Museet- great exhibits of Denmark's renaissance, rooms from a King's palace, and Stone, Bronze and Iron Age artifacts.  Lunch (we brought from "home") on a bench outside the Museet - Got "Squash" (an orange drink) from vending machine and had a nice lunch.  Located theatre museum (great!)  It was closed on Friday (bummer).  Walked a bit then took Lonely Planet's advice and got on a canal tour boat for a great overview of the city sights, canal and harbour.  Saw the Parliment building, several churches, marina, the new theatre and opera house (facing each other across the canal), the royal yacht, Anderson's Little Mermaid statue, Queen's residence(she wasn't home, but the prince was) and LOTS OF BOATS!!!!!  Finally to Trivoli Gardens - beautiful, fun, nostalgic - had dinner and waited for a pantomime show that turned out to be a strange music concert.  Found our car, drove home, took shower, and off to bed.
     June 11, Saturday  (Jody continues)  Beautiful morning- up around 6:30, packed after breakfast, and left at 9:00.  Drove to Gedser to catch ferry to Rostock  Major thrill of my life!!!  I LOVE FERRIES!!!!!  Took a little over an hour - cut huge amount of time off traveling.  Going to try to stay in a campground recommended in Mickelson's book.  Found a spot, good supper (spaghetti and salad), cleaned up dishes - shower is .50 euro only took .20euro, to lazy to go back and get more so washed hair in the sink.  Shower tomorrow after day in Berlin.
       June 12 - Woke aroound 6:30 - had to wait for store to open at 8:00, but what a delight - fresh brochen!  After breakfast and wash-up, on to Berlin.  Were able to park quite near the famous Brandenburg Gate and then walk down the street to the incredible Holocost Memorial - very sobering, informative and gut-wrenching.  The content section is below ground, but the memorial is a couple of acres of near-black stones one works his way through
 somewhat blindly:
On to the German history museum - lots of great information - walked to Reichstag, but one is admitted only by appointment.  Saw the American Embassy.  What a disappointment - ugly and very plain.  Leaving Berlin was interesting.  Large section of the city (our destination of course) was blocked off - sending us in bunper-to-bumper circles trying to follow the GPS while German police simply stood there - not even lifting a finger to direct traffic.  Finally, my great Viking - Don the Fearless, struck out on his own and we finally found our way.  Tried to find a grocery store - on Sunday - not happening!  Home to more mac & cheese.  Great.  Shower and to bed.  Oh: wal by water before dinner - more boats!
       June 13 - Woke at 6:30 - Brochen, salami, & coffee - a real continental breakfast, broke camp and off to Potsdam, the home of the Prussian kings up through 1918.  It's the largest UNESCO site in Germany.  Bought a one-day all-encompassing pass - saw Sansoucci, the Orangery, and the New Palace - all beautiful - walked our buns off - 20 min. from car to Sansoucci and back to car.  Got there about 10:15 - left at 3:45 - never sat down, but it was worth it.  Gas cookies and tea in Luckenwelde and on to Lubben and the campground.  Great dinner at the camp restaurant.  Met nice couple from Hamburg and carried on a pleasant, if not halting, conversation in German/English, and a good bit of gesturing.  HOT! shower (.50 euros each) margaritas and more cookies. . .then to bed. - Life is good!
       (Note on margaritas.  We discovered a couple of trips ago that larger liquor stores at home sell a dry powder mix that bars use in their margarita machines.  A spoon of powder, water, and a shot of tequila, and you're back in Texas!  We did find that tequila is not always easy to find in Europe.)
       June 14 (still Jody) Up at 6:30, coffee, stroll to john, met two nice bicycle ladies - conversation about itineraries.  I went back to tent - Don to john.  Whoa! Here came the brochen truck! - no Don, what do I do?  Grabbed change and got in line - purchased my first brochen - what a girl!  On to Meissen - fighting Fraulein Nuvi (the GOS) to stay on pretty back roads - we won!  In Meissen, toured the porcelain factory - what a craft - beautiful and still all hand built and painted.  Lunch at the golden "M."  I know, but we were hungry and it was there.  Grocery store for dinner and a few essentials - Camping tonight at Wald Camping.  Set up quickly, thinking it was going to rain - now sun is out.  Don fixing dinner.  Put us in a walled hedge area - remote from the car.  Feel like second-class citizens - maybe we have "cooties."
       Dinner finished, dishes done, made mistake of getting out cribbage board - stayed ahead until Minnesota Fats came from behind and 'burned' me.  Now the galloping gormet is making pudding.

June 15 - On to the Czech Republic - arriving in Camping Platz Drusus (just outside of Prague) at 11:15 am. - Seems reception is closed from 11 to 4:00.  Well, might as well go into Praha (Prague).  Soon hopelessly lost in the center of the old city.  Buildings too tall - kept losing satellite signal - finally parked car and walked to main plaza - lunch of a Czech favorite, listed variously as pork knuckle or 'pig's knee,' which tastes much better than it sounds.  Found an ATM and a pocket full of Czech Koruna.  Saw the famous clock in the town square strike 1:00 - twelve apostles go around and look out the clock tower window.  Strolled across Charle's bridge and back to the car.  On back out to Drusus. (Don: This was the only accommodation I'd booked ahead before leaving home.  We wanted to attend the Quadrennial and I was afraid we'd come up short.  I'd emailed Camping Drusus which turned out to be Jiri Stanek and his family.  Their farm is in the village of Trebonce just outside of the city.  I'd asked about various pricing options and he offered the upper floor of the farmhouse for little more than a tentsite.  Since we'd be leaving early and returning late each day for a week, we took his kind offer.)  The farmhouse is georgeous!! We are on the third floor by ourselves after tonight.  Beer for Don at famly restaurant - fell asleep at 7:00 after great shower/ bath - fun tub - woke at 9:15 and back to sleep almost immediately.

       June 16th - Thursday.  Woke at the Drusus farm.  No chickens but quiet horse looking out of his stall rather wistfully.  I crept downstairs and made our coffee with a Czech 220V coffee pot.  Just like London.  Read a good bit of the Timeline book as Jody surfaced and was able to sit upright and handle coffee.  We made our regular breakfast, but in our fabulous farmhouse kitchen with a glass-top range.  Somehow I must have gotten a drizzle of egg on the burner area, because we wiped at it, now and then, for a good hour as we ate and cleaned up.
       On to the PQ - one of our main reasons for the trip.  We were at- and parked near the National Gallery by 8:00 - registration didn't open until 10. so we wandered the city, having 'Czech coffee' at a tiny cafe.  It's a coffee that leaves 1/4" of sediment in your glass cup.  I rather liked it.  Jody won't order it again - at least not on purpose.  Then the PQ opened.  My 'credentials,' what we'd call registration papers, (prepaid in the spring online) were good.  Also we could buy a day pass for Jody.  We looked at 15 - 20 exhibits from countries ranging from simple pictures of shows - to wonderfully abstract concepts illustrated in brand new ways.  At once exciting . . .and exhausting.  Stopped mid-afternoon to see some kind of 'opening' which turned out to be a small part of the event, not the whole PQ.  Did meet and get to know the TD-Designer from U of A - Ft. Smith, a designer from Spain - and his friend a professional dancer in Berlin.  Nice.  We hiked back to the Nat. Gallery to see more exhibits, but by then I'd lost my 'credential' badge.  Nothing more than a car on the end of a lanyard.  Still had the lanyard.  So to the grocery store and the farm - figure it out at admissions tomorrow.
       Here it's nice quiet - breeze through this ancient attic, chicken thawing down in the kitchen.  English riding student returning in the yard below.  Made a couple of drinks with a Czech booze touting "original tequila taste."  Not too bad!  We seem to have the whole farmhouse tonight.  Nice.  (Czech Chinese for lunch - great!)

       June 17, Friday - This morning there really was a rooster at 5:30.  Rain in the night - some blew in - nice to sleep under the sound of drops on the red tile roof.  Older couple on the second floor left so the farmhouse is all ours.  Traffic into town heavier than yesterday - the day of a public transport strike.  We managed to drive to town gain and parked directly in front of the gallery where we spent the day working through the national exhibits.  Oh, a really nice gal at the desk got me a new credential, no problem.  Seems everyone was shedding the cards from their lanyards.  Lunch in a Czech pub, ordering a menue #1 and #2 sight unseen.  They were priced at 97Kr@ (about $5.50 or so).  We each got a large bowl of soup - mine a cream potato, and Jody's a clear veggie.  - A red cold drink (no ice or booze) cherry flavored - and then the main course - mine: well roasted pork pieces, a Czech version of polenta, and a dark green mystery puree.  Quite good.  Jody's seemed to be deep-fried sausages and very buttery mashed potatoes.  The same money would have purchased a couple of fancy mixed drinks down the street.  Back to the PQ and several exciting pieces including an incredible video of the design and construction of the Bregenze opera we had planned to see: Andre Chenier.  To bad we don't have tickets!  Then a talk/tour of the Alfred ve dvore Theatre, built originally for mime in the center of an apartment block - now a home for experimental work.  We then packed our toys and headed home, stopping, just as the village of Trebonce came into view.  I pulled over into the ditch and took the camera across the road for a few shots of the village. . . .

in which we're staying.  Got back to the car and retracted the top wince we'd just given it it's first car wash.  Went on up to the farmhouse and parked.  That's when we missed the camera case.  Immediately back down the road and there it lay in the ditch, right where the retractor had dumped it.  Only later did Jody point out that the case also held all of our spare euros!  (Jody:) I wasked clothes - what I've been dying to do since we got here.  Finished an entire litre of sangria, great dinner, shower and to bed.
June 18th - Saturday.  Today we set aside to really tour the city.  We began with the castle complex. . .
Saw the cathedral, the old palace, Golden street and the basilica.  Stopped at a stree festival in the square and had brots and potatoes.  Oh! Almost forgot, Don now has a police record in Prague. . .Parking in a Reserved Space  300 Krowns.  Stopped by the observation tower and saw Prague from the heights.  Home (farm house) to dinner after shopping at Tesco - to -bed- long day tomorrow.
June 19th - Sunday - Up at 7:00, foffee breakfast and on our way (2000KC [80 euros] for three nights - not bad!) On to Ceske Budojovic, changed mind and headed to Cesky Kumilov to see castle and theatre - tried to find campground first - wrong move - when we got to the castle - pouring rain.  Decided to go on to Vienna.  Ms. Nuvi took us through every tiny village
for 50 miles.  Beautiful country though.  Found first campground in Vienna - but had to take a ferry to the campground on an island!  Well, on to a new campground - in the city - will try city transport tomorrow rather than car.  Called Mom - talked to her and Missy - getting ready for Aunt Jane's visit - Don texted his kids - Supper, Shower (mine was ice-cold) and to bed.
June 20th, Monday - Up at 6;00 coffee conversation - breakfast, dressed and to the city via bus and underground.  Nice girl at reception sold us an all day ticket - got off at Karlstabe, found Imperial Palace - saw silver and porcelain collection, royal apartments and the Sissy Museum (Emperess elizabeth, wife of Franz Joseph) and on to Austria Theatre Museum - at last a theatre museum that was OPEN.  Big disappointment - had some lovely opera costumes -  and little else.  On to the Albertini Museum - Art - got there at 4:30, closed at 6:00 whew!  Made it.  On the "U" (2 this time - missed turn in tunnel and had to go back - got off at right stop but couldn't remember bus no.  Driver told us 91A - onto bus, off at our stop, margaritas - All's right with the world!  Good dinner - found pan lid in wash area - HOT shower - Great Day!
June 21st - Tuesday - Don up around 6:00, coffee, toilette, breakfast, noisy neighbors (talked loudly Waaaay into the night) up around 7:00 - same volume as last night- Researched a village on the way to Budapest that shows early life in Hungary.  Will try to stop there on the way.
Don again:  One small, nagging little problem on this journey has been the GPS.  It usually performs admirably, guiding us to cities, ATM's, grocery stores and campgrounds.  However, it tends to lose it's satellite signal at the most inopportune times - when we are deep in the high-rise canyons of the inner city.  It may go bonkers.  Jody, our GPS operator and navigator, feels the GPS's feminine voice is a bit snippy, "holier than thou," and occasionally downright rude.  I tend to tire rapidly when they get into fights while we drive in circles or cross-country on Austrian trails that even Heidi's grandfather wouldn't attempt to negotiate.  Today, all we had to do was to drive from Vienna to Budapest - 187 miles on a four-lane highway.  I found an outdoor museum just north of the city, and hoped we could see that before setting up camp. I'd consulted my brand-new atlas and knew both the general direction - east- and the specific highways involved.  When, upon leaving camp, the GOS began harping that I turn around and head west, I ignored her.  I continued to do so until the six-lane dwindled down to the driveway of one of central europe's largest oil refineries.  Then I listened, followed directions, and finally arrived here.  Found the Szabadten Nepraisi Muzeum, an open-air ethnographic museum in which we spent over four hours, wandering though Magyar village and farm areas, buildings from primarily the 18th and 19th centuries, that had been moved, renovated, and arranged in this rolling acreage north of Budapest.
Szabadten Nepraisi Muzeum
       I've always considered the Romans to have been omewhat brutish imitators of the Greeks they followed.  On previous trips to Great Britain, seeing the elements left at Bath and the remains of Hadrian's wall, were reminders of just how far west - how far from home the Romans lived and 'civilized' those areas.
But all through this trip, their ruins have appeared across France and even Germany. . .but somehow I was so surpised to stroll around the side of a hill and see a stonework foundation, probably 100' square and about waist-high that had been on this site when the museum aquired the land.  It is what remains of a Roman villa and farming operation here in present-day Hungary.  Once again I was so impressed with the breadth of the empire, and their ability to maintain communication and transportation out to what must have been remote provinces.  Pretty amazing!
        Having picked up no Hungarian currency (Florints), they have not adopted the euro at this time, we really couldn't even pay our way out of the parking lot until Jody called a second Potsdam Peace Conference with the local constable.  After leaving we found a "camping," an ATM, and the needed groceries.  While the campground is pretty fair, there are two restaurants full of Hungarian youth surrounding us. . .three busloads that we counted.  They seem very well behaved. . .let's hope they remain so.  We've located the bus-stop and think we know how to get into the city tomorrow.  Will be nice to be out of the car for a day.  I've been in Budapest only one time before, 25 years ago or so, before the fall of the iron curtain.  I recall the beauty of the castle area on the Buda hills to the west of the Danube, and the parliament buildings on the Pest plain to the east of the river.  Showered, did our crossword, and as the kids carry on like a senior class outing around us, Jody slips off to the land of nod.
       June 22nd, Wed.  A day in Budapest.  Far too much to see and do, but we began at the bus stop outside of our camp in Szentendre, 12 - 15 miles north of the city.  Bus to the metro, metro to Derec Ter, heart of the city, changed lines, bus up to castle hill in Buda and toured the citadel, the Buda History Museum, and Mathias Church.  Really decent lunch at sidewalk cafe.  Then back through the metro - the oldest one in Europe - to Hero's Square, which celebrates the 1000yrs of manley Magyar influence.  We walked back the length of the UNESCO site, Andrassy Ut (street), impressed particularly with a monument to the fall of the iron curtain.  A beer near the station and we found our way home, eating fries, Hungarian goulash at the nice camp restaurant, where the chef sent us off with a complimentary chocolate-creme confection for dessert.  Nice!  Not too much kid noise past midnight, good sleep with sore arm.  The calendar shows us in Ljubljana tonight, but it looks like 450 miles or better.  We'd passed a Harley dealer the other day in the city and would like to pick up a Budapest Harley shirt on the way out, so we'll probably end up somewhere in Croatia tonight.
June 23, Thurs. Jody writes: Not a good night - shoulder-wise - on to Croatia - firstmust fine Harley store for Tee - started about 9:30 - finally after wandering though the "jungles of africa with Dr. Quackenbush," we stopped at a McDonalds and met a young man who knew exactly where the store was, about a half mile from where we sat.  Three T's later, we are on our way.  Got off the A road at Nagykanizsa to get some good Hungarian hot sauce - three jars - and Hungarian matches.  Stopped again before the border to get lunch at another McDonalds and bought wine, tequila, and meat ( to get rid of "funny money") Passport check at point of exit Hungary - through Croatia rather swiftly - passport check leaving Croatia- stamps at 2 borders - Don was in heaven.  Got vignette (tax tag - road) at road-side van - nice to be legal for a change (after being fined in Austria) - on to Ljubljana - and decided to go on through the city and up to the scenic area of Bled in the julian Alps.  Best laid plans. Raining when we got to Bled - well, guess we'll set up in the rain.  Done it before.   NO!  Rented a resident tent. (literally "Rent-A-Tent") Neat deal - Large tent complete with furniture (table, chairs, beds, stove, fridge. . .and plates, cups, pots and pans)  Walked to lake, taking pictures of the church on an island in the middle of the lake.  Back up to tent/hotel.  Changed clothes - Standing UP! - to bed and out like lights.
June 24th Friday - GREAT NIGHT!! LOTS of good sleep.  Stopped at Bled castle on the way out of town.  Before we left, Don had to show off the 12 sec. car top trick to our "landlord" Art.  Funny, nice man from Holland who rents out tents in Bled, Slovenia in the summer.  On to Venice.  thought we had a route worked out that would take us over the Julian Alps - it did - but it also took us into Austria again. (7.50 euros to go about 20 miles in Austria) Oh well!  We were legal - gorgeous scenery - longest tunnel I've ever been in - and finally into Italy.  GPS could not find Fusina - stopped off one of the A roads for a few groceries , then "attacked" the foreign roads to find Fusina, a camping site across the lagoon from the city of Venice.  Marco Don blazed the trail and we found it - along with the Contiki "rugrats" - found laundry- after mishap w/dryer/washer combo- clothes are washed!  Fabulous dinner and entertainment.  We must be in the shipping channel.  Loads of great boats pass right by our doorstep - we will be up all night.

June 25, Sat.  "Marco Don" awoke at 4:00 to see day breaking over Venice across the lagoon. . . . .

Couldn't go back to sleep - made coffee - woke Jody and we both had the showers to ourselves.  Breakfasted, bought boat tickets, and boarded the first one leaving from Fusina across to Venice.  Beautiful sunny day, we hustled to TI (Tourist Info) got a map, and headed for the Gran Teatro La Fenice, a  theatre about which I have a large picture book at home.  After reading about it, I was anxious to see it.  Then on to the Academia Gallery - a great collection of Post-Byzantine - largely Christian art by Venetians.  A pleasant lunch, then on to what we thought - and had read - was the theatre out of which Goldoni, the Italian playwright - and supposed scenic artist operated.  Turned out to be largely an exhibition of op and pop art.  Little, if any, Goldoni.  Back out to the Grande Canal for a gelato before the waterbus back to Fusina.  Dinner of the remaining chicken focatia - Florentine cutlets, and a pan of zuchini and onions to which I added a touch of Hungarian "recepie' - I guess a touch too much.  Jody's sinuses have yet to return to normal.  Dishes done, chilled bottle of wine, crossword solved, andwe're all set to see a couple of real ships pass by.

     June 26, Sunday  (Jody)  Up about 5:30, shower, breakfast, break camp and out of Fusina headed for Bologna.   Going to go it without GPA - we are grown-ups after all we don't need a machine -  got  stuck in herendous traffic.  We moved a foot, sat for half and hour and moved another foot, sat, etc.  Okay, I'm a GPS junkey, I got her out, she turned us around and off we went. She gave her ALL and now she's dead - something wrong with the charger.  OH HORROR!!! I'm on my own.  This was a day of repeats.  (1  too far away from Bolgna - back track (2 Too far - wrong direction from Bolgna - back track toward San Marino (3 Missed San Marino - back track  (4 Found San Marino and castle, on to campsite, missed it - back track.  Finally settling in for the evening.  What a day!! Did two great castles today - totally unplanned, came across by accident.  One at Monselice that was redone by a count early 20th century (1933?) - he used his collection of furniture and tapestries, armor and cooking utensils from the Middle Ages and Renaissance to furnish the castle as it might have been.  The tour was in Italian, but the sweet guide told us everything again in English.  Saw a short film at the tourist center about the area.  Before the tour had coffee and pastries at a sweet shop close to the castle.  In San Marino "world's best kept secret", we drove to the fortress on top of the hill, climbed to the towers, toured the towers, back through the "shops" surrounding the fortress, bought some groceries ( hard to find groceries in Europe on a Sunday) and two folding chairs at a Home and Garden Center.  Found a great campsite in San Marino that really caters to families.  There was a children's show that ended in fireworks after 10:00.  Nice way to end the evening.
     June 27, Monday  - Jody: Up early, breakfast, break camp - needed creamer and butter.  Packed car. . .No keys!  Practically unpacked car.  they were in the sleeping bag. . .?  Repack, and on our way.  A14 to the sea - saw an apparition  on a hill. .Got off to check it out.  It was the Basilica of the Holy Mother.  It purports to contain Mary's actuall birthplace, moved stone by stone, from the holy land.  Beautiful.  Lunch at sandwich place overlooking the valley.  What a view!  Decided to try Highway 16, a smaller road along the coast.  Runs parallel to the A road but better view.  unobstructed - After several failed attempts - one good one resulting in a grocery store find - had to make modifications in creamer and butter - got supper, spec (bacon). and gelato (which we ate while sitting in the parking lot.)  On to find "16" rolling again - stopped at campsite right next to the sea.  Beautiful views.  Ammenities leave something to be desired.  On to "sput" tomorrow.
June 28, Tuesday.  Broke camp early - large group of young German kids.  They'd rolled in about midnight, and quietly rolled their bags out on the ground.  No tents.  Don pegged them for refugee Libyans, and was a bit disappointed to find they were very friendly and no threat at all.  Not much but driving today - beautiful scenery - up and down mountains on alternating wide and narrow roads.  Always a magnificent view of the Adriatic sea.  Stopped at a small town atop one mountain for ibuprofen and another for lunch.  Had cheese panni, drinks and chips to "take away.".  Off again, stopping by the sea to eat our lunch.  What would the day be w/o a drama?  Outlet in the car stopped working!  How do we charge anything now?  Well, we will work it out.  Dinner, walk to the sea, shower, and then off to bed.
June 29, Wed.  On the road about 8:15 - turns out we were less than 20 miles from Brindisi, our point of embarcation on the Ferry to Greece.  We'd purchased the tickets while still in Texas, so we had to rendesvous with the right ship and the right time.  Redi-Kilowatt Don found the cause of the electrical failure, a fuse in the Wind. My Hero!  Drove around Brindisi - found a Fiat parts supplier who was happy to get us foreign invaders out of his shop by giving us the fuse,"Nessuna carica! (No Charge!)  Down to the port authority where a lovely young lady explained that we had to go to Costa Moreno, the ferry terminal - just follow the signs - Sure!  - A couple of wrong turns, but we got there.  Tried one ticket window.  Rude young man.  No help.  Actually directed us down the shore to a port 70 miles south!  Second window Don tried - they explained that the window we wanted was right next to them!  Don: These are the kinds of places where you'd like to quietly smile like Clint Eastwood, and then grab the guy by the neck, yank him through  his window, slap the crap out of him, and toss him back. . . .and then calmly explain that you didn't quite hear his response. . .and ask him to answer the question one more time.  Our people were not in the office, so we went back into town for lunch.  After trying every exit from what we came to called "the round-about from hell," we found a "supermarket. .?"  This noun has widely different meanings in various languages.  Back on the roundabout FH, still trying to find the "M" advertised on a nearby sign.  Finally found a pizzaria.  Parked.  Walked.  Closed!  But at a market next door bought bread, salami, chips & drinks.  Drove out of the hot, dusty, crowded port city until we found a lovely church by the airport.  In the shade of the church we ate our sandwiches.. . . .Found a lovely campground a few miles back up the coast.  Meditur Village.  Close to the sea - nice spot - close to the johns - (can you say 100'?)  Good supper.  Spaghetti. (How cliched!)  Walked down to sea - sit - reflected - home to shower (hot water - as far as I can tell the only hot water in the place) and bed.
June 30th - Thursday  GOOD Night! (pain and temp-wise) Early up - coffee, sitting outside - will board ferry today.  Made sandwiches for lunch - drive to Brindisi - checked in - something to dring - sat in terminal - were told to load at 1:30.  Lunch under a tarp shade outside of terminal - nie breeze - loaded car about 1:25 and got in line - long line - when young lady told us we were in the wrong line - showed us to our boat - so cool looking - loaded car - got our and up onto the deck - looked like 747 - showed steward our tickets - turned out we were in "distinguished class." Whoa!  Not many people on that deck with us.  After a drink, Don went out on to the deck until we began to sail and had to clear.  Filled the six-hour crossing with reading, knitting, crossword, cribbage, and watching water.  Shiip docked at Corfu to let some passengers off - stood on deck and watched landing.  Didn't arrive atour port, Igoumenitsa,  Greece, until after 10:00.  No campsite, didn't even know where there was one.  Don had read of one 8 or 10 miles down the coast road.  The bartender on the ship knew of one which turned out to be the same one, and gave us some direction which turned out to be dead on.  Checked in , set up in the dark, went to sleep w/ the mosquitos again.  Nice camp.  And we finally are in Greece!
July 1, Friday.  Up with the crack of dawn - plenty to do - nice shower all alone.  Funny, most people don't get up at 5:00.  Packed up tent etc. and off to Delphi.  What a roller-coaster ride up one mountain trail and down another.  Arrived in Meteora - have no words.  Six monestaries built on the tops of undescribable rock formations . . .

Explored two of the six and then on to Delphi for the night.  Took a swim after set-up, and Don got his revenge by choosing the tent site farthest possible from the WC!  Wonderful dinner, exquisite view, great night.  Don: The view from that campsite couldn't be exaggerated.  Delphi is perched half way up Mt. Parnasus.  As the sun set, we saw the lights of four villages below come into view - as the last rays reflected off Korinthaikos Bay to the south.  In the morning, the shadow cast by our mountain was the element defining dawn, as we saw it pass over one village and then another.  Delphi is unmissable!  The site, the temples, the theatre, and the excellent museum - all very special.
July 2, Saturday - Spent the morning at Delphi, enjoying the place so revered by the Greeks - and further expanded by the Romans.  Hated to leave that breathtaking location for the hot, frenzied hubub of Athens.  A few hours in the comfortable AC of the Wind - Good little car - which I'd parked rather precipitously at Delphi - and burned a little rubber clawing it's way back onto the pavement.  The drive into the city was uneventful after unwinding down out of the mountains.  I thought the whole time of the worshippers of Apollo, the pilgrims who made their way across this rough broken country from Athens, to climb Mt. Parnassus with their pleas and offerings.  It would have been a tough go.  We occasionally get glimpses of what appears to be scenes of abject poverty - seems to be the fate of migrant  agricultural workers the world over.  More apparent is the scope of incomplete or unoccupied buildings, in totally the standard style of a heavy poured concrete frame, the wall sections filled with what we used to call "building tile."  Empty store buildings and homes along the road.  Seem to be signs of hard times - but the people not overly willing to talk about it.  When I asked our host in Delphi about what we'd seen coming down from Igoumenitsa, thousands of what looked like Colorado mountain retirement homes empty, he simply replied, "There's no problem."   The Camping in Europe book helped us find a site a few miles north of the Athens city center.  An older facility, but very quiet, with a seductuve pool surounded by grecian nubiles, putting the finishing touches on those "hard to tan" areas.  Jody reported "a nice pool."  My report,"Beer cold and scenery outstanding!"  We plan to see the sights with public transport, but couldn't seem to stop ourselves from "just taking a look," that first night.The GPS led us to within sight of the acropolis - we glimpsed the Parthenon from a number of directions, but couldn't find a place to park and get out.  We'll leave the car at camp tomorrow.  Fried little beef (or maybe pork?) steaks tonight w/spuds and mixed veg.  Nice evening at camp.
June 3, Sunday - Jody:  On to Athens - bus to Metro - sight-seeing- hop on-hop off - first to Acropolis - Magnificent - got ticket and "did it wrong" according to ticket taker.  Did the theatre before the Parthenon.  Oh well!  I paid for the tickets - not her.  "I did it myyyyy waaay!"  Back on the bus to New Acropolis Museum.  We walked OVER ancient ruins of Athens - museum has a glass floor so you could see right down into the scave - many friezes taken from the buildings and house in the museum. Replicas on the buildings they are restoring.  Articact they found in and around the Acropolis.  On bus to see remainder of sites - off at Hadrian's Gate and Temple of Zeus - finally back to our original stop-on metro.  Then bus back to campground.  Don went to get cold beer at pool - claimed the scenery "not so outstanding this time." Seems ages and waistlines had crept up overnight.  Met nice Greek man originally from Czech. and wife from Holland who sat and talked with us until dark, helping finish our cheap wine (large gallonish jug for undedr 4 euros.)  Really late for us getting to bed.
July 4th, Monday - Packed car and said "goodbye" to new friends and on to the Peloponese, Epidaurus and the ruins.  After the Theatre Dionysus on the acropolis, which is in somewhat scattered ruins, Epidaurus was huge and almost totally excavated and restored.  It was amazing.  We just sat in our seats and marvelled at how it could have been done.   It was an ancient healing site, with theatre attached to serve the patients in worship, diversion, and entertainment.  Trip through the fine museum.  Lunch at the architectural site - fun waiter.  He recommended Don try the vegetarian snack.  Winnie White Toast weenied out and had ham & cheese sandwich and fries.  So much for the resolution to be more adventurous.  On the way to Mycenae, traveled through Nafplio on the hill.  It was a large bastion built, torn down, rebuilt, addon to by the Franks, Venetians, Turks and Greeks.  Did great, climbing, viewing, exploring, till we took a wrong turn down 51 flights of stairs that ended on a street at the bottom of the hill.  Car in the parking lot at the top!  Back up and out to car.  Drove to ruins at Mycenae and stayed in sweet campground in town - quiet - we were the only ones there!  Mistress of the campground gave us oranges from her farm and helped me do laundry - we were almost down to wearing the tent and sleeping bags.  Lovely dinner - had guests for dinner - three cats and a dog.  Walked around the tiny village - ice cream - shower - and then to bed.

July 5th - Tuesday - After breakfast we packed up our gear, including our 'mostly-dry' clothes - and headed out to Mycenae.  Walking through the famous Lion's Gate back into times long gone-by.  Poked around the ancient ruins, then to the museum to see artifacts and read a little history.  Still not too straight on the history - seems to be died a great deal to Greek mythology in the original building of the settlement.  Then to the treasury of Artemus - Wow!  Makes me sad that it had been so looted and plundered before its discovery that little seems to be known about it.  On to Sparti and Mystras.  Lunched at a lovely street-side restaurant - then on to the ruins.  Would have been better able to concentrate wihout the persistent attention of a bumble bee!  Walked the ancient city - first tier - and then drove up to the second tier.  Just didn't have the energy to get out - just looked - this town went on forever.  Back in the car we decided to drive down to the tip of the Peloponese to camp by the sea.  Well, if we ever do retire, this might be a gret place to set up a campsite.  There was Nothing for the 40+ miles from Sparti to Marmari on the tip.  Turned around and finally found a campsite in Mystras.  Only one other guest there, at least that we can see.  Kitchen building , w/a bench and sink. where Don can cook.  (Not in the tent in the dark.)  Shower and then to bed.
July 6, Wed.  Good night except for the mosquitos - constant companions for about 2 1/2 weeks not.  Woke around 6:00 and, to be sure, campers at Mystras don't sleep too late - The garbage crew and truck came right through camp, making about as much noise as is humanly possible.  Nice leisurely day - Drive to Patra along coast, after climbing out of Mystras though some magnificent mountains and at least two natural rock tunnels.  Met two tour busses. . .and wondered how they could negotiate the tunnels and turns.   Found a campsite listed in a brochure we got from Igomenista. . .and got 10% off!  Lunch at campground - set up- quick naps - back to restaurant for beer and another look at the magnificent view of the sea - can't get enough!  Quick trip into Patra for some groceries, (thank God for the GPS) and home again.  Don fixing dinner.
July 7, Thursday - Bad night for mosquitos - they ate us alive.  Packed up and headed for Ionanni around 9:00.  Slow, easy drive.  Went over the most spectacular bridge (12.90 euro toll!) and then up the mountains. . .and down the mountains.  Lunch beside the water and on our way.  Made it without any mishaps.  Found an ATM (we are solvent again) and a great campground.  Interesting.  found the sign and drove down this narrow road past this run-down house. . .and I thought, "We're outta here!"  Saw the lake and the facilities were top-notch.  Got a good spot right on the water.  Have British, Holland, and New Zealand neighbors (that we know of).and many more.  On the whole trip, to date, I'll bet we haven't met half a dozen Americans in the campgrounds. Long chat w/the next-door neighbors from Holland.  Located a grocery store for necessities.  Dinner, dishes, shower, then lights out.  Very relaxing day.
June 8, Friday - Slept in a little.  This is our "do-what-we-want-w/out-a-schedule-day."  Another nice long chat with our neighbors about politics and healthcare in Holland.  They went on their way to Meteora and we went to town.  Found the "Kale," but walked around the whole wall to find an entrance.  Saw the mosque and grave of Ali Pasha, the one-time Turkish ruler of the area.  Byzantine museum with icons from local churches, treasury with silver collection and had a drink at the cafe.  Up the road was the Pool of Ali Pasha - another museum in an ancient mosque.  Finally found an exit and came out at the lake.  Took a boat to the island to see the four monestaries.  Lunch at an outside cafe.  Playing it safe, ordered the 'hamburger.'  Two grilled patties, (no bun) rice, and french fries.  Back on the boat, to the car, then a futile attempt to find an ancient theatre.  Found grocery store instead, got "fixins" for a chef salad.  Home for dinner, shower, and ice cream.  Off to bed.  Tomorrow we leave Greece.  Oh, Ms. Nuvi decided to leave us today.
July 9, Saturday - Up early, packed to leave - still no
GPS.  Stuck out on our own and "saints be praised," found Dodoni.  What a find! ancient theatre, temple ruins, spectacular.  The Romans had occupied and expanded the theatre, and placed a wall of stone in front of the first row of seats, so they could do bloody animal exhibitions there!  On to Igomumenista to museum.  A really great one!  Car washed, checked in at terminal about 4:30.  So warm, we decided to say - dring, paper, gelato, and get in line on the ferry pier around 11:00.
July 10, Sunday - Well, here it is, 1:30 am. and we are still in line to board the ferry.  Ship didn't arrive until after midnight, then it had to unload, dump trash, and then refuel!  Don again: The refueling involved two large tank trucks, 6 or 8 hoses, and a full hour as we all dozed in our cars in line, or walked the pier waiting.  About 1:30 am. we started rolling onboard.  A couple of cold drinks to wash down our baloney sandwiches - and we went to sleep on the cabin floor.. . .only to be awakened at 3:00 am. by a noisycontingent that boarded at  Corfu.  We arrived in Brindisi, not in the predawn darkness as planned, but in full sun and rush-hour traffic.  Not one of our better nights.  Since we'd ruled out Sicily on this trip, both for time and warm temps, we had no solid destinations all the way up the west coast to Pompei.  Jody and the (now working again) GPS set a course that created an ankle-chain across the boot of Italy.  They brought us out just below Pompeii.  I felt a bit cheated out of experiencing the renown Amalfi Coast.  As it was, the campground the girls chose was deep in the heart of Amalfi-land, and with the sunday afternoon scooters I was good and truly whipped when we pulled into this camping, perched in and on the rockes above the sea.  It is quite beautiful, the sky, the sea, and the hazy Isle of Capri in the distance.  But I'll be happy to get our reliant little French car back down on straight, wide streets.  having missed both breakfast and lunch, we indulged at the camp restaurant to live piano,a scrumptious pasta plate w/local clams, a huge calzone, and a shared salad. - After a drink and long lit by the sea - we took a pair of much-enjoyed (and probably much-needed!) showers - and then to our netted mats to sleep the dreamless sleep of Morpheus - Tomorrow we unwind down these serpentine streets to the excavations at Stabia and Herculaneum.  Can't wait!
July 11 - Monday - Jody writes:  Woke to a quiet campgound.  Breakfast - I did the laundry (by hand w/Don's help) hung them on the fence to dry - then off to Herculenium.  Slowly but surely I'm learning "GPSese."  After a couple of failed attempts, she put us down a (and I use the term very loosely) street that gave us an inch clearance on either side.  I was praying all the way and I would give a month's salary in wager that Don was doing his Baltimore Catachism.  She was looking for a totally different Herculaneum. The Italian is "Scavi Ecolano."  We arrived - lunch in a sidewalk cafe - then to the ruins.  Got audio guides and were blown away - not quite the same as Pompeii a few summers ago, (you never forget your first time) but impressed.  Home to pizza at the campground, shower, and bed.
July 12, Tuesday - Up around 6:30- Coffee but no breadfast - forgot to shop - Packed up and pulled out.  Drove to Montecassino to see the military museum.  Were told the next our would be in an hour.  Went to "M" for lunch. Back to museum - "Sorry, tour in about an hour."  Left, took road to abbey - didn't get out , lacking akirt to wear.  Back on road to Orvieto.  Off to climb mountain to find a campground by the lake listed in the "yellow book," the Camping Europe.  Found it.  Tons of people - dirt sites - nice johns - on the lake.  Went on to Bagnoregio - Saw Chivita in the distance - will be back tomorrow.  Tried to take road to Todi - looked too scary - back to a campground just next door to the first, after stop for groceries.  Hot! Hot! Hot! It hit 100F today.  Awfully sweet couple from Nurnberg in caravan next door.  They invited us to stop and see them whn in Germany and we planned to do so.  Great supper, walk to lake, showers, crossword, and sleep. 

July 13, Wed. - Brochen delivered to tent in the morning.  Sweet! Woke up cold!  What a treat.  One problem - Where is Don's passport? - He had it at the Lido Campground, the one next door, and we are praying he left it on the counter.  Praise God!  It was there.  On to Chivita, an Umbrian hilltop town we visited four years ago, and one Don's been to with his children.  It seems a mystical place, accessible only by a footbridge . . . . .
We so enjoyed strolling the little streets where no more than 100 people live in the summer, and only a dozen or so in the winter.  We'd met a young couple there before whose parents had a little cafe in an old olive press.  The press was closed and we could find no one who knew of the family.  The girl was an American who'd just finished law school.  We've always wondered if they ended up in the states or in Italy.  Guess we'll ask again next time we go.  On to Orvieto.  What a place!  Parked underground at the edge of the city.  Walked to Teatro - couldn't tour - orchestra rehearsing for the night's concert.  Don: but by asking to use the WC, I was able to access the auditorium and the ornate box seats of the Mancinelli Teatro, one of the most outstanding examples of 19th cenury Italian neoclassic opera houses.  I , very quietly, had a good look around.
On to the Duomo - both of us were speechless - I bought a book - so impressed w/ architecture and art. . .  l
Lunch at a cafe then to find the car.  After a few false starts, we found it and then off to Todi.  found the modern city first - had gelato and water, then saw the ancient walled city on the hill.  Drove up and parked.  Walked around looking for some Roman ruins.  Found one wall.  Had a beer in the Piazza del Popolo and started for camp.  Stopped on hilltop across from Chivita to say "goodbye." Stopped for groceries and then to camp.  Long, interesting conversation with our German neighbors.  He showed us a chess set belonging to his father who was killed by Russians, just three days before the war ended.  He had pictures of his fully restored Triumph TR-6.  Don was in heaven.  She gave us her card and told us to call if we get to Nunberg.  While doing the dishes I had a conversation w/ another lovely German lady who told us an Obama joke.  -  Man went to the White House 3x asking to see Bush - told Obama was president.  Last time man said, "I told you three times that Obama is president now - Why do you keep asking?  Man said,"I just like to hear it!"  Quick crossword - driven inside by mosquitos - to bed.
July 14, Thursday - Woke to fresh brochen and cloudy skys.  Ate breakfast, packed, said goodbyes to new friends and headed for Siena.  Along the way we noticed a castle on a nearby hill. . . .

These are the nice times to have a car and say, "Let's go look!"  It was Radicofani Fortress, a stronghold rn the area taken and rebuilt a dozen times over the centuies.  We spent an hour and a half of pure pleasure walking the grounds and exploring. .

On to Siena where the crowds were overpowering and the city so confus- ing we went right on to San Gimigano, a magnificent old walled city.  Spent two hours exploring and then on to Firenza.   Worst part of the day - I got a message from Julie.  I forgot Missy's birthday!  Texted and called - I feel better.   Don - Arrived at Camkping Michel- angelo about an hour or two before sunset.  We were still in their compu- ter from staying here four years ago.  Set up, warm, but a good breeze.  Cold beer, sausage, spuds and off to the Piazza to watch the sun set (with 100's of other watchers!) over the Arne.  Read of the "Hop-on-hop-off" bus tour of the city and think we will give it a try in the morning. July 15, Friday - Nice, cool morning in Fierenze.  Why is this city so special?  There is a signboard near the office here which lists museums, palacial residen- ces, and historical architecture (?)  There are over 125 of each listed!  and set so beautifully along the Arno River.  You walk the streets with the masters of the Renaissance.  Bought two bus tickets and caught the first one at Michael- angelo Piazza, and were off for the day.  That was after Jody did every piece of laundry!  What a wonam!  Nice to ride and look w/o driving or parking. We got off at the Duomo, Cathedral of Ste. Maria del Fieori, walked around it - found the 3-block line waiting to get in - and went to the "Duomo Opera" Museum instead.  Here is a collection of the architectural pieces, statuary, paintings, etc. that have been removed from the Cathedral each time various parts have been redesigned or restored.  An incredible collection in a beautiful building.  Nice local fixed price lunch and on to Santa Croce, which we looked at inside and out - and found that Santa Croce also has an "opera" museum of artifacts, some just being returned after a serious flood in the 1960's.  Pretty well exhausted every mile of the bus line, returning to camp for groceries and a cold set of drinks.  Jody introduced me to an aussie gal she'd befriended at the laundry.  All on her own, tiny tent, scalded arm. . .what a trooper!  She made me all the more cautious around our stove.  We are all going to Pisa tomorrow and on to Cinque Terre.  Would that we had a seat for her.  She's great fun and a very witty conversationalist.  Pasta, good bottled sauce, cuke & tomato salad - dishes - crossword - night turned cool - good sleeping! July 16 - Sat. Jody writes:  Packed up camp, said goodbye to new Aussie friend and boys next door - then on to Pisa.  What a thrill to se something I have only read about my whole life.  (What am I saying? - that describes this whole trip!) Don took the silly picture of me to show at school. .  . We got lunch at "M" and groceries and headed on to Levanto.  Although it was very early in the day, we could not find a campsite.  On to Dieva Marina where we got the last spot at a campsite Don had stayed at years ago.  Wonderful dinner - good sleeping! July 17, Sunday - Very overcast day - Thank God because it turned out that we had quite a bit of walking to do.  Caoght train at Dieva M. to last town in the 5terre.  These are five scenic seaside towns without connecting roads.  There are footpaths and a tunneled out rail line. . .but no roads.  Having taken the train to the end town, we started walking back. The walk between the first two towns was short and easy.  At that point the path had washed out and was under repair.  We had to take the "high road."  The path between two and three was challenging. After that - it was hell week!  Caught train between 3 & 4 and walk, climbed, crawled the "trail" from 4 to 5.  How did these people do it?  They must not have gotten out of town much!  Finally the train back out to Dieva Marina.  I took a lie-down and Don played catch with the sea over his flip-flop.  Great light dinner of tuna salad, shower, and thankfully. . . . .bed! July 18 - Mon.  Early rise to pack and head out.  Original plan was to head for the Swiss border.  After we said 'good-bye' to the cat that slept under the car all night, and the sea (This will be the end of the sea for this trip.) we headed for Switzer- land.  On the way, Don mentioned he had always wanted to see the lake region of northern Italy - so as we were a week ahead of schedule, we headed for Lake Maggeorio.  It was a lovely, cool drive.  Arrived at Verbania on the west side, where we had lunch.  Tried to buy a fuse for the splitter, but store didn't open until siesta was over - at 2:30.  Went to huge grocery store across the lot and picked up pasta, eggs, cookies, chips, and veggies.  On to find campground.  Found lovely quaint place in Benova with a sweet young Italian high-school girl working the desk.  Older folks mostly, we seem to be the only tenters. Got set up and then back to Verbania for the fuse.  No lucl - on to Lidel for sangria - again, no luck - did get cookies, chocolate, and a green liquor kool- aid sort of drink.  Great dinner, clean dishes, Don is looking at the lake - and I am writing. July 19, Tuesday, Don:  Plan to stay here, around the lake on this cool, cloudy day - want to take a shuttle boat out to the well-known islands, Isola Bella and Isola Pescatori.  The first was the home of the Borromero family for generations. Business leaders, cardinals, and even a pope or two in the family tree.  The estate is a palace, gardens, and caretakers residences that cover the island. . .  The don of the family took credit for its over-all design - and it is definitely 'over-the-top.' Baroque- roccoco - and quite original.  Wonderful and, at the same time, aweful to see such extravagance.  The second islandis very quaint - and com- mercial.  nice lunch of brice (tiny fresh-water fishes - think deep-fried min- nows).  We probably got our first raindrop or two on the way back.  Drove up the east side of the lake exploring, then back, a few groceries and home in time for a shower that turned into an all-night rain.  Had our now-standard sausage-spud-onion dinner in the tent.  Jody stayed happy with her new find - Fragoline - sounds like a Flintstones Fuel Additive, but it makes her sing and laugh at the rain - all for under 2 euros!  What a deal!  I'm going to buy a couple more quarts.  This morning, shy 1/2 chear, drying, ready for the Alps! July 20 - Wed.  The weather cleared during the night and we woke to warm, drying sunshine.  Took little time to near-dry the tent, etc.  I settled accounts with our land lady who forgave 4 euros in change and presented me w/a nice bottle of local wine.  What a place!  The little Wind climbed the Alps into Switzerland (remembering to pay the 45 euro road tax - sounds like a Mono- poly card, doesn't it?)  by alternate use of the GPS & map.  The sights and engineering are breath-taking.  Wanting to see the Matterhorn, we headed for Zermatt, having to take a train the last few roadless miles . . . .                        Unfortunately, the air was not quite as clear as this shot.   You can drive up the canyon as far as Grachen or so, and then must park and take the Zermatt Express.  The Swiss have it together. The parking garage and rail terminal were modern, slick, pristine, and super- efficient.  Ride was fun.  Sermatt, a near-ultimate tourist village, crowded with visitors and trendy shops - 'Mont Blanc, Rolex,' etc.  Our view of the Matterhorn remained as elusive as when I was there 20 years ago - only giving us teasing glimpses of various parts of her figure - but never the complete picture through the blowing clouds around her peak.  I was blowing and coughing and developing a cold - while we had no clothing for frosty weather so we descended into  the Rhone valley to find a spot for the night - and hit a sweet one in the breezy s sunshine next to a roaring tributary..It was unemproved beyond the compact, but nice toilet bloc.  Run by a pleasant gal who only asked 17 Swiss Francs.  As low a fare aswe're likely to se for a while.  What dampness we had in our gear, dried out on set-up and we settled in for a long-cool-moonlit night - Way up in Heidi-Land. July 21, Thursday - Jody writes:  What a day!  Up early, discussed breaking camp or staying.  Decided to pack up and head for Grinwald - don't know where we ended up, but too far away to go to Bern.  Followed the road to an "A" road and saw by the atlas that we could go through Liechenstein and on to Bregenz.  Don had, since he couldn't get advance tickets, pretty well written the Bregenz Opera Festival off his list. . .but now it was on the way.  Through the capital of L'stn, Vaduz, and out again.  The coluntry is only 13.3mi. long and 3mi. wide.  Not like the European capitols I'm used to seeing.  On to Bregenz and the Opera on the lake. Had tried to get tickets in April/May from home but they wanted to use the mail, didn't seem to be a "will-call" facility.  Don again:  Jody was insistent we see what we could.  We new there were afternoon backstage tours, and she said that if we got nothing more, that would be worth the going.  She was insistent!  My birthday was coming soon - and this was to be my present.  Okay! Jody - Could see the set in the lake.  Found the ticket booth and, miracle of miracles, they had tickets for tomorrow night!  We did the backstage tour, and even in German it was overwhelming.   Found a campsite and set up.  Clothes in washer, dinner cooking, and it is raining. July 22nd - Friday - Don:  *:16 am.  Rain abated and the little kids freaked beside us on the tarmac until almost 11:20 pm. - when the rain returned - continuing off and on all night.  Fortunately it has been pretty light and all of our gear is dry. We slept in until just a bit ago.  Surely hope it doesn't rain out tonight's show.  Putzed about, drying things, looking at Bregenz and grocery shopping.  Still a few showers.  At 3:30 took our backstage tour of Andre Chenier.  The tour was in German, but most inspiring.  Home for dinner and to get ready for the show at 9:15.  Both of us, official geezers, took short naps.  Off early to the show, we found the good parking already full, in spite of continuing showers.  We headed for the operahouse lobby, where a huge crowd was changing clothes!  Getting into insulation and rain gear of all kinds.  Obviously most had been there before, had sat out rainy performances, and were prepared.  No umbrellas allowed of course, but all forms of raincoats and ponchos were in style.  We had our ponchos and donned them as soon as we located and wiped off our seats with towels provided by the ushers.  The show was amazing as you can probably glean from the photo above.  Even understanding the only the few words, we thoroughly enjoyed the music, the voices, the sound, the set - costumes - lighting - truly indescribable - as light showers came and went - audience members just put their hoods up or down gently and quietly - so quiet you could hear a pin drop - and no intermission or applause until the very end.  A remarkable evening at the theatre.  Thank you so much Jody!  We got home about midnight in a steady drizzle. July 23, Sat.  Woke to more light showers.  Just doesn't want to quit.  Wish we could get this weather system moved to Texas.  Stopped long enough for us to pack out.  Gear dry, tent, of course, wet.  I've been a fan of the zepplins for years. I'd seen a posting about the Zepplin Museum in Friedrickshaven - a few miles west, so before we struck out east for Innsbruck, we went upstream to check out the museum.  It was large - in depth - beautiffly displayed and interrpreted.  I'd forgotten that this was the site of the old Zepplin works.  Jody seems to have enjoyed the 3 or 4 hours as much as I, even if she's far too young to recall the days of the rigid airships as do I. . . Grocery shopping (does it seem we do a lot of that?) at a truly super- super market in the same building as our parking garage.  Then hit the back roads for Hall in Tirol, just east of Innsbruck, one of Rick Steve's "backdoors."  Been there w/the kids - years ago.  Showers off and on all the way.  Only occasional small blue holes in the overcast.  Green picturesque valleys between misty, snowy peaks.  I don't know why we don't live here.  The huge swimming part of the camp, I guess we'd call a water-park, was closed earlier in the day due to the rain and cool temps.  Again, we set up before more sprinkles.  Damp, but comfy, nice rice/chicken dinner & walk to town, stopping to play putt-putt golf. . .but jody had forgotten her wallet.  Crossword, and . . .just as we went to 'lights out,' a really spectacular fire-works display!  Not sure if it's some thing they do here every Saturday night - or just when we show up from Texas. July 24th - Sunday - Spent the day in Innsbruck and Hall in spite of occasional sprinkles.  Visited the Royal Apartments where the Hapsburgs - including our friend,'Sissy, from Vienna stayed when in town.  Revisited the 'backdoor' of Rick's at the end of a long little private toll road that winds clear up to the tree- line at Walen farm.  Ms. Walen introduced Jody to snitzel - and she's now a firm advocate!  Sky almost clearing toward evening as we finally settled our putt-putt challenge with a resounding win on my part. July 25 - Monday - Packed up pretty early and pretty damp for the trip to Salz- burg.  It's a bit out of the way but my Dr. Ozier and son Donald highly recom- mend it so - since we're again ahead of schedule - why not?  The drive through the heart of Austria is beautiful.  Arring shortly after lunch, we headed toward the centrum & the river where I looked for the Sound of Music bus tour Gary had prescribed.  "This was our very favorite thing in Salzburg.  If you don't take Jody on this tour, go and find another doctor!"  I tried to save it from Jody as a 'surprise' for as long as I could, because I knew (there's not a R & H musical number she can't do from memory!) she'd really enjoy it.  Sure enough, there were two such tours.  Antonio, our guide from Spain, showed our small bus load of SofM lovers a list of sites around the city and surrounds used as shooting locations for the 50+ year old Julie Andrews classic.  Finishing the tour after 5:00, we found a campground close in and set up just in time to dry our fly before bedtime.  The hostess pushed an inclusive "Salsburg Card." july 26, Tuesday - Wish fresh Salsburg Cards in hand, we set out to see some- thing of the city - beautiful, lively, and one with dozens of 'must see' sights. We started with the lift up to the museum of modern art - the view of the city and the exhibition were both quite special. We saw the panorama museum - one of the earliest.  I'd read where these works of scenic art - huge drops - hung cylinderically - and viewed from the inside, were popular in the 19th century.  Now I've finally seen one!  On to what's known here as the "Residenz" - the offices and apartments of the ruling bishops and arch- bishops - for many generations.  As palacial as much of what we've seen.  One bishop even sported a mistress with whom he had 16 children.  Put the old 'naughty vicar' image to shame, didn't he?  One of the last things we were able to squeeze in was a cable car ride up the Untersberg - a thrilling ride over many a steep hiking trail that beckoned to Jody.  She's somehow been able to contain her hiking enthusiasm since Cinque Terre.  The day turned out warm and sunny with only occasional pretty clouds drifing east.  I think the rain cycle has been broken.  A French motorcycle couple camping nearby said they'd been in rain all the way from France and that this was the first sunshine they'd seen.  All of the camp hosts complain of the cool temps and rain this season, a real set-back for tourism.  Today we strike and pack out for Fussen and a few days up the German Romantic Road.  Pray for sun! July 27, Wed.   We headed back west to Fussum, largely on A roads, the 4-lanes. But we didn't get started until nearly 3:00 - We thought we'd like to see a salt mine (from Salzburg) and the 'fortress.'  Parking for the fortress turned out to be under the mountain - the funicular was tight as a can of sardines - and the 30 min. tours packed.  The children in the marionette museum were not only obnoxious but destructive.  Do I sound negative?  I shouldn't.  It's the largest remaining fortress of its kind remaining - but one only sees a dozen or so - most interesting high medieval rooms.  It took most of the day and by the time we got back to the car, we were ready for a nice drive in the Wind.  Two or three Fussum camps were near full and we found a spot a few miles distant on a pretty lake - very nice & reasonable - Camping Brunnen.  Rained the better part of the night.  July 28 Thursday - Packed out pretty soggy and headed up the Romantisch Strasse.  Came to Wieskirche - a Fantastic roccocco church well out in the country - paid parking and large crowd detracted somewhat from the incred- ible faux painting and 'stucco' statuary of the interior.  Putzed along through beautiful green countryside and pretty villages undil Landsberg an Lech.  Nice open spot - first American campers our hostess has seen here.  Cool and grey as the sun set.  But got all dried out - and nice cordon-bleu dinner.. . .after which, it began to rain quite hard.  Tucked in for the night.  Woke to starry skies around midnight and 3:00 am.  Grey again at dawn.  went to clean up and Jody met me coming out with the umbrella - Raining Again!  Plan to visit the castles of 'Mad King Ludwig' today.  Jody writes: Got to Schwangau at 9:30 - tickets for Castle Hohenschwangau  tour at 10:30.  Walked to castle and got in to the German 'que' for guided tour. Very nice young lady - beautiful castle - great info.  Next to Castle Neusch- wanstien for 12:30 tour.  long line waiting for bus - so decided to walk it - at top with time to spare - had beer, tea, and pretzel.  Excellent guide, lots of info, beautiful castle - 17 yrs of construction, still unfinished.  Bought books and pictures of both  the castles and of King Ludwig.  Seems the king was more than eccentric,  probably quite sane - but deposed in a coup and drowned.  The castle he built is dedicated to his good friend, Richard Wagner, each room de- picting scenes and elements of a different Wagner opera.  Amazing! July 29, Friday - Packed up during break in rain - pretty soggy.  On up the Ro- mantisch Strasse to Augsburg.  I thought I had taken us to Landsburg last night but I was wrong.  Set GPS for Augsburg and realized as we were driving that we had missed it - quick drive-by and saw tower.  On to Augsburg, Don being most impressed with Augustus Hercules fountain: After a bit, we found the Rathaus, a beautiful building inside and out.  If our town hall looked like that, I'd go to city council meetings just to look at the walls and ceilings.  Viewed the Perlachturn as we were leaving - but that old spoiler - rain ran us to our car (fortunately in a parking garage) and back out onto the road. GPS let us through twists and turns - I just knew we were headed for the Black Forest - to a campground I had chosen.  All of a sudden - there it was.  Didn't look so fine at first - but turned out to be great!  Host spoke no English - he did put us into a camper area because the tent area was full of teens and was noisy. Great facilities - set up, dinner started . . .and so did the rain!  Shower, after din- ner. discussion on plan for tomorrow.  Off to sleep. July 30, Sat.  WOKE TO SUN!! Dried fly and towels.  Breakfast, packed, and on our way to Dinklesbuhl - lovely walled city.  Parked car down a few flights of stairs and walked along the wall to gate.  then on to the St. George church.  Went into a second-hand shop and bought christmas ornaments, walked the lovely streets, took photos, and found a pottery. Will have to get online and check them out.  Then on to car and Rothenburg, the town I had in mind when designing R & J last year:Walked into old walled city through gate and down cobbled lane.  Not too impressed with first view of the city - then turned a corner toward St. jamess and wow!  Toured St. James, walked till we found a Christmas shop/museum.  I opted to buy rather than tour! Pictures of the shop car and Citroen  2CV.  On to Marketplatz where we climbed the tower of the Rathaus.  So old, they allow only a few people on top at a time. I love the efficiency of the Germans - a turnstile at the bottom with a red/green light - Green/climb, , ,Red/wait!  Lunch in a restaurant - no "M" today!  We eat in the "M"s when we can because we can get away for 5 or 6 euros each.  Any real sit-down cafe will be twice that.  When we do eat out, we try to order local specialties.  Don had rouladen & spatzel.  Back to car late (but no parking ticket) and quick stop in Weikersheim to view castle of a minor royalty of the area. Tour was in German - we had an English appreviated pamphlet - not much info. Will read more when we get home.  It is raining again. . .and as we head for Wurzburg it gets worse.  Continue west to Darmstadt and rain stops or at least lightens.  Found Campingplatz Morfelden, set up quickly and decide to eat at the camp restaurant.  Shower, look at atlas, decide next move, blessed sleep with no rain. July 31, Sunday - Happy Birthday!!!  Woke to grey skies but no rain.  Also no grease - so Don poached the eggs.  Rolled out early, around 8:30.  On to France and out of the rain.  Set sights for Colmar.  Stopped at rest area and had our lunch of tuna, herring, and crackers.  Good-bye Germany!  Quaint town- went to old town square.  Found an equally quaint old natural history museum.  Friend, Randy plans to retire here.  We decided that housing was about 50,000 euros per room.  A two room place - 100,000, three rooms- 150,000.  We thought the smaller villages would be more affordable.  Back in the car - headed for Nancy.  Stopped short in St Dies - campground by the river - b'day dinner in town, showers, cribbage, sangria, and bed.  "Does life get any better?" asks Don. On to Luxembourg tomorrow! Aug 1. Don writes:  Camping Municipal de Metz-Plage.  It was an odd day. We planned to look at a huge modern monument to the French Revolution which had been installed in the Paris Tulleries for a couple of years - and then moved & erected in this little burg.  While making inquiries at the Tourist Bureau, we found a MAJOR railroad museum to be located in Mulrose, a town back 20 miles south of Colmar, about a 65 mile backtrack.  But how many major european RR museums re there?  How many will we see?  So back over the Vosges mtns. of Alsace, back through the 4-mile toll tunnel, but we stopped to photo on the way down, in the middle of acres and acres of vinyyard.  So pretty! A few miles later brought us to a tiny village - St. Hippolyte - where we stopped at a large family vintner - treated to several wonderful wines - and came away with four bottles unavailable in the states.  Will be real treats next winter.  The RR Museum was HUGE, we stayed until 3:00 and then felt we just had to make up the 65 miles and some distance toward Luxembourg which will round out our 16th country this summer before we turn west and end in Paris. We arrived here in Metz at 6:45 and located this municipal camping next to the river.  Quite nive for an urban camp - but also quite busy.  We're within 40 mi. of Lux - so unless we find something else back in Alsace, we should make it easily.  A beautiful evening.  Young couple next to us feeding baby mallards while the momma duck looks on a bit nervously.  Not a cloud to be seen in the open blue sky! Aug. 2nd Tues.  Jody writes: Woke to clear skies and the cleaning lady.  Had coffee, waited for bagette, and then breakfast.  Don did dishes at tent . . .then he cleaned the whole tent for us.  Did I mention - he spilled the dishwater? Packed wet towels, mats, 1 pillow, and Don's ditty.  Backtrack to nancy to see Place Stanislav - UNESCO site - but just a  huge plaza.  disappointment.  On to Luxembourg.  Little sight seeing, lunch, (waited an hour while waitress scur- ried around, doing everything but getting us lome lunch.) then walked along the wallof the old fortress and on to the Cemeterie Militairie Americanae.  Have no words for this extraordinarily moving place.  5000 war dead of the Battle of the Bulge buried there along with George Smith Patton Jr. On then to Diekirche and a wonderful museum w/tableaus of the battle and audio guide commentary.  What a memorable trip through the Museum.  Picture of a nurse bathing her feet in her helmet. - Her son came through the museum years later and identified his mother.  When he got home he sent her gear and steel pot for the display!  We recalled the seige of Bastogne.  Don asked how far we were from Bastogne?  The GPS showed only 25 or 30 miles.  On to Bastogne to see the museum of the Battle of the Bulge.  Beautiful memorial structure about 40' high, a huge star shape with the names of the states across the top.  Very sobering - could climb to the top and look out at the five points - over the countryside where the battle took place.  The Museum there was closed, but we found the war museum in town.  So well done w/rooms set up to tell the story of the war and its affects on the town, the people of Bastogne, and the people of Belgium.  Drove to Rheims amid showers and toured the Cathedral of Notre Dame, w/audio guide. What an impressive place of worship.  Found sweet little campground and set up - to a quaint little town for groceries.  Tent and things drying from night before. Aug. 4th Thursday - Broke camp and began trip to Paris.  For a while we fol lowed the Tourist Vinyard Route - beautiful country.  Lost trail in Espray - found it again but were going backward.  Finally had GPS find the A road and get moving for Paris.  Went out to the Eurodrive place by Orly to confirm our appointment for 8:00am. Monday to turn the car in.  They'd take us to the terminal for our flight out.  After much discussions on campsites, we decided to return to Bois du Bologne - jury is still out on that decision. (Weeks later, I'd certainly say it was the wrong decision!) Eleven weeks ago we had this place, such as it is, to ourselves.  Now, we are camped in a postage stamp sized spot, next to The Family From Decibel Hell!  New campstore since we left- lots to prepare, if you have a microwave - guess we forgot ours.  Don is preparing soup and the neighbors are gone for the moment.  Cribbage - Don won! Aug. 5th Fri.  Showers during the night and into the morning.  I slept okay be- tween the chatty young girls and the snoring 'bullfrog.'  Don didn't do too well. Reserved a "Gypsy Caravan" for Sunday, the last night.  Rain or shine we have to repack everything for the plane home.  Would be nice to be in the dry for one night.  Got tickets for Metro and we were on our way to see Paris as we'd been a little shorted on the way in.  Metro was a bit of a pain - paid for my ticket twice. On to the Louvre.  What a place!!  got tickets and audio guide (Those things are a God-send for museums.) Took first "Masterpieces tour," and then struck out on our own.  Lunch at the museum cafe.  I had quiche. (not a bit better than my own.) Back to work - more art to see.  Toured a few more hours - then beer & milkshake at cafe.  More magnificent art, then our feet, knees, and backs told us it was time to quit.  Quick stop by museum book shop, dinner at "M"s and to the Metro.  Got on the train going wrong direction.  Don sweet-talked the ticket agent and we got tickets to go the right way.  Camp bus home to see the damage done by a pretty fierce afternoon shower.  Everything fine.  Don is getting a beer and I'm just relaxing, listening to the neighbors - decibels down a little today - maybe someone complained. Aug. 6 Sat.  What a lousy night!  Dropped off to sleep and around 11ish, a loud conversation started between several young men and women.  Very loud!  At 12:27, when we went to the WC, it was still going strong and could be heard a block away.  Finally around 3:00 they had stopped.  Don's arm really hurting. Don writes: Night before last, the noise from a couple of dozen young people went on until 2:00 am.  This am. it was almost 3:00 before the two German girls right next door finally ceased their conversation. Then the shoulder kicked in and I sat up until 4:00. Slept till 7:30.  Too bad to wrap up our camping experience in a camp that has deteriorated over the last 25 years.  I used to brag about "staying in Paris for a few dollars, right next to the Seine - with the Eiffel Tower just over my shoulder."  But the camp is not up to the standard for which we all pay, and many of the young folks sorely lack camping etiquette.  Okay - we ate a fresh baguette and a can of peaches, washed down w/coffee and headed for the Camping Bus to the Metro.  Got an all-day ticket and headed for Notre Dame de Paris.  Long line for entrance, great audio guide.  There was a mass in progress Saturday, but they still allowedtourists around the perimeter.  Amazing really.  What a wonderful experience!  Then we headed up to Pont Neuf for a boat tour up anddown the river & around the Isle de la Cite.  What a nice, smooth quiet way to see those very central sights with a guide.  Nice one-hour tour for twelve euros.  Back to the Metro and on to Montmartre and the basilica.  I've been enamoured of the church since first glimpsing it - and not known even what it was. . . Have been up to it - but our ticket got us to within a few blocks of the funicular that climbs the butte to the basilica.  Lots of people - but what a magnificent place!  Much more eastern to me - than many others - from the domed roofs to the byzantine designs inside - Then we walked down into the district and to a Metro stop that got us across town in a few crowded minutes.  Just in time to hop on the Camp bus.  Arrived in camp in light sprinkle.  "Lord will it ever end?" stopped by the camp store for a bit of pork, eggs, baguette, and back to our quite-dry tent.  Spuds-pork-veg for dinner.  Dishes and showers - and much discussion about tomorrow's move to the Gypsy caravan, drying our gear, packing the gear, and cleaning up the car for Monday's return.  If I had felt we'd short-changed Paris at the top of the trip, we've certainly made up for it here at the end. Aug 7th, Sunday - The last full day overseas for. . .probably some time to come. The kids kept us awake again, but probably not past 1 or 1:30.  Pretty fair night between the kids, mosquitos, and sore shoulder.  This morning the Polish boys and the German girls packed out.  Place just won't be the same, so we decided to leave - for the other side of camp and our "Gypsy caravan." Emptied out the car and swept out as much as we could.  Trying to make it look newer than the 15,356 Km (9,542 miles) we've put on the little car would show.  We took it to a car wash - did it by hand, wiped it down with a dirty "miracle cloth" - totally covering it with what dried to an amazingly even scum from bumper to bumper! Couldn't believe I'd made it much worse!  found an automatic one which did a fine job with me standing back to watch.  Back to camp, checked on the caravan, back to pack stuff over to the new location and have spent the better part of the day cleaning, sorting, and repacking for the flight home in the am.  Oh, forgot to mention that we drove the route to the Eurodrive place out by Orly.  We want to be there by 8:00 am, return the car, get it signed off, and they will deliver us to our terminal.  Iberia - If we have our acts together we should be winging it for sunny Spain - and then Beantown boston, and finally the Dallas Desert.  It took 45 min. out and an hour and a half back.  The caravan is quite cute - and a good dry place to sort things out - much handier than any hotel room could be.  Oooooh, our own pot, shower, and bed!  We'll be ready for the alarm! (August 10th, Wednsday - Just reread that Feb. 24th posting, written only moments after buying the tickets. Picking up on . . .) August 8th, Monday - The Day of Departure. We’d spent the night in one of Bois du Bologne’s “Gypsy Caravans,” which we found to be quite luxurious with our own pot and shower, not to mention mini-kitchen, fridge, and a real bed! It was a good move, even for the extra fare, $35 or so for a tent site vs. $115, as I recall for the caravan. It rained off and on during the night, while all our grear remained dry and packed. At 5:00 we rolled out, did the final packing, fit it back into the Wind, with one of the carry-ons on Jody’s lap. The night watchman let us out of the gate. After two near sleepless nights due to the noise, we wondered just what the man watched during the night to earn his title! Easy GPS guided trip to Orly and Eurodrive. Our appointment wasn’t until 8:00, and we fully expected to sit in a rainy parking lot for an hour, but they were open and running. After all of our concern and car-cleaning, a young fellow gave it a 30 sec. cursory look and marked us off. I signed two short papers, and we were done! After a few sticky and expensive car rental problems in the past, this came as a great relief. If I haven’t mentioned it earlier, we were responsible for the car’s maintenance during our ownership period. I planned on at least an oil change in our 8,000 or so Kms, At the point we were reaching 5 or 6 Mkms, I stopped at a Renault dealership to see if it needed to be done. The dealer looked at the maintenance schedule for the Wind and pointed out that it wouldn’t be due until 22,000 Kms! Cannot say enough for Renault and for Eurodrive. They delivered us to the Orly departure area, we weren’t due out until after 2:00, so we cooled our heels and frittered away our last few euros. Our itinerary with Iberia was Paris - Madrid - Boston - Dallas. When it came up, the departure board indicated that our flight to Madrid would be delayed. We’d been careful to plan a couple of hours for each connection, so we weren’t too concerned. As it unfolded, we missed our flight from Madrid to Boston by minutes after running the ½ mile concourse in the Madrid terminal. No flight that connected to Dallas was available until the next day. We could get out of Madrid. . .and sleep in London or New York, but we couldn't get to Dallas until the next day. Iberia gave us vouchers for the Hotel Alameda in Madrid, as well as extensive break- fast, lunch, and dinner buffets. Luxurious accommodations by any standard. Jody had planned to do an in-service training program, but it would have to wait. Iberia booked us on an AA flight directly to Dallas the next afternoon. No stop in Boston. They would locate our bags in the Madrid terminal and see that they got on the AA flight. All went swimmingly until we got to the D8 baggage carousel at DFW. One checked bag arrived - the other not. While we won’t miss seeing our dirty laundry again, the missing bag also contains both cameras and a lot of other important items. Jody’s sister, Julie, picked us up in t he 108F weather and trucked us to Bowie. . .from which we drove home to find that, as we’d been warned, everything was brown and scorched from temperatures over 100F for almost the duration of the trip. Good to go. . .but, as usual, good to be home! The "lost" bag showed up totally intact on the doorstep a few days later.