Update from Paris

[Dukasaur]

I've never even been east of Montana

Been to Kauai 30 times

So you've never been more than 800 miles to the east but you've been 3,000 miles to the west 30 times?

Burying the lead.

I hate the east as much as any decent westerner but this is extreme.

What is the appeal of Kauai that, after the first time you went, you decided you would thereafter only leave the house to go to the grocery store or Kauai? (I've been to Hawaii but not to Kauai.)

Yeah, seriously!

Totally cool you're getting this epic vaca.

Just curious; why so france-centric? No Austria, Greece, Spain, skandahoovia....

Love to know the back story.

If I ever did this, I'd want to travel the small burgs of Switzerland, preferably by motorcycle. My uncle lived in Interlaken, so some history.

The Greek isles....the Austrian countryside....Ireland for my heritage.

Just so much. And hell, I've never even been east of Montana

I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.

Yes, this is my fourth trip to France, and there's plenty of other countries that I haven't been to even once. So it does seem weird that I keep coming back here.

Truth be told, although I do love France, all four trips were chosen by the women in my life. The first two trips were with my mother back when I was still a teenager. I didn't get a say in the matter back then. The third trip was a honeymoon when I married my second wife, Judy, in 2009. It was on the short list of her wishes. She didn't think it would happen, but when we married I surprised her with it. The fourth trip is with my new (third) wife. It's not exactly a honeymoon because we already had a honeymoon in Quebec, but this is our first major foreign trip together. This one too, was chosen by her. It's her 60th birthday present, fulfilling a bucket list wish for her.

So yeah, all four trips to France were to please women. Two for my mother, one for my second wife and one for my third. Don't get me wrong! I do love this place! But if I would be drawing the list there would be a lot of other countries getting their turn in the rotation before coming back here.

Still, I am knocking a couple things off my own list here. Going to see the standing stones at Carnac, and going to see one leg of the Tour de France, both of which I haven't done on any of the previous trips.

[jusplay4fun]

My boys are 19 and 25. 1 in college and 1 just into his new outstanding career where he's actually making more than me.

I encourage them to live here rent free to save thor money to be able to actually buy a home when they're ready. Damn hard thing to do for kids these days.

An no, giving up my solid career to stay home did not make us wealthy, but I've got two damn good kids with bright futures that tell me they love me every day, so I'm good. We have a home and are happy. More than many can say.....

Anywho, hopefully the DoD hasn't run into the French army....although I bet he could take down a percentage them on his own

I agree; good children are worth MORE than MONEY or a financially rewarding job (or career). So I applaud you for making those sacrifices to raise two good sons. And helping them save for a house is commendable and smart as a parent, too. Well Done, KB.

[saxitoxin]

I agree; good children are worth MORE than MONEY or a financially rewarding job (or career).

Yeah I guess it would be invaluable to have on demand organ donors. Can't buy a new kidney.

I mitigate it by being conservative in my alcohol consumption and not smoking. But, I agree, it's not the same thing.

[jonesthecurl]

I was going to recommend a restaurant I went to in Pointe de L'arcoueste many years ago - probably the best restaurant meal I've ever eaten. But a quick google gives no trace of it. Lots of great creperies around there though.

[KoolBak]

Awesome DoD....

Ok, re the ridiculous trips to kauai....Like DoD, the first 10 times not in my control. Started when I was 7. Dad was offered a job there and we went to check it out. Didnt take the job but bought into the first real timeshare on the island so we went every year.

Fast forward. Accumulated a group of 40 or so friends / family that all joined this shit show Most of them still go every year. We all own timeshares at the same joint.

We cant afford to go every year and honestly I'm done, but the family still loves it so I guess that means I do too. Sound familiar DoD?
It's pretty fun with a group of 30-40 close friends / family to party with....

But hey, I got into mexico (without a passport) for the first time in my life last summer and drank a boatload of tequila - that was cool.
JP...thanks manno....

[saxitoxin]

So can CC members use your condo in years you don't go?

[jusplay4fun]

I agree; good children are worth MORE than MONEY or a financially rewarding job (or career).

Yeah I guess it would be invaluable to have on demand organ donors. Can't buy a new kidney.

I mitigate it by being conservative in my alcohol consumption and not smoking. But, I agree, it's not the same thing.

Most REASONABLE people do not have children with even the THOUGHT of an organ donor. This merely shows the hedonistic thinking of saxi.

And, to KB, you are welcome.

[mookiemcgee]

I agree; good children are worth MORE than MONEY or a financially rewarding job (or career).

Yeah I guess it would be invaluable to have on demand organ donors. Can't buy a new kidney.

I mitigate it by being conservative in my alcohol consumption and not smoking. But, I agree, it's not the same thing.

Most REASONABLE people do not have children with even the THOUGHT of an organ donor. This merely shows the hedonistic thinking of saxi.

And, to KB, you are welcome.

I agree JP... REASONABLE people simply clone themselves for organs! it's totally unethical to have children for this reason. Shame on you saxi.

[jonesthecurl]

Only in-family organ donation I've seen was when my aunt gave a kidney to her son, rather than vice-versa.

[jusplay4fun]

Only in-family organ donation I've seen was when my aunt gave a kidney to her son, rather than vice-versa.

There are examples of this occurring, no doubt. I have heard of this most often with kidneys. We have two and apparently, we can function fine most of the time with only one. I think that in America the #1 (or near the top is) expenditure for health is for kidney dialysis. Kidney failure and problems are in the top ten killers in the USA. So family donation of kidneys does happen and there is a big need. BUT this is not the reason people have children.

[2dimes]

Duke, have you been in the Pyrenees, to any of the castles built into the sides of some mountains?

Or the French Grand Canyon? Can't remember the name of it.

How was whichever restaurant you went to? Worth a visit?

Amazing.

Here's an online review: https://www.parisinsidersguide.com/jules-verne-restaurant.html

Some of the menu items have changed since that was written, but in general my experience was very similar to that reviewer's.

That looks dope. Way better than the lame ass restaurants in the Shard in London (which were why I wondered).

Yeah, I have eaten a few things in England that were ok but in France nearly everything is delicious.

It's been 23 years since I had fresh mussels so good, they made it so I basically can't eat them here anymore.

Lots of weird eating events like.. Open a single serving packet of jam somewhere thinking, "Well, let's try this. Should be better than plain baguette." Then it tasted almost like delicious fresh fruit. "Oh, WOW! This is increadible!"

The only time I really enjoyed a coffee was same trip, August 2000, at a McDonalds in France, the location went rogue and installed some sort of machine for making fancy French coffee. It was so excellent I was tricked and went to the next set of arches to nearly spit take a burnt regular McDonalds coffee.

[Dukasaur]

Duke, have you been in the Pyrenees, to any of the castles built into the sides of some mountains?

Or the French Grand Canyon? Can't remember the name of it.

The Gorge de Verdon. Yes, was there on Trip #2, in 1978.

The Gorge de Verdon was an amazing sight, yes, although the most memorable thing to me was how many different colours of dragonflies I saw. Almost a complete Crayola assortment!

Drove a bit through the Pyrenees that trip, too, including a visit to Andorra. Saw some amazing castles from a distance, but didn't get to visit them. Did visit the cave paintings at Niaux, though.

[mookiemcgee]

Duke, have you been in the Pyrenees, to any of the castles built into the sides of some mountains?

Or the French Grand Canyon? Can't remember the name of it.

The Gorge de Verdon. Yes, was there on Trip #2, in 1978.

The Gorge de Verdon was an amazing sight, yes, although the most memorable thing to me was how many different colours of dragonflies I saw. Almost a complete Crayola assortment!

Drove a bit through the Pyrenees that trip, too, including a visit to Andorra. Saw some amazing castles from a distance, but didn't get to visit them. Did visit the cave paintings at Niaux, though.

The pond du gard is a pretty impressive sight if you happen to be in Aix-en-P

[Dukasaur]

Duke, have you been in the Pyrenees, to any of the castles built into the sides of some mountains?

Or the French Grand Canyon? Can't remember the name of it.

The Gorge de Verdon. Yes, was there on Trip #2, in 1978.

The Gorge de Verdon was an amazing sight, yes, although the most memorable thing to me was how many different colours of dragonflies I saw. Almost a complete Crayola assortment!

Drove a bit through the Pyrenees that trip, too, including a visit to Andorra. Saw some amazing castles from a distance, but didn't get to visit them. Did visit the cave paintings at Niaux, though.

The pond du gard is a pretty impressive sight if you happen to be in Aix-en-P

Pont.

And, no, not going that far south this time. Puy de Dome will be our most southern point.

[DoomYoshi]

I thought the typical way to get organ donors was to kidnap street urchins.

[Dukasaur]

Anyway, nothing to report. Even before we left Paris, it had quieted down, and now we've left.

I'm told there's still craziness going on in Marseille and Lyons, but most of France has fallen silent.

We crossed the border into Brittany today. Bilingual signs, French and Breton. I knew they did that in Wales, but it came as a surprise here.

[jonesthecurl]

My Dad used to tell me that when he was a kid the Welsh-speakers could converse (with a little confusion) with visitng Bretons,

Incidentally, when I got into conversations about King Arthur, the locals were amazed that we thought he lived in Britain, not Brittany.

[jimboston]

My Dad used to tell me that when he was a kid the Welsh-speakers could converse (with a little confusion) with visitng Bretons,

Incidentally, when I got into conversations about King Arthur, the locals were amazed that we thought he lived in Britain, not Brittany.

Yet he lived in neither.

[jusplay4fun]

My Dad used to tell me that when he was a kid the Welsh-speakers could converse (with a little confusion) with visitng Bretons,

Incidentally, when I got into conversations about King Arthur, the locals were amazed that we thought he lived in Britain, not Brittany.

Yet he lived in neither.

Most of the current theories suggest that King Arthur was a real person, likely a conscript and leader in the Roman Legion, living in Britain (before the Anglo-Saxon-Jute invasions) as Roman forces were pulled out of Brittania. He stayed behind to help the native Celts/Bretons fight the Anglo-Saxon-Jute invaders. I cannot recall when his exploits were written down; I think they were "adopted" by the Normans to validate their conquest of Britain, starting in 1066.

[jonesthecurl]

Please, don't make me start talking about King Arthur.

[Dukasaur]

My Dad used to tell me that when he was a kid the Welsh-speakers could converse (with a little confusion) with visitng Bretons,

Incidentally, when I got into conversations about King Arthur, the locals were amazed that we thought he lived in Britain, not Brittany.

Yet he lived in neither.

Most of the current theories suggest that King Arthur was a real person, likely a conscript and leader in the Roman Legion, living in Britain (before the Anglo-Saxon-Jute invasions) as Roman forces were pulled out of Brittania. He stayed behind to help the native Celts/Bretons fight the Anglo-Saxon-Jute invaders. I cannot recall when his exploits were written down; I think they were "adopted" by the Normans to validate their conquest of Britain, starting in 1066.

Yes.

[jonesthecurl]

Please, don't make me start talking about King Arthur.

I probably meant ' don't LET me start talking about King Arthur'.

[2dimes]

Please, don't make me start talking about King Arthur.

I probably meant ' don't LET me start talking about King Arthur'.

I'm actually in favour of this, plus many more travel stories from Duke.

[jusplay4fun]

My Dad used to tell me that when he was a kid the Welsh-speakers could converse (with a little confusion) with visitng Bretons,

Incidentally, when I got into conversations about King Arthur, the locals were amazed that we thought he lived in Britain, not Brittany.

Yet he lived in neither.

Most of the current theories suggest that King Arthur was a real person, likely a conscript and leader in the Roman Legion, living in Britain (before the Anglo-Saxon-Jute invasions) as Roman forces were pulled out of Brittania. He stayed behind to help the native Celts/Bretons fight the Anglo-Saxon-Jute invaders. I cannot recall when his exploits were written down; I think they were "adopted" by the Normans to validate their conquest of Britain, starting in 1066.

Yes.

I think we will never know the true story of Arthur, or King Arthur. There are too many years, too many legends, and too few written accounts from the time that he actually did or may have lived to prove anything beyond reasonable doubt.

This is true about many such stories, tall tales, and legends; some become mythologies. Some (or even many such stories) likely started as true stories that, over the years, and due to many retellings, grow in legend, size, and the accomplishments. The actual Arthur may have won 2-3 battles and killed 39 men; now the legend has grown to 12 battles (a "magic" number) and that he single-handedly killed 960 men.

One of the odd things I recently read was that the tales of Arthur were supplemented in France and the shift was from King Arthur to his Knights. Only later was the quest for the Holy Grail added.

And now, back to Duk's travel stories. These will likely grow into legends and in stature in the annals of CC..!!

[bigtoughralf]

Pretty sure no one can prove King Arthur existed, but in the stories he is an English king.

Don't know why any Fr*nch people would try claiming him as theirs. If they wanted to claim an English king for themselves they'd be better off claiming someone like Richard I.