3 July

Sunday

It’s late and we’re just getting the day started shortly after noon…but it’s Sunday, a day of rest…much needed to just catch our breath.  We attempt to connect wirelessly to the internet again with no luck…unplug from the modem/router and direct connect the ehternet and we’re on!  Finally, but no access to Omaha Public schools email client (Frist Class) or to any of their websites…must be an IP address thing.  Nonetheless we’re on, and Jen finds what she needs for school tomorrow.

I’ve just been writing what has taken place over the last three days since my arrival in Paris.  We have had our traditional European breakfast of baguette, and meat, instant coffee and  milk. (I'll try to remember to add a picture later...it's all about the food.)

We have a load of laundry going, dishes in the dishwasher and I’m about to hit the showers as we will make our first trip into the city center soon.  I’ll be back…

Laundry Machine in the kitchen

Laundry on the balcony

Well, I’m back…and it’s almost midnight!  A wonderful walk to the city center!  We made our way to Pont Battant, the main bridge that takes you to Rue Grande, the main street of the city center.  We took a right at the bridge to walk along the Doubs river to the main campus of the CLA.  Left across the bridge 8 May, 1945 (Pont Canot) to rue Perfecture, right on Megevard to the building where Jen will be taking her classes.

Hope Jen can open the huge doors to the CLA!

We continued our stroll along the narrow, mostly pedestrian ways through the city center just getting our bearings and checking out the local shops which were all closed being that it was early evening on a Sunday. 

JEF Fashion-Jeff doesn't have any fashion!

Had we known about the city picnic, we would have joined in!  As we came to one of the major plazas, we saw hundreds of tables with the proverbial red and white checked table cloths winding their way down Rue Grand!  A picnic for the city of Besancon; as picnic time neared there was not a table or seat to be had.  A city van was distributing wine and juice to all participants.  Music was heard all around…classical, brass players blowing Spanish sounding tunes, acoustic guitar, electric jazz piano!  I think Omaha needs to jump on this wagon!  Loved it.

 

Besancon City Picnic

Add captionBesancon City Picnic

It was time for us to grab some food as well and we settled on one of the few open venues serving food…Italian food no less.  We grabbed a sidewalk/street side table.   I say street side as Jen and I were nearly missed by a few city busses passing buy…inches!   Our dinner tonight would consist of Pizza Romana and Spaghetti Boulagnaise.  Our aperitif was  a carafe of white wine and our dinner wine was a carafe of rose.  Excellent food served with bread and a bottle of hot (spicy) olive oil mixture.  Bravo for the Italians in Besancon.

My beautiful wife!

Our beautiful and tasty dinner!

A bus wanting to eat with us...inches from our table.

Our outdoor seating.

Our waitress laughing at me taking photos of the Garmin

A long way from home-4,697 miles to the NW

Time to make our way back to the apartment and the attempt will be made to make it a short route….didn’t happen.  Oh well, just more walking…just over 5.5 miles this afternoon/evening, and so worth it…a wonderful day!

Still need to try to get these posts up online, then get to wrenching on my bicycle again.  I didn’t put my disk brakes on in the essence of time when we were at Jean Claude’s house yesterday.  Already midnight and I’m still thinking about wrenching and then getting up to ride to Dole, France tomorrow…we shall see what happens.  To be continued…goodnight to the tech world for now.

Well, I am just now finishing my posts...this takes too long if you wait 4 days to get this stuff up online.  I'm already postponing day 1 of my Eurovelo 6 ride so I can take my time getting my brakes on tomorrow and finding the start of the Eurovelo 6 in Besancon.  Will ride south to Dole sometime next week.

Goodnight for now...0300 on 4 July.  Happy Independence Day USA.  Goodnight!

You can check out the details of our walk here:  Garmin Connect - Details