Best Western Hotel du Vieux Marche Rouen

... of this stay was our supper. We found a nice little restaurant in a small deserted town. The place was called Royal Couscous and it was absolutely delicious! They were even nice enough to let us in 30 minutes early since they only opened at 7pm. The couscous was yummy and the owner even came out to make sure everything was good. I love good service along with good food!

When we got back to the hotel there was a ...

It was a rainy morning and neither of us were keen to get out of bed so it was a late start leaving Etretat. It is a relatively short drive today anyway as we are off to Rouen about 60km away. Of course we are taking the scenic route so it will take a bit longer. Etretat is just north of the mouth of the River Seine and winds inland to Rouen before ...

... was the largest and most beautiful I have seen and I was lucky enough to listen to the end of a song. It was also the best sounding, it was deeper and resonated more than the others, it sounds like something that the phantom would play.
I also checked out the other main square where Jean 'D Arc was executed. There is a giant cross speared into the ground where I supposed she was burnt at the stake. There is also a memorial church built in her honour ...

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Day two we woke up and hopped the train to Vernon about half an hour from Rouen to get to Giverney. We went to the house and gardens of Claude Monet. Neither of us were expecting such a huge garden. We just thought it was some dudes backyard with a pond and some lillypads but the place is pretty big. We had to wait for the bus to get us back to Vernon so we went and ate crepes sitting at a restaurant outside where we had to move our tables umbrella out of ...

Tuesday's are my favorite day of the week right now. On Tuesdays we have our class excursions where we travel outside of the city to visit landscapes and historical landmarks that helped shape ideas of landscapes. This week it was Giverny, the tiny village known for its lily pads! Not just any lily pads, the ones painted by Monet. I don't know how much you know about the man but I sure learned a lot while visiting his home and gardens.

A little Monet background for the curious ...

... involves a nice cheese platter! I am even trying a sip of wine each night. Maybe by the end of this trip I'll be able to have a whole glass!

Yesterday we went for a walking tour of Sacre Couer and the surrounding bohemiene town! What a beautiful building. We walked up the 10000000 steps to the top (with a few small rest periods). Unfortunatly we couldnt take pictures inside but it was gorgeous. All the churches in France have great art and ...

... of the coast with a recent addition of a Canadian monument. Our guide was at particular pains to present a balanced presentation that recognised all countries involved in D-Day. He comes from Normandy and is very moved by the experience of his family and this shows in the way he emphasises the need for respect at the various memorials.

... lasted 3-4 hours. What I ate at Le petit beuffe: 1. Red wine and green olives 2. Toasted baguette topped with eggplant puree, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh parmesan 3. Roasted vegetable lasagna 4. More wine 5. Brie and bread 6. Strawberries with cream What I ate at Le petit...something: 1. Okay, I just had water this time 2. Salad with melon, cherry tomatoes, apple, cucumber, lettuce and chives 3. Big salad with lettuce, corn, pears, cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes and ...

... to join the crowds. i found an awesome, very European, long sleeve shirt with crazy prints/patterns on the front and a cool bomber jacket with the sweatshirt hoodie. after relaxing back at the hotel for a little bit, we went out to dinner at this little French restaurant and had some amazing steak with cheesy potatoes and this fantastic Beaujolais wine we tried. after dinner we were ...

The car is Terrific. Easy to drive and with Kym as navigator, good to find our way. First stop after my tentative drive on the motorway and getting used to the toll system, was Giuverny, Monets garden. Absolutely beautiful, especially the lake and waterlillies - too many photos though, couldnt resist and thanks for digital cameras ...