Monday, September 22, 2008

France, September 2008

I've just returned from a short visit to France to see Brigitte, where she is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Her attitude is good, and we had a very enjoyable time. Here are some photos (click on any one to enlarge it)...

Paris: Brigitte (on left) with Jean-François and Frédérique


Brigitte, Jean-François, and myself. Can you spot the similarity between the three of us? It's very subtle...


Jean-François - Rock Star!


A Parisian intellectual...


Dinner with Philippe and Sylvie and an enormous roast chicken nicknamed "the Beast!" (Sylvie is wearing Brigitte's wig.)


Brigitte with Martin and Chloé, Philippe and Sylvie's children.


From Paris we took the TGV to LA ROCHELLE on the Atlantic coast. Here's a shot of the two towers at the entrance to the "vieux port."


One of the streets of LA ROCHELLE, after several "Pineau" aperitifs...


Our usual start to lunch on the Atlantic coast...a dozen oysters.


Hey, they'll let ANYONE drive in France. (And what a cute roller-skate, too!)


Brigitte and I stayed at Philippe and Sylvie's vacation house in LOIX, on the Île de Ré...


Evening in LOIX. Many of the houses were shuttered and the population had returned to its normal 600 (down tenfold from the high-season population of 6000!).


Did I mention that it was cold?


REALLY COLD?


Our central heating. It WAS COLD!


Chef de cuisine...


One of the cute villages on the Île de Ré: SAINT MARTIN


Walking the streets of SAINT MARTIN...


Postal Delivery, LOIX style!


Back to Paris, where they've installed a great system of public bicycles known as "Vélib."



My favorite metro line: "Ligne 6" (this is probably the Motte-Picquet Grenelle station).


Un souvenir de Paris...

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