The day has been busy, and it's not over yet. It was a bit warmer today. This is the first day I didn't wear all the clothes I have with me at once :-) Cycling was tough today, as it seemed to climb most of the way. The elevation at the hotel in Magnanville was 66m and the elevation of the hotel in Chartres is 140m. Today's ride was 72 km.
The hotel I'm staying at is in a great location. It's right next to the cathedral, right next to an area with plenty of restaurants, and, perhaps the most important of all, right next to a laundromat! I've done one load of clothes and I'm so happy to have a clean shirt, sweatshirt and pants again. Handwashing clothes with bar soap in the hotel is better than nothing, but nothing beats the real thing. :-)
Today on the road, I saw some nice views, funny looking horses, a cock, a lake, signs telling me which way to Paris (I'm not ready to go home yet!), a radar sign which informed me that my speed was 13kph, and teddy bears.
Another milestone today as I finished the fold-out map "Oise, Paris, Val d'Oise" and I start the map "Centre".
Now I'm off to search for some dinner. There are a few brasseries near the hotel, which may please my readers more than Subway or Buffalo Grill :-)
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ReplyDeleteHi, Carmen:
ReplyDeleteI see you visited the Cathedral at Chartres. I remember, quite a few years ago, in Spain, you got a little tired of visiting churches and cathedrals. But it is in these buildings that so much art has been accumulated over the centuries...It is always worth it at least a short stopover.
Keep it going. You are already on your second week. Almost two more, and you'll be finished, my sweet Janet Longo.
Love you
Papa
Haha I'm no Longo. She would do this trip in 3 days instead of 3 weeks:-) But thanks anyway :-)
DeleteI've been enjoying the updates. I might have to add something like this to my bucket list :-)
ReplyDeleteHaha I didn't know the term "bucket list". I just looked it up. You learn something new every day.
DeleteWhat's already on your bucket list? :-)
I agree with Frank. Chartres is quite a place. I have a really strong memory of it, even though I was only 9 at the time. Thank you very much for the glimpse.
ReplyDeleteWhere else in France have you visited? Why did your family pick Chartres, of all places, to visit? :-) Just curious, as it doesn't seem to be as well known as other cities.
DeleteWe went on a month-long, 4000-mile drive through Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Italy. That was a long time ago (1971) so I am a little vague on exactly where I've been. I'd have to look at the old films to be sure. Mostly I remember buildings: Notre Dame de Paris, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, Chenonceau, Chartres. I'm a little surprised to hear you say Chartres isn't well-known, although perhaps you are right. I always thought the cathedral had a world renown. i like the story of the American officer who, when ordered to bomb the cathedral, volunteered to go behind enemy lines to see if he Germans were using it. He did so, found out the cathedral was vacant, and got the order rescinded.
DeleteI guess Chartres might be more well known to people interested in history :-) I guess I figured Marseille would be the most popular destination after Paris, but perhaps that's only true for tourists seeking a sun tan more than historical monuments :-)
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