Arche du Triumphe

Bigger than I had expected - and no conquerors goose-stepping through it; it was also close to a Mont
Blanc store and a fine French chocolatier for which we had been searching for an hour or so.  I'm finally getting the hang of th city map and the subway system; but nàtthi s stupid Europeq  keysboqrtd:

At the Museum of the Shoah

We learned that France fought only a few days longer than the Warsaw ghetto withstood Nazi destruction.  Instead of blaming a military that had performed poorly in WW1 - and failed to learn from relative failure - French citizens were glad to blame Jews, pass anti-Semitic laws before German encouragement, steal fro arrestees, and cooperate wholeheartedly in liquidation.  All the same, no one has treated us badly.

Between Spain and France

There is more public kissing in France; but strangers seemed genuinely more helpful and friendly in Spain.
Barcelona is better managed for tourist information.  The women of both countries are tall and beautiful, but their clothing in France is more chic - has more "eclat."  Stiletto heels dominate the streets of Paris.

more later

Paris: rain gives way to overcast

Finding our way around is getting easier;exploring interesting shops  and the Army museum and an Indonesian/french fusion restaurant.  Europzen keyboards are put together differently; capitalized numbers and the M on the right of the L.

The Night Before We Fly

Putting out legal fires, last-minute packing, making lists and checking them twice, arranging for vehicle starts by giving keys to a neighbor, setting garden irrigation with the kids next door, and distributing fruit and vegetables so they don't sit in the house for a month, enjoying the last home-grown Greek Salad of the season, and figs for dessert....whew.