Well, can't write for long as I am EXHAUSTED, but our trip was wonderful and I will post photos soon. A variety of events, including misinformation about how long it took to get to the airport, our shuttle getting pulled over by the police, a misprinted terminal on the itinerary and the zoo that is Charles de Gaulle airport, caused us to miss our flight. Well, personally I think it was a scam because they were overbooked - we still made it there an hour before our flight. But it meant another night in Paris, or rather in a surreal hotel complex on the edge of the city. But we got to head back into town just in time to watch Lance cross the finish line on his final Tour. Literally, we were right there on the Champs Elysée. And on the later flight home we ended up on business class, plied with wine and cheese.

But despite this silver lining, Paris was overwhelming; we were wary of big cities. We did have a nice stay with some friends and saw some fun shops. But Versailles was garish and overdone after the gorgeous week we had in Provence - sort of like Pamela Anderson standing next to Audrey Hepburn. It was expensive and laden with tourists and they nickel and dime you for every single thing, from a walk in the garden to a ride on the shuttle. (But I did fulfill my curiousity in seeing Marie Antoinette's bizarre village where she used to dress up like a shepherdess - 18th century Disney World!)

We had been so graciously treated, so plied with baguettes and chocolat and camembert and rosé wine. We had such wonderful company in our hosts who took us everywhere. We had long lazy evenings by the pool overlooking olive fields. We had late mornings traipsing up medieval paths. Anything else was bound to pale in comparison. I know we just became homeowners, but we are already dreaming of a second residence in Provence. (I like the the second picture there below.) More photos to follow, but here are some to start.