The first week of the second half of Susan’s summer in France.
The center event was the heat wave that struck France and the Paris area.
Over 105F (41C) Paris all time highest temperature ever recorded here.
Beside, few real events to report.
Even though we do not have an access to an airplane, we paid a tribute to aeronautics at the Flying Museum of la Ferté Alais.
Lots of superb planes, original, restored or rebuilt.
Here a Corsair and a Zero, the two beloved enemies on the Pacific front during WWII.
Here a luxury airplane. Al Capone owned one, may be I should too.
Before leaving the field, I had pay a tribute to the beauties present on the field.
We left my future house in Nozay to settle in my daugther’s house in Bourg la Reine.
This enables us to visit Paris with shorter rides.
Even though we travel incognoto, a theater play tells my adventures.
Ok I might be the King, but Susan is now crowned by Napoleon I.
She reaches a step beyond. I am jealous.
After being crowned by Napoleon himself, she successfuly burried him and made the following remark;
“What a huge coffin for such a little big man”.
And I may add “what a big roof for a small coffin”.
Later we walked to the Ecole Militaire for the view on the Paris Penis.
Do not be scared, even children can look at it.
After dinner, we walked back to the Metro station.
A superb view on the Calder’s mobile in front of the UNESCO building. 
Unfortunately, paranoia forbids a free access to a world treasure paid with our taxes.
Here I hoped to share with you another le Corbusier piece of Art.
Nope. Forbiden. I am disgusted.
Let’s return home, I mean Bourg la Reine, not Fort Lauderdale.
Bye till next week.
De haut en bas /
Here motor boats have only one engine and the power is usually under 100HP.
Family reunion, here the cousins are almost at full count, one only is missing.
On both sides of the big pond, such a gathering means FOOD!
Took a day off on our own to visit the Marais de 
After a light lunch, we rented a row boat for the afternoon. A nice and slow way to discover this rather well preserved area.
Two hours of rowing in an undisturbed, silent environement.
Nice encounters, here a Kingfisher.
By the end of the trip, a local needed to talk to some one, we happened to be around.
Susan was promoted to additional Grand-Ma with the bottle duty.
Before leaving and returning to Paris, we were offered a Flute concert by Salome. 
This week end a visit to the 100 years of Citroën. I had registered from Florida in March and hoped to be among the happy visitors of the event.
On Saturday, to calm down, we met with my long time buddy for a appeasing moment.
But happilly, my Seattle buddies made it to my future new home.
For them it was a short stop on their way back to Germany.
After a nice walk along the board walk, we deserved a light lunch in the Old Harbor. The tower behind identifies the city.
Made it too late after lunch to visit the “Marché couvert” from the second half of the XIX century. 
La Rochelle is an important harbor. During WW II, the Germans set up a
On the way back home, our attention was caught by a statue impersonating a game.
Ok easy, BaseBall, you got it right. Boucaneers is the name of the team.
It was low tide and the boats were sitting in the mud, so as a public service,
To end the day, Susan prepared a light diner.
Even though we made it late, they provided us with a pair of well maintained bicycles.
The boss convinced us to make an attempt to the “Phare des Baleines”, the Whales Lighthouse.
We are on our way.
A pit stop at a salt production site. And they sell it.
This is the sales booth. Pick your choice, pay at the piggy bank. Your honesty is challanged.
Around Mid-Way, we decided to stop for a short feeding break. Do not be fooled, the oysters got a pint of local Rosé.
Susan wondered if Vines carried grapes.
After returning the bikes, exhausted we crashed for a drink before driving back home in La Rochelle.
Susan enters Postal 2.0, she writes post cards, adds stamps and hands the result to the French counterpart of USPS. Guess what, this old fashion way of communication still works.
After the operative back office, the front entrance.
On our way to our first stage, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, we visited the covered market that offers a wide choice of fish, meat and of course cheese.
Delicatessen and ready to enjoy catering.
And of course locally produced oysters.
Museum closed for major structural repairs. Not advertised anywhere.
So we visited a substitute option, the 
By the end of the afternoon, I spotted my boat in the old harbor. It has my name on it.
Here is the proof. BTW, in Hebrew “Saba” means Grand-Pa and this is the way my grand-children call me. Is it a sign?
On the way back I discovered a superb Japanese tree that requires heavy maintenance in term of triming.
Nothing visual worth showing, but worth visiting. Here the tug boat.
The city of La Rochelle gathers a superb collection of real sail boats, perfectly maintained in operating condition. A dream.
Even though the heat wave is coming to an end, the water fountains offer a welcomed cool moment.
Susan was wondering why they did not cut the SunFlowers to sell them.
On the way to Les Moutiers en Retz, we stopped at 
After crossing the straight by the bridge, we stopped in Noirmoutiers en l’Ile.
Susan’s natural attraction for shopping led her into this beautiful shop.
The shop is named Athmosphere. Every time the word “Athmosphere” is heard, the French people refer to a well known scene where a pimp lets his women down.
The famous Lanterne des Morts in Les Moutiers en Retz. This light house dates back from the XII century and is lit when a resident dies and remains lit until he is burried.
It is time to cross the river Loire. No bridge but a free ferry.
It is time to board for a five minute crossing.
Susan’s first ferry trip ever. Let’s celebrate.This will be the focus of the evening spent with my nephew’s family.
Made it to our destination at noon time. Violette celebrated our arrival with a Great First, she started her first non bottle meal. Semi success, after the initial try, the bottle was welcome.
Susan is in charge of Baby Sitting Violette.
In the mean time, the boys are having fun.
After lunch and the necessary nap, a walk along the beach.
Upon returning home, before a family BBQ, a call to the US.
Nineteen people around thee tables. A nice final stop to this week 5.
Low cloud cover, cool tempatures, making it to the col du Port.
This is to prove that we made it.
Another picture to prove we made it to Biarritz. Could not escape the standard picture.
Marie & Philippe drove us around the area.
A typical architecture of the Hinterland of the Pays Basque.
Here a remainder of the Old Europe when, before the European Union, borders tried without any success to slow commerce and people migrations.
Here with Marie, our right foot is in Spain, the left one in France.
An evening at Saint Jean de Luz for a doubble game of Cesta Punta.
Could not escape a meeting with the local Mascott.
A day in Spain at San Sebastian or Donostia depending if you feel Spanish or Basque.
A walk on the sea side, Susan and Marie along the sea, Philippe and I remaining on the Broad Walk.
We had to explain that thirst was about to create a pair of Widows. Message heard.
Therefore the mandatory first pit stop, just after the walk, was at the restaurant on the harbor.
Marie succesfully convinced us to climb the hill where in the Fort overlooking the pass to the Bay. No lift, no chopper but feet, sweat and pain.
On the other hand the view from above was worth the pain.
I told you it was a Fort. Tried to load the gun and check if the second Amendment makes sense here.
The public, Marie and Philippe, cheer the performance.
On the way down we met a local.
Before our final evening destination, we stopped at the 
Susan made it to the top quite exhausted.
I was the only one able to plant the flag of Victory.
We needed to refuel the tanks. A sea food platter offered the required relief.
DONE! No prisoners, no doggy bag. Head for the last stop of the day in Bordeaux.
Susan is kind of disappointed, had to find an activity to restore her smile.
The usual suspect, a sea food platter was the obvious solution.