Arriving in Lyon, France...

Up early in order to leave by
8:00 am today from Strasbourg in order to drive all the way to Lyon, France.  Would have loved more time in Strasbourg - it was lovely.  MBD says the concert was great last night - good audience etc.

Our hotel send-off was a scrumptious breakfast buffet - maybe the most lovely we've had so far.

No problem selecting plenty to fill tummies as we don't stop during our drives other than to get gas and perhaps a snack.

Fresh fruit, yogurts, cereals...

Cozzie was good for almost all 6 hours in the car...

Sometimes Mama made faces and Grandma snapped photos...

Sometimes Grandma made faces and Mama snapped photos...

And Cozzie has a huge repertoire of funny faces...

But finally a rest stop with gas, store, bathrooms and a place to stretch our legs...

Lyon, France makes great 1st impression from the van window...

Don't know what I'm capturing yet but will hopefully learn a few things while we're here...

We are in a stately hotel with a very friendly, welcoming front desk gal.  Cozzie was ready for a nap as we arrived about 2pm.  We have been off loaded here and the others have gone on to off load at venue.  We are a considerable distance from the venue so Cozzie and I will most likely entertain ourselves and see the others tomorrow morning when we check out about 11am.

Cozzie has been asleep for about 2 hours so will wake up any minute.  We saw a lovely playground at the end of the block as we arrived so that's where we'll head first.  We'll also scope out supper choices in the area. It's a beautiful day and I'm ready to explore this new place.

Later:

After a 2+ hour nap, we headed to the playground...

Lovely playground being enjoyed by many...

Sometimes it's nice to have a little distance between the lad and the masses...

Someone else ready to ride...

Think these little cuties are twins...

New way to navigate on this apparatus...

Playground is on the right behind the statue...

Brought a rhubarb tarte back to the hotel with us for a snack after bathtime...  He loved it!!!

While I sipped my decaf coffee, Cozzie enjoyed the hotel's basket of fun stuff...

Cozzie is in bed.  I'll be there as soon as this blog posts. 
Grateful for another day of safe travel and GPS.

At 11 am tomorrow morning, we'll be heading to the final France concert.  Don't know how long that drive will be.  Will update tomorrow if possible.

There will be another 2 weeks for my hanging out in Europe but the concerts will be in other countries.

Strasbourg, France....

Clean Plate Club for this guy today...

Feeling rested and ready to tackle the day, we began about 7:30 am.  Cozzie and I got ready and headed to breakfast or Petit dejuener in French, where we both had great appetites and filled our tummies with good things.  Cozzie had a nice high chair so could properly and attentively eat.  By 10am he was back in bed for a 2 hour nap.  Check out was 12 noon so that worked perfectly.

The old part of Strasbourg...

We all had a few hours before we could get into our new hotel or do the Load In at the venue.  We decided to head back to the old section of town where we knew there was a playground for Cozzie with nearby cafe's for lunch options.

Lunch spot is in the section hanging over the river...

Enjoying lunch in old Strasbourg.

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I took Cozzie to the playground with the cool Wooden slide structure while the others started having lunch...

"I know you want to take my picture but it's really funny not to look at you!!"

"It's also really funny when I trick you by sliding off the horse so you can't take my picture!!!"

Such cool wooden structures at this playground.

By the time we were all finished with lunch, it was time to check in to the new hotel.  We are settled into a comfortable spot and Cozzie is back in bed for a nap.  He was having trouble settling down and I think it was because we were out of milk again.  I decided to head down to the office to buy some milk.  There is a restaurant attached to this hotel and the kind couple who were working in the office, filled 2 sippie cups with milk and wouldn't let me pay for it.  Now my little fellow seems to be in dreamland.

James and Bryan are doing load-in while Shara takes a nap also.  She has an interview after sound-check, before dinner.

While being at the park today, a couple of college girls were having some lunch seated on the ground near the swings.  Cozzie noticed one gal eating a pear as we walked by.  He walked toward her with a finger pointing at her pear which was half eaten.  She offered to let him have a bite and held the pear out for him.  He didn't take a bite but kept pointing to the pear.  I told him that was the girl's pear so he couldn't have it.  She started speaking English and told us that she had another pear which she would give him if he wanted it.  She seemed insistent and serious and I know that he loves pears so I told her he would enjoy that.  She got it out of her bag and handed it to him.  He began eating it immediately.  We stayed to visit with the 2 girls for a few minutes.  They are friends and had come here for a weekend together.  One was from this area of France and the other from further away.

Camille is eating a pear so I'm going to stop and look at her pear.

"Camille is really nice and she gave me her other uneaten pear.  I really enjoyed it."

Camille, the girl from this Alsatian area of France, said that she speaks better English than Alsation.  I mentioned that my husband and I had spent 8 weeks in Strasbourg in 1970 as seminary students doing a Quarter Abroad program.  At that time many people spoke Alsatian which is a combination of German and French which is spoken in this area of France which at some point in history has been part of Germany.  She knew that was true at that time but said it is feared that language will die out with her parent's generation.  She said that she and her generation do not know that language.  She is a Special Education major.

With Cozzie asleep, I will work on tweaking my photos and adding them to the blog.

Later:

Some privileges come as the tiniest member of the band.

In the "Old Days", Papa played the drums but now that is Brian's role except if he's unavailable when Cozzie wants to drum a little. 

Papa arrived, Cozzie's nap ended and we headed to the venue about 6:30pm.  Spent some time with Mama, did a little drumming and had dinner.  She is on at 9:30ppm which is right now after he's in bed and I'm wrapping up this blog.

Tomorrow is a long drive day - leave here at 8am!  So it's time to say Good Night and get some sleep in order to get up early to see more French countryside and enjoy more van family time.

James's health is improving and Brian is still healthy.  Lots to be grateful for and we are.

From Paris to Strasbourg, France...

Having coffee before loading the van to leave Paris

 Cozzie and I were up about 8 am but the others slept until nearly time for the 11 am check out from our hotel.

We were going to have breakfast at the corner cafe beside our hotel but they stopped serving that at 11am and didn't start lunch for another 15 minutes.  Three had coffee and I had hot chocolate. 

Mama took Cozzie to play in the park, I guarded personal items while James and Brian headed out to get the van.

From the cafe we viewed the flowers at the corner store across the street from us so I took a few more photos...

Miniature roses mixed with the tulips...

Spring, Easter-time and tulips - such beauty!

With breakfast croissants for the car, we headed out of Paris about noon.  We were facing a 5.5 hour drive.

Cozzie was very ready for a nap so he fell asleep immediately.  But it only lasted about an hour and he would not fall asleep again until 8:30 pm this evening in our room.  I'm hoping for at least a 12 hour night for him.

Our drive was routine.  James and Brian shared the driving as usual.  We napped, read, entertained Cozzie and enjoyed the countryside - again lush fields being planted.

I learned that Shara, Brian and James all thought the concert last night had gone very well.  The four string players were thrilled to share the stage as back-up for Shara.  Introducing a new singer and singing one of her songs also went well Shara thought.  Shara felt weak but it didn't seem to affect her show.

 There was hope that the Wright family in TX would be able to Skype with Shara for her Grandfather's memorial service at 11am TX time.  We arrived in Strasbourg at 5:45 pm - 15 minutes before the service was to begin.  She got to her hotel room and was on Skype but did not receive a call.  Hopefully by now she has heard some communication from her family about how the day has gone for all of them.

James is now in the beginning stages of the stomach bug 3 of us have come through.  He was able to go on a walk from the hotel with me and Cozzie before we put baby to bed.  We are within walking distance of the center of the city so we rambled some cobblestone streets through the area where my honey and I did a quarter abroad program while he was in seminary in 1970.  Wish he were here.  It looks very different to me.  I forgot to take my camera but it was twilight anyway.  Hopefully I'll get back there tomorrow.

We'll be in Strasbourg another night but at a different hotel.

Time for me to join the sleeping crew.  Thanks for your continued prayers for our health.  We are grateful again that James is not feeling well at a time when there wasn't a show tonight and there's no long drive tomorrow.  Hopefully he will get some rest during the night.

Paris, France...

Awakened in our comfortable hotel room in Tourcoing in time for a bath for Cozzie this morning.

Headed to breakfast to learn that the stomach bug had moved to Mama who started being sick after the show last night and continued through the night.  She is carrying on today though feels weak.  She has some different things for tonight's Paris show so has not been able to get much rest.  She did sleep in the van on the 3.5 hr drive here.

View from my 4th floor hotel window in Paris - no screen...

Cozzie and I settled into our Paris room around 1:30pm.  He took a 2.5 hour nap and woke up full of energy.  We had a snack and headed out to find a playground.  There was one within a block so we stopped there but it was brief.  There were LOTS of children of all ages and it seemed almost dangerous at times for Cozzie as he mingled with big kids on the structures or chased a ball serving for a game of soccer with older boys.  He was treated nicely but he sometimes got in the way and so we decided to search further for another spot. 

Tried shades as we started on our walk...

Such beautiful tulips for Spring and Easter season....

This other guy came out of nowhere to get his chance on the slide...

A moment without other kids using the same space...

Brian, the drummer, has a turn to entertain Cozzie at dinner tonight.

Cozzie and I joined MBD plus the extra performers for tonight's concert for dinner at a restaurant.  He would rather be on a playground than in a restaurant so we headed back to the hotel before dessert was served.  He's already asleep and hopefully will sleep in a bit in the morning.  Since he had only one nap today, that will probably happen.

We'll check out by 11:30 am tomorrow and head to Strasbourg where the concert will be on Fri. night.  We have a day off from a show tomorrow and that's a good thing.  Prayers for health continue to be appreciated.

Tourcoing, France...

Good night of rest with my little guy sleeping from 9pm - 8:30am except for a brief wake-up for a drink of milk.  We got ourselves ready for the day and the drive to Tourcoing and were ready for breakfast with Mama when she was ready.
Cozzie was ready for a nice nap as we drove away from Amiens (a 3 syllable word) so I was able to enjoy the scenery - large fields being prepared and planted - and read further on my Read Through the Bible Chronologically in 2012 schedule.  I'm a little ahead and into the book of Judges right now.  I am learning so much and enjoying the story of God's plan.

Family stolls toward the Cathedral in the city center...

We arrived a bit early so there was time after unloading all the equipment for a stroll into the center of the city.  It's a beautiful but cool day and the city has some interesting architecture.  We didn't take time to go inside this church because there was a need to be back at the venue by 2pm.

Lunch was available supplied by the venue beside the dressing room so we enjoyed that.  Cozzie has eaten quite well for both breakfast and lunch today.  He seems quite healthy today. 

Not sure what this building is but it has quite an impressive facade and a cool clock.

It is 4:30 pm right now.  Shara is busy with sound check; James is on his computer.  Cozzie is napping in the dressing room.  But he will most likely wake up soon.  There's a park nearby so I think we'll get into the stroller and head off for another adventure.  I keep looking for a resale shop but haven't strolled by any since that first day in Paris when we spent some time at the "DING FRING".  We'll be back in Paris on Wednesday - wonder what we can find this time?

Bedtime - nearly...

Cozzie had a long nap and when he woke up, we had about an hour to head to a park before we went to dinner with MBD and THE OWLS who are opening tonight.   

Papa went with us and we joined lots of other Mama's and Papa's with many children having a wonderful time on a modest playground.

Heading back to Paris tomorrow - leave at 9:30 am - Good-Night!!!

But Cozzie's favorite play things have wheels...  even when they belong to another child...

And some children let you ride their bike for quite some time and others want theirs back right away...

Playground play time has ended and the walk back to the venue includes a stroll through a green space being enjoyed by ducks and others...

 

An Afternoon in Amiens, France...

Cozzie had a good nap which ended about 2 pm today and we all went to the venue for load in, some snacks and time to explore.  After the van was parked, James was able to go with Cozzie and me to explore some of the city center.  We took off with Cozzie in the stroller and started walking toward the magnificent cathedral on the top of a hill not far from the venue.

It's impossible to describe the intricate detail, the massive height and size, the elegance of the stained glass windows, the lavish pulpit and all other appointments etc.  We did our best to photograph this Notre Dame Cathedral of Amiens but that, too, was impossible.  This cathedral was built in the 11th Century. 

 Following is a paragraph from the Wikipedia article:

The cathedral is the tallest complete cathedral in France, its stone-vaulted nave reaching a height of 42.30 metres (138.8 ft) (surpassed only by the incomplete Beauvais Cathedral). It also has the greatest interior volume of any French cathedral, estimated at 200,000 cubic metres (260,000 cu yd). The cathedral was built between 1220 and c.1270 and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.^[5] Although it has lost most of its original stained glass, Amiens Cathedral is renowned for the quality and quantity of early 13th century Gothic sculpture in the main west facade and the south transept portal, and a large quantity of polychrome sculpture from later periods inside the building.

Rather unfortunately, my camera batteries died while I was inside this massive church.

From the Cathedral, we continued to explore the area until James spied a playground.  It was in a lovely area behind the Cathedral and Cozzie shared the space with only one other child.  His favorite part was the pea gravel that made fantastic stuff to dig in and throw.  James left us there and headed back for sound check with Shara.

I realized that I better find a store that sold batteries so we eventually left the playground and continued exploring the streets in the area.  We came upon a section of the city which was lined with stores selling what seemed to be high end latest fashions from Paris and/or New York.  Lots of people walking, shopping, having food at cafes with outdoor seating, roller blading...  It took awhile but we finally found a camera store that had the right batteries and a nice lady who spoke a few words of English.  She also seemed to honestly sort through my fist full of change to chose what was needed to pay the bill.  James has supplied me with money but I don't really know the denomination of the coins etc.  It seems that my charger for my rechargeable batteries is not working and I don't know what happened to it.  But I bought enough batteries for further photography work.

Venue for tonight's concert...

A view from the restaurant beside the venue where we had dinner tonight...

Lovely French city as the sun begins to set...

Cozzie has been asleep for awhile and we'll need to be ready for travel by mid morning tomorrow.  Better get some sleep myself.  We've had a good day.  Cozzie is over the stomach problems but still has a runny nose and some cough.  He's amazingly happy and sweet even when tired and feeling crummy.  He endears himself to everyone. 

We're feeling the strength of the Lord and the blessing of prayers for our travel and health.