Bidding Adieu to France

Can you stand the mention of one more French Gothic church? Because we finally went to Mass at one, St. Jacob's in Beauvais, which is near Paris.

Many of these big old churches are chilly inside. But the acoustics in this one were very good.

I think this might be St. Peter crucified upside down.

So no more photos and descriptions of churches. . . until Spain!

Luke and I in front of a huge hotel in Beauvais. We are mainly in Beauvais because it is where we will catch our flight to Madrid.

                            

We had a great time in France. The countryside is beautiful. We are looking forward to turning in the rental cars. I should have taken a photo of the two we rented, a Skoda Octavia made in the Czeck republic that we drove in Ireland and a French-made Citreon C-3 in France. Both cute cars that got fabulous gas mileage. Driving got easier with each passing day, but it was a challenge. We would have been lost, literally and figuratively, without Google Maps.

This was Luke's favorite bed so far in the trip, in Bayeux.

Sacre Bleu! We committed the cultural crime of going to a McDonald's in France. But only once. They had an interesting set up where you place your order at a kiosk and then they bring the food to your table. The food itself? Exactly the same, which is what you are looking for when you go to McDonalds.

This is as close as Luke got to the Eiffel Tower, at DeGaulle airport. We would have love to have gotten to Paris on this trip, but we didn't have time. Good lesson: not to try to cram too much in.

We've been getting from country to country on Europe's budget airlines. Here John and Luke are boarding our Ryanair flight to Madrid. These airline tickets were cheaper than train fare and get you to your destination quicker. We had very good experiences with these airlines. They are very serious about leaving on time.

Up, up and away!

Looking forward to the adventures Spain will hold!