Open Skies

Starting March 30, a bunch more airlines should be flying between the US and Europe, because of a new "Open Skies" agreement that lifts old restrictions. For example,

This year, San Francisco, Orlando and Washington all received their first scheduled nonstop flights to Dublin on Aer Lingus under a related transitionary arrangement. And Michael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, the Irish no-frills carrier, has said he plans to start a new airline that will fly from secondary European markets like Liverpool or Birmingham to a half-dozen American cities like Baltimore or Providence, R.I., for a base fare as low as 10 euros, or about $16 at $1.59 to the euro.

So keep an eye out if you're thinking of coming here or elsewhere in Europe, and we'll be doing the same as we plan our summer trip home. By the way, that's likely to have us in the US from around July 4 through the end of the month, first in Ohio, then D.C.-based, with possible other side trips.

Answers

1. Yes, we saw it, thanks to Jeff's Slingbox/Tivo. That gave much better connection and pictures than the CBS online we watched the past couple of days.

2. Yes, it completely, utterly sucked.

3. No, we don't really want to talk about it.

4. Yes, we're pretty busy here. After Cath left Wednesday, our friend Jenny's sister Jessica was here Thursday night. Then today we had Calvin's birthday party before watching the game. Later tonight our friend Dave arrives with his entourage. Then tomorrow early we catch a 1930s steam train to the medieval town of Provins for their Easter celebrations.

So we'll talk to you soon, but not about you know what.

The boys' welcome to Cath

Forgot to post this last week, but here's how they greeted Cath last week.

Criminy

It's 2:22am and we've both just had heart attacks. Thought that one was gone ... Oh the madness! Just got a call from Cath and when Betsy gets off the phone we'll go straight to bed and lie there not sleeping for the next couple hours. Enjoy the next ones y'all.

Duke vs Belmont

I think this should bring up the Duke game - you might need to sign up for a free account to use it though.

Ya gotta try this

Around the city ...

From my walk to conversation group this morning ...



A lovely spate of visitors begins this Thursday. First Cathy will be here for a week (in the meantime, I'll be off to Brussels to see Gary for the weekend), then Jenny's sister Jessie, then our friend Dave for a few days, then the Magees for ten days or so. That's March 13 thru April 5, 23 days sans arrêt! It'll be fun, but wish us luck!

Avignon photos going up

In case I don't get to post an update, you can go here to see photos from our trip to the Paris Agriculture Show and vacation in Avignon as I get them edited, titled, and posted.

GO TO HELL, CAROLINA!

GO TO HELL, CAROLINA, GO TO HELL!!!!

Had to add my deux centimes ...

Go, Duke!!

(Typo corrected, sentiment still stands!)

This will be a quick post because we're all pretty beat, just back at home after our vacation week in Avignon. We got hit by the Mistral in Avignon -- you know the wind is bad when it has its own name... On the bright side (so to speak), it blew away every cloud in the sky and we had brilliant sunshine every day of our trip. On the down side, the temperature dropped about 20 degrees and we had wind gusts up to about 60 miles an hour and even a flew snow flurries one night. Someone had told us that Avignon was the windiest place she'd ever been, and based on our experience, I have to agree.

Seeing as it might be our only chance to see the area, though, we still ventured out. Highlights were the Palais des Papes (although they managed to make it rather a dull audioguide tour, considering that it covers the time of the great schism in the western Catholic church, including rival factions electing separate and competing popes, who each excommunicated all the church members on the opposing side -- they also never mentioned that one of the popes of the time died of eating ground emeralds prescribed by his doctor for indigestion (!)), the Pont du Gard (an incredibly well-preserved Roman aqueduct), the tiny Provence towns on every hillside, and foosball at the local billiards hall.

It's nice to be home again, and we're steeling ourselves to going back to work and school next week, but still have a day tomorrow to relax. We'll try to get pictures organised and posted soon, but meanwhile, in preparation for the big game which will take place tonight while Paris sleeps, we just need to say:

Go to Hell, Carolina, Go to Hell!!!!!

GO DUKE !!!!!!!!!

Sur le pont d'Avignon

Hey y'all,

We hopped on the TGV yesterday morning and had an easy train trip--in the upper deck of a two-level 1st class car. Not quite like the Thalys where they serve a multi-course lunch in first class, but still pretty comfortable. We arrived in Avignon in early afternoon and since it's vacation, spent the afternoon taking naps, then walked around the town a bit in the evening, only to find all but one of our potential dinner picks to be closed. Avignon on a Sunday in the off season is a little ... quiet, but we found a small wine bar and had a nice dinner. Calvin was so exhausted (i TOLD him he should take a nap!) that he curled up in the corner of the booth and fell asleep before we were halfway through eating. He perked up remarkably well for the walk home, and learned a new word: trooper.

Today it's about 65 degrees and sunny. We're heading over to walk through some gardens on the site of the earliest settlements in Avignon (sometime BC) and maybe see the Palais des Papes which was the seat of the Roman Catholic church when it was moved from Rome for about 100 years during the 14th century. We might also take a look at the Pont d'Avignon, made famous by the song.

We do have internet and will try to post on the blog a couple times while we're here. You can reach us on our cell phones if you need. Love you all.