SOUTH OF FRANCE, CANNES

A RELIEF TO GET INTO THEIR POOL

RONALD ALSO NEED TO GET IN.

YEAH

ME AND MY BRO

THE CANAL NEAR THEIR PLACE.

TAKEN FROM THEIR BALCONY

VIEW FROM THEIR BALACONY

MY BETTER SEAT WITH AN ELDERLY NICE PASSENGER.

DURING THE TRIP TO SOUTH OF FRANCE

VERY LONG TRAIN, TGV, WENT 300 KM AN HOUR.

BRO RON CAME TO PICK ME UP FROM MY HOTEL.

Cannes, 30/07/08.

Today I had to get up early for my train journey to cannes, in the South of France.
I got a taxi this time as it was a different train station.

I got there plenty of time ahead( 1/2 hour) and found the platform, it gets announced only a few minutes before people can board.
My allocated seat was not good. Backwards and "window" seat, but with a wall in between.
I waited till everyone had boarded and then looked around for empty seats and there was a very good empty seat with big window going forwards and table with an other passenger opposite.
A nice 89 year old Frenchman with some English was good company and the opther passengers next to us on the other side too.
So I was very happy with my new seat and no one came after we boarded.
The scenery on the way was great, and I saw the " Pont du Guard" on the way.
The train snaked its way along the French riviera with views of the Mediterenian sea and villages. it stopped at St Raphael and went past Le Dramond, which I can remember from my youth holidays.

Well, I arrived in Cannes on time and it was very when I got out of the station with Ronald.
He took me to my hotel first, left me there to take a shower and an hour later he came and we walked to his appartement along the river/canal.
We took a swim in the complex appartements common swimming pool. There are holiday makers now, that hire some of these appartements during the peak holidays, which is now.

Well, I think I am up to date. Hot, humid, beautiful and how Ronald and Geke live is great here with a fantastic view over the Esterelle ranges.

Photos will be uploaded shortly. Love from Marianna.
PS!!!!!
Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you.
I am flying back onMonday to Munich, but via Cologne, there I change planes to Munich.
Guess what??? My brother, Ronald also has to fly out on Monday , so we checked out what times we have to fly. Turns out HE IS IN THE SAME PLANE AT THE SAME TIME ALSO TO COLOGNE!!!!!!!! Isn't that weird?
So we are going to check in on Sunday night, online so we can sit next to each other!!!!

Scroll down for the new other story about Mon Martre, Sacre Coeur , Versailles and meeting Maarten.

PARIS EIFFEL TOWER, MON MARTRE AND MAARTEN

REUNION WITH MY NEPHEW AFTER 11 YEARS

MAARTEN EN ZIJN VRIENDIN.

IK BEN ERG BLIJ HEM WEER TE ZIEN EN HIJ OOK MIJ TE ZIEN

MARIANNA IN VERSAILLES

THE GARDENS OF VERSAILLES

THE HALL OF MIRRORS IN VERSAILLES

MON MARTRE AREA

ON THE WAY TO VERSAILLES

SACRE COEUR CATHERDAL

VIEW FROM SACRE COEUR

HEY EVERYONE

Well, I am a bit behind with my blog.
I had a fanastic 2 full days and 3 nightd in Paris, did a lot, saw a lot.
That first full day was very hot, 30 C. I did that double decker bus city tour, that I have done with all the other cities I have seen.
Then the Eiffel tower, but I didn't go up as there were huge que's. And it was way too hot to stand there int he heat.
So I went to Aerc the Triompf and went up that and had a great view as well.
The next day I went to Mon Martre with the Metro system, once I worked it all out it was eas to use. From Mon Martre I walked around watched the artists do their job and met the same guy thjat pained Brian and I again, He defenetely the same guy , I asked him if he was there in 1981, and he was. He is that Asian guy who did our portrait. We have a photo of him at home.
I took a little "train" tour to " Moulin Rouge"
and back to the Mon Martre again.
I went into that Beautiful Cathedral of " Sacre Coeur" and there was a mass and some beautiful singing ,so I sat there for a while listening, and taking it all in.......

Then I took the Metro to Invalides and took the RER train to Versailless, and visited the Palace of King Loui the 14th.
It was very busy and hot with throngs of people wading through the Palace.
After that Maarten and I met each other at Mc Donalds, but didn't stay there, we went to a nice little pub nearby and waited for his girlfriend.
We had a great reunion and talked lots, and gave him heaps of hugs. He is a greaat guy and I love him to bits.
His girlfriend came later and she is also really cool, I think were all got along really well and I loved talking to her and... she loves horses and can ride them so come you guys, I can't wait!!!

After a good time together with lots of fun and fellowship, I had to say goodbye, snuff sniff, and go ont he double decker RER train back to down town Paris, it was now 10.30 pm.
I got there at 11.30 pm, and guess what?? I did it again? Walked in the wrong direction as I stepped out ( again) on the other side, and therefore got confused. This time I discovered it quickly enough.
I must say I felt quite safe the whole time, no threats etc. Weird people? yes, a lot, but thats normal for a big city. You just don't look at them and keep walking.

ARRIVED IN PARIS

AMSTERDAM
THE THALYS TRAIN TO PARIS, READY TOP BOARD. KIWI MICHAEL SHAW AND WINNIE
IN THE THALYS TRAIN
PARIS. A SIDE STREET FROM MY HOTEL.
THE STAIRSS IN THE FINLAND TRAIN
IN THE TRAIN TO HELSINKI
THE PLANE TO AMSTERDAM
TERSCHELLING VISIBLE.

I have safely arrived in Paris. The whole trip from Sirrka down to Helsinki should be included, so I will start with that.

I got up at 6.am that Friday. We left at 6.40 in Helena's car to catch the 7 am bus. It leaves from Sirkka at that time.

So I got on time for the bus which took 2 1/2 hours. It is a comfortalble coach with toilet inside.

We got to the train station at 9.30 am, the train left at 10.05 am.

I had to change trains at Oulu, and it wasn't that easy. I had to go down the steps and up again to the other track.

Anyway, I found the train without hassles.

This train is a new double decker train ( snel trein for the dutchies amougst us) and I had a seat reserved down stairs as the windows are bigger there.

The train got to Helsinki at 8.30 pm. I then had to find the bus, Helena told me bus 615. I got out of the train station the wrong way, so I couldn't find any of the busses with that number on it.

So I then decided to go the other exit, and there were the right busses, at leastthe bus 615 was there. When I got there, I asked him if he stopped at the airport Bonus inn hotel, He said " no" but bus 650 does, which was 2 stands behind. I found it and the bus was there. I asked the driver to tell me when to get off.

All went well and the bus stopped in front of the hotel.

I stayed the night there for a good sleep and the next day the hotel shuttle ook me to the airport at 11.40 am.

I had already checked in onlibne and got myself a seat behind business class, so really good seat, window and in front of the wing, not on the wing.

The plane was delayed by half an hour, they told us once we were already onboard. The airconditioning was on so no problems.

The flight weas perfect with beautiful weather, clear skies. The flew lower than normal to catch up on their delay, and can fly faster. We arrived 5 min before schedule so they did catch up. I took photos of the Dutch islands, of Terschelling, Ameland and Schierminnikoog.

Also of the Afsluit dijk and de Bijlmermeer.

We landed into a Thunderstorm, it was black and rain ing and flashing all around us. When landed the people clapped.

I was able to buy a ticket for the train to Centraal station Amsterdam, and it was about 20 min.

There arrived I bought a couple of crockets from Febo and sat down on my new orange bag with extra clothes and towel in, so like a seat, I sat in the hall eating my crockets and watching the people....very interesting. Also quite tired so sitting down was good. I sat next to an other tourist girl dong the same thing. When eaten I went outside amoungst the thunder and lighting and rain, trying to find tram 24, was in the wrong tram place, asked someone nd sent me to the right place.

Then I went into tram 24, that took me to Keiderss gracht. I got out there and walked to Winnie's house. By this time I was wet and tired, dragging my suitcase and orange bag plus backpack.

I met my first kiwi ( new zealander) since doing this trip) he is the new neighbour of Winnie( downstairs on the ground floor) together with his friend, who is from Aussie. He is from Auckland( Michael) and they came over that evening and we chatted.

I also met Charlotte, ( earlier, the chaps came over later) , she was Yolandaa's best friend in the time she had Maarten. Maarten and her son Dicky are best friends and still are.

Charlotte and I had a good talk about yolanda''s life and death.

I had a goopd sleep and the next day Michael came with us to the train station and he helped me with the carring of the suitcase into the tram and then the train. Winnie came too.

The nice new Thalys train was there and it went 300 km an hour between Brussels and Paris. It goes very smooth and fast, I loved it.

OK I am going to stop now.