Springtime Guest

We were blessed to have my mother come all the way to England to spend two weeks with us!
The weather cooperated nicely.
We had a wonderful time exploring Oxford, Bourton-on-the-Water, Paris and Windsor.

We explored the Oxford shops. Here we are on busy Cornmarket Street in city centre.

The buses are convenient as long as you are not in a hurry.

We spent one afternoon in the Cotswolds exploring the quaint village of Bourton-on-the-Water. 

We had a pub lunch next to the water then strolled the length of the village on the river-side footpath.

Of course, Matthew had to try out the water. One of the newer bridges was built in 1776.

Our three day trip to Paris started with a coach ride on the Oxford Tube . Fortunately, the bus stops within walking distance of our flat. Here, Matthew and Mom are in a London black cab en route to St. Pancras rail station.

The Eurostar is the best method of travel.
We booked our four seats in a club section so we had a small table between us.
We talked, looked at the scenery, ate, and rested (as demonstrated above).

Another cab ride, except this time in Paris.
The French city traffic was much more frenetic than in polite London.

Our hotel was only a short walk away from  the  Arc de Triumphe.
Matthew was a good driver through all of the uneven pavement along Champs Elysees.

The hotel staff recommended a nearby street for its many restaurants.
We found an Italian restaurant with a friendly staff.
Our waiter told us that his name was Sam, just like Uncle Sam.

What a beautiful street! We must have made 4-5 trips up and down  the Avenue.

I read online that the best way to avoid the queues at the Eiffel Tower is to arrive at opening time. A short cab ride delivered us to find only a short line. An employee saw Mom's wheelchair and escorted us directly to the ticket counter and then the elevator! What favor.

Matthew and I wanted to ride to the highest level so we left Mom and Lori on level 2 and  rode straight to the top with no waiting! Palais de Chaillot is in the background.

The view from the opposite side is of Champ de Mars.

Mom enjoyed the view from the second deck. We walked all of the way around.
The Arc de Triumphe and River Seine are in the background.

After a few hours in Tour Eiffel, we boarded the Hop-on-Hop-off tour bus to see more of the city.

We left the bus at the Opera and found a cafe that specialized in Portuguese cuisine. (https://plus.google.com/103377901977746730623/about?gl=uk&hl=en)
We then stopped in the Fragonard perfume shop and visited the Galeries Lafayette.
(https://plus.google.com/101163626684261900334/about?gl=uk&hl=en)

On our last morning, before heading to the rail station, we took a boat tour up the River Seine. It was a little warm in the sun but we had lovely views of many tourist sites along the way.

We passed under this bridge covered in locks. I read that lovers attach a lock and throw the key into the river as symbol of their everlasting love. The locks come back as fast as the city removes them.

On our last outing before Mom returned home, we visited the town of Windsor  and shopped in the shadow of the castle. The flag indicates that Queen Elizabeth is home.
We did not see her even though we would have enjoyed a cup of tea.

The buildings are old and full of character. The castle was built by William the Conqueror and was used by King John, King Henry VIII, and many other monarchs. 

Queen Victoria is bidding farewell to Mom.
We enjoyed the two weeks together and now look forward to new adventures in Wisconsin together