Day 33 - Meersburg, Germany

We woke up to a rainy day in Strasbourg so we went at a leisurely pace to the train station.  We left France and headed to Germany.  The train ride was so beautiful as we wound through the Black Forest.  Everything was so lush and fresh.  It was extremely pleasant.  We arrived in Konstanz, another town on Lake Constance (Bodensee).   We needed to take a ferry to Meersburg and elected to take the passenger ferry since our traveling "light" has grown to 8 pieces of overstuffed baggage.  The passenger ferry is located at the train station; otherwise we would have needed to take a bus or taxi to the car ferry.  The ferry ride was about 20 minutes so it was short but fun to be on the water.  The lake borders Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.  Although it was overcast, we could see a little bit of the Swiss Alps.  We were pleasantly surprised that our hotel "Alte Post" was on the lake promenade.  We checked in and had dinner at the restaurant at the hotel.  The kids made friends with 2 German girls.  Jackson was determined to teach them baseball.  He became frustrated because they didn't know English.  Jack came to the rescue by recalling the only German phrase he had learned 20 years ago on his backpacking trip: "Ich will mein Tanzbien swingen."  The phrase translated in English is "I want to swing my dancing legs."  So Jackson taught them how to "swingen" the bat.

Day 32 - Strasbourg

We arrived in Strasbourg  and took a taxi to our hotel.  Our room was #209. We did not get our room after 1 hour which we spent eating breakfast. Breakfast took 1 hour.  Day 33's breakfast was in our hotel(hotel regent petit france). Day 32's(this day) breakfast was not. -by jackson

We spent the day exploring beautiful Strasbourg. The architecture reflects the combination of cultures and eras in Alsace. The ornate cathedral, another Notre Dame, parts of which are a thousand years old, was all-around stunning and very well preserved. We took a boat tour around the city canals and especially liked rising up and down in the lock. We ate at an Alsacian restaurant on the canal.

Day 31 – Beach, Marina, & Overnight Train

Today we spent the time at the beach and visited the Archeological Museum, with pottery, glass, and bits of city plumbing from more than 2000 years ago.  We then walked along the boats in the harbor, which locals say is the largest pleasure-boat harbor in Europe. (They also say that water-skiing was invented in Antibes.) The kids loved the boats. Finally we got on the train at 8:23 PM at Antibes--and arrived in Strasbourg at 8:23 AM.  We had our own couchette with bedding and everything.  It was very exciting.  Jackson and Grace started the night on the top bunks.  As the train snaked around sharp turns we convinced Grace to sleep on the bottom.  Based on the amount of jerking, we were surprised that Jackson made it through the night on the top.  In the morning, we woke up at Strasbourg.  It was a memorable experience.

Day 30 - Beach, Play, Eat, Beach

Today was a day at the beach, then a nice dinner at a restaurant that the Minnillos recommended when they were here a week earlier.

Day 29 - Beach & Cap d'Antibes Walk

Another good night's sleep and a fun, lazy day at the beach with perfect weather and (today) lots of jellyfish. Across the bay from the beach you first see the peninsular Old Town, then Nice, and then the Maritime Alps, topped with snow. In the evening we took a 3-hour walk along Cap d'Antibes. The cape is home to some of the most beautiful views (and real estate) anywhere. The kids were troopers.

Day 28 - Antibes' Beach & Old Town

After a good night's sleep, we spent the first half of the day on the beach and the second half in Old Town--narrow streets, well-preserved stone buildings, and a beautiful walk along the sea. Jackson and Grace had fun at a playground. There are excellent playgrounds all over--center of town and along the beaches with fabulous views. For dinner we ate at a pizza bistrot on the beach next door; the place is owned by the brother of a former flame of Julia Poger, whom it was not only great to see but who herself has also turned into a kind of theme of our trip.

Day 27 - From Paris to Antibes

We had lunch at Le Bleu Express at Gare de Lyon, hopped on a TGV, said au revoir to Paris, and headed to the beaches of Antibes for some much needed R&R. The kids could not have been more excited to play on the beach when we arrived after 8 p.m., just in time to catch the sunset.