Kelsey+B

William Bixby, 2010

May 4th (Thursday) Lille, France:

There has been a great deal of renivationwork done. Archituracturally, it is amazing. Old cathedrals, new town houses, and plenty of other great renivations. I hardly saw any of the "decent-looking" houses, compared to many places Lille still has many older looking streets. Cobblestone streets, shilings, and brick houses really give Lille a cozy atmosphere.

Bixby, William (2010)

May 5th (Friday) Lille and Arras:

Lille has about 784,000 people. we started this A.M. at 9 and went through St. Catherine, Vimy Ridge, Elen, Loos, Lens. Souchez, Neuville, Artois, Arras, Amiens, also Albert, Thiepval, Pozieres, Baupaume, etc., etc. The few tourists like me who visit these places are shocked by the beautiful landscape and architecture of the villages and buildings. Vimy Ridge has cemeteries all around it, mostly English, one Canadian, one Australian and many we could only suppose were English. There were also some German ones. Along the roads were huge blooming trees that form a complete archway overhaed. Every little village that once had little farm houses has farly new houses and buildings. The fine Cathedral of Amiens is beautiful with its stainglass windows.

William Bixby, 2010

May 6th (Saturday) Paris:

Many tourists assembling behind tour guide pacing through the city. Then past the Effiel tower and through Champs Elysees and Musee d'Art Moderne de Paris to the l'Arc de Triomphe. We saw also the Ecole Militaire and went through the Notre Dame Cathedral with its wonderful rose windows. Trees in Champs Elysees and Champs Mars all fine, just starting to bloom. On to the site of Cimetiere de Montmartre, passing over the boulevards made by Hausmann and then the huge church (Sacre Coeur) erected at the high point overlooking Paris (Montmartre). then to the Bois du Bulogne, where we drove for several hours and where we also got out to see the Botanical Gardens and the zoo. The Bois was beautiful, filled with people boating, walking, driving, thousands of baby carriages and bikes.

May 7th (Sunday) Paris:

Started out at 9:30 went first to the Musee du Louvre, where one of the world's most famous painting is kept: The Mona Lisa. Seven floors filled with priceless works of art. Then to lunch at a cafe on St. Andres des Arts; after lunch to Versailles. Of course, the most interesting room was the Mirror Gallery of Louis XIV, but made more interesting by being the room in which William 1st was crowned after the Franco-German war of 1870. Of corouse, the fountains of Versailles are very interesting.

Bixby, William (2010)

May 13th (Saturday) Paris and Tours:

Then in a boat down the Seine past garden after garden, and park after park, past beautiful riverside.