Ooh La la!

France is better than expected. Okay, I didn't give it much credit, since I had just spent 2 weeks with the English bashing it for various reasons. Plus I was exhausted, had two overpacked suitcases, and had to switch back into work mode. But last night we had dinner in this tiny little village called Honfleur. It was beautiful. Apparently this is where Samuel Champlain disembarked from in the early 1600s as he set sail and eventually landed in what is now Quebec.

And So it Ends

Pulling myself up out of a medium sized, reconnaisence tank, that of the class commanded by Iceman.
Scary with the RPG launcher...
And happy as can be in a Cobra helicopter, last piloted by COL Sandy Weand. Coincidence? I think not. It's official, I have been exchanged. Two weeks in the US, two weeks in the UK. I will miss all the people, but have to hope the connections we made endure. Lots of laughs were had. More to come.

Whirlwind Tour and Medieval Times

Back in London after 2 days in Reading, 2 days in Sevenoaks. It was cool to visit towns with brick streets and quaint downtown areas, however it was not so cool (literally) to be in a hotel that is so old it has no elevator, air conditioning, hair dryer or room service. Yea, I am the whiny American in this story. Best meal so far was a steak and stilton pie at Sweeney & Todd in Reading.

Walking Tour at Night

As we sought out our first plate of fish and chips or bangers and mash, we walked from our hotel past some landmarks worth sharing. First Big Ben by night. My camera would not cooperate, so the blackberry had to work. At the same location, you can see the side of the Parliament buildings facing the Thames River, with the architecture spotlighted. Next up, is Trafalgar Square. I was amazed by the folks that were congregated here like teenagers would in a mall or movie theater would on a weekend. The building in the background is the British Museum. We walked through here, but the lighting was bad for getting pictures of the monuments. We had dinner at the historic Red Lion and proper pints at a few other pubs in and around the Square.

Wander this World

My travels continue, this time I have landed in jolly old England. My hotel is just behind the London Eye. Peer pressure will likely win out over fear of heights and I will get on. This is the continuation of my US/UK exchange for early career engineers and scientists. Can't wait to see everyone! Now for some sleep and a shower...