RER station at the airport

The LED lighting on the escalators makes for an interesting picture...

Chatelet - Les Halles station

A very utilitarian look to it..

The peloton!

It's on

Desolate scene

awaiting the arrival.  Can hear the chase helicopters

Completely where I shouldn't belong.  Made friends with the gendamerie and standing ON THE CHAMPS ELYSEESE.  Can't take a pic, look too suspicious.

Almost into town... Chris Froome already has a champagne glass in his hand

Minions!

The finish line...

Quiet on the side streets

Everyone is streaming to the C-E.  Can hear the publicity caravan arriving.  Look it up on wiki... interesting story behind it.

Carol might remember having dinner here on our honeymoon... on the corner of George V and Marceau.

The Brits are coming

For the maillot juane (yellow jersey), for leader Chris Froome... a Kenyan born Brit. 

Dinner

I stood in solidarity with Carol and chose the pastrami over smoked salmon (she might have caused harm to herself if I posted a picture of that).  The pomme frite is good too!

Ticket in hand...

Collected my ticket, time to head towards the Champs Elyesse!

Ahhhh

Enjoying a baguette, beer and most if all.. the fans, inside from a sidewalk cafe in Ave Keibler.  Walking up to the Arc shortly.

It's hot, but luckily not Florida hot.

On the train

On the train into the city.  It' 90F, there is no AC, and it broke down for 45 mind on the way in.  I now smell like the locals :)

touche!

My wife has been consuming copious amounts of fat and sugar over the past months, using "the baby needs it" as cover.  These are tailgating amounts.... FSU vs Miami amounts.  Our farewell conversation this evening surrounded the freezer location of the lone chocolate ice cream single.  You get the drift....

 

So honey, I say hot-fudge-sundae touche. 

a connected world

The last bastion of internet freedom has fallen... international flight wi-fi is here. Did get to spend a half hour IM'ing with Carol though. Cheap voice will come one day, and "air rage" will enter the vernacular.  CNN will have it live.