ROUEN, FRANCE

HERE I AM SITTING IN A CYBER CAFE IN ROUEN, FRANCE. WE DECIDED NOT TO GO TO PARIS BECAUSE THIS PLACE SEEMED MORE INTERESTING AND WE HAVE BEEN TO PARIS MANY TIMES. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL MEDIEVAL CITY CENTER DATING FROM THE TIME OF JOAN OF ARC, WHO WAS BURNED AT THE STAKE RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN. IF FACT, I AM STARING AT THE PLACE RIGHT NOW. THE PLACE IS FILLED WITH ANCIENT MONESTARIES, CHURCHES, CATHEDRALS AND OLD, NARROW WINDING STREETS TOO SMALL FOR CARS AND MAGNIFICENT OLD BUILDINGS DATING FROM THE MIDDLE AGES. IT IS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY, HERITAGE DAY, AND EVERYONE IS STROLLING AROUND, EATING AT SIDEWALK CAFES AND GENERALLY JUST CHILLING OUT. IT'S REALLY NICE. WE WALKED ALL AROUND THE OLD PART AND TOOK A SIGHTSEEING TRAM TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T MISS ANYTHING. TO GET HERE WE TOOK A TRAIN RIDE FOR AN HOUR AND WILL HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING ON THE WAY BACK TO GET TO THE SHIP. SO FAR, THE WEATEHR HAS BEEN DELICIOUS AND WE ARE REALLY HAVING A GOOD TIME. WE ARE GETTING ALONG QUITE WELL WITH OUR FRACTURED FRENCH AND PEOPLE SEEM TO APPRECIATE OUR ATTEMPT TO SPEAK.