Coulée Verte René-Dumont is a lovely 5k walk from the Eastern edge of Paris into the heart of the city. It’s an abandoned raised rail bed that’s been carefully cared for. Then it’s an easy drop down to the Siene River to continue on to Notre Dame and the Tuileries to add a few more miles.

Breathtaking to be 15 feet away from the Tour de France racers as they hit high speeds going downhill.

Am all set up at the sharp corner before the Tour de France racers start their quick descent from Montmartre.

I’m getting my spot for the Tour de France finish. Heading to the less packed Rue Caulaincourt.

My regards to Cardinal Mendoza and his fine brandy.

TRIGGER ALERT- I had a morning ticket to walk through the Catacombs. So peaceful down there that I wish I could stay forever!

Very good tap house at the end of yesterday’s walk along the Canal Saint Martin, Paris. Paname Brewing Company.

Learned yesterday that Joan of Arc may in fact have been innocent of the heresy charges. Historial Jeanne d’Arc museum, Rouen.

Dramatic walk North and South on the French coastline of Étretat, yesterday. Chased the fatigue with Vietnamese beers- the fall of Saigon and the rise of Hanoi.

Post-heat wave selfie, in Rouen.

Too many people, including the large cruise ship hordes, at Maison et jardins de Claude Monet, yesterday. Better to come in the late spring.

Spending a handful of days in Rouen as a hub to day trip to different places in Normandie. Yesterday was spent in the historic town of Rouen (c.f. Joan of Arc). Today was a walk from Vernon to Giverny to see the gardens and house of Claude Monet.

Sunday morning at Marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen, outskirts of Paris. Parts are like an art museum and the V&A rolled together.

Nice walk to the Maison Caillebotte, in France. Started in Brunoy and walked to Yerres, where Caillebott lived and painted for a number of years.

I’ve been crazy busy the past three days of Belgian holiday, including Baarle Nassau-Hertog. So I slowed down today and beat the Brussels heat with an early showing of The Odyssey. Pretty, pretty good.

Sun is setting in the Brussels part of the Belgian Empire.

Back in Brussels for a week. Our apartment has a top floor view from the private terrace, here off Louisa.

I’m no Royalist but it’s the first day of the annual opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace and I snagged a tour ticket. I got to walk through the U.S. White House East Wing before it was torn down. Hope the Palace never suffers the same failure of leadership.

It’s fair to say that the students left filled intellectually and corporally. Thank you, David, and I hope to see you next summer, my friend. 4/4

Meanwhile, David arranged with the desi pub owner to lay on a feast for the 21 of us. The visual theatricality of the smoking, mouthwatering mixed grilled is surpassed only by the incredible tastes of the meats and vegetables, accompanied by elephant ear-sized nan bread and many side dishes. 3/4

I want to offer deep thanks to David Jesudason @davidjesudason.bsky.social. For my visiting university students, he arranged a walk through Southhall, U.K., including Glassy Junction, from the train station to the Desi Pub, The Scotsman. 1/4

Up the road from Borough Market, at the Royal Oak, is the best list of Harvey‘s beers I’ve ever found in London.

Students all dropped at Heathrow (Piccadilly line to Terminal 3), after our 17-day class. Now my summer holiday begins, through early August.

Took my school group on the Fuller Brewery tour in Chiswick. Then it was a short walk for fish & chips at the Dove, in Hammersmih.

High above the scorching streets of London. Piccadilly line is especially brutal, today.

Maybe toss in Hudepohl and Little Kings Cream Ale for those of us who spent time in the radio reaches of Cincinnati sports teams.

It’s Champagne, Wimbledon, and the vigilante eye of the law, here in Jubilee Market. London.

Dateline Amboise, FR. - The Loire River is whispering the charms of the Valley’s wines, and the Chateau is a panoptical reminder of it past royal excesses.

I spotted some hard-working Parisienne folks this morning, at the d’Orsay.

Am at one of my favorite Paris craft beer bars, Nautilus. The DRC vs. England is on the screen and I can’t help but think about Joseph Conrad, Marlow, Kurtz and the Heart of Darkness.