Dutch tool chest day 2

Another full day in the shop.

My benchmate Mike Haxell

A lot of chests.

Packed and ready to go, what will the airline say? A classmate had some sort of Amazon sorting business, and a warehouse full of packaging materials. Came in handy! It was suggested that I tell the check-in agent that it was a dollhouse for Bea, and that worked like a charm.

Dutch tool chest day 1

Hans flew to England to participate in a two day woodworking course at the New English Workshop in Leamington Spa. The trip there via a long layover in Copenhagen and Paddington Station was uneventful.

The facilities at Warwickshire College were great.

The instructor Chris Schwarz was informative and entertaining.

At the end of the day, one side of the case fitted.

Evening on the beach

Making a bow saw

Some scrap of beech from the woodpile, nylon twine and a Swedish steel blade: presto! a bow saw.

"Home" again

An 18 hour drive later (including a too-long stop at the crazy Dutch/Belgian village of Baarle-Nassau and a long wait at the German/Danish ferry terminal) and we're back in Falkenberg. Hans and Anders picked up Gaspard yesterday, and the family is all back together.

Standing in two countries at once.

We were lucky to be the last car allowed on the ferry.

Flea market and Jardin d'Acclimatation

We started the day at the Saturday flea market at Vanves. A lot of treasures but nothing we couldn't live without.

So we headed to Bois de Boulogne and ate lunch in a gazebo near the new Gehry building.

And Bea could splash at the Jardin d'Acclimatations...

...and take in a Guignol puppet show...

...where she lost a tooth! (Maybe Guignol hit her in the head with his baton.)

Then it was time to celebrate with a roller coaster.

A relaxing way to cool off after a big week.

Arts et Metiers and an afternoon out

Bea and Hans explored the museum of Arts et Metiers, a fantastic collection of tools, machines and models in our neighborhood. In the blazing heat of the afternoon we sought refuge in a bar to watch the first alpine stage of the Tour and then had a picnic around the corner from Shakespeare and Co.

While Madeleine visited an architect office she collaborates with, Bea and Hans visited the museum.

Beautiful displays, few visitors.

We watched a demonstration of Foucault's pendulum.

It was around 30 degrees in the afternoon sun, so a beer and a pastis in a cool bar with the Tour on TV hit the spot.

We crossed the river to visit the famous bookstore and have a picnic.

Some Spaniards exchanged the favor of photographing the family together. The whole locks-on-a-bridge phenomenon is curious.

Parc de la Villette and Montmartre

We rode the metro out to the 19th to rent bikes near Parc Villette and then continued to Montmartre. We strolled home and dined at the old favorite Chartier.

Hans had read about this rental place online.

Parc de la Villette is in the former meatpacking district, and soon will be bustling with activity.

Bea had one of the new P'tit Velib bikes. The Claes Oldenberg is anything but petit.

After returning the bikes we took the Metro to Montemartre and ascended to the basillica in the blazing sun.

We restored our energies at a cafe and romped at a nice playground...

...before heading back into town...

...for a fun dinner at Chartier.

Paris merci

Marais

We spent the day in our local environs: The Centre Pompidou, Les Halles, and Marais.

The Anne Frank garden has a nice educational corner.

A stop at Dehillerin...

This pigeon lifted a ride on this Megane for a good distance down the street and around the corner.

Bea showed her mamma the doll museum...

...and bought new clothes for Lillan.

We took the elevator up the Centre Pompidou...

...for a view of tomorrow's destination.

And ate Rainier cherries while watching this fellow make massive bubbles before heading into the Merais:

The Swedish Institute.

Bea drawing at the boutique Merci.

Our dinner: green salad, a pita from the Jewish quarter (excellent chicken and cilantro), tabouleh from an eco-market.