Busy!  We have been in S. Africa--Melkbosstrand--for just over a week, and I am finally getting back to this. 

The flight out was grueling--22 hours in the air and a couple of layovers with next to no sleep.  We arrived last Monday night late and were very kindly welcomed to the Sandcastle B&B by Korbus Mocke, who, with his wife Liana, are the owners. 

It was a scramble over the next couple of days to rent a car and then get phones (since we were otherwise incommunicado) and a bank account locally.  Actually, there seems to be no end to little details that have to be handled, between the paperwork needed for phones and bank account and additional paperwork requirements from the plant (try getting a police report from Manitowoc while living in S. A.!).

Tuesday night Mike and Annie from contracting company took us out to dinner and introduced us to several people from the plant, including Bob Barrett and his wife Sara, who came around the next day and offered to show me around.  She also gave me some leads on areas to look for housing, and we're making progress on that front.  Next week, we move into a furnished apartment, and at the end of September we hope to move into a small house on the beach. 

Have not yet uploaded photos of our current digs (which have an ocean view), but I promise to get that done soon.  I know I promised some photos of Paris, so are a few. 

This is the view flying in.

And here we have granddaughter Morgan at the gate to a little playground at the park in front of la
Tour Eiffel. (Day 1)

View of Montmartre from Sacre Coeur. (Day 2)

A view across the Seine from la Tour Eiffel.  I think these are government buildings, but maybe someone can clue me in.  (Day 3)

Morgan by Baudelaire's tomb, which we found by happy accident in a cemetery on Rue Edgar Quinet at the top of Rue Delambre, where we were staying.  We went up the Rue Raspail that day to St. Germaine and ultimately to Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cite.  (Day 4)

A fountain and pool in the Jardin des Tuilleries, with the ferris wheel of a carnival in back.  After visiting the Louvre (the Greek and Roman sculpture areas, which were of great interest to Morgan), we passed through the carnival, and Rachel and Morgan took a ride through the Haunted House.

Rachel and Morgan at the gate to our cottage as we prepared to leave.  It was situated in a little courtyard with apartment buildings all around it.  Because city noise was muffled,  we seemed all alone in its little garden.

More later!