Cover Reveal – ADELLE’S TIME by Dayna Leigh Cheser

Adelle's TimeDayna Leigh Cheser
is proud to present the
Cover Reveal
for her newest
Historical Romance novel,
Adelle’s Time
book three (of five) of her TIME Series.
The Grayson Family Saga continues.

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Prologue

The first time she appeared was during the Hargrove’s ball.

Like a dream, the specter floated from the shadows.

Conversation ceased. All eyes looked her way.

Her slim body emphasized the simple, yet elegant, cloth-of-gold gown. The white silk cloak emanated a soft, subtle glow in the flickering candlelight. Concealed under the cloak’s hood, and the veil that shrouded her face, she teased the imagination with her sensuous movements.

Ladies’ fans labored furiously; the gentlemen smiled their approval.

She floated slowly around the room, as if on air, with the cloak drifting behind her.

Then, as suddenly as she’d appeared, she slipped into the shadows and was gone.

Motionless, the Lords and Ladies stared at each other in silent amazement.

Questions bubbled to the surface. Who was she? Where had she come from? Where did she go?

Several men jumped into action, racing out into the night, but soon returned. They’d found no trace of the mystical entity, ‘Lady Mysterious’.

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Adelle's TimeAbout the Cover

Before I gave any thought to the cover design, I had written into the book Adelle’s favorite get-away location, a large willow tree near the confluence of two gentle streams, not far from her home. There, she could find some peace and quiet … away from the hustle and bustle of her world which included a home, children, and a charity – bringing London orphans out of the city during the dangerous, disease ridden summers. While not exactly ‘summer camp,’ she hit on the idea when, as a new resident of London herself, she was advised to get out of town during the summers. It didn’t seem right to her, leaving those children behind. Then, she named her first child Willow. So the willow tree theme was there. All I needed was a model with black hair, dark eyes and at least quasi-Victorian garb. That was not an easy task. It took month’s of searching.

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In Chapter Nine, Adelle meets Lord Hastings

… I looked up at him, and again, he winked, his light blue eyes, dancing in the candlelight.

“So, have you heard the gossip about ‘Lady Mysterious’?” My breath caught in my throat. He knew. Somehow, he knew.

Deanna saw my distress and took over the conversation. “Only what we’ve heard through the grapevine, or read in the papers. A woman shows up at the balls, dressed scandalously, unannounced and uninvited, walks about the room, then leaves, without a trace.”

“It’s not quite that simple,” Lord Hastings said. “‘Lady Mysterious’ arrives, and waits until all eyes are on her.” He glanced at me, then continued. “Then, she wanders about, taking care to not get too close, and, as you said, she leaves. And, you’re right, even in light snow one evening, no trace of her was found outside the ballroom. But, I must tell you, she’s quite lovely. Her gown is quite scandalous, as you said, Lady Deanna, but many of the ladies have copied it, to one degree or another. I’ve gotten close to her a couple of times. I almost had her in my arms when she disappeared.”

I had to know. “Disappeared?”

“Hmm. She didn’t run or walk away, she … vanished. I haven’t figured it out yet, but I know she’s not a figment of my imagination. Too many other people have seen her, including Lord Grenfell who saw her disappear, too. There have been many fine inventions in recent years, but we know of no machine capable of doing such a thing.”

I relaxed a bit. He’d seen us disappear, but he didn’t understand how it could happen. And, from his conversation, he didn’t know who ‘Lady Mysterious’ was, but was interested in finding out because he thought she was lovely. And he had yet to see an inch of her skin.
I must have had a puzzled look on my face because Lord Hastings said, “What do you find so puzzling, my dear?”

Think fast. My mind raced to answer his question.
“Why would someone do this? She spent a considerable amount of time on this, between the gown you mentioned, and her overall plan, if there is one, but to what end?”

“Lord Grenfell and I have discussed this at length but can come up with no reason to put on such an elaborate show. Perhaps you ladies can assist us, give us a woman’s point of view. Why would a woman go to such lengths for no apparent reason?”

I took a deep breath and glanced at Deanna. She was leaving this question for me.
“I’m sure I don’t know, Lord Hastings. I’m afraid I don’t understand how the mind of a common trollop works.”

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “A common trollop? What makes you say that?”

“Well, she’s parading around in a scandalous gown, showing up unescorted, and uninvited. No real lady would do such things, am I right?”

“Well, yes, that’s true, but what if she were, in fact, a lady?”

“Then, we’ve come full circle to the ‘why’ again. Why would any lady risk her reputation like this? There’s also her family’s reputation, not to mention her husband’s, if she’s married.” Lessons learned.

Lord Hastings summed up the assumptions so far. “So, we’ve pretty much agreed, then, that the lady in question isn’t a lady. We can also rule out someone using this as a ploy to get inside the big houses of London to see what they might steal since she’s only inside the ballroom, which is a public room in most houses. Besides, if someone were looking to find things to steal, getting themselves hired as house staff would give them better access and opportunity.”

“You have given this a lot of thought.” I was impressed.

“I have, ma’am, and will continue to do so. We don’t know when or where she’ll turn up next, but I plan to be prepared.”

“For what?”

“I must know who she is. She reminds me of my late wife. It’s quite maddening.”

“Lord Hastings, correct me if I’m wrong, but is not the costume this ‘Lady Mysterious’ wears covering every inch of her body?”

“That’s true, but there’s something about the way she walks … the way she holds her head.”

Mixed emotions flowed through me. Of course, his wife walked the way ‘Lady Mysterious’ walks. It’s why I practiced the walk for days, so it looked like ‘Lady Mysterious’ was an aristocratic woman. But he wasn’t interested in me. He was enthralled by my alter-ego, and only because she walks like his dead wife. I wiped the beginnings of a smile off my face when I saw him looking at me.

“You, my lady, are an enigma. I look at you, and see the look on your face. I’m sure, at that moment, you know something about ‘Lady Mysterious’. But, the next time I look at you, it’s clear you know nothing.” He shook his head.

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I’m so glad to be a part of your cover reveal for Adelle’s Time, Dayna. I’ve just made a pitcher of iced tea so since we’ve got some lovely May weather, let’s sit outside in the sunshine and chat. I’m dying to know more about you and what makes you… shall we say, tick.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I can’t remember NOT wanting to write. I can’t remember not loving to read, and the two go hand-in-hand.

How long does it take you to write a book?

‘Janelle’s Time’ was 10 years in the making, but ‘Moria’s Time’ was released about 13 months later. ‘Adelle’s Time’ will be released in June, about 9 months after ‘Moria’s Time.’ The last 2 books in the series will, I think, both be in 2015 – ‘Logan’s Time’ early in the year and ‘Clarissa’s Time’ later in the year.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

When I get up in the morning, usually plus or minus 7:30 AM, I tend to do stuff around the house, or go shopping. I’m usually done with that before noon. Then, I spend the afternoons and often into the evening, if there’s noting else on the agenda, on the computer where I’m not always writing, but I almost always doing something writing-related.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

Plot and story lines come from my head, mostly, but I research a lot, too. With the first book, I sat down to a blank screen and started writing. I knew the time-frame, and the locale, but not much else. The rest of the series was based on and expanded upon the earlier book(s).

When did you write your first book and how old were you?

I wrote ‘Janelle’s Time’ in 2002-2003. I was 54-55. When I finished the book, I put it on the shelf for a number of reasons, and didn’t bring it out again until 2009 when I more-or-less retired and finally had time to devote to the publishing process.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Oh, all sorts of things. My husband and I are restoring an old motor home right now, with hopes of using it to trade in on a newer and bigger one so we can ‘hit the road’ for a while, now that we’re both officially retired. Right now, I’m squeezing in time to sew the curtains for the motor home. We take in RV shows all over south Florida. I love to read, but haven’t done a whole lot of it lately, mostly a time problem.

What does your family think of your writing?

Actually, not a lot. It’s not that big a deal. Most of us are writers in one way or another so there’s nothing particularly remarkable. I’m the only published novel writer, though.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I’ve written two books that have been published, with a third coming out very soon. There are 2 more in the series before I move on to another project. My favorite book is usually the one I’m working on at the moment, but the next one I’ll be working on, ‘Logan’s Time,’ will probably be my favorite-favorite. I also have a published short story, too.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Like most kids, when I was little, I wanted to be something different every week. But, as I got older, more and more focus was on writing in some way. I’m happiest when I’m writing.

On the non-writing side:
Do you go out of your way to kill bugs? Are there any that make you screech and hide?

I am not freaked out by bugs – or any critter – if I seen it/them first. If it/they surprise me, I might make some sort of remark (not printable here), but I don’t screech, hide, climb on chairs, and/or run, nor do I kill, if I can help it. I’m more apt to capture and release (outdoors).

Do you get road rage? What pisses you off the most about other drivers?

Sometimes I get upset or frustrated with traffic in general and some drivers in particular, especially if I’m in a hurry, and might make a remark – to myself – about the bad drivers. I do not, however, get ‘road rage.’ That doesn’t usually end well.

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your cover reveal for Adelle’s Time with everyone here at Celtic Connexions. I wish you much success with it and all your other novels, too.

 

 

 

Cover Reveal – FALLEN FOR ROCK by Nicky Wells

FALLEN FOR ROCK – COVER REVEAL

Fallen for RockFALLEN FOR ROCK

Blurb:

‘A thrilling and delicious story of love and self-discovery woven around a broken romance that will make you turn page after page and cheer to the end.’

Love, life, loyalties. Nothing stays the same when Emily gets drawn into the world of rock.

Glossy and sophisticated professional high-flyer Emily has no time for nonsense such as the rock music her ex-boyfriend Nate adored so much. Yet when she unexpectedly comes into possession of VIP tickets—access all areas—for new rock band phenomenon, MonX, she can’t resist the temptation.

The fateful gig turns into more than one night, and Emily finds herself strangely drawn to this new and unfamiliar glittery world. However, only weeks later, MonX and her own universe fall apart with devastating consequences for all. When MonX lead singer Mike appeals for her help, she reluctantly embraces a new opportunity. But she soon discovers that while she may be a rock chick after all, a groupie she is not… Or is she?

Just exactly where do her loyalties lie? And what direction will her life take now that she’s left behind everything she treasured?

Warning! Fallen For Rock contains some explicit content and strong language that may not be suitable for readers under eighteen years of age.

Fallen for RockAbout Nicky Wells: Romance that Rocks Your World!

Nicky Wells is your ultimate rock chick author. Signed to US Publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing, she writes Romance That Rocks Your World, featuring the rock star and the girl next door… because there’s no better romantic hero than a golden-voiced bad boy with a secret soft heart and a magical stage presence!

Nicky’s books offer glitzy, glamorous romance with rock stars—imagine Bridget Jones ROCKS Notting Hill! If you’ve ever had a crush on any kind of celebrity, you’ll connect with Nicky’s heroes and their leading ladies.

Nicky loves listening to rock music, dancing, and eating lobsters. When she’s not writing, she’s a wife, mother, occasional knitter, and regular contributor at Lincoln’s Siren 107.3 FM. Rock on!

Nicky’s books: Sophie’s Turn | Sophie’s Run | Sophie’s Encore | Spirits of Christmas

***Fallen for Rock—Coming 30 June 2014!***

Join Nicky:  Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Romantic Novelists’ Association |Sapphire Star Publishing | Amazon | Goodreads| Pinterest

Did you know? There’s a single out now by Nicky’s fictional rock band Tuscq come to life! “Love Me Better” is available for download from Amazon, iTunes and many other places.

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day

To all of you out there who are mothers, grandmothers and even great-grandmothers, I wish you all a Happy Mother’s Day.

my mother
Ruth (Neddo) Robertson May 13, 1930 – September 14, 2010

For me, I’ll be partaking in what has become a tradition since losing my mum in the fall of 2012. Now on Mother’s Day, I visit the cemetery and leave flowers at her grave.

The cemetery celebrations started the day we buried my mum’s ashes. We sent her off with a song by her favourite singer – Vince Gill, and her favourite tipple – champagne. For the last few years of her life, I spent a lot of time out home doing as I called it “mother-sitting”. She introduced me to everyone who came into the house as “This is my daughter, Melanie. She’s writing a book.” So when I was offered my contract, it seemed right that I should celebrate there with her and my dad.

with-manuscript
Celebrating with my contract, manuscript and champagne

 

 

#PostfromParis – Day 10 Homeward Bound

It hardly counts as a day because we’ll spend most of it at the airport before our homeward bound flight to Toronto gets into the air.

We had packed as much as we could the previous evening so it was just a matter of the last minute stuff, weighing the bags and making sure they remained within the weight restrictions imposed by the airline, then checking out.

After the mess with the company we had hired to pick us up at the airport the day we arrived, we ate the cost of the shuttle back to the airport and hired a company that the hotel recommended. Turns out the original guy did show at the appointed time and waited for about 20 minutes. Oh well, sucks to be him.

So bags packed, room checked from top to bottom and back again to make sure we’d left nothing behind, we headed to the elevator – out of order. ACK! Me with a cane, our room on the 6th floor and it was a spiral staircase! It wasn’t going to be pretty.

Hubby grabbed one of our heavy suitcases, the laptop backpack, and his c-pap machine and took to the stairs while I waited. After a while, puffing, he appeared again and took the other suitcase down. When I descended the stairs, I couldn’t use the railing because it was on the inside where the stair treads were the narrowest and I needed to be next to the wall where I had a full step to put my feet and cane on.

Eventually, I made it to the lobby and began the check-out process. We had taken advantage of the breakfasts every day but the day we arrived and yesterday. The poor guy at the desk had a miserable time trying to count up the number of meals. Every time he did, he arrived at a different number. The one number that came up most for him was seven. We agreed with that. I knew that I owed for our last night because I had booked it well after I made the original reservations but the desk clerk insisted it was already paid and didn’t charge us for it. I knew otherwise and if it wasn’t looked after at then, it would end up on my credit card anyway.

Our driver arrived and took us to the airport. Early on a Sunday morning (between 7:30 and 8:00) there isn’t a lot of traffic so we made good time getting to Terminal 3. Note to self – use this guy again.

When we checked in at the Air Transat counter, the gal checking us in put “priority” tags on both of our suitcases and then asked me if I needed a wheelchair. Anyway, we got checked in, went through passport control and took up seats in the departure lounge.

There were two Air Transat flights to Canada leaving – one to Montreal and ours to Toronto and at adjacent gates. We hoped our checked luggage got onto the right plane.

When the light went on over the gate exit to the shuttle bus (yes, a bus takes you from the terminal to your plane), everyone flocked there even though they were only looking for Option Plus, Club Class and people travelling with children.

Hubby scanned his boarding pass and it was rejected. He tried again with the same result. The message was “rejected – seat not available”. The girl at that counter took his pass from him and went to her computer. She returned a few minutes later and his original seat/row were crossed out and new information written below it. Since we were travelling together, I didn’t even try to scan mine just handed it to her. We were now in row 2 rather than row 25 and in seats H and K.

We couldn’t be lucky enough to receive a complimentary upgrade to Club Class on both flights could we? And were we together? With a letter missing, it made us wonder. We needn’t have worried because our seats were together on the right hand side of the plane in the last row of Club Class! Another flight of pampering.

This plane was one of the fleet that had been re-fitted – touch screens in the seat backs in front of us, even wider seats than in the Club Class section going over. Heaven!

So once again, we ate like Kings, drank like Kings (in moderation this flight since we had to drive home), and travelled like Kings!

Our trip to Paris was wonderful. The city every bit as beautiful as I remembered and we’d both like to go back again and see the sights and the people.

 

#PostfromParis – Day 9 The Marais

Our last full day in Paris. I had originally planned on booking us into a hotel out by the airport for our last night but I am really glad I didn’t.

Unlike other mornings, we decided to skip breakfast at the hotel and get straight on to our last day of sightseeing in this beautiful city.

We thought we would try the catacombs again this morning, and even Gerald at the hotel said he felt this would be our lucky day after hearing about the 3/4 of the way around the block queue to get in the previous day.

Taking umbrella #1 with us, we struck out. Umbrella #2 from the previous day was in the trash in our room. Unfortunately, when we emerged from the Denfert-Rochereau metro station, the line appeared to be as long as the previous day. We crossed the street and followed the queue around the block. This time instead of being 3/4 of the way around, it stretched ALL the way around!

So we went back to the metro stop but not before taking a few photos in the area.

Le lion de Belfort
Le lion de Belfort

We took the train to Nation (via line 6), then changed to line 1 and rode it to the stop at Bastille. One of the first sights we saw when we emerged from the underground was the July Column in Place de la Bastille.

The July Column in Place de la Bastille
The July Column in Place de la Bastille

Once the site of the notorious Bastille prison which was stormed during the French Revolution, the column is now surrounded by a busy roundabout.

Umbrella #1 continued to give us grief (as it did the first time we had it with us) and at the slightest bit of wind, turned inside out.

We went into the park and took advantage of the canopy provided by the trees and enjoyed some drier moments. I had been here in 2003 with my husband’s niece when we did one of the Paris Walk’s Marais walking tour and managed to lose the lens cap to my camera here in this park that day.

one of the fountains in the park at place des vosges
One of the fountains in the park at Place des Vosges
statue of louis xiii in place de vosges
Statue of Louis XIII

When we left the park, we walked in the direction of this building at Place des Vosges and through the archways onto Rue de Béarn.

Buildings around Place des Vosges
Buildings around Place des Vosges

When I saw the cluster of sirens on the roof of the building, I immediately thought air raid sirens but dismissed that idea. After all, back in my hometown, the ones that used to be on the top of the hydro poles or rooftops had long since been removed.

gendarmerie and air raid sirens on rue de bearn
The gendarmerie and air raid sirens on Rue de Béarn
Rue Saint-Gilles from Rue de Béarn
Rue Saint-Gilles from Rue de Béarn

While we wandered the streets of The Marais district, we passed a number of shops selling umbrellas. While our little one was a pain in the bottom, the ones on sale for €10.00 in one of the men’s clothing shops, would never have fit in our suitcases – not even if it were put in diagonally. And there were no guarantees that even a more expensive brolley would have been more stout and held up against the gusts that turned ours inside out.

One thing I hadn’t done yet during our stay in Paris, was show my husband where I stayed with his niece in 2003. Back to the metro we went and hopped the train to the stop at the huge Châtelet station to catch line 11 to the stop at Jourdain. It took me a few moments to get my bearings as it had been a long time since I’d been here but I found the location of the flat.

My plan was to replicate part of the walk we did back in 2003 on the day I arrived. I remembered walking to Parc de Belleville and being able to look out over the city and see the Eiffel Tower from our vantage point. But time being what it was, things didn’t work out quite as planned. Still we had a lovely walk despite the rain.

We walked down Rue Levert to Place Henri-Krasucki where we stopped at a small boulangerie and picked up a couple of hotdogs that we could eat as we walked. Now a hotdog isn’t like back home. This hotdog was in a small baguette – two weiners starting from opposite ends, then smothered in cheese. You could have it warm or cold. We chose warm. Eating as we walked made us feel almost 100% Parisian since we had met many people happily eating various breads on their travels.

Passage Piat at Rue des Couronnes in the 20th arrondissement
Passage Piat at Rue des Couronnes in the 20th arrondissement

We did walk through some of Parc de Belleville after using the public toilets near the entrance (nasty it was but when needs must…) but for the most part, I felt uncomfortable there. I can’t put my finger on the reason for my uneasiness but it quickly passed once we were back out on the street.

The plan was to do some shopping before leaving Paris, so when we got to the Couronnes metro stop, we took line 2 back to the stop at Nation, then rode line 1 back to the stop at Hôtel de Ville.

The Couronnes metro stop on Bd de Belleville
The Couronnes metro stop on Bd de Belleville

We exited the Hôtel de Ville station on Rue de Lobau. We were back in familiar territory having been here earlier in the week. After we walked around to the front of the city hall building, we crossed Pont d’Arcole and stopped at a souvenir shop on Ile de la Cité where we picked up some goodies to take home.

It was still early and the boat tour guide had mentioned the beautiful stained glass window in Notre Dame Cathedral so we thought we would take a wander over and view it from the inside. Big mistake. Like everywhere else we’d been, there was a great long queue to get in.

Instead, we walked to the square in front of Palais du Justice before returning to the metro and taking line 1 to the Saint Paul stop – just a short walking distance from ‘our local’ The Auld Alliance.

Palais du Justice
Palais du Justice

We had an enjoyable afternoon in The Auld Alliance with Stephanie and Lauren (the barmaids) and before we left, got all of our shopping into one of our nylon bags and disposed of the over-sized plastic one we were given where we had bought the things to take home. Umbrella #1 also stayed behind in the trash at the pub.

After saying our goodbyes, we walked a bit further down the street past the Saint Paul metro stop, impeding the progress of a bus because we were actually walking on the road surface and not the sidewalk (oops). Oh well, no harm was done to us or the bus. We passed a small boucherie that had rotisserie chickens on display out front. A Small one of them would be our supper, but first, I wanted to show my husband the church just a few doors further down the street.

L'Eglise Saint Paul-Saint Louis on Rue Saint Antoine near the Auld Alliance
L’Eglise Saint Paul-Saint Louis on Rue Saint Antoine near the Auld Alliance

When I was in Paris in 2003, after the Marais walking tour, we went inside the church. Not this time. In front of two of the doorways, there were people who were sleeping rough.

Instead, we went back to the boucherie, picked out our €10.00 chicken and went back to the hotel. It smelled so good all the way home, I’m sure it made other people close by on the metro hungry. I know it did us. We ate the chicken with our fingers, pulling the meat off of the bone. It tasted every bit as delicious as it smelled and the meat was lovely and moist. In no time, we had the carcass picked clean.

Because we had to leave early the following morning to catch our shuttle to the airport, we wanted to pack our suitcases (as much as possible) so that we could weigh them and if need be, shuffle things from one to the other to keep under the weight restrictions.

It was hard to believe our time in Paris was almost up.

#PostfromParis – Day 8 Saint Germain des Prés

We had originally planned a custom walking tour around this area today, well before I hurt my leg. We had already managed to get a few stops in along this walk earlier in the week (Jardin du Luxembourg, the Church of Saint Sulpice, and Shakespeare and Company) but thought we’d give the other stops on the walk a go.

After our breakfast, we got on the metro at the stop we’d used all week (Chateau Rouge on line 4 in the 18th arrondissement) and took it to the St-Michel stop in the 6th arrondissement.

Saint Germain des Prés
Fontaine Saint-Michel in Place Saint-Michel

We wound our way through the narrow streets in the Saint Germain des Prés neighbourhood in the Latin Quarter until we arrived at L’Hotel where Oscar Wilde died on Rue des Beaux-Arts.

Saint Germain des Prés
L’Hotel on Rue des Beaux Arts
Saint Germain des Prés
Oscar Wilde plaque by the front door of L’Hotel

From here, we were on our way to Pub Saint Germain  but not for a drink or pub meal. Soon after we turned down Rue de l’Ancienne Comédie, there was a close that led to yet another narrow cobbled street so we went there. I immediately recognized it as a location on a walking tour I did back in 2003.

Saint Germain des Prés
Pub St Germain

There was a method to my madness for slipping through here to the back side of the pub. High on the wall, there’s a plaque of interest.

Saint Germain des PrésThe plaque reads:

Ce passage fut un haut lieu
de la Revolution Français
~~~
Au No 8 etait installee l’imprimerie
dans laquelle Marat
fit paraitre son journal
L’ami du peuple en 1793
~~~~
Au No 9 se trouvait l’atelier du
charpentier SCHMIDT qui fabriqua
la premiere guillotine en 1792
~~~~
Au no 20 (emplacement
de l’actuelle statue)
DANTON habita de 1789 jusqu’a son
arrestation le 30 Mars 1794

translated to English using Google Translate:

This passage was a hotbed
of the French Revolution
~~~
In No. 8 was located in printing
in which Marat
did seem his diary
The Friend of the People in 1793
~~~
In No. 9 was the workshop
SCHMIDT carpenter who manufactured
the first guillotine in 1792
~~~
At No. 20 (location
of the current statue)
DANTON lived from 1789 until his
arrested Mar 30, 1794

Entrance to Cour de Commerce St Andre at Bd Saint-Germain
Entrance to Cour de Commerce St Andre at Bd Saint-Germain
Statue of Danton on Bd Saint Germain
Statue of Danton on Bd Saint Germain

Our walk did cover some of the same territory as earlier in the week, but we did things a wee bit differently. This time we went inside the Church of Saint Sulpice.

Inside the Church of Saint Sulpice
Inside the Church of Saint Sulpice

In order to get to the catacombs, we had to walk by the Jardin du Luxembourg again, so this time we went along the opposite side.

Rue Vaugirard at Rue Garanciere
Rue Vaugirard at Rue Garanciere
At one of the fountains in the Jardin du Luxembourg near Rue D'Assas
At one of the fountains in the Jardin du Luxembourg near Rue D’Assas

By now it was raining a bit harder and we discovered that the umbrella we had brought with us today was in worse shape than the one we had the day we went to the Eiffel Tower and the wind blew it inside out many times in the sudden storm that blew up. Anyway, this one had a broken rib and the fabric hung limp when it wasn’t blown back on top of itself so there wasn’t a lot of room for two people.

Since the catacombs didn’t open until 2:00 pm, we decided to hop the metro back to the hotel, change umbrellas, ditch the camera bag and just each carry a camera use the toilet then go back out. After all, we each had two 5-day unlimited use passes and intended to get our money’s worth out of them.

After our brief pit stop, we hopped back on the metro and this time rode all the day to the Denfert-Rochereau stop which is at The Catacombs.

Head of the line to enter the catacombs
Head of the line to enter the catacombs

The queue stretched around the corner so we thought we would join the end and wait since it still wasn’t opening time. Well, we walked almost all the way around the block before we found the end!

Back of the line 3/4 of the way around the block
Back of the line 3/4 of the way around the block

Standing in the rain, umbrella or not to wait at least an hour wasn’t my idea of a good time, so we walked around the circle  before going back to the fountain in the Jardin du Luxembourg for a selfie by the fountain where Don took a photo of me earlier.

At one of the fountains in the Jardin du Luxembourg near Rue DAssas
At one of the fountains in the Jardin du Luxembourg near Rue DAssas

On up Rue St Michel to Rue Soufflot and over to the Pantheon. We had seen a dome covered with scaffolding from many vantage points throughout the city and unfortuntely, this was the one. This building is gorgeous when it’s not wrapped up.

The Pantheon
The Pantheon
Saint-Etienne-du-Mont near the Pantheon
Saint-Etienne-du-Mont near the Pantheon

By now we were getting thirsty so it was time to head to the Auld Alliance for something to quench our thirst.

The Auld Alliance Pub
The Auld Alliance Pub

It wasn’t this dark when Don took this picture of me outside the pub but definitely overcast and raining.

Outside the Auld Alliance
Outside the Auld Alliance

After a few pints and laughs with the bar maid, we made our way to our usual restaurant for a bite of supper before heading to the metro to go back to the hotel. This time, we thought we’d check out the Rue de Bac stop since it appeared to be much closer than the one at Concorde we had been using all week. The added bonus here was, we found a Nicholas shop where we could get a bottle of champagne!

We stopped in, bought a bottle of Canard-Duchêne (the same champagne we drank in London) and one of Armagnac (similar to Cognac) that came in a bottle shaped like the Eiffel Tower.

Rue de Bac was so much more convenient from getting from the heart of the city to our hotel, we kicked ourselves for not looking into it sooner.