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14.4.60
Hi Darling -

And from Paris too, at last. For we just got here at 6pm and I'm now
in bed - Tis 8:30 and after a chat with you I'm in for a good night's sleep!

We took quite a lot longer than anticipated getting here, for several reasons.
First two of the girls slept through their alarms and so MAC woke them at 3:50; naturally
we didn't get loaded and away until 4:45. Then we lost an hour by taking a slower
route to Strasbourg, through the Schwarzwald instead of on the Karlsruhe Autobahn.
But this was really worthwhile because we did drive through some of the prettiest part
of the Black Forest - very steep, forested mountains, really rugged this time, with
the road taking may horseshoe turns down the side. The trees were greener of
course than when MAC and I were in the area last quarter, even more
reminiscent of the forests around Fallen Leaf. We arrived in Strasbourg,
after a half hour stop at the border to buy gas coupons (gas is expensive in
France and coupons bought in Germany save on the cost). We took a
half hour break in Strasbourg to see the Gothic cathedral, a really beautiful
structure. I don't like the outside shape of the French gothic as well as
the German - the tall slim rising spire is more appealing than the flat-top
towers in France. But in beauty of the detail sculpture around the doors
and all over the front facade, the French is really beautiful. And even
more, the marvelous stained-glass windows all remain intact - this was
only one of Germany's many tragic losses during the war, here beautiful
church windows. The main rose window as a glorious kaleidiscope of
color and all the side windows extremely beautiful. We happened to arrive during
a special mass (pre-Easter) and the service too was quite lovely

The French countryside was really beautiful, just in the full brightness of
the special light green of early spring growth. It rained part of the way (our route
let through Toul, Nancy) so the air was fresh and breezy, the earth moist and
alive, and the sun gave the passing clouds a silver lining. It was mostly
rolling farm country, with trees bordering each plot of land in narrow rows of "straight
soldiers." As we neared Paris it was very flat, with large plots of farmland,
as much like the San Joaquin valley as anywhere I've seen. But most of all everything
was so lush and green, and so fresh after the rain.

In Paris we came straight to the center of town, to a hotel that others had stayed
in before. But it was full up for the weekend and a search of several nearby on
sidestreets revealed that the room situation in Paris at Easter is really tight!!
We found nice rooms for tonight, but will probably have to hunt in the morning
for someplace else for the next three nights, and it won't be easy to find. MAC
and Sue Brown have a double and I have a single. The other two kids who
rode with us had said from the beginning that the we're going to stay separately,
with "friends" here. But I'm pretty sure they - a couple of course, and they're
sort of going together now - have found a single room to share for the weekend.
This is treated with complete casualness everywhere in Europe, and on the