Wrapping Up the Trip; Back in Memphis

My vacation has come to an end and what a world wind two weeks this has been! From Paris to Geneva to Lyon to Beirut then back to Paris. My favorite place was Beirut. Not to take anything away from the beauty of France and Switzerland but I felt something different in Lebanon. The people are friendly, the weather is beautiful, there are mountains and a seaside, the food is outstanding and the city is alive and well and rebuilding at a frenetic pace. I hope for Beirutis and their visitors it stays that way. As a side note I was in Paris while watching the second half of the World Cup match between Mexico and France and bore witness to the subsequent first stages of the meltdown of the fans, the media and the French team. The unraveling is interesting, no? Here are a couple of parting shots from my last day in Paris.

One of the many gargoyles perched high atop the Sacré Cœur Basilica on Montmarte, the highest point in Paris.

And my personal favorite is a photo on a street called Rue de Silly with a marker sign for the Hotel Tryp. I have obnoxiously circled the signs in yellow. I know, it's like pearls before swine with me. Click the image to enlarge...

Back to downtown Memphis posts this week! To get back into the swing of things I noted that Local on Main Street is showing all the World Cup matches. So get your vuvuzela down there. Glad to be back home.