USNA Class of 1963 50th Reunion

On October 23, Georgia & I flew to Annapolis for my 50th college class reunion.  The weekend was filled with a dinner at Bill & Jennifer Earner's home, a gathering of some of the members of the undefeated 1960 plebe crew (We placed 4th in the 1960 Olympic trials and were only beaten that year by our own varsity, who represented the US in Rome; California, the IRA champions; and a good Syracuse alumni boat), a company dinner at the Earner's home, a Friday Brigade parade, a class banquet, the Navy-Pitt football game (Navy won with a field goal with one second left), and a company Sunday brunch, also at the Earner's home. We returned home on Monday after a fabulous week. 

Here are some of the weekend's pictures:

 

First Class Year Roommates

 (I am on the left.  Admiral Bill Earner is in the center. and Walt Ruland is on the right.)

 Five Members of the 1960 Undefeated Plebe Crew

 

 Members of the 8th Company

 Georgia & Hugh at the "Class of 1963" shell

 

Pipes and Drums at the Friday Parade

"Brigade March On" at the Pitt-Navy Football Game

  Members of the 8th Company, who were nuclear qualified submarine officers.

Restaurant Le Jules Verne, Second Level of the Eiffel Tower

We celebrated our visit to Paris with lunch at the Le Jules Verne, a restaurant on the second level(40 stories up) in the Eiffel Tower.  The restaurant was a one star Michelin restaurant and earned its stars.  After lunch we were sad that we had to head for the airport for the trip home.

 

 

 Paris from the Le Jules Verne

Georgia with Our Deserts

 

Georgia's Desert

Hugh's Desert

 

Giverny, France

Today we visited Giverny and Monet's garden.  The gardens were beautiful and I will let the below pictures speak for themselves.



Paris

We arrived in Paris by train from Epernay on the 28th in time to stroll the streets of Ile Saint Louis, where our hotel is located.  On the 29th we walked along the Rue de Rivoli and Bouldvard St Germain, shopped Paris, and dined at night on the Seine. 

Gardens at Notre Dame

Gardens at Notre Dame

Notre Dame as Seen From the Gardens

Georgia on Seine River Dinner Cruise

Hugh on Seine River Dinner Cruise

Eiffel Tower at Night from Dinner Cruise

 

Eiffel Tower at Night



Chalons-de-Champagne and a Tour of the French Champagne Region

Today we rented a car to tour some of the small villages and champagne houses in the region.  We started out by driving to the third large city in the champagne area, Chalons-de-Champagne.  After a short walking tour and a nice lunch in the city, we drove the "Champagne Highway" through Tours-sur-Marne, Bouzy, Avenay Val-d'Or, Aye, and then back to Epernay.  We stopped for a personal tasting at one of the smaller champagne houses, Maurice Vesselle, and brought back a bottle of champagne to celebrate.

Street Scene in Chalons-en-Champagne

 

Georgia Eating Lunch in Chalons-en-Champagne

Municipal Square in Chalons-en-Champagne

Champagne House Directory in Bouzy

Fountain in Avenay-Val-d'Or

View of the Champaign Vineyards from the Town of Mutigny

Reims

Today we visited Reims by traveling on the train from Epernay.  It was a full day with a visit to the "Map Room', where the Germans' surrender was accepted on May 8, 1945.  That was followed by a tour of the Notre Dame of Reims, the cathedral were the kings of France were given their crown.  After the tour, we had a gourmet lunch at La Table Anna before going on a tour of Veuve Clicquot.  One of the surprises at Veuve Clicquot was to see a champagne bottle that was found in the Baltic Sea on a sunken ship that was processed in 1840 and is still good in the bottle.

Georgia In Reims

Statue on the Rue de Bruitte

Catherdal of Notre Dame in Reims

Gormet Lunch at La Table Anna

 

Georgia at Veuve Clicquot

Champgane Caves at Vueve Clicquot

173 Year Old Bottle of Veuve Clicquot

Cheers

Epernay, France

Today we visited the town of Epernay, where we are staying for four days.  Our day was spend seeing the town and in the afternoon doing a tour of Moet & Chandon cellars.  After the tour, which lasted about 90 minutes, we  tasted of their latest vintages.

End of the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay



 

Epernay Farmer's Market

Fountain Plaza in Epernay

 

Street Scene in Epernay

 

Georgia in the Moet & Chandon Champagne Cave

Old Vine Cask in the Moet & Chandon Cave

 

 Hugh & Georgia Toasting at Moet & Chandon Cave Tasting Room

Prague

The last stop on our cruise up the Danube was in Prague.  Prague is not on the Danube, but we were bussed three hours from Ragensburg to  Prague.  Prague's old city was both remarkable and crowded.  The highlights of the visit were a dinner in the Royal Palace, visiting the Strahov monastery library with books dating back to the ninth century, seeing the astronomical clock in operation, and doing an underground tour of the buildings under the municipal office building. 

Prague Old Town Square

 

Astronomical Clock in Prague

 

Prague Old Town Municipal Meeting Building

 

 

 

 

 

Georgia & Hugh In the Old Town Square

 

Strahov Monastery Library with Books Back the Ninth Century

 

Strahov Monastery Library

 

 Strahov Monastery Library

City Office Building Heating System

Three Meters Under the Municipal Office Building

Under the Municipal Office Building