Daily Journal Continued November 16,1998, William Thomas Thompson Arrival in Paris before day break and a van to the hotel. We took off South and turned out over LakeEria for a climb to the jetstream level and with some tailwind for the 3,700 miles flight across the NorthAtlantic to Paris. The flight was full and we had no sleep until we arrived Paris and were driven quickly to the St GermainHotel on the leftbank where a room awaited us and we slept until afternoon like a rock,what do they say about the best layed plans of mice and men. By the time we could getup and dressed out for the street,it was too late to start out to see a major museum so we called and went to visit the Very Special Arts affiliate of Paris at 91,rue Vercingetorix.#14,75014Paris,phone45413444,Denise Merle d'Aubigne. We saw alot of good art done by handicapped peo-ple,some seriously handicapped. I am sure proud of the wonderful job being done here giving such minds a chance to show their col- or. They work with some downs syndrome children creating some gr-eat art. It was priced at about $500.00 per painting. I hope some American dealer will show this work. It was framed so nice and in sizes about 30inches. I was blessed by seeing this exciting work. the time here is 6hours ahead of the East Coast time. Remember to allow a day to recover from the timechange. Paris is very slow to get around in like Los Angeles where you can seeningly only visit one destination perday. The onething I left at home is my writing pad. I have been writing on everything. I see a stationary store. I will buy a book to handwrite the account of this trip. One of 3 days we have here is gone and we must pack into the remaining two all the sites and sounds and art possible tomake the very best of the trip. We have tickets to visit the Palace of Versay at Versa-illes,France but they just went onstrike as is France now so easy to strike. The WWI armistice was signed here on the eleventh day, the eleventh month in 1918. This was mentioned on the radio last week on veterans day. My Father was here near Nice,France on that day,he had just arrived when the war ended and was not in action. We were here in1969February and toured the Palace remembering all the art in the ceilings and the hall of mirrors. The gardens were manicured with art designed of animals and covered with soft snow for a sight to behold. We are traveling light and left mostthings at home. By now I have discovered item number2 that I had at home and need here is a map of Europe,it is hard to buy one here. With 2 wars in this century destroying this place,I cannot see how the city has recovered so well,it would take a week to see all I want to see here. This little Sully Saint Germain historic Hotel is so beautiful,it takes us back to before ourtime,infact,about200years and is a joy to see. Pictures and paintings are typical Paris and gives you the fill,it is cold here as it was in Detroit. Now that we are ready to go out the power went off on all this street. The phones will not work to call a taxi and the front doors will not operate. The very courteous desk clerk is from Madagascar in the Mediterranean,Paris is a place of many nationalities. People from North Africa are pouring in to find a better life. Where is there a better life. Money is for most a better life they think but all the riches in the world will not satify the longing for peace and happiness that one longs for. The heart is only truly happy when right with God and man. Right with God is being right with man.