Rabbit, Hatter & Chessie Go Rogue in Christmasland.New5/11 Meet my Nemesis, Splash M.

[PracPerfPatricia]

My mom is the same way with her morning coffee...it is an absolute must-have!!!

Glad to hear that you made your flight OK!

Yay for the Beach Club!!!!

Oh yes... nothing comes between me and my coffee... Just keep it coming and no one gets hurt... Yeah... missing the flight would have put a major damper on this TR to say nothing of the trip itself & I agree triple yays for the Beach Club...

I'm here!!!

And yay! You've arrived at the Beach Club!!

Hey Brook...

I SO hear you about the coffee thing...I just wouldn't be able to go that long without a real cup I don't think! It would have thrown off my whole day. Hopefully you didn't feel so quiet "out of body"-esque by later in the day. (and I know JUST that feeling that you are talking about, been there! We are total addicts...)

Exactly...Oh...I'm so glad someone understands...



that totally makes sense to me! It works.

It's embarrassing the stories I can make up to entertain myself...

Did they go by the name of Todd and Paul?



Hmmm... I believe they did actually and they crashed someone's Wedding Photos over at the BW... I couldn't believe it... I wouldn't have wanted them crashing my wedding photos...

I love your introductions. I didn't even realize Emily didn't go with you. but I totally understand. She has this summer to look forward to.

She's crazed right now with school and apps and all of her activities... but yes she'll be with us in the summer...

I am always feeling like I am running late to the airport, but its usually in the coming home direction.

I have to laugh at the McD's supernaturally hot coffee. I agree - their coffee is insanely hot. I prefer Wawa - perfect every time and cheap. I am so into cheap coffee. Plus I love throwing a little pumpkin cappuccino in my coffee this time of year. Yum.

I don't even understand how they get it that hot... it was 15-20 minutes before I could drink it... shame... it wasn't half bad at that point...

Funny Em likes Starbucks but there's something she's gotten into at Wawa she's been wanting me to try... I think she also knows her budget is going to be tighter next year when she's at college...

How wonderful to be arriving at your home for the first time. Such awesomeness! Do you already have addonitis? I bet you do!

lol...Basking in the awesomeness...

I'm joining in! Congrats on going on your first "welcome home" trip! DH and I are hoping to buy DVC sometime in the next couple of years and we will probably go with resale as well. I can't wait to hear all about your trip

AD... Thanks... Resale really just worked for us... (plus its the only way to get BC now... start small and add up...

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

I'm here!

Wow, cutting it close there getting to the airport, that's my worst fear, that's why I always make us leave soooo early!

Yay for being welcomed home! I hope I can buy a small resale DVC contract in the next few years, and I'd probably buy at the Beach Club if I could!

Hey Jen... Hmmm... we don't usually pull it that close to the airport and TRUST me-after that we won't ever be doing that again...

We did buy resale but through Disney... keep your eyes on it... some nice little contracts do come up there...

mmmmmmmmm coffee

Hey 15! and yes mmmmmmmmm coffee

Joining in! My mom is also a huge Mary Poppins fan, and we went to see the musical together - it was great! I also just read Carroll's Alice in a children's literature class that I'm taking, it is such a great story.

Your poor husband being stressed, good thing you all made it there on time though!

Isn't the "welcome home" the best? We stayed at AKL last year and loved this (even though we aren't DVC members…yet…)

Looking forward to reading more!

Hey Krysten ... thanks for subbing and MP is awesome isn't it? So is Carroll's Alice... there's lots there that Disney didn't get to touch on...

Yeah stressed is putting it mildly... you know the Munch "Scream" Painting? That would sum it up nicely...

Oh yes... all the Disney Welcome Homes -are all good...

See you have a PTR running... will come and check it out...

yikes!!!!! I can.not.function without coffee that early, we'd have set it to make the night before. I was very stressed reading this, early morning flights stress me out, we had a similar experience a couple of years ago...and missed our flight. We actually cut it a little close yesterday as well.

Cynthia -flight stress = not good... Oh that's right... hmmm aren't you on a romantic weekend in SAN FRANCISCO? only one of my favorite places anywhere... They have lots of great coffee there... you should be very well caffeinated... Last time I looked on fb... it looked like you were having a lovely time...I hope its all wonderful...


I laughed out loud reading this, love the story in your head, it's perfect.

It's good to be able to entertain and soothe yourself... comes in handy...

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

I'm here...thanks for the heads up. I'll be back when we get home to catch up.

Hey Kathy... to the TR and I hope that you all -and especially Mark ( ) are having an absolutely amazing and magical time...

Well that lean timeframe to make your flight on such an early morning certainly made things interesting! Glad there were no issues and you made it in time ...and got your coffee fix

Hey Mike... ...yes lean is being generous...

Gotta be nice to have such a short flight time and to get down there so early! We had a 4:30am wake-up and still didn't get on property until almost 5pm. Purchasing the resale DVC membership and then adding in increments sure seems like the way to go. We're probably going to do the same sometime down the road.

I know... our flight really is so short compared to all of the West Coasters... I read your 1 1/2 to Salt Lake and then another 4 1/2 to Orlando Story... That's like flying to London or Paris for me... but then again to go to Hawaii or to Japan... you'd be closer... or DL...

We should have stopped in at the Beach Club ...we almost did. That carosel looked awesome! So glad you got your "welcome home" and checked in. I'm looking forward to hearing how the next chapter of your adventure went

You should have stopped... Actually we should have done a short Dis meet... I was going to mention it... then I forget... then I wasn't sure because I didn't want to make you and your family feel obligated... since people's time gets precious...oh well hopefully another time at WDW or DL...

Subbing... Third page already?

PrincePluto... well I did a little shameless self promotion to some of the Disers who read my ptr...

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Perry needs us in England and Chessie needs wine in France...

There is something about being able walk out of your "Home" at the Beach Club and making a left and being at the International Gateway entrance to Epcot... that really is very magical...

My fatique was now totally squashed by both the caffeine and the adrenaline from the excitement and my little Disney, World Showcase loving heart, started to become quite a flutter as I saw the tip of the Eiffel Tower peeking up in the distance...

When I was originally planning this trip & knowing that it was going to be Christmastime at the World... I thought that starting out in WorldShowcase would be a great way to start off our trip the first day...since I knew we wouldn't get there till about 11:30-12... and due to the great time on our flight and ME Connection it was actually just 11...

My thought process:

-Time wise... we'd actually be pretty close to being there when WS opens at 11 -and we were...

-logistically it was so close...just a hop, skip and a jump away...so it would be an easy first day... it was logistically very close...

- I knew we'd miss rope drops and at some of the parks... like the Studios that would have put us behind "schedule"... with FPs and "Knocking out the rides" ... ( Hatter gets great pleasure out of "knocking out the rides"... I think it's a male hunter thing vs. a female gatherer thing...

Hatter's philosophy is more - you know you have to hunt down the ride (get to it) and kill it (ride it)

as opposed to my philosophy : "oh look at all these cool details...oh look there's Mickey, look at these cute things in the shops"

Hatter: "We can look and shop after we've gotten the rides knocked out..."

( in all fairness I'm not entirely laid back about getting to the rides... I really do want to get a chance to do them all... so I suppose I'm being a bit hypocritical...)


So onward...




There was something that I did really want to do... & Rabbit and Hatter as well... a Perry Mission... we had headed right to the first Mission station closest to the IG... right before England and decided to do a Disney Phineas & Ferb (LOVE THEM... meet them later...) World Showcase Adventure ... & chose ENGLAND...

I was really thrilled to be going to England...we hadn't spent much time in this pavilion on our most previous trip as I'd have liked plus I have a really soft spot for England (both the real country and the WS Pavilion)

... since I went to London on my honeymoon...

Oh God-more Digression...

(Don't mock -I know most people don't think of London as a honeymoon destination... like the Caribbean, Hawaii, Disney World- maybe Paris if you really want to go to Europe... But consider this... to a 22 year old who ingested Dickens, Austen & yes Shakespeare along with large quantities of English History along with lots and lots of tea (before the coffee monkey jumped on my back)...

London seemed incredibly ROMANTIC not to mention the fact that I have a very fair (pale) complexion...(Crikey... if I stood still too long somewhere in WDW... I think a cast member might think I was a misplaced Snowperson from Blizzard Beach and have me shipped back there...) the chances of me getting burned in one of those sunnier places seemed 50-50 so I thought London was the perfect choice and luckily Hatter agreed...& it was quite ROMANTIC... )

Back on Track...

Anyhow I digress... we were off to help Perry in England... & the mission was quite cute and really did force you into all different corners of the country and look at things you wouldn't normally... (I'm not going to give anything away... I think its fun to do one for yourself... with or without children...)

Fortunately we did manage to save Perry ... so all is right with the world...


I happened to think these t-shirts rather cute...

Can't go to England without seeing MaryPoppins...

Rabbit had requested fish and chips for lunch... (which Hatter & I snuck bites of -it was tasty... very warm... crisp batter, good chips...moist white fish) but I was holding out for something else...

I think it looks like he's thinking "Hands off lady-that means you mom!"



It was time to cross the bridge and magically pop into France... I think this is one of the prettiest approaches to any of the WS pavilions....

Now France which I also happen to think is a very pretty and very well done pavilion & normally a place that we do spend a bit of time... was a bit of a drive through for us this time around....... We were here with a mission to begin the World Showcase Wine Walk (as well as to get Rabbit a sugar crepe...) ...

I wound up really, really, really enjoying the Wine Walk and felt it to be one of the best $20 I spent at Disney this time... (Did I mention how much I enjoyed it? You get a sort of form/card that gives you 6 -2 oz pours- 2 each in France, Italy & Germany... so basically 3 glasses of wine ... you can do it consecutively or over a couple of days... We wound up doing 4 pours this day and the final 2 our last day... (I'll post the card photo in my next post...) I don't believe that the wines chosen are necessarily the very very best each country has to offer but rather just a nice representation of the wine styles of the respective countries...

We planned on doing the whites first so we had the Duboeuf Pouilly Fuisse Macon from France described on the card as "bright flavors of pear, red apples and citrus are balanced in this classic expression of Chardonnay from Burgundy" (Pairings- light seafood and shellfish, soft ripened cheeses and chicken) which was pleasant drink to drink and just walking the showcase with little glasses of wine was really fun...really, really fun...


Some France photos before moving towards my lunch in Morocco...

Rabbit's smile is so cheesy when you tell him to smile for a picture... We get much better candids & smiles from him... when he isn't "posing" for a picture..

Hatter is obviously happy with his wine... a dramatic change from early this morning rushing for the plane... & Rabbit is like "enough with the photos... I want my crepe already..."

​

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Great update! I think that England is a great place for a honeymoon (although I am nerdy and into architecture and literature ) Thanks for sharing your experience with the Wine Walk as well - I may have to try this next time I am in Epcot… The Perry missions also sound fun - congrats on saving the day!

 

[MEK]

Great start to your trip. I would have started exactly the same way. It really is a hop, skip, and a jump away. Love it.

Did I mention I can actually see your pics since I brought my own computer into work today. They take awhile to load, but worth the wait.

I saw the wine walk advertised in October, but being that I was already partaking heavily on the wine part of food & wine, I skipped it. I am definitely going to do that in June. I love that you can split it up. That's awesome.

Can you believe I have never had the fish & chips and I have always wanted to order there? I did have fish from R&C, but its just not the same.

Love Mary Poppins. She is always so Perfect!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I hope everyone feels better soon!

I have always dreamed of going to London! That is definitely on my to do list! Well, you know me and my obsession with the English accent! I’m glad to hear you and David liked the Perry mission. I think my kids will want to do that mission, too. Mmm! The fish and chips look amazing! I want to do the Wine Walk, but I only like wines that are on the sweeter side (including reds) so I am afraid I won’t look sophisticated when I only choose those! I might still do it, though, because it looks like fun. I can’t wait to hear all about France!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

I think England is a great honeymoon destination!! Very romantic and beautiful!

I want to do one of the Perry missions one day, they look like a lot of fun!

 

[PrincePluto]

Looks like you had a great arrival morning. Glad to see you were able to arrive at World Showcase at (or near) rope drop!
I see you prefer wine - my World Showcase beverage of choice would probably be either a champagne or Grey Goose Slushie.

 

[AlohaAnnie]

Hi Mama!

Love Downton Abbey, one of my favorite shows.

I am also a Coffee addict! I admit it!


We love to stop and smell the roses in World Showcase. World Showcase happens to be one of our favorite destinations in the world. I would love to be there right now.

Wanted to add, to me London is a great place for a honeymoon. I have always wanted to do a London, Ireland, Scotland, UK trip.

I am looking forward to more updates!

 

[eandesmom]

I love your first foray into the world! Saving Perry, fish and chips, Mary Poppins and a wine walk. Sauntering in without rushing. Perfect! I know exactly what you mean about the cheesy pictures. Eric is at that age right now and his photos are generally awful.

Some rather cute pictures of you in there too, rocking the red outfit, I love it and you all look relaxed and happy. I'm going to have to consider the wine walk on the next trip. As Mary Ellen said, with the F&W kiosks it wouldn't have made sense, but just might next time.

 

[Angies1274]

Great updates!!

We usually try to get the earliest flight on our trips....more Disney time after all. But, it can be very stressful and getting up that early...blah! What would we do without our coffee? Glad you made your flight on time and all was well.

Yay for arriving! Your WS pictures turned out great! Congrats on the Perry mission! We had such fun when we did it on our trip. Oooh...thanks for the info on the Wine Walk! It's something I would definitely be interested in checking out next time.

 

[KatMark]

I'm flying home and catching up on a few threads. I'm now all caught up on yours. Your "cutting it close" going to the airport sounds like our return flight home in September. That was close; and I'm with you on needing lots of coffee in the a.m.

Love your arrival at the Beach Club (staying there in June if I get to go with the girls)...love that resort and we were there visiting twice this trip.

Great photos at WS...and awesome that your son got to do the Perry thing (sorry...forgot the name of it). Sounds like a good first day so far.

 

[amazingact21]

I think you made a great decision on how to spend your arrival day at WDW. It sounds wonderful to be able to walk out of your resort and end up in the WS.

I did not know about the wine walk, but it sounds like a very cool thing to do while in Epcot. You get to enjoy a variety of wines, choosing the amount at your leisure, but don't have to worry about ordering an entire glass of something you might not like.

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Hey Guys...

I'm going to reply to everyone's posts ASAP ... & then I'm hoping to do an update tomorrow... (& My photopass came... ... I ordered it digitally so I guess it was pretty quick...)

I was having a pretty blue evening... kids sick + I just found out a couple of not so great things happened to a couple of different friends...

But then a little thing happened that kind of perked me up...

Anyone who may have followed my ptr or earllier trs knows that I had been a Diser ... since 2006 but I didn't really start heavily until 2009...

I "met" a lot of really awesome people on the boards... people who even though I hadn't met in person... I really considered really warm and supportive...

anyway to make a long story short... I had a little bit of a rough period in 2010-2011 ... and I kind of disappeared a bit... was on & off...

& I felt badly to come back because I felt I had been a very bad Diser and had missed a lot of what was going on in all these people... many of whom I considered friends lives... but I bit the bullet and did come back...instead of just lurking...

Anyhow... and to stop being maudlin and melodramatic...

I just found out that the PTR I was working on when I went MIA is still open -

Back to Wonderland with a Side of Fries...

If you'd like to read it's actually a "PTR" for Emily's Sweet 16 at DWD ... (didn't quite work out... ... You'd have to read...) but it was also to be a report of our Family trip to Paris in the Spring of 2010 with a daytrip to DLP...

So in a way for me it feels like being able to finish something I started and close the door on a chapter of my life...

It's kind of something I needed and in a very small way I feel like Scrooge getting to play away with Christmas past...

(like going ahead and marrying Belle...


So it has no real impact or bearing on this TR but if you had starting reading it before and want to see how it turns out or your just curious about Paris or DLP -even though it was just a daytrip... mind you... Feel Free to check it out...)

Hugs to all and I hope to get to all my subs and post replies to my subs...

& "God Bless Us... Every One..."


​

 

[Missyrose]

I feel like it's mandatory that if you're staying at BC/YC/BW, you absolutely have to start your trip at Epcot. It's just so magical to be there in a hop, skip and a jump.

The Perry mission sounds like so much fun. It's been on mine and Franklin's to-do list for years, but we keep managing to miss it on each trip. Maybe January?

The wine walk is also something we've always wanted to do. It's tough to commit to during Food and Wine because there are so many yummy beers, wines and adult drinks at the kiosks. But it's definitely on the list for a non-F&W trip.

I'm loving how leisurely your ride-loving family is enjoying the WS! Well done!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Great update! I think that England is a great place for a honeymoon (although I am nerdy and into architecture and literature ) Thanks for sharing your experience with the Wine Walk as well - I may have to try this next time I am in Epcot… The Perry missions also sound fun - congrats on saving the day!

Why thank you- I thought England was a great place for a honeymoon as well... It really was awesome... The Wine Walk was so much fun... walking with the little glasses of wine through WS... highly recommend it... ummm... wait you should be going or in WDW...right now... & yes it's good we saved Perry and the World for y'all...

Great start to your trip. I would have started exactly the same way. It really is a hop, skip, and a jump away. Love it.

YES... it really is a very special way to get into Epcot... You really feel privileged to use that entrance...

Did I mention I can actually see your pics since I brought my own computer into work today. They take awhile to load, but worth the wait.

Hmmm ...yes considering the supreme awesomeness of my photos-50% of which were taken on my cell phone... I can understand what an incredible privilege that would have been for you, Mary "my second job could be a professional photographer" Ellen... but I do appreciate the thought...

I saw the wine walk advertised in October, but being that I was already partaking heavily on the wine part of food & wine, I skipped it. I am definitely going to do that in June. I love that you can split it up. That's awesome.

It is awesome because you can break it up... and I did want to try some of the other drinks as well like a 'rita over in Mexico... & there are also some nice tastings of wines in each of those countries individually... I had some definite preferences -which I'll be sharing...

Can you believe I have never had the fish & chips and I have always wanted to order there? I did have fish from R&C, but its just not the same.

It's really tasty... not health food but definitely worth it as a treat... David wants them to serve it at his school for lunch...

Love Mary Poppins. She is always so Perfect!

Practically Perfect in every Way...

I hope everyone feels better soon!

Thanks...we'll get through it...David is def on the mend and Em is too...(I think hers is partially stress related with college apps and all and her School Play is this weekend)... it feels like we always have some sick episode between Thanksgiving and Christmas...

I have always dreamed of going to London! That is definitely on my to do list! Well, you know me and my obsession with the English accent!

Can you imagine if you were there and had an A Rickman sighting?...

I’m glad to hear you and David liked the Perry mission. I think my kids will want to do that mission, too. They are really fun... you need about 20-25 minutes a mission... Mmm! The fish and chips look amazing! I want to do the Wine Walk, but I only like wines that are on the sweeter side (including reds) so I am afraid I won’t look sophisticated when I only choose those! I might still do it, though, because it looks like fun. I can’t wait to hear all about France!

Don't worry about the wine... there were a couple sweeter ones... a really nice rose sparkler from Italy and also the German wines are sweeter and very nice... We've gotten influenced into thinking that drier means "fancier/higher quality" ... I took a wine class from a man who was a sommelier and also now owes his own wine stores in NJ, DE & NY and I remember him saying that many very fine German Reislings are amongst the most undervalued wines... partially because of the modern "preference for dryness... in France there is Vouvray that's sweeter and makes a nice drink...

I think England is a great honeymoon destination!! Very romantic and beautiful!

Especially depending on what you choose to do and see - it can be very Romantic...

I want to do one of the Perry missions one day, they look like a lot of fun!

Lots of adults do them too...

Looks like you had a great arrival morning. Glad to see you were able to arrive at World Showcase at (or near) rope drop!
I see you prefer wine - my World Showcase beverage of choice would probably be either a champagne or Grey Goose Slushie.

OH I LOVE champagne and that Grey Goose Slushie is pretty good too... I just didn't want to overdo it...

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Hi Mama!

Love Downton Abbey, one of my favorite shows.

I am also a Coffee addict! I admit it!

OMG... I cannot wait until Season 3 of Downton begins in January... & Oh wow I wish I could have a cup right now but its 9 & I want to try to go to bed early ... like by 10 ... that's cutting it close even for me...


We love to stop and smell the roses in World Showcase. World Showcase happens to be one of our favorite destinations in the world. I would love to be there right now.

I would like to be there right now too... I would even possibly like to live there...WS is great because that is kind of the whole point of it.... no real headliner rides... you're supposed to hang back and enjoy the details...even Hatter agrees on that...


Wanted to add, to me London is a great place for a honeymoon. I have always wanted to do a London, Ireland, Scotland, UK trip.

I'd love to go back and definitely want to see Scotland as well...Ireland wouldn't be bad either...


I am looking forward to more updates!

Thanks...

I love your first foray into the world! Saving Perry, fish and chips, Mary Poppins and a wine walk. Sauntering in without rushing. Perfect! It wasn't a bad start if I do say myself...

I know exactly what you mean about the cheesy pictures. Eric is at that age right now and his photos are generally awful.

Oh lord - he is so cheesy when he knows you are taking his picture officially and so they are usually much cuter when they aren't planned...

Some rather cute pictures of you in there too, rocking the red outfit, I love it and you all look relaxed and happy. I'm going to have to consider the wine walk on the next trip. As Mary Ellen said, with the F&W kiosks it wouldn't have made sense, but just might next time.

Thanks... after knowing how close we came to missing the flight... We were so happy to just be there... It was fun to do... probably not the finest wines in the World...(literally and figuratively...) but good examples of the country's style and good fun as well...

Great updates!!

We usually try to get the earliest flight on our trips....more Disney time after all. But, it can be very stressful and getting up that early...blah! What would we do without our coffee? Glad you made your flight on time and all was well.

yep all things being equal I'd still and will still go for the earlier flights... but will have to resign to an earlier wake up...4 and having a breakfast ready to grab and take I think...and coffee...I need one of those coffee makers that let's you set the time...

Yay for arriving! Your WS pictures turned out great! Congrats on the Perry mission! We had such fun when we did it on our trip. Oooh...thanks for the info on the Wine Walk! It's something I would definitely be interested in checking out next time.

Thanks... and yes I'm glad that we saved England from Doofenshmirtz...so it's still there... Wine Walk...

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

I'm flying home and catching up on a few threads. I'm now all caught up on yours. Your "cutting it close" going to the airport sounds like our return flight home in September. That was close; and I'm with you on needing lots of coffee in the a.m.

Kathy! Wait you are flying home and checking the boards... hmmm... I'm trying to figure out how... anyhow I CAN"T WAIT to hear all about Mark's birthday trip...
Yes close flights =

Love your arrival at the Beach Club (staying there in June if I get to go with the girls)...love that resort and we were there visiting twice this trip. It's really special...don't you think?

Great photos at WS...and awesome that your son got to do the Perry thing (sorry...forgot the name of it). Sounds like a good first day so far.

Thanks it was a great beginning -once we got there to our first day...

I think you made a great decision on how to spend your arrival day at WDW. It sounds wonderful to be able to walk out of your resort and end up in the WS.

Yeah... I really really LOVED that short little walk...

I did not know about the wine walk, but it sounds like a very cool thing to do while in Epcot. You get to enjoy a variety of wines, choosing the amount at your leisure, but don't have to worry about ordering an entire glass of something you might not like.

Exactly... your sure to find something that you'll like and its just fun to do...

I feel like it's mandatory that if you're staying at BC/YC/BW, you absolutely have to start your trip at Epcot. It's just so magical to be there in a hop, skip and a jump.

I agree it should be a rule... actually maybe it is a rule...

The Perry mission sounds like so much fun. It's been on mine and Franklin's to-do list for years, but we keep managing to miss it on each trip. Maybe January? Oh do it for sure... pick a country that you don't usually spend as much time in... it's really good at making you look at the details...plus you don't want Doofenshmirtz to conquer Perry- do you?

The wine walk is also something we've always wanted to do. It's tough to commit to during Food and Wine because there are so many yummy beers, wines and adult drinks at the kiosks. But it's definitely on the list for a non-F&W trip.

There are a lot of really great drink choices... this was a nice mix up for us...

I'm loving how leisurely your ride-loving family is enjoying the WS! Well done!

It's the one place I really feel totally comfortable taking it slow...

 

[wigdoutdismom]

The perfect start to a Beach Club stay, a stroll though the private entrance! I love that you got to start out in the UK! I too agree that you had a lovely honeymoon. I have always wanted to go over and see, England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Baylor would be right there with David. He loves the crepes in France.