Tuesday June 19, 2012 Lagny sur Marne to Meaux. (famous for Brie) 46 km

Paul was told that he probably should not do this because of the big hill so he stayed on the boat; however, two days later, on Thursday, we all met with a much bigger challenge.
Unfortunately Paul missed the sculpture garden on this day. All the sculptures were made from the blocks of a bridge that was blown up in WWI.

Nina, our guide, gave us the challenge of finding the statue with the bicycle but only one person, Monica, found it. I had taken photos of the statue with the "gear shift" but did not go around to see the bike.

Then, it was the hill. I made it 1/3 of the way up. Most walked but 2 men made it.

The visit to the house of Louis Braille was very interesting. 

Born in 1809, he was blinded in one eye at the age of 5 while using one of his father's sharp, hooked tools which slipped as he was playing with it. He then got an infection which caused him to lose both eyes. Because he was very intelligent, he attended the local school, but he stayed in the same grade because he could not read or write. Later, around the age of 10, he attended a school for the blind where he was introduced to the punch system of reading which used the Roman alphabet. This was tedious to write and read but could be read by the non- blind.

He began to develop his system which is far simpler. It's interesting that the letters and writing have to be punched backwards and then the page turned over to be read.
Braille also developed a system for writing music and played the organ in several churches. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 43. Although his system is simpler, it didn't 't catch on for thirty years after his death. Teachers found it easier at first to continue teaching a system they already knew.