Time to fly home

Well, that's it sports fans. Our bags are packed, the girls are showering and all that is left for us to do is have breakfast and wait for the limo service to take us back to the airport so we can fly home.



It has truly been a blast.



As is always the case, it is on that last full day that you find something amazing and last night, it was, for me a sandwich. We were walking near the hotel down Rue St. Honore and we stopped into a sandwich shop for some snacks. I picked up a sandwich called a "Croque Monsieur" at a sandwich shop called "Un Moment Gourmand". Little did I know at the time what I discovered.



When we got back to the room, I took a bite and fell in love. It was like a grilled cheese and ham but it had melted cheese on top as well and was heated Pannini style. Sophia and Georgia had some too and before I knew it, the sandwich was gone. I had to get another. (Sorry Don Cheney, no Royal with Cheese moment for me this trip.)



I ran down to the shop as they were closing and the sandwiches were gone. The person behind the counter recognized me and I pointed to where the sandwiches were. She was putting them away and had two left and I purchased them. I asked about the cheese and it was Gruyierre. (I'll be making them at home for sure!)



As I was leaving I noticed a tube of Chestnut paste (similar to Almond Paste) which I had in a few crepes during the week. I asked to purchase a small tube and the lady behind the counter gave me a huge tube at no cost to take home. People have been so great to us here. The French have been incredibly hospitable. It's the Italians that have been the pains to deal with. They cut you off when walking, invade your personal space and push you out of the way.



Also, I had been telling the girls about the Nutella and Banana crepes and they finally had the chance to experience them last night. They're hooked.



On an unrelated note, take a look at the picture below. You "Da Vinci Code" buffs will recognize it.



Remember the end of the movie where Tom Hanks figures out where the crypt of the Mary is? Well, it's not really like that and the inverted glass pyramid above is actually in a mall that adjoins the Louvre underground. Sorry to ruin it for you all!

Wednesday, April 23rd

Last Day. We're spent. Kids are tired. We're on a quest for Crepes today and the girls and I are seeing if we can each eat three!

Here's a picture of our hotel - Hotel du Louvre.

We'll be home tomorrow afternoon.

Tuesday, April 22nd

Renting a car and driving to Monet's Garden and Omaha Beach.




What a day.





If you are going to rent a car in Paris, the following quote applies from Jerry Seinfeld when it comes to insurance, "Give me every type of coverage because I'm going to beat the hell out of this thing!" We wound up with a Toyota Prius and it was great. In Paris, drive like you don't care and there are no other cars on the road because it's a giant game of cutting everyone off because you are the center of the universe. It was so great!

Just close your eyes and hit the gas! - Sandy took this while I drove

Once we got onto the highway known as A13, it was fantastic. People here know how to drive. You stay to the right except to pass and you don't stay in the middle or left lanes. It makes for much easier and faster driving.





We went to Giverny where Monet's famous gardens are. Truly spectacular and we now have a lot of inspiration for our back yard.

Monet's Water Garden

Then another two hours to the D-Day beaches. Truly awe inspiring to see the tombstones, the pillboxes and to walk on Omaha Beach and think about the footage we have seen growing up and realize that allof it took place where you were standing.

More than 9,000 US soldiers that never made it off the beaches on D-Day are buried here

This is looking down from the hills onto Omaha Beach

We did manage to have our own "Look kids - Big Ben, Parliament!" moment. Even though we had GPS in our rental car, when we left the US Cemetary, it had us go a different way to get back to the A13. As we followed the directions, we noticed the same farm houses and walls adn eventually realized we were going in circles in the French countryside. We took matters into our own hands and after about a half hour, found our way. We kept saying "Look kids, Big Ben Parliament!" but they didn't get it. We did. Clark Griswold would have been proud.

Monday, April 21st

EURODISNEY!!! (Walley World for you Family Vacation fans!!")

On Monday, most things are shut down, but not good old EuroDisney and with all the walking and driving we have done and will be doing, the kids deserved it! Plus, Georgia has never been to Disney so it was a special treat.

To quote Clarke Griswold, "We were on a quest, a quest for fun!!"

It's a 45 minute train ride from Paris and the train takes you right there. It's smaller than Disney World and hearing things in French takes some getting used to. It was raining on and off but it was a blast just the same. One thing we noticed is that parents don't mess around when kids are misbehaving and we saw more kids get whacked upside the head or behind in just the line for the Dumbo ride that we see back home in a year.

We're not tourists, we're Devo!

We're having so much friggin fun!!!

The first ride we went on was Space Mountain. It's a bit different here. Over hear, Space Mountain does a few corkscrew rolls where you go upside down. The girls were in front of us and because it was so dark, we couldn't see a thing. When the ride ended and the lights came on, we couldn't see Sophia or Georgia and our worst fears of them falling out was running through our minds. They were ok and laughing - they got smooshed down into the seat. Take a look at the picture that was taken while we were on the ride and you'll understand what I mean (sorry it's sideways!)

Parenting at it's best!

They also had in the other park, Disney Studios, "The Tower of Terror!" Of course, Georgia, Sophia and John went on it!

Sunday, April 20th

Notre Dame, Monmarte and the Champs D'Elysses today.



Here's the painting Sandy bought at Mont Marte and the painter she bought it from.

Us at L'Arc de Triumphe

Saturday, April 19th

We've been too busy to blog and with the incorrect converter, no computer power. (Today is actually our last day and everyone is sleeping in so I'm updating things. I'll do the updates by day. Starting with Saturday.

As I mentioned earlier, Sandy was sick for most of Sunday but rallied at the end of the day to meet, Georgia, Sophia and I under the Eiffel Tower. Here pictures from the first day.

(Sorry - accessing the files is tricky and I can't rotate them well)

We're here - Clarke Griswold Would Be Proud

First and foremost, I don't have the correct converter so blogging might stop soon.

But, what a time we've had so far...

When we landed in Paris, we were told that we (the four of us) had to stay on the plane! Apparently, they had our niece Georgia registered as an unaccompanied minor and they wouldn't let us take her off the plane!!! After everyone else had deplaned, we were ushered to to the front, asked to sit down and surrounded by Air France personnel. When we explained that we had the Power of Attorney letter and that no one in Boston gave her an unaccompanied minor badge, they looked at each other and told us to have a nice trip.

Then, as we are in the shuttle being driven into Paris by the Stevie Ray Vaughn listening driver, Sandy starts to feel sick. When we got to the hotel, she jumped out, went around the corner and christened a wall so to speak. We think she has a touch of food poisoning.

The hotel did everything they could to get a room ready for us but it wasn't until 12:30 so we went to the Louvre and saw a few things.

Sandy toughed it out and we wound up sitting in the lobby for 45 minutes. What a great hotel staff - the person running the front desk walked us to our room.. They explained that the hotel has a three person / room rule but that because of the time we've had so far, they would look the other way. Plus, they came back and gave us gifts for the girls. So, big thumbs up for the Hotel de Louvre!

Jet lag has kicked in and we're going to nap.

The internet connection is really slow and doesn't let me download pictures so between not having the right converter and slow connections, pictures may have to wait until we get home.

I think the spirit of Clark is with us.

T-Minus One Hour To Takeoff!!

Wahoo! We're here and ready to get on the plane.

Here's a picture of the ride up...

(Left to right - Sandy, Georgia, Sophia)

Time to shut down and board the plane...

5 DAYS TO PARIS!

WE'RE IN THE 5 DAY COUNTDOWN TO PARIS!!!

We hope that we'll have time each night to post pictures and stories of what we've been able to see and do.

Stay tuned...