…a continuation of ISSUE 4: London, UK 2014

We ditched London bright & early, but I was not prepared at all. I brought shame on my family name! One thing that I completely spaced on was checking which terminal we were flying out of. OOPS! London Heathrow Airport is a beast, and we were entering from the underground. Because of my ghastly oversight, we almost missed our flight. I know I said I had been there several times before, but never was I in charge, and hot damn, I dropped the ball. We made it to our gate with probably 10 minutes to spare, but as we were boarding they told my mother-in-law & I that our carry-ons were too big & had to be checked. Everything really is bigger in America, including our carry-ons. haha!

Aside from the baggage faux-pas upon departure, Air France was great, especially considering we got croissants instead of peanuts.

When we arrived at Charles De Gualle airport we ended up with a big hick up! Christal’s bag never came. We had to get things sorted before we continue on which took us over an hour. Then there was the matter of getting to our hotels from the airport which also turned out to be a big mess. I knew one thing... take the Roissybus to the Opera Square... We then had to navigate our way via our iPhone maps to our hotels. It was a long, hot & tiring trek, but along the way I did have the best ham & cheese sandwich of my life... the secret.... butter.

In Paris we stayed at the Pratic Hotel. The location was great, as it was near the Bastille and area full of cafes, children’s rides, and a crepe truck (my heaven). While, our hotel was not the greatest in terms of size and quality, the location was perfection! You see, the issue is that hotels in Europe can be very pricey. So for about $120 a night we got crammed in the smallest room I have ever experienced, smaller than the one we just had in London. The bed was smushed in the corner, and there was hardly room for our luggage. Once again, we were tucking pieces under the bed and under the desk. The walk way to the door led past the shower and the toilet & sink. There was no A/C and although it was nearing October, our room was very warm. Brad's mom stayed at a different hotel a couple blocks away, Grand Hotel Amelot. The Grand Hotel Amelot was further off the main drag, but the amenities made up for that! The room was much more spacious, and it had A/C, which for an American from Arizona is a BIG deal.

Much like London, some of the best walking you can do is along the tree-lined River Seine. It’s decorated with beautiful bridges, various vendors, and tremendous sights. It's truly peaceful, a great place to bring some Pain au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissant, but the best in the world) and watch the water run.

One of the greatest views along the river is the sight of Notre Dame towering over the riverside Flats. The Grandeur just radiates, and you can't help but be drawn in to such a magnificent sight. We worked our way through the side streets & finally found our way to the Cathedral. We used the Paris Pass on this leg of trip (which is similar to the London pass from my previous post). By using the pass we were able to do one of the greatest things ever... climb to the top of the towers for some incredible Paris views. You do have to wait in line to make the climb, and we probably waited close to an hour, but it was worth every second. It was one of those experiences that you want to continue for an extensive period of time. I was sad that they only allow you a certain amount of time on top, but I guess, everyone deserves an opportunity to check it out.

panoramic view from the towers of Notre Dame

...and then there was The Louvre. Where do I even begin with that place? This was my second visit & Brad and Christal’s first. When you read that it's an all day thing, don't take it lightly. It truly is, but you will have so much fun diving into history. My favorite section is definitely the Egyptian history exhibit, since I have always dreamed of visiting Egypt. ...but I enjoy the classics as well, such as the Mona Lisa & Venus de Milo, probaby the two most popular pieces in the museum (pictured below). The only issue is that the Mona Lisa draws such a large crowd that you have to be truly dedicated to waiting or shoving to get an up close view... Truthfully, you can get a better view on the internet, but I understand the curiosity & the thrill of seeing it in person.

Did you know that The Louvre originated as a fortress in 1190? You can explore the original design which is now underground. In 1528, the king decided to move back to the capital city of France & took up residence in the Louvre. You can read more on the history of the Louvre here.

Our final group activity before Brad's mom left us to head back to the States was to visit Versailles.... It was an absolute mad house. It isn't like other places where they slowly filter people through in tour groups.... At Versailles, they pack them in here. TIP: If you or anyone in your travel group in prone towards anxiety induced by noise or crowds.. skip the big house! Trust me, I couldn’t wait to get out!

It makes it easy to understand why France ended up being broke when you see just how exquisite and glamorous The Palace of Versailles is, but in my opinion, the best part of Versailles was outside, in the Gardens of Versailles . I could spend all day in the magnificent and elaborate gardens behind the big house. At one point, Brad was talking about moving to the town of Versailles, just so we could get our coffee and tea and stroll through the parks whenever we had the urge. ...and I wish that too, but the dogs couldn’t go so it’s a deal breaker.

After visiting Marie Antoinette’s small chateau Christal and I wandered a little further and took the time to visit Marie Antoinettes little village. That in and of itself was magical. Little mud covered homes with thatched roofs and even a watermill. It was absolutely enchanting.

When we left Versaille, we stopped at the local McDonald's for a quick snack and a bathroom break before getting back on the train to the city. Mc D’s was packed, too, but some sodium packed fries & a sprite were what I needed to regain some energy and mental clarity after experiencing the madness of Versailles.

When we did arrive back in Paris, we made a beeline for the Eiffel Tower since Christal needed to see it before she left the following day. When we got there, the lines to take the elevators to the top were insanely long. None of us felt the need to be in a crowded elevator to see the Parisian landscape. I think this feeling extended from the craziness of our last tour & the fact that we already had the aerial view from Notre Dame. Not only that, but I think we were all starting to wear on each other. (My biggest Parisian regret: not booking the romantic Eiffel Tower dinner for two) After our quick pictures, it was time to head back for dinner & rest. Christal needed to pack & I needed to some alone time, so I sent Brad to help his mom figure out her game plan for the following day.

ISSUE 5: Paris, France 2014 (Part 1)