Thursday, December 15, 2011
Versailles
Getting to Versailles was an easy process after all. Navigating the weather was another story. We visited the Chateau and when we finished our tour and lunch at Angelina's and were just heading into the garden it began to storm. We decided to give it a few minutes and see what would happen. It blew through but left behind low temperatures and lots of wind. We wandered through the gardens that were opened to the Petit Trianlon and then down to the chateau.... it was unbelieveable. When they said a little storybook world they were not kidding. We got a little lost on the way home but got back to the train station just in time to catch a train back to Paris.... now for the fun part of packing up -- how is it that you return with more than you started with?? I did not buy that much - really!!
Museum and final day in Paris
This is a belated post for Wednesday - we went to the musee d l'orangie. We wanted to see Monet's waterlillies. The two rooms are bathed in natural light just like he had wanted. It was amazing to be surrounded by his work rather than just a print on a page in a book. The surprising thing was that the downstairs contained MANY works as well. We were surprised to see the number of Dali, Picasso, Manet, Monet, and other contemporaries as well.
Today was the day to find all of the final chocolatiers we wanted. We have been able to sample LaDuree, Pierre Herme, Christian Constant, Patrick Roger, La Maison... they each have unique qualities and personalities. The macaroons were the biggest challenge because we sampled them over several days. Next time we will have them side by side for a true comparison test.
Today was the day to find all of the final chocolatiers we wanted. We have been able to sample LaDuree, Pierre Herme, Christian Constant, Patrick Roger, La Maison... they each have unique qualities and personalities. The macaroons were the biggest challenge because we sampled them over several days. Next time we will have them side by side for a true comparison test.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Museum Day!
Today was back to back museums - this was planned due to expected rain. We headed via the metro for Musee D'Orsay first. No cameras are allowed so you will have to look in books or web for the images. The main hall is filled with sculptures. It is a 4 story tall room so lots of natural light. The side rooms and halls have various themes. We finished most of the main level and headed to the second to see more sculptures but smaller ones by rodin and others. The side rooms were grouped again by themes but only covered 2-3 artists. It was a nice introduction for the children to see how a single painter could go through various stages in their art. They were also able to truly study the brush strokes of each style. The final room we visited on the second floor was Van Gogh - seeing his two self portraits in person was fun. We headed to the 5th floor to the impressionists.... wow! Monet, Manet, Cezzane, etc.... By this point we needed a break.
We headed down Rue de Bac to try to get into L'Atelier Saint Germain de Joe Robuchon but no luck - it looked like there may have been space but we were not dressed appropriately... we headed back up to Eric Kayser which was our fallback. I am so glad that we did - he does AMAZING breads and you all know that I am a nut about my breads. I had his quiche which was a salmon and broccoli, two children had pizza with a rosemary crust - oh my. One sandwhich and another quiche later and we were wanting more of his food. We decided to splurge for dessert of a nut covered brownie. I had no idea how much of a difference dark chocolate made for baking!
We continued along Rue d Bac to Varenne to go to the Musee Rodin. I could not wait to see the thinker in person. We had seen a portion of his back on one of our early days, but now to really study him. The problem is that his feet start 7 feet in the air.
It was fun to wander the gardens and see his other works. They had created a glass enclosed room filled with his marble statues on the side of the garden.
In the "hotel" the townhouse in the middle of his museum are even more of his and his contemporaries works. They showed the process of creating a bronze piece. I have always enjoyed works of bronze since wandering Newbury Street in Boston but this took it to another level. His work shows the muscles of the back and leg like not many others do. Most of his works are of the human body - the busts he did on commission and otherwise were of such detail that you could imagine the personality of the person through his work. On the wall were works by Van Gogh too - not too bad for a friend. We saw his early clay creations and some of his works incorporated into others.
On the way home, we took a chance to stop by La Cerisaie to see if they had reservations either tonight or tomorrow - we will be there at 7pm tonight - Can't Wait!
We headed down Rue de Bac to try to get into L'Atelier Saint Germain de Joe Robuchon but no luck - it looked like there may have been space but we were not dressed appropriately... we headed back up to Eric Kayser which was our fallback. I am so glad that we did - he does AMAZING breads and you all know that I am a nut about my breads. I had his quiche which was a salmon and broccoli, two children had pizza with a rosemary crust - oh my. One sandwhich and another quiche later and we were wanting more of his food. We decided to splurge for dessert of a nut covered brownie. I had no idea how much of a difference dark chocolate made for baking!
We continued along Rue d Bac to Varenne to go to the Musee Rodin. I could not wait to see the thinker in person. We had seen a portion of his back on one of our early days, but now to really study him. The problem is that his feet start 7 feet in the air.
It was fun to wander the gardens and see his other works. They had created a glass enclosed room filled with his marble statues on the side of the garden.
We also saw his gates to hell .... I could have spent some time studying all the details in that
On the way home, we took a chance to stop by La Cerisaie to see if they had reservations either tonight or tomorrow - we will be there at 7pm tonight - Can't Wait!
Monday, December 12, 2011
The Louvre
On our way down we saw a sign for egyptian antiquities we decided after lunch that is where we would head. Off we went to Angelina's for our hot chocolate... to say that they just melted a chocolate bar and poured it into a cup was probably a better description. We decided to just have a "snack" so we would have room for desert. Quiches, soup, sandwich and smoked salmon along with our hot chocolate were lunch - there was no room for desert - we should have planned just desert and hot chocolate.
We wandered back to the Louvre and found a temporary exhibit of clothing from China - it was amazing. We then found the moat along with many of the items recovered from an excavation in the front of the Louvre from the 1980s... the children were amazed to see all of the items recovered. From these we found the spinx
and various gods, and burial items...
it was funny because at the smithsonian I remember seeing one or two of an item but here there are 20 of something. All the pottery that they had from Greece and Egypt were beyond. We saw yards of papyrus writings and walls of cravings.
It made we want to see just how amazing Egypt is!!! We saw classical and preclassical Greece ... the terracotta and ceramics.
Somehow we wandered into the African arts and saw an Easter Island head - very cool and now the children want to go see the entire body too.
Our feet were exhausted so we headed home stopping to find another chocolatier on our way... The chocolates here are dark so the children are struggling to enjoy them.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Busy Day
We thought we were heading to versailles but plans changed - again.
we headed through the jardin du luxembourg to the Sorbonne. As we passed we finished our tour of Marie Curie. We headed to the Musee de Cluny. As we walked around the back of the museum we were able to see some of the remains of the roman baths. Inside the museum we saw books from the 1300s with calligraphy and metal for details. We wandered further in and saw tombstones and the heads of judea that had been salvaged from Notre Dame when they were decapitated during the revolution thinking they were the heads of France rather than Judea. There were ivory carvings and altarpieces that are too ornate to be described. We saw the room containing the lady and the unicorn - little did we realize that these are actually 6 different tapestries. One for each of the senses and one representing love and understanding. The next rooms contained religious relics and daily life ones.
Our next stop was at La Bocca dela Veritas - yummy Italian!!
Stopped by St Germain des preis which is being renovated so there was not much to see on the inside. I smashed my hand on an outside door that swung more freely than I expected. We walked up Bonaparte toward the seine. We stopped in at Laduree a chocolate shop that may have outdone our original chocolate macaroons.
We walked up to the Seine to the Pont Neuf and across to the ile de la cite. We found a bench to enjoy our chocolate treats before entering the concierge. A modern art show was in the main hall - not my style but definitely set the mood for the story that was about to unfold. We saw Marie Antoinette's cell and realized that the prisoners were able to pay to have a more comfortable cell ( including cots rather than just straw). In the courtyard we saw the stone table where they ate and the fountain where they washed their clothes. The most stunning to me was the corner of 12 where they were placed to say their goodbye's before being carted away for execution.
The most brillant church so far had to be Sainte-Chapelle. Even though we visited when the rain was spitting - we could imagine the brillance of the upper chapel. When you enter you enter a lower chapel and I had a moment of disappointment but then after climbing the spiral stairs you paused to catch your breath and then lost it again as wall to wall almost floor to ceiling you were surrounded in stained glass. The images were not the large blocks of color creating a grand image but very petit pieces to create a collage of color yet a picture none the less. We hope to return and see the Chapelle in all of its brillance.
We walked along the island and the seine towards Notre Dame. As we rounded the end of the building our entire view was the cathedral. The line was very long and as we entered the scent and the environment gave us all pause. There were many visitors to see the creche. Mary was beautiful as always with the empty manger between she and Joseph. There was a large bin collecting prayers from the visitors.
After walking the inside we then passed into the garden on the side of Notre Dam to see the flying buttresses and the gargoyles. The view from the back and side are almost more impressive than the front to me. we crossed over the seine to the booksellers. Wandering along we crossed to a small park containing the oldest tree in Paris. It also had an old roman ruins church. We crossed over to St Severin and wandering inside we found an amazing organ and a statue of the virgin and child.
As we wandered toward our apartment we passed the Sorbonne again and the cluny under we reached the Jardin however at this time of night they were closed so we were forced to walk around the perimeter to our cut over...home again.
we headed through the jardin du luxembourg to the Sorbonne. As we passed we finished our tour of Marie Curie. We headed to the Musee de Cluny. As we walked around the back of the museum we were able to see some of the remains of the roman baths. Inside the museum we saw books from the 1300s with calligraphy and metal for details. We wandered further in and saw tombstones and the heads of judea that had been salvaged from Notre Dame when they were decapitated during the revolution thinking they were the heads of France rather than Judea. There were ivory carvings and altarpieces that are too ornate to be described. We saw the room containing the lady and the unicorn - little did we realize that these are actually 6 different tapestries. One for each of the senses and one representing love and understanding. The next rooms contained religious relics and daily life ones.
Our next stop was at La Bocca dela Veritas - yummy Italian!!
Stopped by St Germain des preis which is being renovated so there was not much to see on the inside. I smashed my hand on an outside door that swung more freely than I expected. We walked up Bonaparte toward the seine. We stopped in at Laduree a chocolate shop that may have outdone our original chocolate macaroons.
We walked up to the Seine to the Pont Neuf and across to the ile de la cite. We found a bench to enjoy our chocolate treats before entering the concierge. A modern art show was in the main hall - not my style but definitely set the mood for the story that was about to unfold. We saw Marie Antoinette's cell and realized that the prisoners were able to pay to have a more comfortable cell ( including cots rather than just straw). In the courtyard we saw the stone table where they ate and the fountain where they washed their clothes. The most stunning to me was the corner of 12 where they were placed to say their goodbye's before being carted away for execution.
The most brillant church so far had to be Sainte-Chapelle. Even though we visited when the rain was spitting - we could imagine the brillance of the upper chapel. When you enter you enter a lower chapel and I had a moment of disappointment but then after climbing the spiral stairs you paused to catch your breath and then lost it again as wall to wall almost floor to ceiling you were surrounded in stained glass. The images were not the large blocks of color creating a grand image but very petit pieces to create a collage of color yet a picture none the less. We hope to return and see the Chapelle in all of its brillance.
We walked along the island and the seine towards Notre Dame. As we rounded the end of the building our entire view was the cathedral. The line was very long and as we entered the scent and the environment gave us all pause. There were many visitors to see the creche. Mary was beautiful as always with the empty manger between she and Joseph. There was a large bin collecting prayers from the visitors.
After walking the inside we then passed into the garden on the side of Notre Dam to see the flying buttresses and the gargoyles. The view from the back and side are almost more impressive than the front to me. we crossed over the seine to the booksellers. Wandering along we crossed to a small park containing the oldest tree in Paris. It also had an old roman ruins church. We crossed over to St Severin and wandering inside we found an amazing organ and a statue of the virgin and child.
As we wandered toward our apartment we passed the Sorbonne again and the cluny under we reached the Jardin however at this time of night they were closed so we were forced to walk around the perimeter to our cut over...home again.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
To the Top of the World
Well, not exactly the top of the world but the top of Paris. We started this morning looking through a farmer's market that appeared at the top of our hill around the metro station. We saw a rabbit that still had his fur, lots of chickens that still had some of their head and tail feathers, giant squid, crabs cut in half, sea urchins, and beautiful fruit and flowers along with scarves, gloves, jewerly.
This was not our mission for the day, so off we went. We took the metro with the children for the first time - they seemed to enjoy not having to walk.
When we reached our destination metro we got out to realize we would be facing into the sun while walking toward the Eiffel Tower. We took pictures anyway but they are just not the same... which is not a bad thing.
I quickly joined the line while dad and the boys enjoyed being under the Eiffel. I sent the boys to see if the other tower was open - it was and there was NO line - I dropped my spot and off we went. Up to the second landing and LOTS of pictures... we were not sure if all of us wanted to head to the top. After a while, we all committed. We got tickets to the top and joined the line - it actually moved faster than I anticipated. At the top we could see people looking like ants on the bridge. We watched the soccer game from both levels. Then the trip down and down again.
It was approaching lunch when we reached the ground again so off we went for lunch. A friend had suggested Cafe Constant and are we glad he did - we dined on sea urchins, partridge, duck, scallops, brain, tongue, pumpkin soup, lobster ravoli. YUMMY!!!
We wandered over to the musee de l'armee and spent MUCH time studying all the armour... we struggled with our camera settings (they don't allow a flash in the museum).
After the armor we headed to Napoleon's tomb
and the Chapel St Louis.
We then headed back into the museum to the WWI and WWII exhibts. There was something going on in the courtyard with miltary displays - if we spoke french we may have had a clue what was going on.
We saw horses, salutes, bands, big gun.... at this point we were done and began our walk home.
This was not our mission for the day, so off we went. We took the metro with the children for the first time - they seemed to enjoy not having to walk.
When we reached our destination metro we got out to realize we would be facing into the sun while walking toward the Eiffel Tower. We took pictures anyway but they are just not the same... which is not a bad thing.
It was approaching lunch when we reached the ground again so off we went for lunch. A friend had suggested Cafe Constant and are we glad he did - we dined on sea urchins, partridge, duck, scallops, brain, tongue, pumpkin soup, lobster ravoli. YUMMY!!!
We wandered over to the musee de l'armee and spent MUCH time studying all the armour... we struggled with our camera settings (they don't allow a flash in the museum).
We then headed back into the museum to the WWI and WWII exhibts. There was something going on in the courtyard with miltary displays - if we spoke french we may have had a clue what was going on.
We saw horses, salutes, bands, big gun.... at this point we were done and began our walk home.
Friday, December 9, 2011
The best laid plans
So for the past three nights we have been awoken by neighbors banging on our door around midnight. Last night we awoke to the scared cry of our youngest; the stomach bug has reared its ugly head. Very little sleep occurred so the plans had to change. She and I stayed home today and rested and did laundry (it needed to be done soon anyway).
The boys ate a small lunch and headed out to visit the cemetary again and the catacombes. At the cemetary the boys were given a lesson on Godot while visiting tombstones. They also saw Satre's and Beauvoir. One day I hope they remember their first existentialism experience with their father.
After their cemetary visit they went a street down to the entrance to the catacombes. The boys came back saying it was the coolest thing. It looked REALLY dark and narrow from the pictures I saw. I guess that they were able to remove themselves from the fact that these were actual people at one time.
After coming home and downloading their pictures and sharing the experience with us, the oldest two ventured out to find dinner. They came home with fresh sardine salad, octopus and tomato salad, cheese wrapped in proscuitto. They also brought home cheeries, pear, and fresch litchi (lychee)... I can barely handle the smell after thai dinner much less when my stomach has been challenged. We enjoyed another dinner of baguette and leftover cheeses along with their finds. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to venture out again as a family.
The boys ate a small lunch and headed out to visit the cemetary again and the catacombes. At the cemetary the boys were given a lesson on Godot while visiting tombstones. They also saw Satre's and Beauvoir. One day I hope they remember their first existentialism experience with their father.
After their cemetary visit they went a street down to the entrance to the catacombes. The boys came back saying it was the coolest thing. It looked REALLY dark and narrow from the pictures I saw. I guess that they were able to remove themselves from the fact that these were actual people at one time.
After coming home and downloading their pictures and sharing the experience with us, the oldest two ventured out to find dinner. They came home with fresh sardine salad, octopus and tomato salad, cheese wrapped in proscuitto. They also brought home cheeries, pear, and fresch litchi (lychee)... I can barely handle the smell after thai dinner much less when my stomach has been challenged. We enjoyed another dinner of baguette and leftover cheeses along with their finds. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to venture out again as a family.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Shopping in Paris
I know that many people come to Paris for the shopping... the fashion world is HUGE here. I am not a shopper but the lure of christmas marts springing up called. My son actually was the one who suggested we head up to the Champs des Elysses again to look more closely at the stalls we passed the other day. We headed up one side and then down the other. It was strange to have such a strong military presence but also reassuring at the same time. After passing the 5th remote controlled store and the 80th scarf shop we headed back home again. We window shopped along the way. We stopped at Cafe St Germain - it was quiet when we arrived and hopping by the time we left. We dined on escargot, ham and cheese omelet, ravioli, penne with tomato and basil sauce, and veal with taglatelli. YUMMY!
When we finally got home we found dad home from his conference. He wanted to go see Paris with us. Little did he know that we were done for the day. I wanted to go visit a department store just to see if they were any different than in the US. They are very similar. I was surprised to see the furs just out on the floor versus under lock and key. When we got outside we discovered there were more stalls all around the base. little did I know that we could have walked less than 1/2 mile and achieved the same results. We then showed dad the cemetary we explored the other day and found the close diner we hoped to visit during our time here.
We then went off to collect our dinner. To the grocery for more milk - one liter does not last very long in this family. Then two doors down to the bakery for our baguette... on down we showed dad the fish store with WHOLE fish displayed. Two doors down from the fish was our cheese shop - we tried 3 more new cheeses for dinner. After passing 3 wine shops we stopped in at the fourth one and got our bottle for dinner. We dined on our collection of items from our travels. Tomorrow we will start our ranked list of must sees in Paris - just wait until you see what was first....
When we finally got home we found dad home from his conference. He wanted to go see Paris with us. Little did he know that we were done for the day. I wanted to go visit a department store just to see if they were any different than in the US. They are very similar. I was surprised to see the furs just out on the floor versus under lock and key. When we got outside we discovered there were more stalls all around the base. little did I know that we could have walked less than 1/2 mile and achieved the same results. We then showed dad the cemetary we explored the other day and found the close diner we hoped to visit during our time here.
We then went off to collect our dinner. To the grocery for more milk - one liter does not last very long in this family. Then two doors down to the bakery for our baguette... on down we showed dad the fish store with WHOLE fish displayed. Two doors down from the fish was our cheese shop - we tried 3 more new cheeses for dinner. After passing 3 wine shops we stopped in at the fourth one and got our bottle for dinner. We dined on our collection of items from our travels. Tomorrow we will start our ranked list of must sees in Paris - just wait until you see what was first....
Down Under
I am sorry if you were looking for this post yesterday. My hubby needed the laptop so I could not get it all uploaded until tonight.
This morning we headed up to the Seine again on foot - we are learning the route now... I forgot which bridge we were supposed to go to but then I verified the location using a metro stop - we were 2 bridges away. We arrived for the sewer museum opening just on time. We walked down the stairwell with our English translation of the tour in hand. The tour begins with a historical account of how the city developed and what happened to the daily waste. As the population grew so did the industrial wastes that were being diverted into the Seine. When Hausmann was revolutionizing the city, he commissioned Belgrand to design a system where the wastewater was discharged far downstream from Paris. The tour showed the results of the 1910 flood that lasted for well over a month. One of the sewermen recorded daily the situation by hand. The memoire is still preserved for others to read. The historical account began with the initial population and the romans and why water was important to each of their livelihoods. The initial "sewers" just drained to the center of the city streets and then went into the river. Over time there were deeper ditches created to collect the street runoff. These ditches were then covered with arches and then the arches were buried thus our current idea of a sewer. In addition to the historical account of the sewers they took the time to educate the public on how the water is cleaned today prior to entering supply lines. They also clean the water before it is being discharged. The rest of the tour focused on the sewermen and their clean apparatus... the cleaner balls push the sand along the pipe so they don't get clogged. Divits in the pipe are created so the sand will settle and they can put in a vacuum of sorts to pull out the accumulated sand. They had flushers to push the solid debris forward and then the claw to lift it into a collection bin. You could see the stairs leading to the mainholes. I was VERY glad that we visited in the winter - I can only imagine the stench in the summer heat. Also, you walk across grates over the sewer water - if you have a fear of grates this may not be the tour for you.
After our underground experience, we were very excited to be in the open air again. The children decided that although we were not going into the Eiffel Tower without dad they wanted to touch it. We did not know that the four legs of the tower end in buildings. We had to settle for taking REALLY close pictures and gazing up at the top. We wandered along the gardens and then decided to eat.
We stopped at La Terrasse and dined on salmon, mussels, and beef stew. It was wonderful to come inside and warm up again. We wandered back to the apartment and collapsed with another fine dinner of wine and cheese.
This morning we headed up to the Seine again on foot - we are learning the route now... I forgot which bridge we were supposed to go to but then I verified the location using a metro stop - we were 2 bridges away. We arrived for the sewer museum opening just on time. We walked down the stairwell with our English translation of the tour in hand. The tour begins with a historical account of how the city developed and what happened to the daily waste. As the population grew so did the industrial wastes that were being diverted into the Seine. When Hausmann was revolutionizing the city, he commissioned Belgrand to design a system where the wastewater was discharged far downstream from Paris. The tour showed the results of the 1910 flood that lasted for well over a month. One of the sewermen recorded daily the situation by hand. The memoire is still preserved for others to read. The historical account began with the initial population and the romans and why water was important to each of their livelihoods. The initial "sewers" just drained to the center of the city streets and then went into the river. Over time there were deeper ditches created to collect the street runoff. These ditches were then covered with arches and then the arches were buried thus our current idea of a sewer. In addition to the historical account of the sewers they took the time to educate the public on how the water is cleaned today prior to entering supply lines. They also clean the water before it is being discharged. The rest of the tour focused on the sewermen and their clean apparatus... the cleaner balls push the sand along the pipe so they don't get clogged. Divits in the pipe are created so the sand will settle and they can put in a vacuum of sorts to pull out the accumulated sand. They had flushers to push the solid debris forward and then the claw to lift it into a collection bin. You could see the stairs leading to the mainholes. I was VERY glad that we visited in the winter - I can only imagine the stench in the summer heat. Also, you walk across grates over the sewer water - if you have a fear of grates this may not be the tour for you.
After our underground experience, we were very excited to be in the open air again. The children decided that although we were not going into the Eiffel Tower without dad they wanted to touch it. We did not know that the four legs of the tower end in buildings. We had to settle for taking REALLY close pictures and gazing up at the top. We wandered along the gardens and then decided to eat.
We stopped at La Terrasse and dined on salmon, mussels, and beef stew. It was wonderful to come inside and warm up again. We wandered back to the apartment and collapsed with another fine dinner of wine and cheese.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Latin Quarter & the university
We started today with fresh pastries from our friendly bakery. After a quick breakfast we were off. Our first stop was picking up a metro map for dad. On our way to our first destination we swung into the Cimetiere du Montparnasse. It was interesting for the children to see how other cultures respect the dead. They saw family tombs with individual names listed on plaques displayed on the top. They saw shrines with flowers and names listed inside. They were surprised to see that not only were there potted plants but permanent planters which the relatives maintained. There is no grass in the cemetaries only markers.
Our first destination was Marie Curie's movements around the university. We began on la Glaciere where she began her married life to Pierre in a 3 room flat. Off to two more of her apartments while she was a student. She did not have elevators, hot water, or heat in her 6th story apartments. From there we headed off to see her laboratory. When we arrived it was before the time when it was due to open but I thought I saw a sign that it was still closed for renovations.
The Pantheon was not far up the road so off we went. We looked at the frescos along the wall and I explained the importance of Saint Genieve to the children. She provided supplies to the Parisians when Attila the Hun was attacking.
We then entered the crypt. The first two were Voltaire and Rousseau. Although the children do not know about them yet, it is my hope that when they do learn in school they will be able to say they saw his crypt. We moved deeper into the crypt and found Marie and Pierre Curie. There were flowers and notes placed by them.
In front of the Pantheon Christmas trees were decorated. We moved along the side to Saint Etienne du Mont. This is a church dedicated to Saint Genevieve.
Her heart and her preserved body were there along with an image of John Paul II when he visited. It was interesting to stand in the presence of a saint. We headed back to the Curie Institute to see if it was definitely closed - alas it was - maybe later in the trip I can run back and sneak a peek. We picked up hotdogs which were like none other on our way home. They were two dogs covered in cheese on a roll like only the French can make. They warmed our chilled hands and empty stomachs. We crossed into the Jardin du Luxembourg and found a free bench to watch the birds and enjoy our meal.
We picked up some medicine on our way back to the apartment. After dropping off some tired children (5 miles today!) we went out to pick up some dinner: wine, baguette, quiche, cheese, and merange... We did not pick up the HUGE merange early in the day
so they had to settle for a smaller one. As I write they are winding down watching pink panther - good night.
Our first destination was Marie Curie's movements around the university. We began on la Glaciere where she began her married life to Pierre in a 3 room flat. Off to two more of her apartments while she was a student. She did not have elevators, hot water, or heat in her 6th story apartments. From there we headed off to see her laboratory. When we arrived it was before the time when it was due to open but I thought I saw a sign that it was still closed for renovations.
Her heart and her preserved body were there along with an image of John Paul II when he visited. It was interesting to stand in the presence of a saint. We headed back to the Curie Institute to see if it was definitely closed - alas it was - maybe later in the trip I can run back and sneak a peek. We picked up hotdogs which were like none other on our way home. They were two dogs covered in cheese on a roll like only the French can make. They warmed our chilled hands and empty stomachs. We crossed into the Jardin du Luxembourg and found a free bench to watch the birds and enjoy our meal.
We picked up some medicine on our way back to the apartment. After dropping off some tired children (5 miles today!) we went out to pick up some dinner: wine, baguette, quiche, cheese, and merange... We did not pick up the HUGE merange early in the day
Monday, December 5, 2011
Unplanned Arch de Triomphe visit
So this morning started out with me searching for breakfast. Little did I know that the pastry shop a few doors down would be closed Monday and Tuesday so off I went with 2 little ones in tow. We walked and found a pastry shop and picked up two chocolate croissants, 2 regular croissants and a chocolate bread log thing... yummy!!! On the way back we found a hole in the wall that I realized was a grocery store. Picked up coffee, sugar, milk, OJ and some chocolate cereal that one of the little ones wanted.... on the way back the other mentioned he had wanted dried kiwi - well I guess that we will be shopping there again. Came back to the apartment to eat.
We were scheduled to meet friends at Chez Andre at 12:30. I had no idea where this was or how to get there - we decided to walk it since we had time. Off we went. We walked up to the Seine and crossed by the Petit Palace. On our way across a bus with a police escort went by. It looked like diginitaries were on there but what do I know then a fleet of police vans came running by.... guess it was something important. We had gotten lost early in the directions but I was able to navigate us back on course. We actually arrived 4 minutes early. For lunch we had goat cheese pastry drizzled with honey for the appetizer with a side of pears. The main meal was roasted leg of lamb with mashed potatoes, cod fillet with potatoes, chateaubriand with french fries, and duck. For dessert we had profiteroles, apple tart, and chocolate ice cream. Our friends mentioned a chocolate shop they had found so off we went. The children each picked two specialties and some macaroons. Too many sweets so they had to wait. We were close enough to the Arch de Triomphe that it was not worth coming back later.
Up to the Champs elysees it was and to the Arch de Triomphe etoile.
The children did not remember watching the Tour de France on TV so they had no idea why dad and I had to walk out and walk along the cobblestone. I read in my Frommers book that there was an underground passage to get over to the Arch - took us a minute to find it. We picked up our tickets and headed the base. Into one of the legs we went and then UP, UP, UP on a spiral staircase that almost caused my frightened people to stop in their tracks.
Happiness when we reached the inner lobby and dedication. Cool statues and pieces from 1836.
Then up two more sets of stairs to the top. It was getting windy but at least the day was clear - we could see up to Sacre Coeur on the hill, down to the Louvre, the Tour Montparnasse (close to our apartment), and of course the Eiffel Tower, the La Defense (dad's conference location). We did not spend much time up top. The trip down the spiral staircase on the other leg did not seem as bad as the trip up but still scary in it own right.
Walking down the Champs Elysees we saw lots of shop names we recognized from the US. As we approached the Place de la concorde there we little white huts lining both sides of the street. Each was showing their wares - scarves, figurines, food, cheese, lots to see. The Condorde has a ferris wheel next to it. We realized we had driven that way in the taxi on our way in. We continued to travel toward the Louvre.
Very cool statues along the tree lined way. As we approached the Louvre we turned to cross the Seine again. Took some pictures on the bridge facing up and down the river. Could not see the Concierge and Notre Dame very well because the river turns there. We wandered back down to get to the same street we came up on... this was not our original route but it worked. Overall the walk was 7 miles.... and it only took us 7 hours or so including lunch... many tired feet. Scrounging for leftovers and what we had in the house for dinner - not very glamorous but it worked.
We were scheduled to meet friends at Chez Andre at 12:30. I had no idea where this was or how to get there - we decided to walk it since we had time. Off we went. We walked up to the Seine and crossed by the Petit Palace. On our way across a bus with a police escort went by. It looked like diginitaries were on there but what do I know then a fleet of police vans came running by.... guess it was something important. We had gotten lost early in the directions but I was able to navigate us back on course. We actually arrived 4 minutes early. For lunch we had goat cheese pastry drizzled with honey for the appetizer with a side of pears. The main meal was roasted leg of lamb with mashed potatoes, cod fillet with potatoes, chateaubriand with french fries, and duck. For dessert we had profiteroles, apple tart, and chocolate ice cream. Our friends mentioned a chocolate shop they had found so off we went. The children each picked two specialties and some macaroons. Too many sweets so they had to wait. We were close enough to the Arch de Triomphe that it was not worth coming back later.
Up to the Champs elysees it was and to the Arch de Triomphe etoile.
The children did not remember watching the Tour de France on TV so they had no idea why dad and I had to walk out and walk along the cobblestone. I read in my Frommers book that there was an underground passage to get over to the Arch - took us a minute to find it. We picked up our tickets and headed the base. Into one of the legs we went and then UP, UP, UP on a spiral staircase that almost caused my frightened people to stop in their tracks.
Then up two more sets of stairs to the top. It was getting windy but at least the day was clear - we could see up to Sacre Coeur on the hill, down to the Louvre, the Tour Montparnasse (close to our apartment), and of course the Eiffel Tower, the La Defense (dad's conference location). We did not spend much time up top. The trip down the spiral staircase on the other leg did not seem as bad as the trip up but still scary in it own right.
Walking down the Champs Elysees we saw lots of shop names we recognized from the US. As we approached the Place de la concorde there we little white huts lining both sides of the street. Each was showing their wares - scarves, figurines, food, cheese, lots to see. The Condorde has a ferris wheel next to it. We realized we had driven that way in the taxi on our way in. We continued to travel toward the Louvre.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Arrival Day
I am so glad that the longer flight was the first over the Atlantic. The second flight was just a quick up and down and we were here. I gave the children sleepy medicine which helped them relax. Sleeping on a plane is not like sleeping in a bed but it hopefully gives you enough rest that you can function.... functioning worked for 3 of us but not for the other two. Luckily we had arranged for a taxi to take us to the apartment (thanks Bob!) that was able to fit 5 people, 5 suitcases (various sizes) and 5 carry-on backpacks. Yes, there was an organized line for taxis but we just walked up to our person and we were on way. I was not expecting that one hour later we would be at our apartment - Paris is much bigger than anyone lets on.
Our apartment is a two bedroom with a sleeper sofa - the kitchen is more of a kitchenette. It was fun to see the questioning faces of the children - isn't there another room? Why is the toilet separate from the rest of the bathroom - wait! Where is the other bathroom? Gotta love the kids without filters. The best part is the towel bar that warms the towels - can't wait to take a shower to give it a try.
The two non-functioning of us took a nap while the rest of us watched Scooby Doo. It was very strange to watch the children laugh at a show that they did not understand a word of what was being said.
After nap time we ventured out for crepes..... I found a crepe place in the Frommers Guide that was highly recommended. I also highly recommend Creperie Josselin (14e)after our delicious meal there. The place was hopping. They pull the tables together and then when a party leaves they just pull the table out and the people walk around to leave. Each child was greeted by the friendly chefs in the kitchen and they awkwardly replied with their repetitive French. We sampled chocolate and whipped cream, andoille sausage, egg ham cheese, and sausage with spinach crepes. They were each amazing in their own way - the hard cider on the side was a great way to enter into the foodie world of Paris.
Now that the sun has gone to bed - it is time to try and get my overly tired children to rest their eyes for a few hours. One is already resting them pretty solidly. I even gave instructions for what to do if they wake up before everyone else... now to see who that is.....
Our apartment is a two bedroom with a sleeper sofa - the kitchen is more of a kitchenette. It was fun to see the questioning faces of the children - isn't there another room? Why is the toilet separate from the rest of the bathroom - wait! Where is the other bathroom? Gotta love the kids without filters. The best part is the towel bar that warms the towels - can't wait to take a shower to give it a try.
The two non-functioning of us took a nap while the rest of us watched Scooby Doo. It was very strange to watch the children laugh at a show that they did not understand a word of what was being said.
After nap time we ventured out for crepes..... I found a crepe place in the Frommers Guide that was highly recommended. I also highly recommend Creperie Josselin (14e)after our delicious meal there. The place was hopping. They pull the tables together and then when a party leaves they just pull the table out and the people walk around to leave. Each child was greeted by the friendly chefs in the kitchen and they awkwardly replied with their repetitive French. We sampled chocolate and whipped cream, andoille sausage, egg ham cheese, and sausage with spinach crepes. They were each amazing in their own way - the hard cider on the side was a great way to enter into the foodie world of Paris.
Now that the sun has gone to bed - it is time to try and get my overly tired children to rest their eyes for a few hours. One is already resting them pretty solidly. I even gave instructions for what to do if they wake up before everyone else... now to see who that is.....
Friday, December 2, 2011
Final Day!!
Today was our final day before trackout and it was an early release. Of all days to be limited on time this was not it. I never should have waited until the last minute to do the technology pieces - transferring pictures and charging cameras - ugh! Looking for the appropriate cords was the easiest part of today. Then I labelled the cords so that in the future they are still easy to identify. The last load of laundry is in the dryer and now for the REAL packing to begin. Where has all the time gone?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Panic Attack
So at least my panic attacks waited until the week we are getting ready to leave. Lying in bed I realized in just one short week we will be in our apartment in Paris. Then the lists of to-dos entered my brain. I pushed them away so I could get some sleep before the Monday morning routine kicked in. This week is busy with scouts and band and early release. The boxes are ready for items to be added... just a few things each day so the last minute is not a panic. Just a little shopping left for missing clothes and some medicine to take along. The technology is the next HUGE issue... downloads and printing/saving.... powercords, chargers, batteries. Now back to the normal laundry and cooking and cleaning.....
Monday, November 21, 2011
Two Weeks and Counting
It is hard to believe that in just two weeks we will be wandering the streets of Paris. I feel so unorganized because not every day and detail is planned. We have the airplane tickets and an apartment so the difficult pieces are done. The children have new clothes. Layers and waterproof shells to keep them warm and dry. They are practicing their digital camera skills so they can create their own visual memories. The issues that I am facing as an adult are so different than the questions the children are asking. I worry about the scheduling of tours and our youngest worries about whether she will be able to recognize the correct bathroom. Early next week I will check the temperatures again just to make sure we have what we need.
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