![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
France (Image Heavy)
Okay, so I admit I didn't write much for the first few days in Paris. The plane ride was highlighted by fighting to be able to sit next to our children due to an airline screw up, entertainment systems that worked about 30% of the time, and the SARS victims behind us coughing through the flight. Well, that was the first flight to Amsterdam. The second one just had the French man next to me obsessively biting his nails and picking his nose. Yes, it was as pleasant as it sounds.
Our first day in Paris, it rained. We got in to the airport in the afternoon, and it rained through the evening. This did not stop us from walking all the way to the Eiffel Tower. We ended up buying an umbrella along the way for some odd reason... My partner also started getting a cold for some reason... We did find a little cafe that let us in, even though the four of us looked like drowned rats. The excellent roast duck almost made up for the rain. Almost...
Eiffel Tower - first night
The second day was church day. We went to Notre Dame, which was actually kind of cool. I had studied it in my Medieval Studies class, and it was just as beautiful in person. We then wandered/climbed up a rather large hill to the Sacred Heart Church (Sacre Coeur). This is the church where people pray for peace, 24 hours a day, every day. We climbed up to the "dome" which is a rather high tower attached to the church. You start in the crypts and climb your way up. I am not ashamed to admit my legs were jelly by the time we got to the top (and it only took two inhaler puffs) but, as my eldest son said, it was worth it. Wonderful view of both the church and the city as a whole. We also visited the crypt of the church, which appeared to be both where they put gifts to the church and the statues they don't want others to see, including some less than flattering ones of certain bishops. There was a Sanctuary to Peter under the church (which is actually quite common if what we've seen both in France and Rome is anything to go by). Surrounding that, they had little glass and gold boxes with bones in them, some of which seemed quite important.
Okay, this is where I admit I'm a Pagan. I gave up being Catholic for Lent one year and it stuck. However, both churches had a definite draw to them. Notre Dame has been worshiped in for far too long to ignore. Many images of Mary could very easily be translated to represent images of the Mother Goddess and, at the very least, should be respected for the work and devotion that went into creating them let alone how many people have honored them over the years. There was one in particular near the back that people literally stopped in their tracks to turn to like they were drawn to it. One woman lay prostrate before it, praying, before holding up a crucifix to it to be blessed. The Sacred Heart Church was similar - so much love went into making it that you can't ignore it's importance to others. The crypt also held some of the original statues (away from the random ones and situated under the upper chapels), which seemed to have more of a draw of power than the ones up top. Some of the bones appeared to be female (too many anatomy classes not to notice it) and, again, literally drew you to them. It's hard to explain without sounding wishy-washy and flakey, so I'll leave it at that.
Notre Dame
Sacre Coeur and a view from its tower
Third day was Champ Elysees and Arc de Triomphe. And rain. Lots and lots of rain. We started by going to the Arc de Triomphe and then worked our way down the Champ Elysees. It was pouring rain pretty much from the Arc on throughout the rest of the day. We stopped at a couple of shops (most were closed due to it being Sunday) and yes, we went to a McDonald's. On the up side, I picked up a CD I couldn't find in the US and bought a small oil painting from one of the street vendors - black and white of the Eiffel Tower seen from the Seine. We also stopped by the sculpture gardens outside of the Louvre. Basically, we walked across what had to be over half of Paris until our feet felt like they would fall off. I blame part of this on the fact my partner was higher than a kite due to excessive cold meds, and part of it on the fact none of the three of us (me and the boys) could get through to her that we were exhausted and soaked. Maybe we just didn't try hard enough and maybe we were just too damn tired to try harder. When I said it was pouring the whole time, I wasn't kidding.
Arc De Triomphe
The Louvre
Day four was the Louvre. Aside from a little cafe at the beginning of the day and another at the end of the day, we spent pretty much the whole day at the Louvre. The Egyptian exhibit was wonderful: multiple floors of pretty much an entire building - so much better than the little thing we have at home. We compared it to us having a closet (not even a walk-in) and them having a mansion. We also saw, of course, the Mona Lisa. After all the Egyptian works and the special Babylonian Exhibit, not to mention Napoleon's jewels, I really was not that impressed. I did however like the little stuffed hippo embroidered with hieroglyphics available in the gift shop. To each their own, I guess. What was quite impressive was the dinner - French Onion Soup, Roast Duck with Seasoned Potatoes, Chocolate Mousse with a hint of Mandarin Oranges, and Wine from the region my partner did her externship in. And yes, all of that deserved to be capitalized. Too bad our youngest was a royal pain for the majority of the day (when we agreed to go to the Louvre, he thought we were going to the garden out front so he could look for rocks), culminating in screaming at the top of his lungs after midnight in a hotel with paper-thin walls. He was either getting sick of channeling Satan. I have not decided which yet.
Another shot of the Louvre
The Mini Arc de Triomphe just outside of the Louvre at sunset
On the fifth day, we slept in a bit for some, odd, reason. Eventually, we got up and went to the Musee d'Orsay, another art museum. This one is built in an old train station that was almost demolished before protests led to the creation of the museum instead. On the way there, we found another street artist selling these beautiful glass and enamel pictures. The level of detail was amazing. Needless to say, we did not pass his stand empty handed. After the museum, we wandered back down to the Eiffel Tower and let the boys play in the park there for a bit. Dinner was a mix of cured meats and cheeses and chocolate mousse from one of the markets. All in all, not too bad of a day.
Musee d'Orsay
A shot of the Sappho sculpture so we don't lose our rainbow toaster
Sixth day started with a trip to Starbucks. My loving partner wanted a bit more than the usual two-sip small coffees available everywhere to start her day. Appropriately fueled, we walked back down to where the man was selling the little pictures to pick up one of the Eiffel Tower for her mother. We then wandered around Paris some more, going to see the back of Notre Dame (we missed it before) and ending up at the Mosque de Paris for lunch and to pick up a small gift from the bazaar for one of her pregnant friends back home. We came back via St. Germaine again, window shopping until we reached the store our youngest had wanted to go back to. Apparently he could not live without French Pokemon cards. He did, however, accidentally prove to us that he remembered his French and spoke with the correct accent and everything. Later, he channeled Satan again, so I guess his behavior was a wash for the day. His older brother was a doll and earned a gift for being good - he just doesn't know it yet.
The back of Notre Dame
The Mosque de Paris
The seventh day was our final full day in Paris. The weather was the best we had so far - truly beautiful. We walked to the Eiffel Tower again, this time actually walking up as far as we could. To get any higher, we would have needed to wait in a huge line and cram into a tiny elevator with a ton of people. We decided to enjoy the view instead. I bought my nephew a little teddy bear with a sweater embroidered with the Tower from a little gift shop on the second level. After that, we crossed the river and went to a church dedicated to Mary Magdalene. Surrounding it were several specialty food stores where my partner the chef was like a kid in a candy store. We made our way back to the park outside the Louvre where our boys played with boats in a pond. Eventually, we ended up at the same restaurant where we had our first meal and had a wonderful final dinner in Paris.
The Eiffel Tower
The boats in the fountain outside the Louvre
Our final (partial) day involved us getting up early to make sure everything was ready to go, including us. A tiny breakfast and a bit of The Pink Panther on tv, and we headed out to the airport. Along the way, our youngest emptied his stomach of his small breakfast... repeatedly. At the airport, he continued his barfing extravaganza until, really, there was nothing left. Fun times for all. By the time we got to the plane though, he was feeling much better. We made both flights, watched movies, and went home.
And that was our trip to Paris.
PS: 9+ hour flights stuck between a 9 year old and a 10 year old, even if they are your own, are enough to drive you insane.
PPS: Some people take offense to the phrase "Jesus Fuck!", especially in a predominantly Christian country.
PPPS: Some people take offense when a mother tells her child, "I love you, and wish to continue to do so; please knock that off."
PPPPS: Be concerned when you leave a message for your children's father stating that you sold the children to the Gypsies, but they gave them back, and he doesn't respond.
Our first day in Paris, it rained. We got in to the airport in the afternoon, and it rained through the evening. This did not stop us from walking all the way to the Eiffel Tower. We ended up buying an umbrella along the way for some odd reason... My partner also started getting a cold for some reason... We did find a little cafe that let us in, even though the four of us looked like drowned rats. The excellent roast duck almost made up for the rain. Almost...
Eiffel Tower - first night
The second day was church day. We went to Notre Dame, which was actually kind of cool. I had studied it in my Medieval Studies class, and it was just as beautiful in person. We then wandered/climbed up a rather large hill to the Sacred Heart Church (Sacre Coeur). This is the church where people pray for peace, 24 hours a day, every day. We climbed up to the "dome" which is a rather high tower attached to the church. You start in the crypts and climb your way up. I am not ashamed to admit my legs were jelly by the time we got to the top (and it only took two inhaler puffs) but, as my eldest son said, it was worth it. Wonderful view of both the church and the city as a whole. We also visited the crypt of the church, which appeared to be both where they put gifts to the church and the statues they don't want others to see, including some less than flattering ones of certain bishops. There was a Sanctuary to Peter under the church (which is actually quite common if what we've seen both in France and Rome is anything to go by). Surrounding that, they had little glass and gold boxes with bones in them, some of which seemed quite important.
Okay, this is where I admit I'm a Pagan. I gave up being Catholic for Lent one year and it stuck. However, both churches had a definite draw to them. Notre Dame has been worshiped in for far too long to ignore. Many images of Mary could very easily be translated to represent images of the Mother Goddess and, at the very least, should be respected for the work and devotion that went into creating them let alone how many people have honored them over the years. There was one in particular near the back that people literally stopped in their tracks to turn to like they were drawn to it. One woman lay prostrate before it, praying, before holding up a crucifix to it to be blessed. The Sacred Heart Church was similar - so much love went into making it that you can't ignore it's importance to others. The crypt also held some of the original statues (away from the random ones and situated under the upper chapels), which seemed to have more of a draw of power than the ones up top. Some of the bones appeared to be female (too many anatomy classes not to notice it) and, again, literally drew you to them. It's hard to explain without sounding wishy-washy and flakey, so I'll leave it at that.
Notre Dame
Sacre Coeur and a view from its tower
Third day was Champ Elysees and Arc de Triomphe. And rain. Lots and lots of rain. We started by going to the Arc de Triomphe and then worked our way down the Champ Elysees. It was pouring rain pretty much from the Arc on throughout the rest of the day. We stopped at a couple of shops (most were closed due to it being Sunday) and yes, we went to a McDonald's. On the up side, I picked up a CD I couldn't find in the US and bought a small oil painting from one of the street vendors - black and white of the Eiffel Tower seen from the Seine. We also stopped by the sculpture gardens outside of the Louvre. Basically, we walked across what had to be over half of Paris until our feet felt like they would fall off. I blame part of this on the fact my partner was higher than a kite due to excessive cold meds, and part of it on the fact none of the three of us (me and the boys) could get through to her that we were exhausted and soaked. Maybe we just didn't try hard enough and maybe we were just too damn tired to try harder. When I said it was pouring the whole time, I wasn't kidding.
Arc De Triomphe
The Louvre
Day four was the Louvre. Aside from a little cafe at the beginning of the day and another at the end of the day, we spent pretty much the whole day at the Louvre. The Egyptian exhibit was wonderful: multiple floors of pretty much an entire building - so much better than the little thing we have at home. We compared it to us having a closet (not even a walk-in) and them having a mansion. We also saw, of course, the Mona Lisa. After all the Egyptian works and the special Babylonian Exhibit, not to mention Napoleon's jewels, I really was not that impressed. I did however like the little stuffed hippo embroidered with hieroglyphics available in the gift shop. To each their own, I guess. What was quite impressive was the dinner - French Onion Soup, Roast Duck with Seasoned Potatoes, Chocolate Mousse with a hint of Mandarin Oranges, and Wine from the region my partner did her externship in. And yes, all of that deserved to be capitalized. Too bad our youngest was a royal pain for the majority of the day (when we agreed to go to the Louvre, he thought we were going to the garden out front so he could look for rocks), culminating in screaming at the top of his lungs after midnight in a hotel with paper-thin walls. He was either getting sick of channeling Satan. I have not decided which yet.
Another shot of the Louvre
The Mini Arc de Triomphe just outside of the Louvre at sunset
On the fifth day, we slept in a bit for some, odd, reason. Eventually, we got up and went to the Musee d'Orsay, another art museum. This one is built in an old train station that was almost demolished before protests led to the creation of the museum instead. On the way there, we found another street artist selling these beautiful glass and enamel pictures. The level of detail was amazing. Needless to say, we did not pass his stand empty handed. After the museum, we wandered back down to the Eiffel Tower and let the boys play in the park there for a bit. Dinner was a mix of cured meats and cheeses and chocolate mousse from one of the markets. All in all, not too bad of a day.
Musee d'Orsay
A shot of the Sappho sculpture so we don't lose our rainbow toaster
Sixth day started with a trip to Starbucks. My loving partner wanted a bit more than the usual two-sip small coffees available everywhere to start her day. Appropriately fueled, we walked back down to where the man was selling the little pictures to pick up one of the Eiffel Tower for her mother. We then wandered around Paris some more, going to see the back of Notre Dame (we missed it before) and ending up at the Mosque de Paris for lunch and to pick up a small gift from the bazaar for one of her pregnant friends back home. We came back via St. Germaine again, window shopping until we reached the store our youngest had wanted to go back to. Apparently he could not live without French Pokemon cards. He did, however, accidentally prove to us that he remembered his French and spoke with the correct accent and everything. Later, he channeled Satan again, so I guess his behavior was a wash for the day. His older brother was a doll and earned a gift for being good - he just doesn't know it yet.
The back of Notre Dame
The Mosque de Paris
The seventh day was our final full day in Paris. The weather was the best we had so far - truly beautiful. We walked to the Eiffel Tower again, this time actually walking up as far as we could. To get any higher, we would have needed to wait in a huge line and cram into a tiny elevator with a ton of people. We decided to enjoy the view instead. I bought my nephew a little teddy bear with a sweater embroidered with the Tower from a little gift shop on the second level. After that, we crossed the river and went to a church dedicated to Mary Magdalene. Surrounding it were several specialty food stores where my partner the chef was like a kid in a candy store. We made our way back to the park outside the Louvre where our boys played with boats in a pond. Eventually, we ended up at the same restaurant where we had our first meal and had a wonderful final dinner in Paris.
The Eiffel Tower
The boats in the fountain outside the Louvre
Our final (partial) day involved us getting up early to make sure everything was ready to go, including us. A tiny breakfast and a bit of The Pink Panther on tv, and we headed out to the airport. Along the way, our youngest emptied his stomach of his small breakfast... repeatedly. At the airport, he continued his barfing extravaganza until, really, there was nothing left. Fun times for all. By the time we got to the plane though, he was feeling much better. We made both flights, watched movies, and went home.
And that was our trip to Paris.
PS: 9+ hour flights stuck between a 9 year old and a 10 year old, even if they are your own, are enough to drive you insane.
PPS: Some people take offense to the phrase "Jesus Fuck!", especially in a predominantly Christian country.
PPPS: Some people take offense when a mother tells her child, "I love you, and wish to continue to do so; please knock that off."
PPPPS: Be concerned when you leave a message for your children's father stating that you sold the children to the Gypsies, but they gave them back, and he doesn't respond.