Well we're not actually in London-we're at the Crown Plaza at Heathrow. Our flight is at 9 am. But first we fly to Dublin, then Chicago-4 hour layover and then home to San Jose.
the biggest room we've had so far is this hotel-what a crack-up just for one night. Had dinner downstairs and our waitress was French-the best conversation I've had in French. It's so much easier when someone speaks both and can help you out. Great food, great waitress.
See you all soon and I can tell you all about the hair dryers here and the bizarro rooms! what a great time we had.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Quiet day
We know it's our last day in Paris but we can't seem to get motivated. We said good-bye to Ellen and the B's and slept in. Late breakfast and we walked around a bit. Took the metro to the Eiffel Tower and Nic and Patrick stood in line to go to the top. Once again we ate baguettes in line. I sat writing while I waited for them. It was cooler and looked as if it was about to rain. 45 minutes later they came back-the top was closed due to weather. Nic was bummed. C'est la vie, we said. Back on the metro to our hotel for a nap, at least for me.
Out to dinner by ourselves at a Tex-Mex American restaurant called Indiana. It starts pouring. Great meal except for Patrick's chicken -he ordered fried chicken and basically got pricey chicken nuggets.
We were tired and went home to pack.
Back to London tomorrow.
Out to dinner by ourselves at a Tex-Mex American restaurant called Indiana. It starts pouring. Great meal except for Patrick's chicken -he ordered fried chicken and basically got pricey chicken nuggets.
We were tired and went home to pack.
Back to London tomorrow.
Exhaustion and Versailles
We woke up refreshed at 10 am and took it slow. I missed the Musee D'orsay, but Ellen and Jeanie went. We met at our hotel for the private mini van tour to Versailles, a castle 30 minutes out of Paris. Louis the14th moved there to get away from the stink of Paris. Our tour guide Christophe was fantastic-he let me practice my french and corrected me when I made mistakes -it was great. so far he was the only person I spoke to that spoke french and english so it was fun. He also spoke spanish so Ellen got a few words in.
It was SO hot at Versailles, but we did it anyway. The Hall of Mirrors was incredible, the bedrooms as well. It's so shocking to see how much the wealthy had and the poor with nothing. 700 rooms at Versailles and many bedrooms never slept in. Louis was quite fond of himself and there are plenty paintings of him.
Out to the fountains and the beautiful fountain show which is only on sundays. Stunning views, beautiful gardens. Nasty restroom.
Back to the town of Versailles and our daily ice cream break and water. No gifts-too pricy.
Back on the van and Christophe drops us at the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank. We walk around, sweat some more and find a fabulous outdoor resturant Chez Clements.
We said our good-byes to the B's and Ellen came back with us to the Right Bank. She leaves in the am for NY. But first Nic makes a movie time video starring Ellen. Ellen is hilarious with her phony french accent-she is a natural commediennne. Au revoir Ellen-we will miss you.
It was SO hot at Versailles, but we did it anyway. The Hall of Mirrors was incredible, the bedrooms as well. It's so shocking to see how much the wealthy had and the poor with nothing. 700 rooms at Versailles and many bedrooms never slept in. Louis was quite fond of himself and there are plenty paintings of him.
Out to the fountains and the beautiful fountain show which is only on sundays. Stunning views, beautiful gardens. Nasty restroom.
Back to the town of Versailles and our daily ice cream break and water. No gifts-too pricy.
Back on the van and Christophe drops us at the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank. We walk around, sweat some more and find a fabulous outdoor resturant Chez Clements.
We said our good-byes to the B's and Ellen came back with us to the Right Bank. She leaves in the am for NY. But first Nic makes a movie time video starring Ellen. Ellen is hilarious with her phony french accent-she is a natural commediennne. Au revoir Ellen-we will miss you.
Bastille Day
Or as they call it quatorze juliette. We all took the Metro to the B's hotel where ellen is now also staying. From the right bank to the left bank. A bit dirtier than the tube in London, but I oredred the tickets in French and Patrick and Nic look to me for help now. Truly most people do not speak english. We got a bit lost out of the metro and by accident I asked a woman "Parlez vous francais?" I mean to ask for english, but she gave me directions I understood.
We met with the rest of the group and walked around the Tour Eiffel for a bit and went to the restaurant for the WORST dinner and service ever-the place was just overwhelmed with the holiday-Marshall cancelled his meal, the rest of ate quickly or took it to their room for the best view of the fireworks-the show was great.
We left at 11:30 pm and never made it across the river to our hotel room until 2 am. .Nic, Patrick and I walked for over 2 hours-the crowd was large and a bit scary. We found a taxi just before 2 am. We never plan to be here again on this day unless we are safely ensconced in the Hilton Eiffel Tower like Ellen and the B's. For now it's part of our experience.
We met with the rest of the group and walked around the Tour Eiffel for a bit and went to the restaurant for the WORST dinner and service ever-the place was just overwhelmed with the holiday-Marshall cancelled his meal, the rest of ate quickly or took it to their room for the best view of the fireworks-the show was great.
We left at 11:30 pm and never made it across the river to our hotel room until 2 am. .Nic, Patrick and I walked for over 2 hours-the crowd was large and a bit scary. We found a taxi just before 2 am. We never plan to be here again on this day unless we are safely ensconced in the Hilton Eiffel Tower like Ellen and the B's. For now it's part of our experience.
Notre Dame, Montmarte and the Louvre
We were all a bit lazy in the morning. Ellen tried to get service on her phone-was promised the phone she bought in London would work in Paris, but it was a lie. We waited in the line for a long time and found she couldn't get service for another 48 hours. we've found you need quite a bit of patience here. Meanwhile we were in the store so long Patrick bought a new camera and Nic's started a movie time video.
Off we went walking to the Notre Dame Cathedral. Stunning inside: beautiful bas reliefs and rose windows. We ate baguettes on the street and Ellen bought dresses-pret a porter-ready to wear. We were all sweating-over 90 degrees and very humid. We drank tons of water and ate lots of ice cream-we felt like we walked it off!!
Onto to City of Paris office to pick up our bus tour of Montmarte and the Louvre. The Bartoszeks will arrive on a later Eurostar and we will meet them for dinner.
We get on the double decker bus and have to sit downstairs as nobody believes in turning on AC until the bus leaves. Up to Montmarte where all the artists lived and we get in a funicular (cable car) to get all the way up to the Basilica that Joan d'Arc and another saint guard. A 360 degree view of Paris-breathtaking. But apparently all of France is with us as it's the first sunny day in 2 and a half months. We're sweating but listening to our guide. Below us is the Moulin Rouge. There are so many stairs and the streets are all cobblestones. Good thing the ladies are wearing their Sketchers! We pass by the cafe where Picasso hung out.
We need another glace break and more water and then we run in the Bartoszeks and quickly make plans to meet at their hotel later.
The Louvre is exceptional. Of course we only saw a bit: Venus di Milo, Winged Victory and naturellement the Mona Lisa which was under glass and much smaller than we all thought. We got lots of backstory though.
Back to room to freshen up and off to Left Bank to meet the B's.
Dinner was outside and fabulous and fabulously expensive.
Bonne Nuit-nous sommes fatigue!
Off we went walking to the Notre Dame Cathedral. Stunning inside: beautiful bas reliefs and rose windows. We ate baguettes on the street and Ellen bought dresses-pret a porter-ready to wear. We were all sweating-over 90 degrees and very humid. We drank tons of water and ate lots of ice cream-we felt like we walked it off!!
Onto to City of Paris office to pick up our bus tour of Montmarte and the Louvre. The Bartoszeks will arrive on a later Eurostar and we will meet them for dinner.
We get on the double decker bus and have to sit downstairs as nobody believes in turning on AC until the bus leaves. Up to Montmarte where all the artists lived and we get in a funicular (cable car) to get all the way up to the Basilica that Joan d'Arc and another saint guard. A 360 degree view of Paris-breathtaking. But apparently all of France is with us as it's the first sunny day in 2 and a half months. We're sweating but listening to our guide. Below us is the Moulin Rouge. There are so many stairs and the streets are all cobblestones. Good thing the ladies are wearing their Sketchers! We pass by the cafe where Picasso hung out.
We need another glace break and more water and then we run in the Bartoszeks and quickly make plans to meet at their hotel later.
The Louvre is exceptional. Of course we only saw a bit: Venus di Milo, Winged Victory and naturellement the Mona Lisa which was under glass and much smaller than we all thought. We got lots of backstory though.
Back to room to freshen up and off to Left Bank to meet the B's.
Dinner was outside and fabulous and fabulously expensive.
Bonne Nuit-nous sommes fatigue!
To Paris
Went to the very busy Waterloo station and found Ellen excitedly waiting for us. Ellen's seat was in another car but she sweet talked the guy into our car and voila! we were all sitting together. Beautiful views of the English countryside and then under the chunnel and into France in a mere 2 and a half hours. We got off at the very busy Gare du Nord and suddenly we were really in a foreign country. We were all told everyone spoke English but it was not the case. I'm so glad I studied French again. I thought I'd be too nervous but when you have no choice, you speak French. it comes out. It was so exciting. Nic was more excited about getting his passport stamped, but I was too.
The rain stopped soon and the sun came out. I'll skip our awful first dinner-it wasn't the food and then we took a boat ride down the River Seine. Absolutely beautiful. the Eiffel Tower was lit up as it neared dark-the sun doesn't set here until 10 pm. all the beautiful sights along the river, except for the rowdy high school kids screaming, it was lovely.
Can't believe we're in Paris!!!
The rain stopped soon and the sun came out. I'll skip our awful first dinner-it wasn't the food and then we took a boat ride down the River Seine. Absolutely beautiful. the Eiffel Tower was lit up as it neared dark-the sun doesn't set here until 10 pm. all the beautiful sights along the river, except for the rowdy high school kids screaming, it was lovely.
Can't believe we're in Paris!!!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Tea at the Ritz, etc
Ellen arrived on Sunday and was ready to hit the streets of London with us. We buzzed around Kensington and then Patrick took off to work in Ireland. Had dinner with the Bartoszeks and cruised around Paddington Station.
Monday we went to the British Museum and shopped at Marks and Spencer and H and M. The London stores have different stuff, even the Gap. The weather changes by the hour, sometimes even by the minute. We are always prepared, dressed in layers but always with an umbrella handy. The Big Bus is great for getting around town. On the bus we met the back-up singers and dancers on the Justin Timberlake tour-they offered us tickets (maybe) for Tuesday night. We were hoping...
Tuesday we took the full day London tour:Westminster Abbey was breathtaking and the tomb of the unknown soldier made us all weep-very moving-no pix allowed in the Abbey-lots of tombs and lots of people remembered there-it is 1,ooo years old and it was truly amazing. Next stop was Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard-very cool-we raced to get there on time and then the Prime Minister came-all very exciting-kids loved it and so did we. then on to a proper British lunch at a very old pub called the Silver Cross-our first time eating English food and it was great-no complaints from the crew: chicken breast (covered in sauce) Beef pie (covered in sauce). Then onto the Thames river ride and finally to the Tower of London-we could all imagine what a bleak time that must have been. After 8 hours we were wiped out!
We rushed home to see if our tickets had arrived-no such luck, so naturally we went shopping. The kids were pretty bummed out, but that's life. Patrick got back from a successful trip in Ireland and joined the tour again.
Wednesday the ladies had tea at the Ritz-absolutely lovely-no words. The guys went on the London Eye with the best view of London, except it was fogged in. We all met up later. Ellen, nic and I went to Harrods. Ellen HAD to have the green Harrod's bag. Dinner out again with the B's and it's off to Paris for us in the morning.
A bientot.
Monday we went to the British Museum and shopped at Marks and Spencer and H and M. The London stores have different stuff, even the Gap. The weather changes by the hour, sometimes even by the minute. We are always prepared, dressed in layers but always with an umbrella handy. The Big Bus is great for getting around town. On the bus we met the back-up singers and dancers on the Justin Timberlake tour-they offered us tickets (maybe) for Tuesday night. We were hoping...
Tuesday we took the full day London tour:Westminster Abbey was breathtaking and the tomb of the unknown soldier made us all weep-very moving-no pix allowed in the Abbey-lots of tombs and lots of people remembered there-it is 1,ooo years old and it was truly amazing. Next stop was Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard-very cool-we raced to get there on time and then the Prime Minister came-all very exciting-kids loved it and so did we. then on to a proper British lunch at a very old pub called the Silver Cross-our first time eating English food and it was great-no complaints from the crew: chicken breast (covered in sauce) Beef pie (covered in sauce). Then onto the Thames river ride and finally to the Tower of London-we could all imagine what a bleak time that must have been. After 8 hours we were wiped out!
We rushed home to see if our tickets had arrived-no such luck, so naturally we went shopping. The kids were pretty bummed out, but that's life. Patrick got back from a successful trip in Ireland and joined the tour again.
Wednesday the ladies had tea at the Ritz-absolutely lovely-no words. The guys went on the London Eye with the best view of London, except it was fogged in. We all met up later. Ellen, nic and I went to Harrods. Ellen HAD to have the green Harrod's bag. Dinner out again with the B's and it's off to Paris for us in the morning.
A bientot.
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