So I am combining 2 days into one, because we have taken the opportunity of being in a lovely apartment and just enjoying a couple of quiet, relaxing mornings. The area is so quiet and it is light so late that the boys have not been going to bed until 9.30pm and so have been rising about 8.30am, which for anyone who knows them is REALLY late.
Yesterday, we left after our lounging around in order to meet up with Brad, Jayne & Cait Campbell (Jayne is DP at St Marks in Sydney where I was teaching before heading away) for a rather long and delightful lunch. We took a little while to find a 'kid' friendly cafe, with appropriate food for ALL the kids (sorry, Cait! Couldn't resist!) but once there we had a great catch up about life living in the Middle East (they aren't tempted to come live there - hmm didn't sell it too well did I? :P) as well as their travels in France.
Following the lunch the boys and I headed to the pier near the Eiffel Tower in order to book lunch on a river cruise for today. Job accomplished we wandered over the river to Place de l'Alma which is where Princess Diana met her untimely demise. From there we headed home, purchasing croissants on the way for dinner. I must at this point make a special mention about le croissant; these things are divine! Why can't they be made this way in the rest of the world? Is it the French water that makes them so soft and delicious? Why are they crispy and flaky everywhere else? Has no one ever bothered to come to France and learn how to make these things? We stuffed them with ham and cheese and put them in the oven for 15mins, superb!
This morning began in a very similar fashion to yesterday until we left to make our way to the ship for our lunch cruise. We had a little hiccup along the way - Paris has a great metro system, but there are the inevitable closures and problems - one problem is that the closest station to the Eiffel Tower is serviced by one line only - and that meant at least 2 connections from where we are at Les Lilas. That isn't a problem in itself, until the connection you make suddenly ends due to a closure of a section of the line. There were problem notices of this somewhere - but in French, of course! Anyway, our little detour was quickly remedied and we made the boat in plenty of time.
Upon boarding we were shown to our table by the window, which was lovely and had a clear view - it was however a problem a bit later in the cruise when we ended up in the sun! The cruise departed and we slowly made our way down the river from le Tour Eiffel to Bibliotheque Nationale de Francois Mitterand, passing Ile de la cite on either side during our journey. We continued back past the Eiffel Tower to the Statue of Liberte and returned to dock some 2 1/2 hours later. The boys were going to count the bridges that we went under, but the food distracted them! From the map it was at least 15, but that doesn't include the foot bridges - if we included those it would number closer to 25.
Whilst we cruised we ate! The dinner was Entree, Main, cheese, dessert with drinks and coffee included. Whilst the choosing of the main & dessert was easy for the kids, not so with the entree, which was much more 'fancy' and not to their taste. I had a terrine with gherkin relish and bread - it was very tasty, but they didn't like it upon trying. They had order a tomato dish - which consisted of small smoked fish (sardines?) with artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes and olives, with a cornbread slice. The bread was eaten by both, with Ethan nibbling away at the fish and them at least trying the artichoke. Main course however was a roaring success, which Jacob declaring that it was the best pork he had ever eaten, although the mashed potato did not live up to the same exacting standards! My chicken with vegetable casserole was very tasty. The cheese was not cheddar - so neither of the boys ate it, although I enjoyed it and dessert of strawberries with yoghurt ice-cream was always going to be a winner!
After rolling ourselves of the boat at the end of the cruise we walked down and underneath the Eiffel Tower, inspected the long, long, line of people waiting to head up it and walked on towards the Ecole Militaire, stopping in several souvenir shops along the way to make some purchases. Jacob finished his shopping yesterday, I was finished today - but the fussy shopper (Ethan) can't seem to find anything he wants. From Ecole Militaire we caught the train over towards Montparnasse - where we visited the second largest church in Paris, Saint Sulpice. No crowds there like at Notre Dame!
A short walk down the street found us in Jardin du Luxembourg, where we enjoyed roaming about looking at the flowers and gardens, watching the tennis matches that were occurring on the courts there and the boys ran themselves ragged in the children's playground. After an hour of running around, I rounded them up and we made our way to the main central area of the garden with the lake, where you could sail boats and the lovely manicured lawns. The entire park was full of families and people of all descriptions - most of them sitting on chairs or benches supplied in the park, sunning themselves, like a bunch of lizards - obviously the skin cancer message has not reached Paris ye. Once again we headed home with croissants for a light dinner and some packing. Back to London tomorrow.
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| The main bed in the attic - boys are OK up here, but I have to stoop to avoid the beams |
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| Sofa bed - or as I have called it the kamikaze bed - the end of the carpet you see on the right of the bed is open directly to the stairwell - nothing to stop you stepping straight into open air! Ethan has been sleeping on the far left of the bed! |
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| View from upstairs window |
Yesterday, we left after our lounging around in order to meet up with Brad, Jayne & Cait Campbell (Jayne is DP at St Marks in Sydney where I was teaching before heading away) for a rather long and delightful lunch. We took a little while to find a 'kid' friendly cafe, with appropriate food for ALL the kids (sorry, Cait! Couldn't resist!) but once there we had a great catch up about life living in the Middle East (they aren't tempted to come live there - hmm didn't sell it too well did I? :P) as well as their travels in France.
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| We were walking to meet Jayne & Brad and came across R2-D2 outside a bar. |
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| Hugs for R2D2 |
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| This is the church St Germain l'Auxerrois which is opposite the Louvre, near where we met Brad & Jayne |
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| Boys are fascinated by gargoyles - not only are there gargoyles, but the spires have been made to look like faces as well. |
Following the lunch the boys and I headed to the pier near the Eiffel Tower in order to book lunch on a river cruise for today. Job accomplished we wandered over the river to Place de l'Alma which is where Princess Diana met her untimely demise. From there we headed home, purchasing croissants on the way for dinner. I must at this point make a special mention about le croissant; these things are divine! Why can't they be made this way in the rest of the world? Is it the French water that makes them so soft and delicious? Why are they crispy and flaky everywhere else? Has no one ever bothered to come to France and learn how to make these things? We stuffed them with ham and cheese and put them in the oven for 15mins, superb!
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| Can you pick what makes this pic of the Tower special? Yes, it's the Aussie flag hiding in the greenery. The Embassy is just down the road from Le Tour. |
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| Late afternoon sun on the Seine as we crossed Pont de l'Alma |
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| From Pont de l'Alma |
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| This monument is not for Diana - but as it sits on the top of the underpass where she died this is where people leave pictures and flowers for her. |
This morning began in a very similar fashion to yesterday until we left to make our way to the ship for our lunch cruise. We had a little hiccup along the way - Paris has a great metro system, but there are the inevitable closures and problems - one problem is that the closest station to the Eiffel Tower is serviced by one line only - and that meant at least 2 connections from where we are at Les Lilas. That isn't a problem in itself, until the connection you make suddenly ends due to a closure of a section of the line. There were problem notices of this somewhere - but in French, of course! Anyway, our little detour was quickly remedied and we made the boat in plenty of time.
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| Passing under Pont Alexandre III on the cruise today, Grand Palais on left. |
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| Notre Dame from the other side |
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| Paddle-steamers tied up on the river |
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| This was an interesting building - have no idea what it was! |
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| La Piscine - a public pool, with water from the river I assume - like the pools on the coast in Sydney |
Upon boarding we were shown to our table by the window, which was lovely and had a clear view - it was however a problem a bit later in the cruise when we ended up in the sun! The cruise departed and we slowly made our way down the river from le Tour Eiffel to Bibliotheque Nationale de Francois Mitterand, passing Ile de la cite on either side during our journey. We continued back past the Eiffel Tower to the Statue of Liberte and returned to dock some 2 1/2 hours later. The boys were going to count the bridges that we went under, but the food distracted them! From the map it was at least 15, but that doesn't include the foot bridges - if we included those it would number closer to 25.
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| This is a model shoot as the 'bride' and 'groom' had to retrace their steps several times! This is the 3rd modelling shoot I've seen in 2 days. |
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| Musee de Orsay |
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| Another photo with le Tour Eiffel Mum? |
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| Lady Liberte and le Tour Eiffel |
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| This building was painted as though a giant drop of orange paint had dropped on it and run down the side - unique?! |
Whilst we cruised we ate! The dinner was Entree, Main, cheese, dessert with drinks and coffee included. Whilst the choosing of the main & dessert was easy for the kids, not so with the entree, which was much more 'fancy' and not to their taste. I had a terrine with gherkin relish and bread - it was very tasty, but they didn't like it upon trying. They had order a tomato dish - which consisted of small smoked fish (sardines?) with artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes and olives, with a cornbread slice. The bread was eaten by both, with Ethan nibbling away at the fish and them at least trying the artichoke. Main course however was a roaring success, which Jacob declaring that it was the best pork he had ever eaten, although the mashed potato did not live up to the same exacting standards! My chicken with vegetable casserole was very tasty. The cheese was not cheddar - so neither of the boys ate it, although I enjoyed it and dessert of strawberries with yoghurt ice-cream was always going to be a winner!
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| 'Looking up the skirt' of the Tower |
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| Ecole Militaire at the end of Champs de Mars |
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| This is for you Dad - I know you can't get it to grow - but there was no problems on the Champs de Mars! |
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| Ecole Militaire |
After rolling ourselves of the boat at the end of the cruise we walked down and underneath the Eiffel Tower, inspected the long, long, line of people waiting to head up it and walked on towards the Ecole Militaire, stopping in several souvenir shops along the way to make some purchases. Jacob finished his shopping yesterday, I was finished today - but the fussy shopper (Ethan) can't seem to find anything he wants. From Ecole Militaire we caught the train over towards Montparnasse - where we visited the second largest church in Paris, Saint Sulpice. No crowds there like at Notre Dame!
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| The organ at St Sulpice |
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| Looking down the nave of St Sulpice |
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| Fountain in the square outside St Sulpice. This water was like ice, it was really cold. |
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| St Sulpice |
A short walk down the street found us in Jardin du Luxembourg, where we enjoyed roaming about looking at the flowers and gardens, watching the tennis matches that were occurring on the courts there and the boys ran themselves ragged in the children's playground. After an hour of running around, I rounded them up and we made our way to the main central area of the garden with the lake, where you could sail boats and the lovely manicured lawns. The entire park was full of families and people of all descriptions - most of them sitting on chairs or benches supplied in the park, sunning themselves, like a bunch of lizards - obviously the skin cancer message has not reached Paris ye. Once again we headed home with croissants for a light dinner and some packing. Back to London tomorrow.
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| One of the many statues/gardens in Jardin du Luxembourg |
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| Play time |
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| He finally went further! |
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| This was very popular! |
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| Manicured gardens at the centre |
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| Aussie Aussie Aussie! |
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| Boats on the lake (pond?/ fountain?) with the Palais du Luxembourg in background |
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| Palais du Luxembourg - was built by Marie de' Medici in a Florentine style to remind her of home. |
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