Our trip to Europe was truly amazing! Getting to have one on one time with Adam was fabulous. Home is calling though and Adam and I started our journey home with a train ride. Jacob dropped us off at the Cambridge Train Station early Monday morning on his way to work.
Our train took us to Kings Cross Station. I didn't see platform 9 3/4, but we did get off on platform 8. We took the Tube to the airport and began our check-in. Going through security was wild. They held Adam's bag to go through it, but he and I just left the security area and headed toward our boarding area. A few strides down the corridor Adam noticed what we were missing and we headed quickly back to security! They hadn't gone through it yet, so we hadn't missed to much :)
After our bag was searched we made it our mission to leave England with as few Euros and Pounds as possible. We bought some jam at Harrod's and Digestive crackers and other fun treats for the kids to try! 1.50 pounds was the amount we took with us as we boarded the plane. *Funny Side Note* Adam had to go through 3 separate security checks while we were in London! Because he traveled to Russia for school, followed by Pairs and London I think they were a little suspicious :) Our travel was good, it was nice to have those remaining hours on the plane to share before we headed back to reality!!
When we landed in Phoenix the first thing we noticed was of course the heat, but as we walked the corridor to baggage claim Adam stopped to admire the sunset, between Russian "white nights", cloudy days, and rain he hadn't seen a sun set in over two weeks. We are home and it is great to be back!!
Rachel is the Young Woman's Stake President and had a meeting to attend in Cambridge. We took the opportunity to tag along and meet up with Luke (a mission companion of Adam's ) and his family. We met up in front of Kings College one of 32 Colleges that create Cambridge University. The oldest of the Colleges is Peterhouse which was founded in 1284.
I must take a moment to brag on my brother Jacob and his wife Rachel. They were amazing tour guides. I am sure that they have visited many of the sights numerous times while living in Europe. Not only did they know the best ways to get around, but once we arrived they could explain in great detail the history and meanings behind what we were seeing. Since being home though I have forgotten bits of information and Wikipedia has been helpful!
Above is the Eagle Pub in Cambridge.
When the university's Cavendish Laboratory was still at its old site at nearby Free School Lane the pub was a popular lunch destination for staff working there. Thus it became the place where Francis Crick interrupted patrons' lunchtime on 28 February 1953 to announce that he and James Watson (not that Watson) had "discovered the secret of life" after they had come up with their proposal for the structure of DNA. The anecdote is related in Watson's book The Double Helix and commemorated on a blue plaque next to the entrance. Today the pub serves a special ale to commemorate the discovery.
I thought this was interesting as well... Opposite The Eagle is St Bene't's Church, the oldest standing building in Cambridge, with the Saxon tower dating from around 1033.
During WWII, the pub became a favorite hangout for off duty R.A.F personnel eager to unwind from the stresses war. It is believed that in late 1941 or early 1942, a young airman stood precariously balanced on a chair atop a table in the back bar, then using a candle he burned his Squadron’s number into the ceiling. This started a tradition that was to continue until war’s end and beyond, right up to the days of the Berlin Airlift in fact. In 1942 the 8th AAF came to England and many of the former RAF airfields became home to American Bomber and Fighter Groups. Many of the young US airmen came to Cambridge to relax at the American Red Cross club just around the block from the Eagle, but they also visited the pub and using lipstick, charcoal, candles and Zippos, proudly added their units to the ceiling’s now crowded surface. The war ended and with the passing of time and the atmosphere caused by constant smokers, the ceiling became covered in nicotine deposits and its dark brown surface gradually hid everything underneath. One day, a pub regular named James Chainey, spotted something on the ceiling above his head. With the landlord’s permission he cleaned the area and this led to his cleaning the whole ceiling. James then set about recording every inch of the ceiling and deciphering all the units.
Malcolm ‘Ozzie’ Osborn
Punting the Cam is a Huge must do if your in Cambridge. We purchased our tickets before we arrived and were excited to enjoy the boat ride full of facts about each of the 32 colleges. Most people say that it is the best way to tour the town and university. Remember how Rachel and Gavin had to miss out on London because of the rain...well that rain caused the river to run extremely fast the next day and they canceled all tours for the day. Jacob actually said it was the first time he had seen that happen in his many visits to Cambridge.
With our main plan unavailable we started to walk the streets of Cambridge. I noticed a round church and thought it looked very interesting. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but called The Round Church by locals was built in 1130. Isn't that date amazing...the United States most significant older date being 1776. I asked Luke and his wife Ester if they ever stop to look up! I often found myself walking and instead of looking in front of me I was looking up at the amazing architecture and masonry. They said that it is a norm to them, but once in a while something catches their eye and they are smitten as well. Just across the street from the Round Church was a candy shop. Since I was having so much fun being Aunt Jennie and Ethan, Eva & Eli were now out a boat ride, a visit to a candy shop seemed the right thing to do!! We asked for all adults to remain outside and the four of us headed in. Ceiling to floor shelves were filled will jars of candy, the store was actually two stories with the iron round stairs leading to the second floor. The kids eyes were priceless, as they began to scan all of the choices before them. The Jelly Belly wall was the first stop. Each of the kids grabbed a bag and filled it with their favorites. I was surprised with after Ethan filled his bag he declared that he had enough sweets. I made the comment that as long as he was sure he didn't need anything else, we could check out! His eyes began to wonder again and other items were added to the total :) Each of the kids picked three things to enjoy. I also grabbed a bag full of goodies to share with Gavin!! No, it wasn't a boat ride, but I think it's safe to say we all had a good time, but it was not as much fun as taking them to America for the afternoon!!
Jacob had taken Adam and me on base to do a little souvenir shopping a couple of days before, but we thought a walk through an American grocery store and seeing some airplanes might be fun for Luke, Ester and the kids! It was also a great way to get supplies for a good old fashion American BBQ. Jacob took Ester and Luke to get passes and we thought it would be fun to take a picture of the kids in front of the base sign. Little did we know that a few weeks earlier someone had quickly stopped taken of photo of the sign and sped off locking down the base for a few hours. We were asked not to take photos so we headed back to the cars and loaded the kids back up.
Jacob took us around the base to see the planes that refuel plane in the air and his office building. When we arrived at the grocery store and were getting out of the car, the first thing the kids noticed (and were excited about) was an American mailbox sitting in the parking lot.
Once we got into the store the fun really began. From the carts shaped as cars for little ones to big sweet potatoes they were seeing a lot of new and exciting things. Ester and I took the kids down each aisle while the guys picked out the meat to grill. Gram Crackers, Fruit Loops, Cheetos, Root Beer and Blue Bell ice cream were just a few of the items the kids had to try! We loaded up a cart full of goodies and dinner and headed back to Jacob's and Rachel's house. They were so wonderful to not only have Adam and I over, but Luke and his family as well.
I showed Rachel and Ester how to cook corn on the cob in three minutes, a new trick that I had learned on Pintrest!! Sweet Potatoes were baked, burgers and steaks were grilled, fruit salad was cut up (in England they consider fruit salad dessert not a side dish) and the table was moved outside for a true BBQ experience :) Ester and Luke enjoyed the sweet potatoes, but their kids weren't fans! When it came to the Root Beer taste test Ester liked Barq's more than Mug and A&W. Luke doesn't care for Root Beer, he thinks it tastes like medicine. He did however enjoy IBC cream soda!
Brownies and Ice Cream were also enjoyed!! As you can see Gavin thoroughly enjoyed his his dinner as well :)
Gavin enjoyed playing with Ethan, Eli and Eva. The Dad's even walked the kids to the park for some fun together, while the Mom's took a break and chatted while making dinner.
We had an amazing day with everyone! It was truly as joy to meet Luke, Ester and their family as well as spending quality time with Jacob, Rachel and Gavin. A BIG thank you to Jacob and Rachel for being amazing hosts while Adam and I visited!!
I woke up early this morning (about 5:00 am) and noticed that it was raining. Rain in England isn't rare, and I am usually over the moon excited about rain. Today, however I was sad to see it raining outside. Jacob and Rachel had told me the day before that if it was a nice day outside Gavin and Rachel would get to come with us to London. Seeing the rain was sad, but the true tug at my heart was when Gavin was standing at the door and then handing his Dad shoes to put on his feet. We said our good-byes though after enjoying some AMAZING pastries that Jacob had made for breakfast to conquer the sights of London that we missed seeing on Thursday!!
We drove to the closest Tube stop and headed off to Notting Hill. Remember as children, watching Bedknobs and Broomsticks and hearing the song Portobello Road and singing along? I have really come to love antiques and Portobello Road is actually full of shops and a street market. Saturdays are the big antique shopping days so that was our first adventure of the day. An added bonus to this stop is, that Adam and I danced to Ronan Keating's song When You Say Nothing At All from the Notting Hill soundtrack as our first dance at our wedding reception! I can honestly say that I saw lots of things in the shops, but I'm sad to say they didn't have everything that I needed or wanted rather!
I have been searching for a wash bowl and pitcher for years and I thought I might get lucky. I didn't find my ideal item, but I did learn however that the true title is a Jug and Bowl. The older gentlemen that was very adamant!
Once Jacob and Adam had scouted the shops for me and we found we were unsuccessful (yet had an amazing time looking) we strolled through rest of the market enjoying crepes, pastries and Brazilian hot pockets cooked to order!
A short Tube ride away was Buckingham Palace and The Changing of the Guard. Jacob and Adam thought it was funny that I was excited to see the marching band. I think it is kinda funny that there is a daily parade that blocks road and drivers! The Changing of the Guard went off without a hitch, even in the wet weather. * Funny Side Story* While we were waiting for the band to march by us a tour guide was yelling at his group. He wanted them to hurry and move so that they would have great views of the band. He finally yelled to them "Hurry up and move, this isn't the back roads of California, this is London!", we laughed a few good moments during the remainder of our stay in Europe over that experience!!
Walking through London we often found ourselves on a walkway that was named for a Jubilee or Princess Diana. Our walk from Buckingham Palace to the West End took us past the New Scotland Yard. I also put the Westminster Abbey photos above, we didn't go inside, but it looked very busy! I was surprised that the clock on the outside of the church was broken. I guess that if you need the time Big Ben will have to due :) We stopped off to pick up our tickets to ...WICKED, and then headed across the street to grab a bite to eat. I enjoyed fish and chips with mushy peas. I loved the fish and chips, but I am not a huge fan of the mushy peas, yet!
Going to London and not seeing a Broadway show would be blasphemous right...the really hard thing is picking just one. Jacob would suggest anyone visiting London see Le Miserables. I had already seen a production of Le Mis so I picked Wicked. We arrived at the theater and Jacob switched seats with me so that I could see and take everything in. The show was FABULOUS, I loved the story line and purchased the music off of Itunes as soon as I got home :) Adam on the other had thought it was a great time to nap. Yep, you read correctly, Adam fell asleep during the first half of the show. When the lights came up for intermission he stood up and started putting on his backpack to leave the theater! Jacob broke the news and he saw the second half of the show. I asked a gentlemen how long intermission was (it wasn't in the program) and his answer took me by surprise. He said "When people stop buying ice cream". I was intrigued so I asked for further explanation. I guess that a lot of the theaters in London don't have air condition and so during the summer they sell ice cream to help cool people off. Neat tradition huh :)
I was on a complete high and could have happily gone home satisfied with my time in London after Wicked, but there was more daylight and the Tower of London to see. We were able to get a picture with the Olympic Rings hanging from the Tower Bridge. We also walked a little off the beaten path and saw a marina. The boats were all nice, but the gold leafed boat really caught our eye. We thought it was a boat from the Queens Jubilee, but during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics we saw the boat being used to carry the torch!
Our last Tube ride of the day returned us to our car and we hurried home, by way of the grocery store and a Thai restaurant to pick up our take-out or as the English say "Take Away"! We enjoyed sharing a run down of our day with Rachel and just catching up. I must say that some of my favorite moments with my siblings as adults (and their wives) are those evening conversations that make time fly. I treasure the time that I spend with family, because it just doesn't happen as often as I would like :) What a fun day, did you sing while you read?!?!?!?!?
Nap time for Gavin equaled tea time for Jacob, Adam and me. Rachel stayed with Gavin during his nap time, but she was missed. I had never experienced a traditional tea. Emily's Tea Room was everything I could have hoped for though. The atmosphere was great as well as the ladies working there.
We ordered a fruit style tea and I added on the hot chocolate and the white hot chocolate. Rachel has been enjoying the white hot chocolate for years and I had to try it :) I must say that the white hot chocolate was better than the regular chocolate version. The tea was the star of the show though and I enjoyed it immensely.
So, you know how you order scones at a coffee house or bakery here in the states and they are dry and they crumble and turn to dust before you can eat them....that was not the case here in England. Our Victorian Tea came with scones, mini sandwiches and dessert. Jacob and Rachel suggested the chocolate scones and so we ordered them as well as a few plain/regular just to give them a try. Cucumber, egg and ham sandwiches were our choices of sandwiches and yes, they were yummy.
You would think that going to tea was a girly thing, but I can assure you that Jacob and Adam were well versed in the art of tea and they weren't the only men in the tea room either!!
On the way home from tea, Jacob needed to make a quick stop. While he was running his errand he trusted me to take his car out for a spin! I was nervous I will admit, but we were in a very quiet area and I think I only saw one other car during my adventure. Driving on the other side of the road wasn't so bad, it is the turns and parking that seemed strange to me. I was more than happy to let Jacob drive us home and anywhere else we needed to travel during the rest of our stay. I can however always say that I have driven on the roads of England :)
Bury St Edmund is named after Saint Edmund. Rachel shared the history of Edmund and I thought it was worth sharing. As you can see from the statues above he was a martyr. The town is small, but most towns outside the major cities that we visited are.
The Nutshell (top left photo) was the smallest pub in the world until another was built recently. What you see is truly what you get. People were packed in enjoying themselves. The picture of Gavin and I is in from of a hotel, aren't the vines and flower baskets amazing!
Gavin is a great traveler. He loves getting into his stroller and seeing sites. He has been to over 30 countries (I think) and he isn't even two yet so he is accustomed to traveling :)
As we were walking through the town headed to the ruins we ran into a the Elders from Jacob and Rachel's ward. One of the Elders was from Queen Creek, Arizona! He was very excited when I showed him pictures of the Gilbert, Arizona Temple that is under construction. Isn't it a small world :)
St Edmundsbury Cathedral and Abbey Ruins
The amazing history that other countries have is very interesting to me. A lot of the draw to traveling to other countries is in fact learning their cultures and histories. I enjoyed our time at St. Edmundbury and seeing the ruins. The church was destroyed after King James changed the church so that he could divorce his wives. The cathedral and abbey were quite large. There were graves marked with names of people that fought against the King to try and save the church/religion.
As you can can see the grounds are gorgeous. They have a playground that Gavin enjoyed while Jacob showed Adam and I around.
The Chapel has been rebuilt and is still older than buildings in the United States! The colorful item in the two pictures above is actually the Baptismal Font and they still use it today. As Rachel and I walked around we were able to hear choir members warming up getting ready for choir practice.
Rachel is a great photographer and she snapped lots of pictures of Adam and I. The pictures in the archway has become a must for family and friends that visit. I was excited to be added to tradition!
The photo on the upper right shows a home on the church grounds that was built with the rubble of the cathedral and abbey. There were many building and fences that used the rubble. The homes and buildings around the area are very unique because of look it gives their home exteriors.
Dadam had fun playing dead! The door you see on the lower left is a very small door. It looks like the entry door into a children's playhouse. We joked that this must have been the Hobbits entrance!! Hundreds of years ago people were of smaller stature though.
Gavin and I took a few pictures in the rose garden. There were a lot of military memorials within the garden. What a fun way to start our day!
I woke up early the first morning at Jacob's and Rachel's just to make sure that I got to see and play with Gavin before anyone else woke up! Gavin was a little leery at first, but once I offered to read him a few books and play cars with him he warmed right up! Late last year I met Gavin for the first time (for three short hours), but seeing how he lives in England and I live in the U.S.A. we don't get to bond very often. I had to make the most of every sweet moment, and I left wanting more!!
Gavin is almost two, what a fun age if you aren't the one that is cleaning up the messes!! Gavin has such a kind and fun loving spirit. He got to enjoy the sand at the playground with his Mom, while we walked around some ruins. (More about the ruins later!)
While Uncle Superstar (this is what our nieces and nephews call Dadam) and I were riding in the back seat with Gavin, Dadam noticed that his face squishes exactly like our little ones used to. I don't know if Gavin was as excited to learn that information :)
What a great smile that little man has. He was such fun to be around and thoroughly enjoy! I love that he took his cake into the car with him and didn't drop a crumb!
Getting to play with Gavin and see his smiling face was really BIG highlight of our visit to England :)
I think that anyone that knows me realizes how much I love family in particular my family!! I wish that we could see each other more often or lived closer to one another. Each time we visit I cherish the time spent together and leave longing for more. I am blessed with an amazing family that I adore and I want all of my nieces and nephews to always know that I love them and spending time with each of them (even on the phone) truly ROCKS!
My first traditional English Breakfast complete with beans!! I didn't however partake of the mushrooms, wink, wink. As we were eating our breakfast we could look out the windows of the hotel and see the Olympic Park. Such a fun way to start our trip in London right before the Olympics 2012.
After breakfast we hit the Olympic store, we took a few pics of with the mascots Wenlock and Mandeville. After getting our cell phones all set up for our English adventure we were off to catch our Big Bus Tour!!!
The tour has both red and blue, the difference being a live guide verse a recording. The blue tour however goes to a few extra stops that I had on my list of must sees while in London. We hopped on and rode the bus for a good while enjoying the bits of information shared along the way.
Trafalgar Square was a fun place to see and pick up a couple good pics. I loved the history around the building of the square. They built three monuments and had a place for a fourth, but nothing was ever put there. They now allow modern art to sit upon the place for the monument. When we visited a young boy on a golden rocking horse was being displayed. We also got to see the Olympic countdown clock. As you can see we were 15 days early!!
Harrods, need I say more! I have heard so much about his shopping adventure and I was ready :) Harrods truly makes Neimaan Marcus look like child's play. Hours could be spent wondering this department store. My brother's favorite thing to show people are the 100.00 infants onesie! I however spent the majority of my time in the sports area (Olympic Merchandise) and the food area. You could eat in Harrods every day of the year and have something different and adventuresome :)
Back on the bus and ready for more we traveled past many famous peoples homes. My favorite of the bunch was the writer of Peter Pan, Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet. He built a park area for children across from his home with a statue of Peter Pan. He had the builders erect the statue of Peter in the middle of the night so that when the children saw the statue for the first time in the morning they would think it had appeared magically :)
I also liked getting to drive through the streets covered in the flags from around the world in preparation of the Olympics. Adam and I rode on the top deck until we were rained out!!
I don't think you can travel to London and see Her Majesty's Theater celebrating the Phantom of the Opera's 25th Anniversary and not mention it! Did you know that it is the only theater that changes names...
Indian, Italian, Irish...what to enjoy for dinner! While we were trying to decide we ran upon Durham Street. Adam whipped out his Duke Fuqua umbrella and we snapped a picture. Because Adam had been in London for school in October we had the upper had on choosing a place to enjoy dinner, lucky for me he and his friends had scouted a few restaurants. We found ourselves enjoying Moratti (an Italian Restaurant right on the Thames) for dinner. The Italian food was amazing and the staff was fun hearted. During our meal a train went over head and I got a little nervous! I didn't know that we were sitting right under the tube station! We finished our yummy meals, I got my hot cocoa for the rainy stroll to the Waterloo Tube stop and we were on our way!!
Our day was coming to a close and as we strolled across the bridge and then back over the bridge (lol) we took some fun snap shops in the rain! We made a pit stop for a rest room break and I had to take a photo of the toilet, I had never used a rope to flush before!!
Adam and I both had fun on the tube! As you can see my hair was getting sucked out of a window and then as soon as I would move it would blow the other way. Escalators were pretty steep in a few of the Tube stops that we were in. Adam rode backwards, but I wasn't that brave :)
We stopped off at our hotel, picked up our bags and grabbed the tube headed towards Lakenheath AFB. Jacob was waiting for us and I was very excited about reuniting with not only him, but Rachel and Gavin as well! An end to another adventurous day abroad :)
Planning and not being a follower is always a good thing when it comes to traveling. On our final day in Paris we wanted to finish with some of our "Saving The Best For Last" experiences. The Louvre Museum was on the top of the docket for the day. When we got off of the metro and walked into the courtyard where the Pyramid entrance is we were amazed by the line. We put on our smart hats though and continued walking to the Lions Entrance!!! There was no three hour line, Adam and I just walked through the door right up to the ticket stand and purchased our tickets. It took us longer to find a map of the museum than it did for us to gain entrance!
The museum was truly magnificent. The art was nice too, but the building itself is the true masterpiece. I found myself once again looking up as I walked the halls. Adam enjoyed getting to see the Mona Lisa. The marble bust above was one of my favorite pieces. I love the multiple colors of marble combined to create a truly unique piece of art. The Mary Magdalene statue was nice to see as well. Her statue was among some marvelous carvings and relics. There were a few nativities that I would love to have in my collection!!
We walked the moat to the Pyramids entrance to the museum. Adam was able to take some fun photos of the chalice!
I could have spent ours walking the halls of the Louvre. The amazing art truly filled my soul, I think my smile was glued to my face the whole time we were strolling through each of the rooms and exhibits. As we were exiting we thought it was funny that a mall has been added onto the museum. Adam got a great photo of the Apple store and the Pyramid!
As we headed to the Metro we were able to leave the museum to Canon in D. What a fun way to exit the Louvre!
Our final place to visit and take in was the Paris Opera House. We sat at a Cafe right across the street from the Opera and enjoyed "Our Last Meal"! Rain was falling, a chill was in the air and hot cocoa was on the menu. Adam enjoyed a burger with fabulous fries/gravy. I had onion soup and a tomato basil salad. The experience of enjoying a meal and admiring the view of the Paris Opera House is one that I will savor throughout my lifetime. I can't imagine a better way of saying farewell, or until we meet again to Paris!
After stopping off at our hotel and picking up our luggage we were off to Disneyland Paris to board the Eurostar to London. I was hoping to have enough time to visit the Disney Village, but our time was short due to the amazing things we had done earlier in the day. As we were checking in I asked if I had enough time to go into the village to buy a Christmas Ornament that I had seen on Monday, but didn't purchase. The woman said she didn't think so, but Adam told me to go, he even got out of line and sat to wait for me. I put my long Lund legs to work for me and as you can see from the picture above I have an amazing ornament to enjoy this Christmas and for years to come!!
Adam and I made it through check-in and as we were going through security we thought it was amazing how many kids were taking their balloons on the train. They aren't cheap, so I guess I can understand though. The truly amazing part was that the balloons didn't have to go through the screening process...no x-ray or evaluation was needed. The security guards just held them for the kids as they walked through the metal detectors!
This was my first time really riding a train that wasn't for a tourist experience. This train was Onactually going to make me from place A to place B. I had fun getting to go the Club Car and buy a drink. Walking between cars while moving was fun, but I needed a lesson on how to open the doors!! I was surprised how many people were actually ordering full meals for the ride. They made everything from burgers to pasta. The ride was only 2 1/2 hours, but it was a very fun experience. I even got a train stamp in my passport at customs!!!
Once we arrived in London and went through customs we boarded another train to Stratford. We didn't want to deal with our luggage on the Tube and it ended up being a great idea because our hotel was right at the exit of the station. We checked into our room and then headed to the mall for a bite to eat. I was shocked at how early the mall was closing. We were able to enjoy some pizza and walk around the mall enjoying Olympic Park in the background. We were surprised how much work was still going on. As we ate our dinner workers were driving a huge tractor with a remote control! They were putting on the finishing touches for the Olympic Games 2012.
Another full day had come and gone with a day of enjoying London, England on it's heals. We hit the sack and readied for our next adventure :)
Lines, Lines, Lines!! When Adam and I arrived mid morning the line to get in was already around the cathedral. Knowing that we wanted to cover a lot of ground we enjoyed the outside of Notre-Dame! The garden in the back was truly magnificent. I enjoyed sitting on the benches and taking in the amazing views and people watching.
The Memorial to the Martyrs is dedicated to the 160 plus French residents (76,000 were Jewish) that were deported to concentration camps in WWII. The small room inside that has small white bulbs to represent each deportee who didn't return. The
The Memorial was very moving. We were asked not to speak and they only allow a few people into the Memorial at a time. We walked down into into the Memorial which is right above the Seine River.
The Arch Bishop"s Bridge is the narrowest road bridge in Paris. It was built in 1828 and is now covered in Love Locks. People that visit many cities in Europe place pad locks to represent the love they share or have for the person they are with in the city they are visiting.
Adam and I enjoyed our walk down the Seine to the park next to the Eiffle Tower. We had fun taking pictures in the park, as you can see! One of the lifts was broken so the line to go up was 4 hours. We walked around a took a few more photos and continued our sight seeing.
The romantic factor of the tower is rather amazing though I must say!!
July 14th is French Independence Day. Crews were setting up stages and speakers all around the Eiffel Tower for the weekend events that were about to take place. Under the Eiffel Tower I saw the biggest disco ball I have ever seen. Really, it was HUGE!!!! I am sure that was one awesome dance party!!
Montmartre
The Romans called it Mons Mercurii, after erecting a hilltop shrine
to their god of commerce. But the
area is probably best known for the many 19th-20th Century painters
who made it home. As rents were affordable, its working-class
streets were full of struggling artists like Picasso, Modigliani,
Renoir, Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Utrillo and Van Gogh.
We enjoyed seeing the artists painting and showing off the their talents. One of my favorite artists was simply cutting peoples profiles out of paper in seconds. Street artists were present as well as beggars. We found it interesting that the beggars don't speak or make eye contact with people. They tend to kneel and have their heads bowed.
Adam and I rode the metro out to the Basilica. During this particular ride on the Metro I experienced to many smells mixed with the heat of the day. When we got off the Metro I just started walking down a street. Adam and I ended up turned around, but to our advantage. We ran into a great little bakery!! After eating a few treats we kept walking and finally asked directions to the Sacred Heart. As you can see from the pictures there is quite a hill. We ended up walking up the right side of the hill that didn't have any stairs. When we arrived at the top though it realized it was very much worth the hike we had just endured. The church was truly amazing on the inside. The stained glass was gorgeous and I found it interesting which Saints were being prayed to the most.
When we finished seeing the church we noticed that there was a tram going up and down the hill. We would have loved that information before our hike, but were happy to see it for the ride down!!
Salvador Dalà Gallery
I have always enjoyed Salvador Dali's artwork and so having the chance to visit one of his galleries was a real treat. Adam rented a headset for me to fully enjoy my experience. My favorite piece wasn't located this gallery but it was fun to see other works of art including his living room furniture that he had made to look like an actress!
Can you see the bride and groom? They were outside the gallery having their wedding photos taken with Paris as their backdrop :)
Our last night in Paris seemed like the most fitting time to enjoy our Anniversary over a meal. We went to Drouant for dinner and were thoroughly pleased with our experience. Adam and I enjoyed everything from Foie Gras to Basil Ice Cream!! The staff treated us very well, they even let us create our own dessert sampler. We picked one item from each of their preset menus!! Adam thought our readers might be interested in the Zagat rating which we have added below!
As we finished dinner and started to leave the restaurant we headed towards the Eiffel Tower hoping to see it sparkle!! We walked by the Louvre on our stroll and couldn't pass up the opportunity to take some amazing photos of the plaza lite up. There weren't the crowds that you see during the day, it was really an amazing experience to behold.
An amazing end to our day in Paris...We got to see the tower sparkle at midnight!! We loved getting to stand next to the Serine River and take in the amazing view of the Eiffel Tower sparkle for the final time of the night. As we knew it was our last night in Paris it truly was an amazing way to in our very full day!
Adam and I Honeymooned in Walt Disney World so why not visit the Mouse in Paris!! I have to say that we saw the castle before the Eiffel Tower!! We woke up and rode the train to Disneyland. Adam was able to buy a student ticket and a family in front of us had an extra ticket so I was able to purchase my ticket for only two Euros more than the student ticket price!!!
If you look above you can see that the castle belongs to Beauty & the Beast!
Paris is Celebrating their 20th Anniversary. We enjoyed all of the extra things that they had to celebrate. The 20th Anniversary Train was fun, they actually stopped the train after the parade and let people take photos with it. I don't think I have ever seen that anywhere else. We like Pirates of the Caribbean. After riding in three of the rides we rank them as California (Best), Paris (Second, no Jack Sparrow stuff yet, but a long and exciting ride) and Walt Disney World (Third).
Can you see the people above standing in line with us? Adam and I were surprised by the amount of people dressed up like cowboys and cowgirls. It was interesting to see how cool or popular that was! The young man with the Pinocchio shirt thought it was great that an American (Adam) wanted to take his picture :)
Disneyland Paris has it's main hotel set as the entrance into the park! The view with Mickey in the flowers is not only the front of the Park, it is the front of the hotel as well. Belle & The Beast's Castle is the only one of Disney's castles to have a Dragon. You can also go into the castle and look out from the upper area!
Adam and I tried to stick to rides and shows that we wouldn't see anywhere else. We started our day at the Mansion of the Phantom. The ride had similarities to the Haunted Mansion, but it was a lot gorier than in the states!
We thought Jack did a great job!
Hollywood Studios was fun as well. I actually stood in linen for an hour to ride their new Crush on the EAC ride. The ride was fun and if I had to give an example I would say it was like the Rockin Roller Coaster and the Tea Cups combined into a fun ride!! Lights Motor Action had a few different stunts as well. Adam enjoyed watching the different stunts and the cameo by Lightning McQueen!!
Lunch was enjoyed with Ratatouille. We enjoyed getting to sit, but AC is something that the French need to look into!! Dinner was an adventure...we left the park in search for an air conditioned dinner. We found ourselves at Planet Hollywood and after being sat basically in the kitchen and left alone we left and ended up back in the park. Adam endured a long line a the ONLY place in Disneyland Paris that sold hamburgers in quick service. I got the 20th Anniversary special and it was pretty good, I even got a grill mark on top my burger!! Disneyland Paris doesn't have ice cream shaped like Mickey ears, but I got a French chocolate with my meal.
We ended our evening enjoying an amazing interactive parade & amazing show to celebrate the 20th Anniversary. Adam and I agree that the fireworks and laser show was truly the best show we have seen Disney produce! I loved that they used the castle as a backdrop, I also thought that the use of European characters and backdrops!
Teacher by trade, Mother by choice! Being a Mom is nothing that I expected and everything I expected and more. I have four wonderful children and they are each special in their own ways. My job each day is to love them care for their needs and make sure that no one takes advantage or gives them the shaft. The industry calls me an advocate, but Mom works just fine for me :)
