Monday 9 November 2015

Bonjour


We spent the kids' October holiday with a visit from Randy's mom and a trip to Paris. Abby's birthday just happened to fall in that same time and she had always wanted to see Paris someday. Well, of course she thought it was a trip for her birthday but we will let her think that. :) We spent our first day in Paris visiting the Louvre, touring Notre Dame and visiting the Montamartre, a place that you can go and get portrait sketches done from artists. On our way to the Louvre we walked by Tuileries Gardens and stopped at Angelina's, known for their world renowned hot chocolate. I must say the kids and I definitely agree...it was delicious! Day 2 was spent going to see the Arc de Triomphe, a bout tour on the River Seine and a tour of the Eiffel Tower. When we got to the Arc, I remembered to ask Randy if he remembered our tickets for the Eiffel Tower and boat tour. Well, that ended up with him so graciously leaving us and going back to get the tickets. We did not tour the Arc because it wasn't open when we were there. However, since Randy didn't get to see it and Colin also journeyed back with him, we will visit it again. Paris is a 2-hour train ride from London and we enjoyed it so much and didn't get to do all we wanted, we will journey back for a long weekend. Day 3 was spent in Versailles. We took a train ride and spent the entire day there touring the Palace, also known as the Chateau De Versailles. We did not have enough time to visit the Grand Trianon or the Marie Antoinette Estate. When the chateau was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however it is a wealthy suburb of Paris. The court of Versailles was the centre of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in Oct. 1789 after beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Regime. Which was the monarchic, aristocratic, social and political system established in the Kingdom of France from approx. the 15th century until the later 18th century. Here are a few of our favorite pictures of the 100's I took. 

Day 1

Fountain in Tuileries Gardens

Randy and kids in front of part of the Louvre

The Louvre

Louvre, Arc de Triomphe

Inside Louvre

Inside Louvre

Mona Lisa

Inside Louvre

Louvre, Arc de Triomphe & part of Louvre

"Dumb Dumb" The kids loved this because there is one in the 
Night of the Museum Movie.

Egyptian Area

Norte Dame Bridge

Beautiful clock we passed.

Notre Dame

Inside Notre Dame

Inside Notre Dame

At the top of Notre Dame

At the top of Notre Dame

At the top of Notre Dame

Day 2

Arc de Triomphe   

Arc de Triomphe  

At the base of the Arc de Triomphe stands a torch. It burns continuously to recall the sacrifice of an unknown French soldier who gave his life during WWI.

Walking from the Arc to the Eiffel Tower we stopped to look around. Kaden and Abby admiring the Tower.

The locks of love on a bridge.

You can see the the short small house in the middle of the two buildings. 
That is the smallest house in France.

Pont Alexandre III bridge

Pont Alexandre III bridge


Eiffel Tower

Top of Eiffel and you can see Arc de Triomphe. 

First floor of Eiffel

First floor of Eiffel and the glass bottom. All the people down there.

Top of Eiffel Tower

Top of Eiffel Tower

Top of Eiffel Tower and the kids were just as embarrassed as Randy
but I had to take advantage of the sign! :) 


Looking up in the center of the Eiffel Tower from the bottom.


Eiffel at Night

Day 3

Palace of Versailles 

Palace of Versailles 

Palace of Versailles 

Randy, Colin, Abby and Kaden in front of the Palace gates.

The Chapel

Chapel ceiling, amazing!

Another painting and ceiling. 

Looking to to part of the Gardens.


Fireplace

Hall of Mirrors

Hall of Mirrors

Hall of Mirrors


Gallery of History

Poets Hall

Out in the Gardens 

Versailles from the gardens

Gardens

Fountain in the gardens

Gardens 
Gardens

Kaden, Colin and Abby


Au revoir!

(Good-bye)