Paris

We flew to Paris for three days just before Jeff started work. We were excited to meet Laurie, Jamie, and the students, to see some familiar faces, and to see a city none of us thought we would ever experience in person. There are a couple of airlines here in Europe that are dirt cheap. You can fly for pennies (plus fuel charge and tax). This was our first experience with German wings, one of these airlines. The flight went well. The hotel reservations were a different story but let's just say we did end up with a place to stay and had a great time! Here are some highlights...

The family on the back side of Notre Dame and the kids in front of Notre Dame. What a magnificant church. It is amazing to see it from the outside and inside. People worshiping, touring, weeping. The stained glass, carvings, paintings that cover the church are beyond description! We also climbed the MANY steps to view beautiful Paris from the top!

Saint Chapelle - built as a private chapel to house many religious artifacts, including Christ's crown of thorns. The first floor is nice but then you climb the narrow, winding, worn steps to the second floor and each person that emerges from the dark stairway lets out an audible gasp. The stained glass is beyond description! It completely surrounds and encloses you and the light filters in in multiple colors. It is magical!











We toured the museum honoring the WWII deportees. It was built at the location where people were sent to concentration camps when France was occupied during WWII. We also toured a museum on Paris history -- lots of paintings recounting the French Revolution. The boys appreciated Laurie's history lessons so much that the next day at the Louvre, Daniel said he would be having a much better time if Laurie was there to explain the paintings. We ended our day at the foot of the Eiffel Tower with a picnic supper. We watched the sun set, painting the sky with stunning colors and then watched the Eiffel Tower light show at 10 and 11 PM. We went back to the hotel exhausted but very happy!


The Arc de Triumphe was huge and spectacular. We climbed to the top for a beautiful view of the Paris skyline.

















We did not have nearly enough time at the Louvre but hope to return to spend at least a full day there. We did meet a couple of friends, Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo...




















We also saw the Pantheon and Saint Geneveve Church. Pope John Paul prayed at her tomb in this church a few years ago...
















Paris was wonderful. The people were very warm and helpful. We hope to return now that we know how much there is to see and that we have some confidence in the metro system!




Our supper along the beautiful Seine River. We enjoyed bagette, salami, goat and laughing cow cheese, red wine and Orangina. We waved at the boats sailing down the river, watched the people strolling along the river, and enjoyed a view of Notre Dame. Very romantic!