"Don't anger the dolls"-A France and DLP Trip, June '18-COMPLETED (4/22-ride comparisons)

[thumper*]

Finally caught up. Enjoyed your detailed account of Versailles. We chose to tour Palace of Fontainebleau in Orléans, since I as born nearby and we camping near by on our last day in the RV. I loved this Palace and learned so much. Not sure if you knew that Versailles was modeled off from it. Can't wait for the next update.

 

[disneyAndi14]

Very interesting history, it is always amazing how old Europe is compared to the USA. Wonderful pictures.
One of my fondness memories of Paris is the delicious food we had!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Real Crepes! Yum. Sounded like an amazing trip.

 

[buzzrelly]

Holy moly! I kind of stumbled on this TR this morning and I've been trying to get back to it all day. Sounds like such an awesome trip! I love that you can remember even the smallest details were I can't even remember what I ate for dinner despite having photo evidence.

My DD wants to go to Paris for her HS Graduation trip (in three years), but it seems overwhelming! I don't know if I could do it and get around…even your airport experience kind of scares me. How were you able to learn all you needed to?

Can't wait to read more. I'm especially excited to hear about DLP!

 

[Lesley Wake]

When I saw the first few carriages in your photos, I thought to myself, "For trying to be simple carriages, they kind of failed" because I thought they were still pretty glamorous. Then, I scrolled further and saw the king's coronation and funeral carriage and realized they did "tame" the later ones down. Really, though...those carriage are pretty crazy.


Your sweet crepe looked delicious. Glad you all were able to find a table right before the rush arrived and got some food before traveling back in to Paris. That train looked really neat!

Yeah, nothing from France is simple! If they can make it gold, they will!

Sounds like a great rest of the day! Glad the dinner spot worked out well, looks delicious!

It was pretty yummy!

Everything looks so incredibly beautiful! I love how your family splits up and decides to do whatever each person actually wants to prioritize and just meet up afterward. I took my class for a walk this morning and one of my students walked the whole way with me. She was born in Paris and only moved to the US last year, so she was telling me all about the "magical castles and palaces" in France. I asked her about Versailles and she went on and on Thanks to your pics, I could picture what she was describing to me!

Aww, that makes me feel all warm inside! I hope you are able to spend more time with her!

I had hoped to make it up to this restaurant for cocktails and the view but never had time.

You have got to be kidding me, running into someone you know in Paris.

I think they knew each other was going to be in Paris, but didn't exactly coordinate plans or anything!

Finally caught up. Enjoyed your detailed account of Versailles. We chose to tour Palace of Fontainebleau in Orléans, since I as born nearby and we camping near by on our last day in the RV. I loved this Palace and learned so much. Not sure if you knew that Versailles was modeled off from it. Can't wait for the next update.

That sounds lovely. We did make a brief stop in Orleans, but it was only to visit one of my dad's high school classmates, since it was on the way to Amboise.

Very interesting history, it is always amazing how old Europe is compared to the USA. Wonderful pictures.
One of my fondness memories of Paris is the delicious food we had!

It really is! I used to be proud of the fact my house was old (100 yrs old). Got to the east coast, and it was like, um, that's not too old. Then England, and people just laughed if I said it was old!

Real Crepes! Yum. Sounded like an amazing trip.

Crepes are a must in France!

Holy moly! I kind of stumbled on this TR this morning and I've been trying to get back to it all day. Sounds like such an awesome trip! I love that you can remember even the smallest details were I can't even remember what I ate for dinner despite having photo evidence.

My DD wants to go to Paris for her HS Graduation trip (in three years), but it seems overwhelming! I don't know if I could do it and get around…even your airport experience kind of scares me. How were you able to learn all you needed to?

Can't wait to read more. I'm especially excited to hear about DLP!

You guys should totally go! It does take some effort to figure everything out, but it's not too bad. And feel free to use me as a resource! I also used Travel Caffeine (from the couple that does Disney Tourist Blog), which has great tips!

 

[Lesley Wake]

First, I forgot to update my croissant/crepe count after dinner!

Croissants: 1, Crepes: 4.

Day 4, Part 1, “Making an impression”

A map showing relevant portions of our day:

This morning, I slept in “a bit”. I don’t remember who went to get pastries (either myself or someone else), but I do know I had a pain au chocolat for breakfast. (I’ve decided to count Chocolate “croissants”, but I’m not counting other flaky pastries…)

Croissants: 2, Crepes: 4

First thing on the day was a visit to Musee d’Orsay, which was walking distance from our Airbnb. We arrived around 10:50 (later than I would like, but it’s hard with 6 adults).

Musee d’Orsay

The development of the Musee d’Orsay is sort of interesting. Originally, the building was a railway station, but by 1939, it was no longer usable because the platform length was too short for the longer trains. In 1970, permission was given for it to be demolished, but then the Minister for Cultural Affairs ruled against the plan to build a new hotel on the same spot. The Directorate of the Museums of France proposed turning it into a museum – a place to bridge the gap between the classical art in the Louvre and modern art in Pompidou. An architectural contest was started, and the final design added many more interior levels for more art exhibits. It opened in 1986, and is currently home to the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world! When doing my Paris research, this was listed as a must-see from everyone!

Oh and some stuff I found out about the development of Impressionist art: In the 1860s, the typical art was very detailed and government sanctioned; several artists didn’t like that, and were shunned by the academic art institutions. They decided to paint capturing a momentary, sensory effect of a scene – the impression objects made on the eye in a fleeting instant. The artists moved from indoor studios to painting on the streets and countryside.

My original plan was to make a relatively brief visit to the Orsay, then head to the Architecture museum, before meeting back with the family at the Eiffel Tower at 3pm (we had timed lift tickets at 3:30). Well, once I got into the first gallery, I realized – I’m a big fan of Impressionist art! Especially Renoir. Everything just is much easier to understand than some weird modern art. And it is beautiful to look at. Renoir in particular loves to use plenty of pastel colors and his painting methods result in very cherub-like subjects.

(My 5th grade teacher loved art so we did a lot of lessons on it, so I recognized many of these names)

Also plenty from Monet:

Cezanne

Rodin statue

Pissarro

Mary Cassatt

Sisley

Degas

Manet

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

The top of the building has huge clocks on the side you can see from the river and the other side (near the Louvre). You can walk up to the clocks on the inside, and there was definitely a line to take photos, so I had to be quick and snap a photo when someone wasn’t standing there!

(Also a note – I downloaded the Musee D’Orsay app before leaving for France. I think I even paid the $1 to get the full version, including audio guide. Problem was, the sound would stop if I opened up the camera, so it didn’t end up working out as well as Versailles. I don’t remember if the audio guide at the front desk was included in the museum ticket – We skipped that line since it was included in the Museum Pass.)

So, needless to say, I ended up spending more time than expected!

A view from the top floor on the opposite of the entrance side of the building (the main Impressionist gallery is on the top floor)

The stairs down to the next exhibit level (several floors down) were actually interesting with exhibits about architecture and some models on the stair landings. Unfortunately I didn’t take photos. They did have a couple elevators in the front, but really frown down on anyone who isn’t visible disabled using them. And they have escalators which go up, but not down, so be prepared to work your knees and legs!

On the second floor there was a sculpture terrace, and wow – so lifelike!

There are also galleries off to the side, which have a variety of artifacts or other paintings.

Some older paintings that were HUGE! Like, these photos don’t show that they were about 7 ft high and 20 ft long! These paintings focused on symbolism and just really felt like they told a story.

This one, by Rene-Emile Menard, was from 1909 and partially finished.

Another gorgeous clock inside the building; you can see from the earlier historical photo it was original from the train station.

I did also love the style of the restaurant there. We briefly considered eating there, but decided time-wise not to, but I think it would be a great option. My photo doesn’t show the gorgeous crystal chandeleries everywhere!

On a lower floor, they have a Van Gogh gallery. I definitely find it interesting, but wasn’t as drawn to it, as I was to the Renoirs.

More paintings, not in any particular order

In the back area they also had some cool models of opera houses, which showed all the inner workings! As an engineer who loves looking at models, I was super excited to see these!

Also one of Paris streets, which is sunken into the ground, so you walk above it.

One of their symbols is this sculpture of a polar bear… I don’t quite get that, but sure, I’ll go with it.

At the end, I picked up a couple souvenirs – a set of Renoir coasters (my mom got the coordinating Monet ones), and a Van Gogh puzzle, which had cool puzzle pieces in the shape of some of his painted objects; I’ll try to collect all my souvenirs and take photos of them for the end of the report.

After visiting the exhibits, I met up with my parents and brother at the front of the museum. I actually ran into them walking around, and we realized we’d finish around the same time, so decided to stick together (I had already given up on the Architecture museum due to time constraints). I did finish before the others, so relaxed on a bench overlooking the sculptures for a bit, and did something else very important – make some ADRs for my WDW trip in December! (Of course, if you are following my PTR, you’d see most of those have been changed anyways…)

Lauren and Joey ended up not spending too much time, instead heading over to the Musee Armee instead, since Joey was really interested in that. They ended up really liking it, and there was a nice exhibit on Napoleon and his campaigns and military strategy.

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

After finishing at the Musee D’Orsay, we were definitely hungry. My parents also wanted to stop by Napoleon’s Tomb, located in Hotel National Les Invalides (same places as the Musee Armee), so we decided to walk in that direction, and try to find a place on the way (I was ok with grabbing a sandwich and eating on a bench, but Anthony really wanted a beer). After a couple of misses (bad reviews, too expensive), we stumbled upon Brasserie L’Assemblee. When they don’t even have an English version of the menu, you know you’re in good hands! Also I realized when they sat us, we were surrounded by people in suits/ties who looked very busy… and the National Assembly (their congress) was only a block away. So, we realized we were probably surrounded by lots of government officials!

We had a great meal, I ended up getting the Ravioles du Dauphine, crème ciboulette. Basically cream and chive raviolis.

Dad got escargot, and loved it (though it wasn’t his first time eating it). Anthony gave it a try and liked it. I created a wall of napkins and cups so I didn’t have to stare at them while I was eating…

After lunch we continued our walk towards Hotel des Invalides.

Hotel des Invalides

The Hotel des Invalides is a complex of buildings that contains several museum and monuments relating to the military history of France. There is also a hospital and retirement home for war veterans. The museums include: Musee de l’Armee (military museum of Army of France), Musee des Plans-Reliefs (museum showing scale models of famous battles and sites0, and Musee d’Histoire Contemporaine (contemporary history museum). Admission is included in the Museum Pass, or else you buy a ticket which lets you have access to the whole complex.

The complex was started in 1670 by Louis XIV (Sun King – guy who made Versailles what it is), originally as a hospital and retirement home for soldiers. Because it is located in the heart of Paris, it has been the site of several events in French history, including the place where rioters seized the cannons and muskets they used to storm the Bastille. In the 1800s, museums started to be added.

While I would have liked to check out the museums, we only really had time for one thing – the Dome des Invalides, a chapel on the south side of the complex. It is covered in gold leaf and really shines in the sun! In 1840, the dome was designated as Napoleon’s funeral place (despite being ousted in 1815, he was still popular in France). A crypt was excavated in the chapel, taking 20 years (other people are also entombed there, including his brothers and son, as well as many military figures). His actual tomb is rather immense!

Also, please meet mini-Napoleon! Lauren gave mom some French finger puppets for mothers day, so mom brought them along to take some photos! There will be a couple more showing up eventually!

​

 

[buzzrelly]

Gosh, there are so many gorgeous buildings! I'll definitely be coming to you for advice if we ever go!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Love this window! I want it for our house.

 

[thumper*]

Love these maps very helpful

Love this clock

Dad got escargot, and loved it (though it wasn’t his first time eating it).

Oh Yum best escargot I've ever had was at a campground in Bueane France.

LOL cute

 

[missjackiemcg]

I did finish before the others, so relaxed on a bench overlooking the sculptures for a bit, and did something else very important – make some ADRs for my WDW trip in December!

Priorities here! Love

This is such a cute picture of you

Can't wait to see more of mini-Napolean!

 

[missangelalexis]

All the paintings are so beautiful!

Glad you found a good lunch spot! Your dish looks good!

The chapel looks gorgeous!

 

[amazingact21]

I know you said you got off to a later start than you planned on, but it seems like you still covered a lot so far. Those clocks look really neat in the photos, so I imagine they were even more interesting in person.

Probably very right about lunch, you found a local spot that was away from the tourists. Sounds like it was a great choice, but I agree it would have been cool to dine in one of those colorful chairs!

Gold leaf on the outside of the chapel...you weren't kidding about the French throwing gold on anything and everything.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Day 5, Part 3: Eiffel Tower

We finished up our brief stop at Hotels Les Invalides and continued yet again onto the Eiffel Tower. I did receive some texts from Lauren and Joey asking where we were… so, we had bought timed tickets to go up to the top of the tower at 3pm. We were just leaving Invalides at 3pm! Yeah…

Eiffel Tower

Don’t think I need to give much info on this one! It was built in 1887-89 as the entrance for the 1889 Wold’s Fair. Initially it was supposed to be temporary and was criticized by artists and intellectuals for its design, but it is now one of the most recognizable structures in the world and is the most-visited paid monument in the world. It is over 1,000 ft tall (equivalent to 81-story building).

It did take us a little while to walk up to the tower, as we came from the south side so walked all the way up the Champs de Mars (did make for good photos though).

After getting caught in a huge construction detour (they are upgrading the whole base of the Eiffel tower – basically adding landscaping and security measures so people wouldn’t be able to drive up and explode a bomb at the base, though it means it is truly a hassle to figure out where to enter), we found the security line. Another long line, though we were able to take a shorter option since we had timed tickets (if you have a dining reservation at the restaurant, then you can basically walk right in). And we finally made it in and met up with Lauren and Joey.

We used our timed ticket, and even though the lady at the front gave me a stern look for being late (it was about 3:40 by the time we got to that line), I mumbled something about long security line and she let us through. We got in yet another line for the elevator to the second floor (that's where the the main lookout area is – the restaurant is on the first floor, and then there is the summit at the top). You can skip that line and actually walk up to the lookout (I think that doesn’t even require paid tickets), but there was no way we were doing that! The timed ticket did end up being totally worth it, as it almost acted as a fastpass to the top! I think the regular line would have been at least an hour after the longer security line! So, if you are going, definitely pre-purchase your ticket! And do so as soon as possible – I think its 90 days or something like that. In busier times those do get snatched up quickly, especially by people reselling them. We were lucky and still had our choice of times, despite not buying right at 90 days.

They use double decker elevators to get everyone up, and it was crammed full – every last inch of space was taken! Really, because the elevator was so big, it wasn’t too freaky going up it, just felt like a room lifting up.

The view from the lookout is pretty cool!

Grand Palais & Sacre Coeur

Louvre

Hotel les Invalides (and Pantheon in the back right corner - Our apartment was somewhere in between the two)

Arc de triumph

Notre Dame

I forgot to mention, but it was also HOT and HUMID that afternoon! Like I was totally wilting, and already had drunk all my water. I ended up going to the café inside the tower to pick up some more water bottles (everyone else also wanted some), and of course it was a pretty long and slow line, but I kept with it. They also had slushies, so I ended up getting 3 (one of each flavor), and we all shared (got 6 different straws), which gave a pep of sugar and coolness! (I forgot to take a photo until there was only half of one left!)

We also had tickets for the summit, so the very top of the Eiffel Tower. I’m just going to say this – if you have any nervousness of heights, DON’T DO THIS! I’m typically ok when it’s something I don’t have control over, so top of building (and I’ve been on the rooftops of major skyscrapers for my job) is fine, and most of the rides at Disney are fine (exceptions are Mickey’s Fun Wheel and Goofy’s Sky School). But this elevator ride – I almost had a panic attack! The elevator is much much smaller, but you are still crammed in there. And it moves fast and is glass walled, so you can see everything. I ended up having to close my eyes for most of the ride up!

Inside the elevator (mom’s picture, as my eyes were shut)

When we got up there I did make a short stop out to see the view (there are 2 levels, the bottom level is enclosed but has large windows at normal window height so it's not that freaky to look out; the top level is full chain-link fence), and also agreed to stop for a photo for my mom. Then I found a spot to sit near the center and away from windows…

(I think Joey took a photo of the rest of us together, but he hasn’t uploaded his pictures yet)

They also have a mock-up of Gustave Eiffel’s office on the top level. He used to entertain guests and important people up there.

And you can see the fencing here - not exactly the biggest barrier between you and the drop below. They had big signs about no sticking selfie sticks through the wires...

I guess Dad took a photo of the very top… (I don't remember seeing any access to this top platform, but I guess there is some stair or something)

And a view down…

Afterwards, we headed back down to the ground and took some photos together on the lawn. (Again, I think our better group photos are on Joey's camera.) The lawn is full of people selling trinkets, as well as beer, wine, and champagne. We didn't partake in any of that, and actually once we said no, they didn't bother us. The night Anthony and Joey went over to the tower during the rain storm they were approached by some guys who tried to sell them 2 bottles of champagne. The sellers did try to lower the price constantly, but never low enough for Anthony to consider it.

​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Day 5, Part 4 - 50 minutes at the Louvre!

After we took some photos on the lawn, and despite being tired, we decided to stick with the original plan and head to the Louvre. I used Google Maps and realized there was a bus stop a half block away that would take us straight there – much better than having to traipse all the way to a metro stop! And fortunately there was a bus waiting there as we walked up! I refused to give my brother and Joey the bus number though…

This was our first experience with buses, and we really liked it. Definitely gives you closer options than the metro, and also lets you see the city. It takes a normal metro ticket (which Lauren happened to have left over from when everyone got a free metro ride on the way back from Versailles); I think another day we didn’t have enough tickets, and they take cash too, but it was slightly more (2 euro cash vs 1.90 for a ticket). Inside the bus, there is plenty of signage indicating the route and all the stops; some even had lights which showed which stop you were heading towards. They also had displays up top which listed which stop was next, so you knew when to press the “stop” button.

On this bus, we were lucky to be able to all get seats together, but the bus did start to full up as moved through the city. I think it was a 20 minute drive (including walking across the street) until we got to the Louvre, not bad at all!

Louvre

Again, I think most people have heard of the Louvre before, as it is the world’s largest art museum. I mentioned during the Versailles info, it was originally a French Palace, before the royal family moved to Versailles in 1682.

After the royal family left, the king chose the Louvre to house his royal collection. It continued to be used as a place to store and display artwork during the French Revolution. In 1793, it officially opened as a museum, displaying mostly seized works from royalty or confiscated church property. Napoleon continued to increase the collection (via his army seizing artwork), and it was even known as the Musee Napoleon for a time, before he abdicated and most of the works he collected were returned to the original owners. The collection has continued to grow, through donations and bequests, and has over 380,000 objects and displays 35,000 works of art, from ancient artifacts to paintings. Of course, its most famous work is the Mona Lisa.

Anyways, we arrived around 7pm. Normally the museum closes at 6 or 7, but on Wednesdays and Fridays it’s opened until 9pm, so we decided to try then (it was a Wednesday).

Typically there is a large line up for security, even several hours long! Some people even give advice to use a secondary entrance, which is less busy, and you enter through a mall so you avoid this:

But, when we showed up, we had a pleasant surprise… as there were 0 people in line! Like, literally 0 people! It was pretty amazing and we walked right in. (I think this actually helped everyone’s mood, as if we had to wait a while, some people would have gotten antsy and then not been able to appreciate the museum; as it was we all were in a good mood entering and could enjoy it.)

(Also - I have a newfound respect for the security guards working the entrance. They are located on the entrance level of the pyramid, which puts them smack in the middle of a horrible greenhouse effect! We were only up there for 30 seconds and it was pretty uncomfortable and stuffy! I can't imagine having an hours long shift there! At least once you get below the floor slab the A/C kicks in and it's not bad at all!)

We went down to the lobby and made a plan, so we obviously didn’t have a lot of time to check it out, but we also were tired… so we gave ourselves 50 minutes in the museum. Yup, 50 minutes to see the most famous museum in the world! Oof! (Though it beats my previous visit, as we were given 45 minutes.)

We ended up splitting up, as I had made a list of objects I wanted to see (I also had the Louvre app on my phone). This was where Joey made the comment about how did I keep going, as I guess it looked like I just raced off (after an already tiring day). My response: training for Disney trips!

Anyways, I probably went too fast, as I got a bit turned around and wasted 10 minutes after making a wrong turn. Because the museum is an old Palace, there are lots and lots of rooms, some large, some small, plus lots of stairs that go up a half flight, then immediately down a half flight, etc. It is very confusing, and if you really want to spend time and appreciate it, I wouldn’t recommend against getting a proper guide! Or, you know, not only giving yourself 50 minutes...

After I got my bearings, I went to go and visit a few special ladies in Greek Antiquities: Venus de Milo and Athena

I also found this sculpture again, which I remembered from high school (Sleeping Hermaphroditos). We had walked by it, but I had remembered how it was sculpted so life-like with the dip in the cushions and everything. I thought it was a lady, until I took a closer look at the second photo…

I also made a walk thru Egyptian antiquities (I loved studying Ancient Egypt and if the region wasn’t in such turmoil, I’d love to visit)

Then onto the Galerie d’Apollon, which was gorgeous and full of painted decorations and high ceilings. It served as a model for the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. It came about after there was a fire that destroyed the original gallery in 1661. Louis XIV order reconstruction and the architect and artists decided to go crazy! It took over 100 years to complete it!

It houses some of the previous crown jewels and other shiny things, so obviously, I would love it!

Made a stop at another masterpiece: Winged Victory of Samothrace

And of course, had to see another special lady.

Because it was so late, we were fortunate and there weren’t many people, so while normally there is a line to get into the room, it was actually very easy to get up close very quickly!

(Picture looks crowded, but it wasn’t too bad at all)

Another famous painting, The Coronation of Napoleon

So, I feel like I made pretty good progress for 50 minutes! But if you have time, I would absolutely recommend spending more time, so you can appreciate the antiquities areas.


After meeting up with everyone, Mom and Lauren wanted to check out the gift shop. Joey and I decided to find the inverted pyramid (we didn’t realize it was on the exit route and we’d all have to walk by it again). It actually is outside the security perimeter, and if it was a busy day we would have had to wait in another security line to get back in. But because the museum was closing in about 45 minutes, there was no one waiting and we walked right through again!

We all left the museum and were pretty tired. There was a restaurant nearby I had wanted to try and the plan had been to go there, but that ended up falling through (unfortunately, I was a bit too tired-hangry, so didn’t act the best after we decided to go back to the apartment, saying some things I regretted and just overall being a pain in the ***).

We went back to the apartment, where this little gal cheered me up a bit!

After my mom called someone she knew in Paris and was planning on meeting up with the next day, we were all still hungry, so we went to the restaurant down the block, which thankfully was still open (honestly I didn't find that Paris restaurants stayed open too late, but I guess it also comes from the sun setting so late there, so it didn't feel as late as it really was). It ended up being a wonderful meal, as the waiters had great fun with us (their English wasn’t the best, but they enjoyed trying and appreciated us trying our French).

I guess we all shared the charcuterie plate. Some people probably also had (French) Onion Soup, but I didn't get photos.

I got the Poulet Roti et son jus de caisson (roast chicken). It normally comes with fries, but I think Anthony and Lauren also got it, so we ended up getting 2 fries and 1 mashed potatoes and shared them all (they were all delicious - the potatoes had the perfect blend of creamy and buttery without being too overwhelming).

The waiters also brought us out a bowl of ratatouille to try out (I think it was the end of the night and they had some left over)

For dessert I got the pear tart with crème anglais, which was mmmmmm

In the end, we had a lovely dinner and were able to get over me being an immature brat.

We walked the half block back to Airbnb and collapsed again. But I had to get up extra early the next day for something special!

Coming up: My solo day in Paris​

 

[Lesley Wake]

Gosh, there are so many gorgeous buildings! I'll definitely be coming to you for advice if we ever go!

Definitely!

Love this window! I want it for our house.

It was pretty cool!

Love these maps very helpful

Love this clock

Oh Yum best escargot I've ever had was at a campground in Bueane France.

LOL cute

Yeah, I still can't get into escargot. Just can't get it out of my head!

Priorities here! Love

This is such a cute picture of you

Can't wait to see more of mini-Napolean!

Thanks! I think that's the only appearance of mini-Napoleon, but don't worry, he had friends!

All the paintings are so beautiful!

Glad you found a good lunch spot! Your dish looks good!

The chapel looks gorgeous!

It was pretty grand! It was definitely interesting how in our history lessons we did learn about how Napoleon was a great military commander but overall I didn't get the most positive view of him. Then in Paris they really have so much respect and awe for him...

I know you said you got off to a later start than you planned on, but it seems like you still covered a lot so far. Those clocks look really neat in the photos, so I imagine they were even more interesting in person.

Probably very right about lunch, you found a local spot that was away from the tourists. Sounds like it was a great choice, but I agree it would have been cool to dine in one of those colorful chairs!

Gold leaf on the outside of the chapel...you weren't kidding about the French throwing gold on anything and everything.

Yeah, gold gold gold!

 

[Cloe Colton]

We found the timed security line to be super slow too! And we also got a stern look when we entered past our stated time. Like what am I supposed to do show up at 11am for a 2PM time??

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

This would have been Gwen's Favorite part! For sure!!

So, how high up were you in teh Effiel Tower? Like ALL the way at the top?

 

[PlutosRHM55]

Hello! I'm just joining in now I think. Not sure I ever made a post that I was reading before but I'm def reading now and just did the quickest catch-up ever. Everything is so beautiful. I'm in such awe. I can't even pinpoint one thing. The countryside photos are almost pulled straight out of a fairytale. I'm living for it. And The Louvre... wow. It looks so different than I expected. I cannot wait to see and read about more!