A funny thing happened on the way to the airport . . .
I left my laptop at the office. I had meant to bring it with me. Seriously. Yes to do some work, but to also sit in a little Parisean cafe and blog while I drink the strong coffee and smoke my crappy french cigarrettes. As if. But still, it could have been fun.
The flight was relatively painless and my brother in law picked me up at the airport. I forget how far north Paris is as it was dark until about 8AM, and then it starts to get dark around 5PM. But my first day was good. We got to my sister's apartment which is sweet! It's huge and definitely in the high rent district about a 1/4 mile from the Arc de Triumph. After I got situated, we went to my nephew's last soccer game. It was sunny, but cold, and after awhile the wind really made me wish for my jacket. It was the last game of the season and it was funny to see all of the kids and their parents there. I felt a little like Mr. No Karma, aka the soccer Dad. After the game, we had lunch and then I succumbed to a much needed nap. When I awoke, we walked to the Trocadero which is this plaza/garden right across the river from the Eiffel Tower. Great views and then we crossed the Seine and walked about the Tower grounds a bit. But my niece started to get tired (which you can tell when she proceeds to have a hissy fit) so we didn't stay that long. But I got some amazing photos with my crappy camera that I'll post when I get back.
Today my sister and I took a quick trip to one of the local markets which was awesome. All sorts of fresh food, fish, flowers, and all sorts of clothes and stuff. Then we came back and headed to the science museum. First we had lunch at Quick (which is the French equivalent of McDonalds). Amidst a crowd of screaming children. And then we wandered through the museum which was interesting and kept my neice and nephew entertained. Then a quick trip to the play ground there with this huge slide for children, and then the long train ride back. I took another nap, but no so much. A nice, relatively quiet dinner with my sister and her family. It was all good. The food in restaurants here is not cheap at all. The dollar-euro conversion sucks. So eating in is actually the best thing to do.
I think I'm going to break off on my own tomorrow and hit the Louvre in the AM, and then walk around Marais, the gay district, in the afternoon. Au revior for now!
The flight was relatively painless and my brother in law picked me up at the airport. I forget how far north Paris is as it was dark until about 8AM, and then it starts to get dark around 5PM. But my first day was good. We got to my sister's apartment which is sweet! It's huge and definitely in the high rent district about a 1/4 mile from the Arc de Triumph. After I got situated, we went to my nephew's last soccer game. It was sunny, but cold, and after awhile the wind really made me wish for my jacket. It was the last game of the season and it was funny to see all of the kids and their parents there. I felt a little like Mr. No Karma, aka the soccer Dad. After the game, we had lunch and then I succumbed to a much needed nap. When I awoke, we walked to the Trocadero which is this plaza/garden right across the river from the Eiffel Tower. Great views and then we crossed the Seine and walked about the Tower grounds a bit. But my niece started to get tired (which you can tell when she proceeds to have a hissy fit) so we didn't stay that long. But I got some amazing photos with my crappy camera that I'll post when I get back.
Today my sister and I took a quick trip to one of the local markets which was awesome. All sorts of fresh food, fish, flowers, and all sorts of clothes and stuff. Then we came back and headed to the science museum. First we had lunch at Quick (which is the French equivalent of McDonalds). Amidst a crowd of screaming children. And then we wandered through the museum which was interesting and kept my neice and nephew entertained. Then a quick trip to the play ground there with this huge slide for children, and then the long train ride back. I took another nap, but no so much. A nice, relatively quiet dinner with my sister and her family. It was all good. The food in restaurants here is not cheap at all. The dollar-euro conversion sucks. So eating in is actually the best thing to do.
I think I'm going to break off on my own tomorrow and hit the Louvre in the AM, and then walk around Marais, the gay district, in the afternoon. Au revior for now!