City of Love & Lights

So, I’m FINALLY posting some pictures from Paris. I just had to have some time to scan them. I also have some pics from trips earlier this year but I think I’ll wait on those.

It was a great trip; just too short. But, hey, beggars can’t be choosers right? Well, I guess technically we weren’t beggars since we never asked to be brought to Paris. My Dad just offered. But I digress…

The flight there was actually worse than I thought it would be. I really did not get ANY sleep as I had planned due to the EXTREME discomfort in our coach seats. We tried to goad Dad into upgrading to First/Business class but he would have none of that! Seriously, I was so uncomfortable that I literally broke into tears at one point. Things improved though after I realized (much to my chagrin) contrary to what I thought, I actually had not gotten my seat reclined the full 3 degrees that the airlines allow. My seat was only reclined 2 degrees. Actually I think Dad had read that the seats will recline 30 degrees or so. It still isn’t anywhere near how far my car seats will recline. Which is why I’ve decided the next time we go to Paris, or anywhere in Europe for that matter, we’ll be driving! ;)

We arrived in time to see my sister for a short while before she had to run off to her test. Then we went back to our hotel room to check out our beds – for sleeping. You think after that flight we were up to using the bed for anything else? Seriously, take a look at this pic of sweet hubby demonstrating the size of the ancient elevator in our hotel (which, by the way, could only hold two people comfortably; three people uncomfortably; and 4 people packed in like sardines). Does he look like he wants anything but sleep? And he looked better than I at this point. Actually, come to think of it, this may have been taken AFTER our approx. 3 hour nap. I’m sure he’d be THRILLED to know I put this picture on my blog, so shhhhh… this will be our little secret. ;)

That same evening Mme. Martin (my sister's house mother/host) joined my sister in visiting us at our hotel and then proceeded to take us on an evening walking tour. Some of the places we visited on the tour were:

Notre Dame

The center of France (in front of Notre Dame)

Hotel de Ville (very, very fancy) & some frenchmen

La Tour Eiffel

We hopped on the metro to get to the scenic lookout for the Eiffel Tower. This is during the light display which apparently happens every hour on the hour for about 10 minutes. Its flashing and glittering looks kind of like a giant christmas tree. Kind of hard to see in this pic, but there it is. Oh, the little woman in the lower left corner is Mme. Inge Martin (pronounced like Inga).

Riding on the Metrooooooo (Sung like Berlin)

I had to get a picture of this - a french movie poster for SuperBad! This was one of the MANY advertisement posters in the Metro tunnels. Some of the best (and craziest) were for Orangina. Can't stand the drink but love their ads. I'll have to scan the postcard versions I found at a little pub by our hotel.

Jardin du Luxembourg

This is a fountain statue with a view of the Pantheon in the background.

View from our balcony

I have a lot more photos from Versailles and still in my camera so I'll save those for my next post. Until then... au revoir!