Album: PARIS!

2011.09.08 23:00
Packing for our big trip.

2011.09.09 13:37
Madeleine and Graham are angels on the flight.

2011.09.11 00:25
We made it! Paris, Hotel Citadines Louvre, nice little 1 bedroom apartment. This photo preceeded an 8 hour "nap" from 6 pm to 2 am. We then went out to dinner at Pizza Pino by the Champs Elysee at 2:30 am.

2011.09.11 01:43
We had one day of rain so went to visit the museum: Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie

2011.09.11 03:51
Madeleine is so sweet to offer us a cookie.

2011.09.11 03:51
Yum.

2011.09.11 05:25
The cuties.

2011.09.11 06:54
Palais Royal

2011.09.11 14:56
Black and white stumps of columns installed in 1986 by the French conceptual artist Daniel Buren

2011.09.12 09:07
Off to visit the Jardin du Tuileries

2011.09.12 09:10
Madeleine takes pretty awesome photos.

2011.09.12 09:10

2011.09.12 09:19
We find a little carousel in the park so of course have to go for a ride.

2011.09.12 09:19
Madeleine loves the princess carriage.

2011.09.12 09:20
Graham loves his trains.

2011.09.12 09:20
The princess waves.

2011.09.12 09:23
And we go for another ride.

2011.09.12 09:27
And another.

2011.09.12 09:29
And another.

2011.09.12 09:32
Whew, and one last one. Nancy was getting pretty dizzy spinning around backwards while taking photos.

2011.09.12 09:33

2011.09.12 09:39
Ah...and then we find a cool playground.

2011.09.12 09:42
Trapped in the rope.

2011.09.12 09:42
Way up high.

2011.09.12 09:44
A nice hammock which seemed to be a popular playground structure in France.

2011.09.12 09:44
Doubles as a swing.

2011.09.12 09:52

2011.09.12 09:53
The spinning circle plate was also a popular item.

2011.09.12 10:15
Madeleine takes another great photo of Graham with a sculpture.

2011.09.12 10:15

2011.09.12 10:16
Graham then gets his hands on the camera.

2011.09.12 10:16
Not bad.

2011.09.12 10:16
Now we're not sure what he's taking photos of.

2011.09.12 10:16
Very funny.

2011.09.12 10:16
Madeleine's amused by his photo taking skills.

2011.09.12 10:16

2011.09.12 10:17
Then he just starts taking pictures of anything.

2011.09.12 10:17
Including dirt.

2011.09.12 10:17
Another man's legs.

2011.09.12 10:17
Goofy girl.

2011.09.12 10:17
Goofy kids.

2011.09.12 10:17
Nancy's favorite photo of the trip. This night we took a "nap" from 6 pm until midnight and then went to dinner at Brasserie Lipp, mmm...roast chicken, fries, haricot verts and pig knuckle (jarret lentilles)

2011.09.13 05:10
So cute...they loved to sleep together. We sleep in before leaving for London. Nancy was scolded by the immigration people to come to the train station earlier next time. Who knew that one had to clear immigration on the train!?!

2011.09.15 11:45
After getting up early to catch the Eurostar back from London, Madeleine was a little tired.

2011.09.15 12:15
Walking in the park by the Palais Royale

2011.09.15 12:37
Welcome to France Michele!

2011.09.15 12:49
Strolling to find a place for a late lunch at Rue Montorgueil

2011.09.15 13:07
The happy travelers day one.

2011.09.15 13:13
We found a great little bistro.

2011.09.15 14:13
That was a great stewed pork dish.

2011.09.15 14:18
And after lunch, Nancy finds some yummy cheese.

2011.09.15 14:19
Madeleine looking pretty

2011.09.15 14:19
Madeleine and Michele weren't so interested in the smelly cheeses.

2011.09.15 14:19

2011.09.15 14:26
Then it's time for dessert! Graham liked the looks of the marzipan pigs.

2011.09.15 14:26
Yum Yum.

2011.09.15 14:34
This is while walking on Rue Motorgueil.

2011.09.15 14:37
No day is complete without a visit to the produce market.

2011.09.15 14:49
I mean without a visit to the chocolate shop. Atelier du chocolat; Andrieu chocolatier.

2011.09.15 15:10
We happen upon a small outdoor market.

2011.09.15 15:27
After lunch/dinner we head off to a nearby playground with the Saint Eustache at Les Halles in the background.

2011.09.15 15:27
Goofy pictures were popular on this trip.

2011.09.15 15:27
Ooh...smiles!

2011.09.15 15:31
Michele and Nancy relax while the kids play.

2011.09.15 15:32
Playgrounds were definitely popular.

2011.09.15 18:07
Dinner with food from the market. Baguette, roast chicken, broccoli, strawberries., desserts. Mmm...

2011.09.16 08:55
The next morning we take the L'Open Bus around for a while in Paris.

2011.09.16 08:56
We boarded at the Louvre. Nice building.

2011.09.16 08:56

2011.09.16 09:01
Madeleine listening to the commentary.

2011.09.16 09:07

2011.09.16 09:13
And there's Notre Dame.

2011.09.16 09:14
Very nice.

2011.09.16 09:41
Traveling down the Champs Elysees.

2011.09.16 09:42
It was perfect weather, just stopped raining and still cloudy.

2011.09.16 09:50
And we pass the Arc de Triomphe

2011.09.16 09:53

2011.09.16 09:56

2011.09.16 09:57

2011.09.16 10:06
And there's the Eiffel Tower.

2011.09.16 10:09

2011.09.16 10:12
We come back around to the other side of the Eiffel Tower.

2011.09.16 10:12
Nice photo Madeleine.

2011.09.16 10:17
Riding buses are always fun for kids.

2011.09.16 10:44
And here's the Rue Cler area.

2011.09.16 10:55
We have a scrumptious lunch at Cafe Central.

2011.09.16 10:55
Uh oh, the kids are so hungry they're goofy again.

2011.09.16 10:55

2011.09.16 11:53
Santé! (cheers!)

2011.09.16 12:06
Nice kids coloring paper.

2011.09.16 12:07

2011.09.16 12:28
Kids get a free ride...some nice man puts a euro in the ride for them.

2011.09.16 12:28
Cute hotdog.

2011.09.16 12:31
Such a lovely food street...wish we had more in the U.S.

2011.09.16 13:22
Graham loved to find chestnuts on the ground in the parks.

2011.09.16 13:23
We tried to find our way to a park every day. It's like exercising a dog, right Michele?

2011.09.16 13:23
Making a chestnut cake.

2011.09.16 13:23
Ain't he cute?

2011.09.16 13:24
Madeleine's baking too.

2011.09.16 13:24

2011.09.16 13:24
I think that's the sugar that goes into his cake.

2011.09.16 13:24

2011.09.16 13:24
They sure can spend a long time playing in a sandbox.

2011.09.16 13:52
All the parks had fountains like this. The kids drank out of it, but we weren't sure if we should so we just washed our hands in them.

2011.09.16 13:54

2011.09.16 14:02
Forgot where we were walking past

2011.09.16 14:02
Naptime for Graham.

2011.09.16 14:17
We find out way to the main strip of Saint Germain

2011.09.16 14:25
And of course to the chocolate shop, Richart.

2011.09.16 14:27
Beautiful chocolates.

2011.09.16 14:27
See it's pink.

2011.09.16 14:46
Hugging a giant plastic bunny at some art gallery.

2011.09.16 14:56
Hiding on this corner is...

2011.09.16 14:58
Our first crepe of the trip.

2011.09.16 14:58
Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Prés

2011.09.16 14:58
Making our Nutella and lemon crepes. Mmmm!

2011.09.16 14:58
We had had dinner at Brasserie Lipp on our second night in the city.

2011.09.16 15:01
Madeleine practicing her phototaking skills.

2011.09.16 15:23

2011.09.16 15:58

2011.09.16 16:05

2011.09.16 16:19

2011.09.16 16:21
Sadly, Michele really wanted to go here, but they practice Jewish custom of closing down for the Sabbath. Next time.

2011.09.16 17:28
We have truly awesome Italian food at Fuxia. The spinach ricotta canneloni were SO good...

2011.09.16 18:48
Madeleine's tuckered out.

2011.09.16 19:17
Graham loving the Metro.

2011.09.16 19:18
Kids look pretty chipper for 10:30 at night.

2011.09.16 19:19

2011.09.16 19:23
The corner where we stayed was buzzing with action until the wee hours of the morning.

2011.09.16 19:24

2011.09.17 07:39
Time for breakfast! That is the best breakfast, chocolate croissant aka pain au chocolat

2011.09.17 07:39

2011.09.17 07:42
Bed heads.

2011.09.17 07:42
A little kiss for her brother.

2011.09.17 09:31
We take a walk in front of the Louvre. We didn't brave the huge museum with the kids.

2011.09.17 09:31
Cool pics.

2011.09.17 09:32

2011.09.17 09:32
Too early for pics for Graham.

2011.09.17 09:32

2011.09.17 09:33

2011.09.17 09:33
earse

2011.09.17 09:34
Ah ha!

2011.09.17 09:38
A little early in the season for roasted chestnuts, but we found some!

2011.09.17 10:04
Graham enjoying the Eiffel Tower.

2011.09.17 10:05
We happen upon a quartet.

2011.09.17 10:07

2011.09.17 10:08
That's my pretty girl.

2011.09.17 10:09
Kids really liked the music.

2011.09.17 11:20
Off to the Palace of Versailles.

2011.09.17 11:20

2011.09.17 11:32
Food first...bread, sweets, sandwiches.

2011.09.17 11:32
There are so many good desserts to eat in France.

2011.09.17 11:43
In front of the Palais de Versailles, the sculptures of Bernar Venet.

2011.09.17 11:44
The artist says, "The curves on my sculptures will contrast with the angular geometry in the gardens, and espouse the circular edges around the Basin d’Apollon and Grand Canal"

2011.09.17 11:50

2011.09.17 12:46
Some statue.

2011.09.17 12:47
Artistic photo courtesy of Madeleine.

2011.09.17 12:47
Hee hee, the camera is very heavy.

2011.09.17 12:50
Graham enjoying the art with his little train.

2011.09.17 12:51

2011.09.17 13:00
That is one big backyard!

2011.09.17 13:01
Beautiful.

2011.09.17 13:09
Graham's little choo choo went everywhere.

2011.09.17 13:10

2011.09.17 13:12

2011.09.17 13:18

2011.09.17 13:21

2011.09.17 13:25
That was great OJ! It might have been $8 a glass...ah well, it was worth it.

2011.09.17 13:26

2011.09.17 13:37
Mommy look what I found!

2011.09.17 13:38
Chestnuts. He's like a hunter in the wild collecting food for we women to cook for dinner.

2011.09.17 13:48

2011.09.17 14:03
Presenting Princess Madeleine.

2011.09.17 14:03
And her Prince Graham.

2011.09.17 14:03
This pic is a close first.

2011.09.17 15:49
Nancy must have looked pretty small and weak as these two men grabbed the whole stoller, Graham and all and carried him up two flights of stairs for her.