To Paris- Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Everyone got a good night's sleep. The sun is up early this far north and the birds go crazy at about 6 a.m. in the park across the street- we have our windows open and it is very pleasant to doze and remember you are in London on the start of a great adventure.
We get the times mixed up for breakfast (start keeping track of of all the plans that go awry) and we don't get eggs, bacon etc.....just cereal, coffee and toast. But breakfast is in a beautiful little room in the hotel looking out on the park......





We make our way to St. Pancras Station (of Harry Potter fame) to catch the Eurostar to Paris.


It is about a 5 minute walk from the hotel and we stop and buy food and drink for a picnic on the train.


It is about a 2.5 hour trip to Paris.....we go underwater through the English Channel. But, unlike Disneyland, we won't be viewing fishes through the window....
The girls play cards on the Eurostar to Paris.....




Yummy picnic lunch on board while viewing northern France out the window...







We get to Paris and we have a cute little hotel on the left bank. The girls have a view of Notre Dame out their window on the top floor of the hotel (the downside was that they had to carry their luggage up 5 flights of stairs).



We visit Notre Dame cathedral....site of Victor Hugo's ( or Disney's) great story. There is a mass going on inside with incense burning....Mia says it smells like Christmas. This is the girls' first cathedral and they are sufficiently impressed.
We take a break and get cafe au lait and pain au chocolate. The girls love it! My French is stilted but it's coming back!




We take the Batobus....a hop on and off ferry on the Seine...never done that before. It is a beautiful way to get around Paris.


We go to the Eiffel Tour....too long a line but we walk around in the Invalides Garden and get some good photos.



Again, partly becasue the sun is up late and there is lots to do, we don't stop to eat dinner until around 10:00 p.m. We try a restaurant recommended on line near our hotel. It is classic French....just a few things on the menu but everything prepared with quality and perfection. They offer a taste of a soup for an appetizer....all the girls fall in love with it. We want to order it for dinner and they seem shocked....like it was only a teasing taste...not to order. But they acododate us with two bowls and the girls' all share.




After a very nice 2 hour dinner...Grace announces Paris is her favorite place and she wants to live here. After a very long day, we get to bed around midnight..

-Mom, Coach and Tour Guid

Location:St. Pancreas Station, London to Rive Gauche, Paris, France