Sunday, April 13, 2014

Schedules

Sometimes you just have to go.  I'm not a good "traditional" tourist.  Not the "let's spend all day in a museum".  The "Let's go here and do this."  I'm more of a:  "Okay, we are in Paris - all I know I really want to do is go up the Eiffel tower and take the boys to the Louvre."  Everything else, we will stumble upon - or someone will tell me "Oh, you must go here".  

If I had set an itinerary, I’m not sure this is what it would have looked like.  But I’m glad it turned out this way. 

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Arrival in Paris from the EuroStar
Got to Dave’s apartment via the metro – in a country where I don’t speak the language with my kids.
Waited a bit to find Dave (my running buddy) – Lily and her mom arrived about the same time. 
Boys and Dave went to park.  Girls walked over to park – all walked Eiffel tower.
Dinner at a local restaurant around the corner.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Scottie (the chef) arrived at 10am for us to go to the market.
Market – bought lunch and ate in park across from Eiffel tower
Back to apartment to drop stuff off
Started walking to Notre Dame.  Ending up renting bikes and riding through Paris
Notre Dame
Small Café
Apartment for dinner Scottie had prepared

Thursday, April 3, 2014
Sacre l’Cuere (didn’t leave the apartment until 1)
Lunch at small café
Dave flirts with a 6’8” black transvestite in red suit whom we name Lola.  He goes home to take a nap.
The rest of us go to the Eiffel Tower – walked to the second level.  Kids and Lily’s mom take elevator to top.
Stayed until dark and the lights started changing.

Friday, April 4, 2014
Dave and I go get our race packets
Boys and me to Louvre
Lily, her mom, Dave to another museum (need to look up name)
Dinner party at the house with all of us, plus Dave’s French tutor, her daughter, son & his girlfriend

Saturday, April 5, 2014
Lily’s mom and kids head to run 5k – pickpocketed, Lily’s mom caught guys – morning spent in police station with guys and “boat thieves”
Dave running command central then goes to bed while
Kids and mom’s go to Champs Elysees to see arc de triomphe. Walk down the street
Kids and Lily’s mom go see gardens
I eventually leave them and ride metro back to try and save my legs.

Sunday, April 6, 2014
Paris Marathon – start time 9:45 – finish time 5 or so hours later….
Kids and Lily’s mom at mile 18
Tutor’s daughter comes over to apartment for visit
Celebration cocktails at apartment
All go out for dinner

Monday, April 7, 2014
Depart apartment to take boys to airport for first international flight alone
5 hours later, I return to apartment
Sore – not as bad as I thought I would be, but tired
Lily, her mom and Dave go to Luxemborg Gardens
I took a nap. 
Dinner at home prepared by Scottie

Tuesday, April 8, 2014
(Boys have brutal re-entry day home!)
Train day trip to Monet’s house and gardens
Late night dinner (are we having breakfast?)

Wednesday, April 9, 2014
2 mile run for Lily’s mom – walk for me.
Lily and her mom depart for the next part of their adventure.
I set on the terrace and read a book.  At some point Dave joined me.

Thursday, April 10, 2014
Day in Reims (Champagne)
Tour of Notre Dame Cathederal Reims
Tour of Tattinger Champagne
Lunch
Running back to go to Veuve-Cliquot
Train back to city
Dinner at apartment

Friday, April 11, 2014
Run in morning
Realizing the tunnel I had run through was the tunnel where Princess Diana had been hit – went to see the memorial
Visit the American Cathedral
Paris Opera
Paris shopping
Latin District
Dinner and singing
Arrive home 1:30am!!

Saturday, April 12, 2014
Awoke way too early
Packed
Headed to metro.
One change of metro.
From metro to train station, foiled a pickpocketer (he picked the wrong girl)
Paris to London (traveled with students)
London to DC
DC home……….

As we know, if we had this written down BEFORE, we wouldn't have believed it.  No wonder I’m tired.



All the details and fun incredible stories to come.

Friday, April 11, 2014

We thought we needed an Alice

Remember the show The Brady Bunch? There were six kids, two parents and a "housekeeper".  What I really love is how "everyone got along" - Also, there was never any mention of the kids other parents.  Poof, it was like the other parents (meaning the mom of the boys and the dad of the girls) never existed.

But, Alice existed.  She was there from the very beginning.  I remember her wearing a "maid's uniform" and remember her in the kitchen, but I'm not sure what she "really" did on the show.  Maybe laundry.  Maybe cooking.  She got to live with them too.

While in Paris, we've had an Alice.  Only her name is Scottie.  She's not living here.  She comes in three times a week, with groceries and cooks.  We don't even have to be here.  She will prepare the meal (or meals) and leave notes on how to heat them up.

My running buddy so graciously invited us all to stay at an apartment he rented for the month.  A three bedroom, two bath apartment right by the tour de Eiffel.  The apartment is beautiful by any standards - HUGE by French standards.  He also found Scottie to help us all out.

The meals have been incredible.  With leftovers and extra dishes to supplement the other days.

For example, she made a huge batch on lentils (small green legumes) sauteed with onions, broth and carrots.  You can eat them warm for dinner (as we did) - the the rest you serve cold (the lentils) with a warm egg on top for breakfast.  I think we ate that every morning (along side our croissants and pastries from the bakery around the corner).

Yesterday, my running buddy and I went to Champagne for the day.  What a fun day.  Toured Taittinger and of course had to stop by Veuve-Cliquot.  It was a long day.  We left at 7am to the metro.  To the train to Reims (the town) to the Cathedral (The Cathedral where France and Germany made a "pact" to be friends again in the 60's - apologizing to each other for past regressions) to Taittinger (champagne) where we were able to go in "Caves" where champagne is stored that was from the original church built in the 4th century.  The walls were chalk and soft - when you touched them they were clammy and helped control the humidity for the champagne.

Lunch.  Walking through the town and the train back to Paris (about a 40 minute ride).  I think I dozed off on the train.  There might even have been some drool.

Then to the metro.  Wait, let's just stop right here and cool down.  (I'm not sure how people actually live in cities like this - it's grimy, it's busy and it's dirty.)  Have a beer and watch people walk by.

It's now close to 8pm.  We walk back to the apartment.  Dinner was waiting in the fridge with instructions on how to heat it up.

I think everyone needs a Scottie.


Thursday, April 10, 2014

The days are long

I'm SOOOO behind.  As you probably know.

What a week.  There hasn't even been time to write it down.  You just go and do and go and see and just be.

Wonderful stories to tell and share.  Even a scary story - that turned out well.

We've gone out for dinner at 11:00pm.  The only day dinner was eaten before 8:30 was the night before the marathon.  (By the way, at mile 23 I did say "I'm never doing this again" - but that moment has already passed).

There were several days when it was noon before we left the apartment.  There were bike rides.  A trip to the top of the Eiffel tower.  Crepes.

Raining cool weather.  Beautiful sunny days.  And the perfect cloud cover on marathon day (after the first 8 miles)  (more to come on the marathon)

One of the phrases that people tell you about your children is:  "You are going to miss this."  Mostly, I don't really agree with this statement.  I enjoy the moments I'm in.

Then someone told me a better phrase - "The days are long, but the years are short."  I like that much better.  The days on this trip have been long and filled with many many activities.  But, it's almost over, in the blink of an eye - and I'm soooo behind.....


Friday, April 4, 2014

Older than our country

Westminster Abbey.  The original Anglician church.  The place where Princess Diana’s funeral was held.  The royal wedding of William and Kate. 

A short service.  We went to the 10:00am service.  It was a simple service.  A short service.  The choir did most of the work.  It was beautiful to watch and see.  A wonderful place to sit and just enjoy.

The beauty.  The history.  The church its self was over 1000 years old.  An opportunity to enjoy the  feelings of being a part of history.

We then continued to Big Ben and Parliament. Buckingham Palace to walk down the “mall” to Picadilly Circus – the theatre zone – where there happened to be a movie premiere going on.  Red Carpet and Hollywood Movie stars.  We weren’t too close, but could still see the stars.  To Trafalgar Square – where I told the kids, they will recognize this spot in MANY MANY movies they have seen.  A got a great shot of the kids in Trafalgar Square with Big Ben in the background. 

Let’s buy tour bus ticket – it includes a River Boat tour.  We then head to the River and the boat cruise down the river under the “Wibbly Wobbly bridge”  (A bridge that was opened by the Queen one morning and closed before noon by the police – it wasn't safe and would wobble). Under the London Bridge – that didn't fall down on us, but the famous Bridge with the famous song.  On to the Tower Bridge.  The very beautiful bridge.  To the tower of London.  By this time it was closed and we couldn't see where Henry VII actually beheaded his wives

To the Shakespeare Globe – where they had performed the Merchant of Venice the night before (bummed we didn't see it).  The only building still standing with a thatch roof after the Fire of London.

To the oldest Pub in London (next to the Globe) for a pint to a Greek restaurant for some incredible Greek food.


Back over a bridge to the Underground home.  A day well spent visiting buildings and facts older than our country.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Tourist Time

Where do you start???  You start where you are.  You start by getting on the Underground and stopping where it tickles our fancy. 

We stop in Notting Hill – yes, like the movie.  Yes, with our suitcases in two.  It was market day.  All the shops are open with tables in the street.  It was crowded.  Beautiful weather.

By mid afternoon, we are tired, hungry and dirty.  There was a street vendor selling records – yes, records.  I asked him the “closest pub to grab some food”  “It’s right behind me”.  Huh?  There is nothing but your booth.  “No, go right here, then there is a little door, then you duck and then you will be in a pub.”  The kids called it the “Hobbit Pub”  As there was a table for the five of us – set just to the side,  just between two “hobbit” doors.  Short doors you must duck to go through.  Not just slightly, but bend over and almost crawl through. 

You must then order your food at the bar, and they will bring it to your table.  Some fish and chips for everyone.


Another underground to our hotel.  Lily and her mom go to the place they were staying.  We will meet you tomorrow at church.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Surprise

Surprises are so much fun.  They are also really hard to pull off. 

On one hand, you really want it to be a surprise.  On the other, you really want to tell the person what is going on.  Argh!!!

Lily – the boys sweet sister from the island.  We had this plan for her to come with us to Europe.  She could either fly from Denver to LA – then with us or directly from LA to London.

Her dad said no.  She couldn't go without him or her mom.  So, her mom says “fine” – I’m going too.

The boys and I fly from Denver to Houston.  Houston to London.  They fly from Los Angeles to London.  They were due to land one hour after us.

When we landed in Houston, there was something wrong with the jet way, we were delayed about 20 minutes.  After running to the other gate, they literally closed the door in front of us.  You aren’t getting on the plane!!!  I was SOOO mad.  But there was another plane leaving for London in 20 minutes.   They got us booked and checked in, ordered us a cart and got us to the other plane – right across from where our last plane had landed!!! 

Nerve wracking, but we were on the plane.  There was plenty of room.  We could all breathe, watch TV, eat and sleep.

Arriving in London – it is now noon London time.  The middle of the night to our bodies.  We are dirty.  We are tired.  We can’t wait to get going.

Only Nolan doesn't know we are meeting anyone. 

We go through customs.  We get our bags.  What the heck do I now do for an hour?  Their plane had just landed, but I knew it would take them about an hour to get through customs, get their bags, etc…

Duncan knows what’s going on.  They are due to arrive at another terminal.  Easy enough “Nolan we need to go find the train – it’s at another terminal”.  We take the long way.  We take a short train to the other terminal.  We walk the wrong way – it says “arrivals”.  Nolan, “we are going the wrong way!!”

We get to the area where the passengers come out.  Okay, I figure we have about 30 minutes now.  Duncan keeps wondering off.  I keep going to refill my water bottle.  I said one of the bathrooms was out of order.  “Nolan, will you go check with that desk about the trains”.  I went and exchanged money.  I finally went to buy Underground tickets.  I am running out of options. 

“Can we GO???”  says Nolan.  “Why are we hanging out here at the AIRPORT? Let’s go”

I was running out of ideas.

Ah, here she comes.  Duncan sees her.  Nolan’s back is turned.  She grabs Nolan and gives him a HUGE hug from behind. 

Smile now.  He says “What are you doing here?” ;-) Hugs all around

We all get to the train.  We are all giggling like it was yesterday when we were all together.  

Lily’s mom says “So, Nolan, you had no idea?”  Nolan, “I was wondering why my family was acting so weird here at the airport.”


Delay

Sorry for the delay - I've only had limited internet access.  Posting as I can!