QUICK UPDATE OF OUR MOVEMENTS

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Apologies for being a little late with the updates. Internet access hasn't been easy, probably should have brought the laptop. Paris was fabulous.

DAY 3 - Explored the gardens near the Louvre at Tulieries and then visited Museum D'Orsay & Le Orangerie that display the wonderful artwork of the impressionist era - my favourite! I was in heaven - works by Manet, Degas, Renoir & Van Gogh everywhere. We were able to take photos but could not use the flash. Larissa was the photographer while I stood in awe and admired all the work. She was not impressed by the work of Matisse or Picasso - thought she could do better....he he!! She was very taken with Monet's waterlillies. That evening we enjoyed a meal at the Eiffel Tower, a cruise down the Seine ( the city at night is beautiful ), then onto the show at Moulin Rouge. The dancing, costumes and stage props were full of energy and colour. It was fantastic, although Stacey couldn't look when one of the dancers swam in a tank full of snakes.
DAY 4 - Bit of a sleep in after our late night - show finished at 1:30am and a bus took us back to our apartment. Later in the day we had lunch at a cafe near Notre Dame, and the spent some hours exploring inside and around the Cathedral - and took the odd photo! or three!!
DAY 5 - went to Montmartre and visited Sacre Couer Basilica. The girls had a charcoal sketch done by a street artist there.
DAY 6 - Rob and Larissa took the Metro to visit Place de Vosges, and Stacey and I explored the streets near our apartment.

On Monday 30th we took the fast train from Paris to Brussels - very quick! Our hotel here is pretty average but so close to the magnificent square of The Grand Place. Chocolate shops are everywhere, and we mean everywhere - almost every second shop! There is also a Christmas market and we have had fun shopping for Christmas decorations & gifts.

Yesterday - 1st Dec we were met by Stacey's penpal Marjolein and her father in the foyer of our hotel here in Brussels, and they drove us back to their house in the Netherlands ( 140km away ). Will update you more about that next time we access the internet

bye..

PS - if you are re-reading this blog - I have finally uploaded some photos of our adventures.

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Photos

Tuilieries Gardens
how Parisian do these girls think they are LOL!!

Lunch
we packed a picnic and ate it in The Jardin des Tuileries before heading off to the Museum Le Orangerie

Museum D'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is a museum housed in a grand railway station built in 1900. Home to many sculptures and impressionist paintings - this is a close up of one of the giant clocks.

Me & Vincent
OK - most of Van Gogh and Gauguin are currently at the National Gallery in Canberra while D'Orsay is undergoing renos all the same there were still plenty for me to ohh & ahh over - this Van Gogh self portrait caught my eye it was more aqua in colour than the the dark blues I expected.

Whistlers Mother
I "made" the girls pose in front of this famous Whistler painting.....remember to ask me why next time you see me!!!

Monet's Water Lillies
Musee Le Orangerie has two oval rooms of giant size Monet water lilly paintings - they were magnificent and the light in these rooms perfect....we were truly in awe.

Larissa
mmm how much did this girl love Paris and it's museums???? - she looked a little to at home!

Dinner
at the Eiffel Tower before our Seine river cruise and Moulin Rouge show - very very nice.

Lights at Eiffel Tower
the light show for the 120th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower....we had a bit of rain this night but it didn't spoil any of our plans

Moulin Rouge
...no photos allowed inside but I wasn't leaving without some photographic memory...of the red windmill

Christmas Tree
at the steps to Notre Dame

Sacre Coeur
this Basilica on top of the Montmarte Hill was on Stacey's list of most see - the view of Paris from is here is impressive

Street Artists
the street artists around Montmatre can be very pushy but we relented and were thrilled with the sketch Bernard did of the girls a fabulous momento of the trip.

Charcoal Sketch
....and here is a close up of the portrait of the girls - not bad at all!!

Artists
in the square at Montmatre

Pere Lachaise Cemetery
Probably one of the most famous cemeteries in the world, Cimetière du Père-Lachaise is one of Paris’ most popular tourist attractions and reputed to be the most visited cemetery anywhere. Not because of the locals buried there but because of it's famous residents, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Chopin, Edith Piaf, Sarah Bernhardt just to name a few.

Oscar Wilde
Larissa didn't add a kiss of red lipstick to this monument although as you can see many of Oscar's visitors do.

Jim Morrison
such a tiny grave for one who gets more visitors than most here at Pere Lachaise

Chopin
is very well tended to here.

Place de Vosges
The Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris and it is considered one of the most beautiful squares in the world.
The history of the Place des Vosges goes back to 1604 when King Henry IV built a Royal pavilion at the southern end of the square. The building was designed by Baptiste du Cerceau.
The King ordered all 35 other buildings bordering the square to follow the same design.

Metro
this was the station about 100metres from our apartment - ever so convenient!