Paris Part 2

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Paris being as wonderful as it is we decided to stay another 6 nights instead of doing a driving tour of the Loire and Normandy. We decided to also move accommodation so we could experience another aspect of the city. After a brief look around we found an apartment in the 1^st ade, near the Louvre. Surrounded by every designer I had ever heard of and many I had not. Although we had lost our little bar downstairs for our daily kick start espresso we found many others all offering great coffee at the same price. This is one thing that has surprised us that the coffee and basic food prices do not seem to change wherever you are in the city.

Living in this part of the city allowed us to enjoy the park and surrounds a lot more. Ian and I also did a bit of exploring at night. The city has a very different look and feel at night. I never felt unsafe even walking in the quieter streets and alleys. We found some great small bars for a quiet drink or 2 and a late night espresso.

These days in Paris were an added bonus and as such we tried to just wander and enjoy the surrounds. Much of this time was taken up with espresso and bar hopping around the city. Any bar or café near a park was found and used, kids got to run and play and we had a chance to pretend we did not have kids. We wandered along the Seine, explored the Latin quarter walked every bridge in Paris(nearly), gazed in the windows of all the major designers and drooled over the jewellery in Tiffanys and Cartier.

We did find the time to have one day in the Loire and Ian did a bit of an epic drive from Versailles to a couple of chateaux and villages in the region and back in a day. He is getting very comfortable driving on the wrong side of the road. The 2 chateaux were a good contrast, one being in the centre of a national park and the other built on the water. The area is beautiful, the rolling hills and farm lands interspersed with forests and villages.

Paris has an excellent science museum, very interactive and kid friendly. We dropped the kids off there one day and Ian, Oliver and I came back into the city for a lunch and further explore of the Montmartre area. The kids loved the museum and came back full of stories and interesting facts. Unfortunately the area surrounding the museum is going thru some redevelopment and was not that welcoming or a place to sit and enjoy at this time.

Ian and I managed to get out on our last night for a very nice dinner near the Louvre. Had a beautiful 5 course degustation menu with some of the most amazing French wines. I put a spanner in the works for the master sommelier as I do not drink red but he handled it perfectly and the wines he chose flowed perfectly. I even enjoyed the sweet dessert wine, just seemed to fit the whole meal.

Leaving Paris was not easy but heading to Disneyland for a few days in a bubble will be a good break for all. Will miss the city and plan to learn French so one day we can relocate and become a local.

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Comments

[JULEEN]

PARIS
HAV JUST BEEN LOOKING AT MORE OF THE PARIS PHOTOS, MAGNIFIQUE!!! LOIRE LOOKS LOVELY - AM GLAD THAT YOU ARE ALL ENJOYING PARIS SO MUCH. LOVE MUMXXX