Day 7 in Paris - Disney

After so many museums we wanted to do something fun for the girls. We decided to go to Euro Disney for the day. It was typical disney, much like Magic Kingdom in Florida. Except that they were only running at about half capacity. The lines could have been much shorter. All in all it was a great time. The parade at the end was our favorite part. 

Day 6 in Paris - Versailles

We took a day trip out to the Palace of Versailles. The girls were excited to ride the double decker train. We sat on top and had a nice view as we rode outside of the city to Versailles. The hall of mirrors was very cool. I can’t image palace live. Marie Antoinette might have had a bad rap, but she had the right idea to get out of the palace! She created an estate all her own. We enjoyed that the best. There was a theater, gardens, a cave, a farm and lots of play areas of the kids of Marie Antoinette's time. We had an awesome family day here. We were very tired from all of the walking, but it was well worth it. 

I think this was the night that we drank absinthe too. Good times with good friends! :) 

Day 5 in Paris - Paris soccer fans are wild!

It rained... we walked down Champs Elysees in the rain. We walked down to the Arc de Triomphe. We didn't go up inside. We were cold and wet and the girls were ready to be back home for a while. 

Later that night Bret, Larry, Camilla, Dani and Elle went to a soccer game. Oh my!!! So different than the states. What an experience they had. The crowds are so into the game, yelling, chanting, setting off flares. 

Day 4 in Paris - The Louvre

Sunday - We spelt in today then when to the Louvre around lunch time. There are so many amazing places in Paris. I would have loved to see every inch of the Louvre, but when traveling with kids you have to temper the amount of time. I think they had more fun running in playing in the gardens in front of the Louvre! But that's ok. It was still an amazing experience. The picture is Camilla, Elle and Dani in front of the Mona Lisa. 

Interesting links (YouTube videos)

Testing the Mona Lisa

The Louvre 

Day 3 in Paris - Eiffel Tower

I wish that I would have taken the time to post every day while in Paris. Its hard to recall what we did each day. But even now I should be working on a paper for class - 2 more weeks and I will have my MBA. No more papers for me for a while!!! 

Saturday, April 10 we went to the Eiffel Tower. We walked up to the first level then took the elevator to the 2nd level and then all the way up to the top. Its amazing what you can see up there. After that we had some lunch and then split up for the afternoon. Larry and Bret took the girls to Luxembourg Gardens and Karen and I went to Clignancourt market. 

Karen and I also walked around Montmartre, an artsy residential neighborhood. We had a beer at a small cafe which used to be the home of the son of a female writer - I need to check my facts with Karen. Picasso, Degas, Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec and more used to hang out in this neighborhood. 

Check out the live webcams in Paris. 

Day 2 in Paris - Notre Dame and Pere-Lachaise

On day 2 we met Karen and Bret at St. Suplice to start the day out. It was only a block and half from our apartment. The pictures are from the beautiful fountain in front of the church. Next visited Notre Dame. It's such an amazing place! Talk about having a religous experience when you walk thru and enourmous cathedral like that. Then we spent a couple of hours walking thru Pere-Lachaise. 

The Hartshorn's Meet in Paris

We planned this trip to visit friends who are living there over a year ago using frequent flyer miles. Then the Dubai move came up. So now it appears we are some jet setting family going all over the place. Who would have thought...

We rented an apartment that was about 10 minutes walk and 2 metro stops from our friend's place. Here area few pictures of it. 

Our first day was a little hectic. Our flight was late getting in. We were tired. We had to find Larry at the airport and our cell phones weren't working. But it all worked out. We 

took t

he metro to the apartment and found Bret and Karen there waiting for us. 

Later that day we picked up Samantha and Camilla from school, walked thru Invalides where Napoleon is burried, and while walking to the Bowin's apartment we got to see a rare treat - Paris police in riot gear. A student protest was going on, something to do with needing more teachers and space in schools as well as celebrating an historical protest. We did

 not have the camera that day but I did find some pictures that I borrowed

 from other blogs that give a good idea of what the riot police look like. Protest info