J’dore Paris

I am in LOVE!!  We went to Paris this last weekend and I would have to say that it far excided my expectations.  I have been a little daunted by the task of writing this post because there is so much to share. 

We started out on Saturday morning for the 6 hour drive thru Germany and France.   I was a mean Mom and wouldn’t let the girls watch any movies in the car because I wanted them to experience the drive through the French countryside.   It was beautiful.  It was a rolling patchwork quilt of greens and browns, with beautiful winter trees and a light layer of mist and fog.  It was heavenly.   When we got to Paris we checked-in to the “Paris Hilton” (he, he) and then headed straight for the Eiffel Tower.  Haley was the first one to spot it.  Every hour on the hour the tower sparkles  with thousands of blinking white lights, and that just happened to be the exact time we saw it for the first time.  It was magical!

 

We walked around the area, taking in the vibe of the tower and I couldn’t help but get a little misty eyed.  We were trying to find some place for dinner, low and behold we stumbled upon a Christmas Market.  It was a small one right on the River Seine, below the Eiffel Tower, and a wonderful place to find some great food.

Once again, a jumble of goo that I have no idea what it’s made of, or called, but it was wonderful!!!  Haley and Hannah were in heaven eating Nutella Crapes and Waffles.  Mike took Emily to a food stand and told her to point to what she wanted to eat.  She made her selection and the kind woman asked Mike if that was what we really wanted, and then clued him into the fact that it was tripe!  Way to go Emily, she is even more adventurous than I am.   Needless to say, Mike overrode her decision. 

 

The next morning we woke up early and headed down for the breakfast buffet at the hotel.  Now, Mike and I have eaten at many hotel “breakfast” buffets, that generally leave you a little empty.  Not this one!  It was amazing and very European.  They had all kinds of breads and pastries, cheeses, fish, fruits, and so much more.  This was Mike’s favorite part of the trip so far, because it was FREE!  

The first item of the day was a climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and then a walk down the Champs-Elysees.  When we arrived we found a great parking spot, which in this city is a miracle!!  I can now see why everyone in Europe drives one of those dinky Smart Cars, because parking is at a premium.  The best part about the spot was it was right next to a wonderfully fragrant patisserie.  It was exactly how I imagined what Paris would smell like. 

 

After a moment of drooling we headed down the street to the Arc.    The architecture in the heart of Paris is amazing.  You really feel like you are in a magical place.  Once again, I was swept away with the beautiful building elements on our walk to the Arc.

   

(The picture of the Ducati dealership is for you Matt!)

The Arc de Triomphe did not disappoint. The structure was amazing and to think of the history that it has seen was humbling.  From Napoleon to the Nazi’s  the Arc de Triomphe has been the stage for many world events, not to mention that it’s the finish line for the Tour de France.

After a challenging climb up the stairs we made it to the top and saw the most magnificent view of the  city.  Now I am a total dork, but I have been wanting to do this ever since I saw Giada De Laurentiis make the climb on the Food Network. 

It’s getting late, and because the day was so full, it looks like I should break this up into a few posts.  Stay tuned, tomorrow the Champs-Elysees and the Louvre.