The Louvre

Our first Sunday in Paris and we headed to the Louvre...a dream come true!  Luckily we were thinking and we got there early to beat the massive crowds...because later it would become even more massive!  The plaza is gorgeous and the size is overwhelming.  We headed in by way of the mall area instead of the pyramid to avoid the long line.

Cool...so then we got to see this spot where the pyramid is inverted and we checked out all the amazing shops we would come back to later after lunch.

My first must see was the Mona Lisa of course...when I was here 11 years ago she was flanked by 2 red velvet curtains and black rope...now look at her...4 guards and sirens on either side, which we did hear go off as we were approaching the gallery.

                 It was still a thrill to see it and I think j got a kick out of it...she still ceases to amaze!!

THis is the painting that faces the Mona Lisa ...its a wedding scene...thoughtfully placed I'm sure.

 Before a fabulous lunch in the international food court we headed to the toilettes...a whopping 1.50 Euro...at least they were very clean with great decor.

We treated the kids to 3 rides each at the Tulierie carnival rides because they did such a great job at the museum!

Are you watching the Olympics?

We are...in french!  Which means we have to make/listen to our own commentary which basically consists of "why aren't they showing gymnastics?  Don't the French like women's gymnastics?  I just don't get it, they are showing fencing and another game of handball!!!"  So we are missing NBC's ubber Americanized version of the Olympics but we always end the conversation, "well at least we are watching it in Paris."  And then we go back to watching the french discuss the valors of sports we would never see but for a split second in the US, badminton anyone????

 This is the cute commentator for the French Olympics.  Sorry for the bad pic.

 And yet another woman's basketball game which the french seem to LUV and yes this is why my gut looks like a basketball right now...check out these beauties...yes it is true what they say about french pastries...they are as incredible as they look!!!!

This is where we are living in Paris...

This is the park kitty corner from our building.  We are in the outskirts of Paris still assessable by metro of course.  It is called Puteaux.  I call it the Oak Park of Paris...it feels like it's own little community and yet so close to the big city.  We are situated next to the Seine and La Defense(an area of large modern sky scrapers on the other side of downtown Paris, where the Cube building is...ever see Bourne Identity...Matt Damon is running through the plaza of the Cube at the end of the movie).

The first thing I noticed when we walked in the spacious garden was the bowling ball sized hydrangeas.  Look at this cute garden area completely enclosed so we leave the patio doors open all day, even when we are gone for the cat.  Our apartment is only the first floor.

                                             This is the front of the building at Rue Voltaire.

                                                           This is our clothes dryer!

 Sorry Minou, you have been replaced for a few weeks, but only so we can love you more when we get home!!  This is Elsie, a fat pudgy old lady of a cat who's meow sounds like a baby crying.  We are in charge of her along with 2 huge gold fish and 2 turtles.

                                      The tiny tiny kitchen...looks like a mess...sorry bout that!

 Turtle house...so cute...with mesh over the top to protect them from Elsie and birds and a loose ferret we have only heard about.

          THis is the open space living room and dining room.  Very spacious with great leather furniture.   This has been a great space for all of us.  There are 3 bedrooms and 2 bathes.  The outdoor space really makes the place.  Even though the neighbors from all around can see into the garden it still feels very private, and I have really not seen anyone...you only hear cute little kids jabbering away in french.  The only glitch is the commute to the city, a quick bus ride to the No. 1 metro leads you right into the heart of the city, this can be a bit tiring at the end of our long days for the kids, but it beats having to pay an extravigant price for a hotel for 3 weeks!   Au revoir!

Paris tourists...thats what we are!!

Saturday, Brad is home and raring to go...we let him plan the day.  We started out for the neighborhood pool...no pics, sorry, and found out that the boys had to wear speedos...a big NO from our boys...this is one of the first cultural blockades we have come across...I would also put no kids menus, people not wearing deodorant in close quarters, and no toilet seats on that list as well.

 So we headed to what we were hoping was a french style shopping center but instead ended at a not so great shopping center that was super dead...like no one was there...so by now we are starving and we are on Rue de Charles De Galle Etoile surrounded by a never ending supply of motorcycle shops...fun! Lunch was a super french battiserie.

                       The Arc Trioumph was at the end of this rue so we headed for the grand tour.

                                                 Views from the top...gorgeous all around.

 On the way home we stumbled on this craziness...gorgeous food from any kind of french pastry you can imagine to gelatinous seafood in a cloud of mousse...the prices were beyond real!!

Paris...the first days

 Our first day all together in Paris found us wanting something to please the whiny kiddos...ooppps did I write that?  Destination the Tulieries, private gardens of Louis XV.  It is located in front of the Louvre and is massive.    As we stepped off the Metro into the park there in front of us was an old fashioned French flavored carnival!!!  Perfect...but no pony rides in site for Abigail.

 The carnival had just the right amount of rides for the 7 and 9 year old set.  And this later became an important negotiation point when factoring in visits to the Louvre and the D'Orsey art museums later in the week.

 This is not part of the carnival but what brought me to the Tulieries,there great playground. It was a bit young for J but A was into it for 2 secs...the carnival was too appealing.