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    Showing posts with label eiffel tower. Show all posts
    Showing posts with label eiffel tower. Show all posts

    Monday, May 12, 2014

    La Tour Eiffel ( or: Our last Day in Paris )

    We planned our last day carefully as we wanted to keep the boys out late and not wear
    them down running about the city and walking vast kilometers, as we are wont to do.

    We carefully packed up our little apartment and the boys watched "Ratatouille" on DVD. 
    We don't take restful holidays, so this felt a little odd.  But our eye was on the prize -
    the afternoon and evening at the Eiffel Tower!


    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower


    At last the hour did fall and we set off out into the late afternoon for our last walk
    around the city.

    We browsed street stalls and breathed in the atmosphere as we made our way to the
    batobus ( rivertaxi ) to take us to our destination.


    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower


    As to be expected, the lines were huge and one of the lifts was out of order.
    We've been up before and to be honest, the boys didn't care .. after a quiet day,
    they were content to run around on the grass underneath and play tiggy.

    Neither AB or I wanted to contend with meltdowns or demands for piggybacks climbing a tower.
    We try to keep our vacations full of good memories, not of tantrums.

    See also: not silly :p


    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower


    So we just chilled on the grass along with everybody else. 
    People watching..

    Enterprising young men would come by with cold champagne in their backpacks,
    bought from some local boozer for €5 and would sell them for €20. 

    To be honest, it was a good little earner, and although we declined, we wished them well :)

    After the kids had got grass stains all over themselves and we got bored of sitting,
    we moved on to the carousel.


    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower



    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower


    The kids were having a blast :)


    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower


    Eventually it started to get darker.  It was a beautiful balmy evening -
    it really couldn't have been more perfect for our last night.


    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower


    As it got darker, brides started arriving on the scene to be photographed with the
    Eiffel backgroup, or to be photographed riding on the carousel.  Some had hired
    professional photographers, but one couple I watched, although dressed beautifully,
    seemed to be capturing their wedding day on his smartphone? 

    Which of course meant he really wasn't in the pictures. 
    They both seemed very happy though, and who knows, maybe it was a fashion/
    photography assignment for Uni .. but still, it amused me a little :)


    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower


    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower


    All good things must come to an end, however, and by now the boys were getting tired.

    We started walking back to the train station and admired the moon and the tower
    by night - so very gorgeous:


    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower


    And then we went home to bed, full of mixed emotion.
    We had the countryside ahead of us, but such an amazing time in the city we were leaving behind.
    We'd done so much!  We'd done so little!


    Paris 2012: The Eiffel Tower


    Goodnight Paris! x












    More Paris/France posts from our holiday here:
    i-phone montage
    The Arts et Métiers Train Station
    Les Marchés de la France
    The Cafe de la Prominade
    Our Paris Apartment
    Amsterdam
    Les Averries :: Our Country House in France
    Paris Daily

    I Heart Versailles

    Monday, January 27, 2014

    Paris Daily

    We were lucky enough to go to Paris once before as a couple, and we did all the things
    most people do when they go to Paris - 1000x museums, up the Tower, the Mona Lisa ..
    all that good stuff.

    I remember we took a moonlit ferry, and shopped and touristed.
    Visited churches, looked at art.


    This time, we did none of that.  Well, not really.
    We got to see a different Paris .. one more suited to kids .. the low road I guess.

    I actually think we had a better time.


    hbfotografic-paris-buildings (1)


    The first thing we did when we got into town was take a bus tour.  We normally do ..
    to get bearings and note things and places we might want to come back to later.

    This time we also had the internet, which is fabulous if you don't like tightly planning
    things ( we don't! ).  We basically planned each day the night before from our room.

    Very civilised!


    hbfotografic-paris-buildings (2)


    hbfotografic-paris-buildings (3)


    We arrived while the London Olympics were on. 
    The town square had beanbags out and giant screens for people to enjoy.
    The atmosphere was fantastic, but we moved on quickly .. things to do, places to see ..


    hbfotografic-paris-olympics


    Our day would normally start with a walk through our neighbourhood, eventually
    descending into the Metro.  Paris has some amazing stations, like the amazing
    Arts et Métiers Station that I only discovered after whizzing through one day and I was like
    "Oh My God - I have to go back there" and led to a merry google that night to find other
    interesting stations ...

    But there are plenty of normal stations too.


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    hbfotografic-paris-eiffel (2)


    Of course, the Eiffel Tower.  Deserving of its own post .. this is just a quick look!

    I really wanted to get this pic, but the kids didn't.

    I still like it anyway:


    hbfotografic-paris-eiffel (1)


    We also visited a lot of parks and gardens.  I don't think we visited any on our first trip
    here sans kids?  I suppose gardens can be pretty boring..


    hbfotografic-paris-parks (2)


    hbfotografic-paris-parks (4)


    ( Jardin du Luxembourg .. gorgeous .. )


    hbfotografic-paris-parks (3)


    hbfotografic-paris-parks (1)


    ... and sometimes, you might be walking through and find an amazing playground ..
    or trampolines .. or even, in warmer months, a fair!


    hbfotografic-paris-playgrounds (3)


    hbfotografic-paris-playgrounds (4)


    hbfotografic-paris-playgrounds (5)


    Spoiled .. I tell ya... :)


    We even found a Zoo...


    hbfotografic-paris-zoo (2)


    Paris for children is fabulous, it really is.

    And while all this jumping and swinging and squealing went on, AB and I were often
    just kicking back on a park bench and enjoying the show.

    Considering we dont get much
    down/alone time as a couple, it was nice just to sit and be in each other's company. 


    One day, we took the Metro to Père Lachaise Cemetery .. one of those must sees we
    missed last time.


    The cemetery itself is beautiful and my kids love looking at graves.

    hbfotografic-paris-cemetery (1)


    We just meandered around.  Jim Morrison's grave isn't anything exciting but I did love
    Oscar Wilde's.  It's a bit odd with the perspex around it to protect it from lipstick and graffiti..


    hbfotografic-paris-cemetery (4)


    hbfotografic-paris-cemetery (3)


    My kids taking Zombie pics of each other while a cemetery cat looks on:


    hbfotografic-paris-cemetery (2)


    And then after a day of full-on exploring and playing, we'd make our way back to our
    apartment in the Marais district, close to Notre Dame and The Centre Pompidou.

    Usually some crème glacée would be consumed, or maybe some other treat.
    Who am I kidding?  It was always icecream :)


    hbfotografic-paris-street (2)


    hbfotografic-paris-street (3)


    That little pillar-top pose on the right there was inspired after watching the breakdancers
    perform.  Loves a bit of street, that one.  The other guy is just too cool to smile with his new specs.


    Well, i'm doing pretty well to remember all this I think .. just two more posts to go -
    the trip to Versailles .. and our last night in town at the Eiffel Tower.



    Xx
    Lea