Day 15 it comes to an end

Got up around 6:30 to have hotel breakfast before our ride took us to the airport. Driver was a fun older guy.  Chatted the whole way.

We dropped off our luggage then went through all the lines.  Alicia had been randomly chosen to get checked so she had her bags searched and she was checked for any kind of residue.

10 hour flight was long but not as bad as the flight over at night. We watched a few movies, read some, played the Switch, ate airline food and then landed.

Went through all those lines, grabbed our luggage and a couple more lines and made it to our truck. Hit taco bell and Dutch in Silverton for dinner and trip is over!

Our favorite place:
Ben-- Paris Catacombs
Dee-- Luxemburg Gardens and Hampton Court Palace
Alicia-- The English Bus tour (Which were also her favorite last trip.)
Ethan-- Luxemburg Gardens and Hampton Court Palace

Our favorite food:
Ben-- scone and clotted cream from Shelly's in Dover
Dee-- strawberry dessert with mousse and meringue in France
Alicia-- strawberry dessert with mousse and meringue in France
Ethan-- chicken curry sandwich from Fortnum and Mason and he would go to Pizza Express every day if granted.

Day 13 last full day in Paris

This morning we had tickets to go up the Eiffel Tower at 10.  Poor Ethan found his fear of heights really come alive as we went up but he was such a trooper. But when we went to go down on the elevator he was terrified we were really going up higher.

Had reservations at 20 Eiffel. It was good but I think that we decided we just don't care for fancy French food that much.  Give us French street food anytime.

Though that dessert. Yum... I'm going to try and figure out how to make it. Berry mousse with a sorbet middle, over fresh strawberries all covered in berry meringue bits.  Incredible.

Headed to Shakespeare and Company for a couple books for me and more for Alicia, some shopping along the Seine and they headed off for a croissant rest while I hit Saint Chapelle. It was very pretty when I entered but I was thinking how glad the kids would be not to be there. They've seen a lot of chapels and Cathedrals this trip.

 Then I went upstairs and gasped. It was awesome! Pictures cannot take in the magnitude of the beauty

Headed back to the hotel where the fam was resting. Alicia napped while the three of us tried to be quiet reading books,  working, playing on electronics.
Around 6:30 we headed back to the Luxembourg Gardens.  We had free unplanned hours this evening (I had planned Rodin Museum but we saw so very many statues in the Louvre that the family is happier not seeing anymore) and Ethan really wanted to go back. I also find it addicting and am happy to return.  We weren't there very long because it started to sprinkle so we headed to crepes.  After that we went and got some more gelato!
Back to the hotel to try and pack everything up. We might have bought too much. 😂😉

10,500 steps

Day 12 Brussels, Belgium

We got up early to catch our 8:25 train.  It was a nice ride to Brussels. We got off that train and walked across the street to catch thr train that takes us right to the center of the city. Followed the people and found the Grand Place, which is grand! It was looking like a rainy day.  So we spent the day wandering trying to be inside when raining and buying chocolates and site seeing. We started the morning with Belgium waffles which were very good... but I forgot a picture!

We had had enough after about 3 hours and would have gone back to Paris except I thought we would like a full day here and our train tickets were for late.  So we kind of sat around and waited  and waited. Caught the train back and called it a night. 

Brussels is where certain comic strips are celebrated.  Belgium likes their comics. 

Watched Toy Story 4 in English with both French and Dutch subtitles while it poured outside.

Smurfs is a Belgium cartoon.

Steps 10,600

Day 11 Paris

This morning we had timed tickets to the Louvre. I had initially wanted to get the Paris Museum Pass but I had been reading articles the weeks leading up to our trip that they sometimes weren't being honored if the Louvre felt they were too busy.
We walked there on a quite Sunday morning and took in the views of the Seine.

We went and saw the newly moved Mona Lisa along with every other person in the museum at that time.  They've changed the viewing area so now you are corralled through in a weaving line and can get much closer to it then before.

 She's a bit underwhelming but you can't not visit her!
Then we walked around aimlessly for a couple hours before calling uncle and escaping.  Just so many items in this museum!

We left through the Tuileries Garden where Ethan bought a painting from a man selling them in the path.  He's very happy with his Paris purchase.

Next was lunch at Auberge Nicolas Flamel. Nicolas Flamel was mentioned in Harry Potter as an alchemist. But he was a real person known for philanthropy and one of his houses, built in 1407, is now a Michelin star restaurant.
We tried some things we'd never had before. Ben ordered foie gras and we sampled it. Yuck! We also had a chocolate souffle for dessert, yum.

We then headed back to the hotel for a little rest. Already well over 10,000 steps at this point.

I woke from a nap to an alert on my phone letting me know I had spent £107.00 in London. I'm in Paris.  I called and they were very kind.  It hadn't hit my account yet so when it actually goes through I have to call again. They canceled my card.  Sent a new one to home and updated my Google pay.   Such a nuisance.

We then headed to the Arc de Triomphe. I had waffled over going up but then when we saw they couldn't take backpacks up I stayed with Alicia's while they went up. We later found out backpacks could have gone up!
They got amazing shots of Paris.

    

We then headed out for crepes! They were delicious. 

As we ate we decided to move the boat ride on the river Seine to tonight because the other evenings look like rain. 

It was amazing. The weather, the views, the company all super. And I've never gotten to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle on the hour after sunset it was AMAZING!

It was a late evening and we had to get up at 6:30 so it was off to bed right away. 

Day 10 bonjour Paris

We were up early to catch the 8:31 Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris Nord.  It's a nice train ride at a little over 2 hours. Legroom is sufficient and the steats are comfortable. We then caught a taxi and made it to our hotel.   Check in wasn't until 2 so we wandered down the street looking for a restaurant where we ate outside.

We then spent a little time in Luxembourg Gardens before heading to our hotel to freshen up.

On a side note Luxembourg Gardens might be the most beautiful park I've ever been in. I could visit it every single day reading a book or people watching.  They also have a large fountain where children can rent boats to float.

We then walked to the Paris Catacombs for our 5 o'clock entry.  This is whole idea weird to me.  In the 1780s the cemeteries became a health problem and they needed to move the bones to unused quarries.  Approximately 6 million bodies are stored in the catacombs and in 1809 they opened the site to visitors.  We took pictures  but we couldn't decide if we should smile or not. Obviously they are just bones now.  No soul. Long gone. But still not something you ever experience.

We then headed to icecream and it was a yummy stop. 

On the way back to our hotel we spent some more time in Luxembourg Gardens. I love it there.

Steps today 13,000. My legs are feeling sore tonight and Alicia's a little tired so we are in for the evening.