Bonjour from Paris!

Ahhh Paris, the land of pain chocolat and cheap cheap wine :) We're running out of time for these blog installments, as our days until Toronto-arrival are running out (I can hear that cheer from here!).
First off, here are a few photos of the department store "Au Printemps".




Liz Went gave us a list of places to check out (thanks hunny!), and when we went to mark this off the list, we were happily surprised to find fantastic Christmas decor and window scenes done up. It was fun to wander through and check out what's hot and popular in Paris this season :)

Here is a shot of us at the Eiffel Tower on our first day as we walked around the city :) YEA! It's gorgeous and every bit as romantic as in every movie or photograph you've ever seen! We had our first crepes in the courtyard under the tower and then walked around the gardens in front. A perfect afternoon!



So, as good tourists do, we bought a 2 day pass on the Open bus tour (fools, we didn't even look at the weather and it rained a few times while we were on the top deck - but we brought umbrellas for a reason!). It was a fantastic way to see a lot of the city and get some information on the buildings and historical background too.


We drove up to the Arc du Triomphe, and Grant was thoroughly amused by this scene at the world's most infamous roundabout... needless to say we were glad we weren't driving!!






We were also happy to wander into Notre Dame cathedral, done up for the festive season with a huge Christmas tree in front and a beautiful nativity scene set up inside. The stained glass windows and incredible architecture were a huge hit with these travelers!



On Tuesday (Happy Birthday mum!), we spent the whole day visiting the Palace of Versailles, a 25 minutes train ride south west of Paris. We had a fantastic sunny day, though it was still bitterly cold with the wind.

There was an exhibition on of the Palace's silver furniture, and we found the detail of the palace's decorations and architecture unbelievable! The ceilings were painted and the fabrics used for ... everything - well they were stunning!


Here is a shot from the Hall of Mirrors - a beautiful big room with huge windows facing the gardens and gorgeous chandeliers. If it hadn't been for the crowds, I might have started dancing!!

The back gardens - stunning. I think the Grand Canal at the far end is long enough to water ski in! It's amazing! And the fountains are beautiful and the landscaping is very well done, the trees are all manicured and shaped just-so. All in all, we could move in next week and those big beds wouldn't have to look so lonely anymore!
On our last day in Paris, we climbed the Eiffel Tower! It was not very windy, and we lucked out with another sunny day. But I was still scared as we took on the 668 stairs that led to the 2nd of 3 levels. The elevator to the very top was scary too though! Heights and I are still not the best of friends :) But we made it and it was a great view of the city, even if there was a bit of smog/fog in the distance.


Finally, as we were walking home to pack up our things, we were lucky enough to witness this beautiful sight - the sun coming down beside the Eiffel Tower. A perfect, picturesque ending to a wonderful week en francais :)

Next stop - Belfast!! xo