TOUR DE FRANCE

PARIS - November 2010

Paris was a lot different this time than when I went for my high school summer senior week in 2004, but still always an exciting cultural experience. It was very very cold, and we did a LOT of walking. Luckily, my mom's foot was better so my parents were up for it. And we really needed it to burn off all the Pain au Chocolat and crepes we ate. Our apartment was much smaller than anticipated (I had to sleep in a bunk or "loft"), but it was central and very close to the Pantheon (and lots of delicious food nearby). I never realized how rude the French actually are, despite all the stereotypes, until this trip, even when I tried to speak French! Oh well, there are too many beautiful things in Paris that semi-make up for their impoliteness. We went to the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Musee d'Orsay (my favorite), Notre Dame, Montmartre, and Versailles for a day. We ended up taking the wrong train to Versailles and ended up in the 'burbs of Paris, but you live and you learn :)

Me and mommy along the Seine in front of the Notre Dame.

There was an awesome Takashi Murakami exhibit at Versailles. I loved this mixing of old versus new. There was a Sailor Moon sculpture/statue right before the Hall of Mirrors.

The Louvre at night. Tip: You get reduced admission if you go after 6pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. The lines are shorter and you still have time to see most everything (if you are quick like me and get bored and overwhelmed easily of all the things in the Louvre).

Cafe time!

Trying to ask the guards how you get up to the Arc de Triomphe...they were a little intimidating since they were all armed but some of the friendliest French we met!

We had an assortment of French pastries every morning. I stuck with my go-to pain au chocolat...they even have MAXI pain au chocolat now (probably for Americans like us) which is twice the size of a regular one. I don't think any other country can re-create the absolute deliciousness of a fresh pain au chocolat in Paris that just melts in your mouth.

Pain au chocolat with some milk... breakfast of champions!

My parents missed Chinese food one day, so we stopped at a Chinese Buffet for lunch. The selection was very small and you even had to microwave your own food (how ghetto!) but the restaurant was entirely packed.

MONT ST. MICHEL (NORMANDY)

It has always been a dream of mine to visit the Mont St. Michel. After learning about it in high school French class, I never imagined that I would actually get to go see this beautiful monastery on the sea (especially when all the tours were all $300 a person just for a day trip!). Luckily, Allison came to the rescue with her amazing driving skills and rented us a minivan to make my MSM dreams come true. We had the biggest car in all of Paris and it even came with a built in air-freshner!

It was absolutely breathtaking, surrounded by green fields of mouton (French for sheep) which we later ate at lunch...we walked around the small quaint town below the actual monastery for a bit and left just as the sun set.

Token jumping photo.

On the drive back, the low gas signal popped up just as we hit rush hour Saturday night Paris traffic. It was one of the most stressful experiences ever (probably moreso for Allison), driving along the Champs Elysees with the crazy French and no gas and we also could not find a gas station for the life of us. Finally, after circling around the city maybe 20 times, we found one...whew! And then off to try to find a parking spot...the parking garage near our place was "libre" aka "open" but there were no spots to be found! I asked the operator working there, and he's like, "Yes, sometimes on the weekends, people come in and out of the garage so often that the machine can't keep up, so even though it says "libre" there may actually be no spots." WOW...REALLY?! Luckily he was nice and let us park in the handicap spot as long as I didn't tell anyone :)

THE LOIRE VALLEY

Another dream of mine come true by the driving skills of my sister, we went castle hopping for a day to Chambord, Chenonceau (the Lady's castle), and a drive by of Ambois (from Ever After!). These castles are absolutely breathtaking and really give you a feel of why the monarchy was overthrown. Chambord was my favorite--the inspiration for the castle in Beauty and the Beast! I also loved Chenonceau, which is surrounded by beautiful gardens and sits on top of a river.

We took some pretty spectacular jumping pictures here.

Family jump in front of Chambord!

Chenonceau, the "ladies' castle", as it was occupied by Henry II's mistress Diane de Poitiers until she was kicked out into a smaller castle by the queen, Catherine de Medici, after Henry's death.