Paris is wonderful!! And the Chunnel ride was awesome!! If we could we would ride it all the way home. There is so much more room and more comfortable seats! And I hardly noticed the 15 minutes we spent under the ocean (except for the sudden temperature change). We were both very impressed and are looking forward to riding it again to Amsterdam.
We found our hotel right away and are also impressed with it! It has room to walk AND a toilet in our room :) We were just glad to get out of that closet of a room we had, and this feels like pure luxury now, which believe me, it's not.
Today we went to Notre Dame, which was breathtaking, and then walked the city going through it's parks and ended about four miles away at THE Eiffel Tower!!! It was just like I had imagined!! Only difference was that the park out front of it was littered with garbage which made us both very sad. We stood in line to go up it but after standing for thirty minutes and not being anywhere near the front of the line, we were warned that the waiting on each level would be that long so we left. We decided to go back tomorrow morning as soon as it opens and hope for slightly less people.
After being warned about the amounts of people here, we have been pleasantly surprised. There are WAY less people out walking here than there were in London. And we are both very happy about that! It does make you feel pretty vulnerable when everything is in another language though! With that said, we have rode the metro already twice today and never got lost or missed our stop, my pilot is pretty impressive :) Actually this whole trip we haven't once been lost!! Pretty amazing if you could see these streets.
So I ask Kev every night if there is anything he wants me to make sure and talk about and tonight his request was that I tell everyone that we saw beef flavored lays potato chips in the grocery store tonight... We come all the way to freaking Paris and my husband is astonished by potato chips. Boys will be boys. And as worried as we were about spending eighteen days straight together in stressful situations, I still think he is the most amazing hubby ever and couldn't be more happy to be spending this amazing trip with him!
We have lots planned for tomorrow so we are hitting the hay early tonight! Hope you are all enjoying your hot weather!! Au Revoir!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Goodbye to London
Tonight my blog comes to you while sitting on the sidewalk outside of a launder-mat. Kevin has gone to get dinner while I wait to change our clothes into the dryer. We were both overjoyed to find somewhere to wash all of our dirty clothes, especially now that the weather has been so warm! Underwear in the sink just don't seem to fit as well as when they've gone through a dryer :)
Today was great. We took our time leaving this morning and jumped on a train to the British Museum. We aren't much of museum goers but this one is free to get into so we felt like we should go. It was actually really neat! Some of the artifacts they had dated back to 1500bc!
Afterward we ate another picnic lunch while sitting on a bench, and headed off to a really great outdoor shopping center called Convent Garden. Here we shopped and watched some amazing street theater performers.
Then off we headed to a park. Parks here and in Dublin are nothing like home. They span for blocks and blocks and everywhere you look there are people sitting or laying on blankets just relaxing. It is something Kev and I have decided to start at home. There are birds everywhere and they all seem to have some kind of water feature or lakes. They have been the perfect place for us to consume our afternoon coffees for the last eight days. Truly enjoyable.
Speaking of eight days, we are halfway through our trip after today. We are both very sad, and kind of excited. We miss our families, friends, neighbors, cat, DOGS and mostly... Our bed!!!! This trip however is truly amazing and we try not to think too much about the dogs and such because we have worked so hard to get here!
Although we have both enjoyed our time in London, it is not somewhere we feel like we ever need to visit again. It is a little too big city for our blood. So tomorrow on we move to Paris! We don't have wifi in our room there so hopefully we will be able to find a nice little spot to blog from. Ta ta for now!
Today was great. We took our time leaving this morning and jumped on a train to the British Museum. We aren't much of museum goers but this one is free to get into so we felt like we should go. It was actually really neat! Some of the artifacts they had dated back to 1500bc!
Afterward we ate another picnic lunch while sitting on a bench, and headed off to a really great outdoor shopping center called Convent Garden. Here we shopped and watched some amazing street theater performers.
Then off we headed to a park. Parks here and in Dublin are nothing like home. They span for blocks and blocks and everywhere you look there are people sitting or laying on blankets just relaxing. It is something Kev and I have decided to start at home. There are birds everywhere and they all seem to have some kind of water feature or lakes. They have been the perfect place for us to consume our afternoon coffees for the last eight days. Truly enjoyable.
Speaking of eight days, we are halfway through our trip after today. We are both very sad, and kind of excited. We miss our families, friends, neighbors, cat, DOGS and mostly... Our bed!!!! This trip however is truly amazing and we try not to think too much about the dogs and such because we have worked so hard to get here!
Although we have both enjoyed our time in London, it is not somewhere we feel like we ever need to visit again. It is a little too big city for our blood. So tomorrow on we move to Paris! We don't have wifi in our room there so hopefully we will be able to find a nice little spot to blog from. Ta ta for now!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Independence day in London
Happy fourth everyone! Your fireworks haven't even started and we are going to bed. It was a little strange being away where there are no fireworks, bbqs, or neighbors playing patriotic music. However at dinner there were a group of people all in red white and blue with American flags hanging singing the national anthem from their balcony. It was actually a little nice to know others were celebrating.
We got moving early today and went to the breath taking Westminster Abbey for a service which was really really neat. We could have sat there all day and just looked around and the sounds in there were like something out of a movie (the choir and organs).
Next we went to the London Eye which is this ferris wheel like thing that takes groups of people up in these windowed capsules for amazing views of the entire city. We met a nice american family on there and sat and talked while watching the views. This family told us that if we think London is busy we will really think Paris is busy, which made us both cringe a bit.
I have to admit, people are getting harder and harder to be around. There are just SO many different cultures in a place like this, and so many different ideas of what's rude and whats not. For example- pushing in front of people in line- totally not rude here, walking in a row with your friends on the narrow sidewalk and not budging when someone else is coming towards you- not rude at all, and stopping in the middle of a crazy busy sidewalk and collecting your whole group for "peace sign" pictures- completely normal. I feel like I need to sit everyone down and tell them about personal space and manners. Kevin tries to keep me calm, but let's his frustration slip every once in a while. This makes me nervous about what's to come in France.
We are getting a little wore out, but were able to have a relaxing evening sitting in our room watching our four channels on our 14 inch tv :) We will be ready to rock tomorrow morning and have lots planned for our last day in London!
Ta-ta!
We got moving early today and went to the breath taking Westminster Abbey for a service which was really really neat. We could have sat there all day and just looked around and the sounds in there were like something out of a movie (the choir and organs).
Next we went to the London Eye which is this ferris wheel like thing that takes groups of people up in these windowed capsules for amazing views of the entire city. We met a nice american family on there and sat and talked while watching the views. This family told us that if we think London is busy we will really think Paris is busy, which made us both cringe a bit.
I have to admit, people are getting harder and harder to be around. There are just SO many different cultures in a place like this, and so many different ideas of what's rude and whats not. For example- pushing in front of people in line- totally not rude here, walking in a row with your friends on the narrow sidewalk and not budging when someone else is coming towards you- not rude at all, and stopping in the middle of a crazy busy sidewalk and collecting your whole group for "peace sign" pictures- completely normal. I feel like I need to sit everyone down and tell them about personal space and manners. Kevin tries to keep me calm, but let's his frustration slip every once in a while. This makes me nervous about what's to come in France.
We are getting a little wore out, but were able to have a relaxing evening sitting in our room watching our four channels on our 14 inch tv :) We will be ready to rock tomorrow morning and have lots planned for our last day in London!
Ta-ta!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
London day two...
Today in London was a "low key" day... We only walked for five hours this time. Yikes!!
We started off at Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guards, which was really cool for the first fifteen minutes but after an hour we took off. Something that is neat to be able to see, but really not all that entertaining to warrant standing with a million other people watching not a whole lot of action for over an hour.
Next we went to Hyde park which is enormous!!! We visited Kinsington gardens and palace and spent the afternoon at Portabello market, which is a whole street of little shops and booths. Really fun!
On the way home we stopped and got a coffee, sat by the water on a bench and just people watched... Let me tell you, this is VERY entertaining here! And then while enjoying our peaceful sit Snopp Dogg started rapping and cussing. Interesting. I didn't know he still even did shows, but we soon realized why he doesn't... He only does the same songs he did in 1997 (brother you would have loved it!) which actually turned out to be pretty amusing for both of us :)
So far we have yet to meet any other Americans here and we kind of feel like there are no other ones, which is fine here because they speak English, but it makes me a little nervous about France! This city is still overwhelming and amazing and tomorrow will be even more adventure seeing as how today was our "low key" day here.
We started off at Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guards, which was really cool for the first fifteen minutes but after an hour we took off. Something that is neat to be able to see, but really not all that entertaining to warrant standing with a million other people watching not a whole lot of action for over an hour.
Next we went to Hyde park which is enormous!!! We visited Kinsington gardens and palace and spent the afternoon at Portabello market, which is a whole street of little shops and booths. Really fun!
On the way home we stopped and got a coffee, sat by the water on a bench and just people watched... Let me tell you, this is VERY entertaining here! And then while enjoying our peaceful sit Snopp Dogg started rapping and cussing. Interesting. I didn't know he still even did shows, but we soon realized why he doesn't... He only does the same songs he did in 1997 (brother you would have loved it!) which actually turned out to be pretty amusing for both of us :)
So far we have yet to meet any other Americans here and we kind of feel like there are no other ones, which is fine here because they speak English, but it makes me a little nervous about France! This city is still overwhelming and amazing and tomorrow will be even more adventure seeing as how today was our "low key" day here.
Friday, July 2, 2010
So this is London...?
Wow and we thought Dublin was crazy!!! This place is all sorts of insanity!
We got here this morning and checked into our closet, literally, we rearranged furniture just so we could put our backpacks down and walk at the same time. Also we have a shower, but the bathroom is down the hall and there is NO privacy there... This is going to be a little bit of an adjustment for me but Kevin assures me we will be just fine :)
And so, on we go!! We jumped on a double decker bus and took a tour around the city which was delightful. We sat on top, uncovered in the sun and wind and listened to all kinds of interesting things about the city while taking amazing
pictures. We talked afterward about how it still hasn't really sunk in that we are here and what we just saw was the REAL Big Ben or Westminster or Tower Bridge (aka the London Bridge). And everywhere you turn there is another building that we just have to stop and be in awe for a second. It is the most incredibly beautiful architecture we have ever seen!
We also went to the Tower of London, a castle from 1090, which was another mind blowing thing to think about and see. And had amazing Pasties for dinner (thanks Ronda) and are now sitting back in our closet eating Haagen-Dazs that Kev just surprised me with!!
Must go before he eats it all! Lots of love!!
We got here this morning and checked into our closet, literally, we rearranged furniture just so we could put our backpacks down and walk at the same time. Also we have a shower, but the bathroom is down the hall and there is NO privacy there... This is going to be a little bit of an adjustment for me but Kevin assures me we will be just fine :)
And so, on we go!! We jumped on a double decker bus and took a tour around the city which was delightful. We sat on top, uncovered in the sun and wind and listened to all kinds of interesting things about the city while taking amazing
pictures. We talked afterward about how it still hasn't really sunk in that we are here and what we just saw was the REAL Big Ben or Westminster or Tower Bridge (aka the London Bridge). And everywhere you turn there is another building that we just have to stop and be in awe for a second. It is the most incredibly beautiful architecture we have ever seen!
We also went to the Tower of London, a castle from 1090, which was another mind blowing thing to think about and see. And had amazing Pasties for dinner (thanks Ronda) and are now sitting back in our closet eating Haagen-Dazs that Kev just surprised me with!!
Must go before he eats it all! Lots of love!!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Leaving Dublin
Today was a mellow last day in Dublin. We did some shopping, went to a delicious lunch walked to Saint Patricks cathedral (which was breath taking) and drank coffee in the sun sitting alongside the Liffey river. To finish the day off we went and had a beer at O'Neills.
We are packed up and going to bed early because we have to get up at 5:45 to catch our flight to London and we are feeling a bit torn. We are excited to move on and start exploring a new town, but we are feeling really comfortable around this city now and are able to find things without our trusty map. We have learned how to get all over town, how to drive, and the correct way to order coffee here (the necessities) which will all be new each stop. London's list of things to do is the longest of the four stops so the minute our feet hit the ground we will be off and moving by direction of a brand new map! The weather in London is 75 and sunshine, which means we can pack our coats away and probably leave them packed the rest of the trip!
Thanks so much for following us through Ireland, we have so many more stories to share with you that there is just not enough time to post, and we have about 300 pictures so far. Yikes.
Talk to you soon... from England!!!
We are packed up and going to bed early because we have to get up at 5:45 to catch our flight to London and we are feeling a bit torn. We are excited to move on and start exploring a new town, but we are feeling really comfortable around this city now and are able to find things without our trusty map. We have learned how to get all over town, how to drive, and the correct way to order coffee here (the necessities) which will all be new each stop. London's list of things to do is the longest of the four stops so the minute our feet hit the ground we will be off and moving by direction of a brand new map! The weather in London is 75 and sunshine, which means we can pack our coats away and probably leave them packed the rest of the trip!
Thanks so much for following us through Ireland, we have so many more stories to share with you that there is just not enough time to post, and we have about 300 pictures so far. Yikes.
Talk to you soon... from England!!!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Day three
Another eventful day here in Dublin! My extremely brave husband wanted to rent a car and drive across Ireland to see the west coast... I, on the other hand thought this was a terrible idea seeing how everything about driving here is opposite what we are used to and they are crazy drivers!!! Of course, the hubby won and off we drove, on the wrong side of the road across Ireland.
We drove to Galway and then to this adorable little town called Kilvarna to eat lunch. After lunch we drove even further south to see the cliffs of Moher. These were incredible 650 foot sheer cliffs into the Atlantic ocean that we were able to stand just feet away from the edge with no barriers! I found this to be a big thrill, kevin however, did not care for me being so close and told me a had to stay on the paths. What a thing to see!!
Our drive in total was about six hours, with at least two hours of that being completely white knuckled. We were driving down windey roads approx 12 feet wide, a sixty mile an hour speed limit and tour busses coming towards us. Sometimes the branches on the side of the road with scrape across my window and I would hold my breath or scream as Kevin would say "I feel like I'm driving on a go-cart track!" and speed up. Not exactly relaxing, but indeed beautiful!! The scene from PS I Love You where she is walking up the road and it's green hills, silence, little rock walls, farms and sheep... That's where we spent all day today. It truly is an amazing countryside and it was nice to get out of the city for the day.
Tomorrow we return the death mobile (thank god) and spend our last day roaming around Dublin. Today on our drive however we picked out a beautiful house to buy here in Ireland....
Relax Mom, it rains as much here as it does there, we are buying a house somewhere sunnier we decided!
Until tomorrow...
We drove to Galway and then to this adorable little town called Kilvarna to eat lunch. After lunch we drove even further south to see the cliffs of Moher. These were incredible 650 foot sheer cliffs into the Atlantic ocean that we were able to stand just feet away from the edge with no barriers! I found this to be a big thrill, kevin however, did not care for me being so close and told me a had to stay on the paths. What a thing to see!!
Our drive in total was about six hours, with at least two hours of that being completely white knuckled. We were driving down windey roads approx 12 feet wide, a sixty mile an hour speed limit and tour busses coming towards us. Sometimes the branches on the side of the road with scrape across my window and I would hold my breath or scream as Kevin would say "I feel like I'm driving on a go-cart track!" and speed up. Not exactly relaxing, but indeed beautiful!! The scene from PS I Love You where she is walking up the road and it's green hills, silence, little rock walls, farms and sheep... That's where we spent all day today. It truly is an amazing countryside and it was nice to get out of the city for the day.
Tomorrow we return the death mobile (thank god) and spend our last day roaming around Dublin. Today on our drive however we picked out a beautiful house to buy here in Ireland....
Relax Mom, it rains as much here as it does there, we are buying a house somewhere sunnier we decided!
Until tomorrow...
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