Walkin' Around Paris

One of our favorite things to do in Paris is to take off and explore.  We love walking around and checking out architecture, different neighborhoods, and people!  We have a set of cards that help us explore - one side has a map of an area with a path marked on it, the other side has a description of what you will see on the walk.  The thing that is great about the cards is that they take you to areas you never would have found on your own!

A few weekends ago we grabbed a card and walked around the Viaduc des Arts.  It is near the Bastille area of Paris, and it is basically a garden/park that has been constructed on top of an old, raised train track.  Once on top of the old tracks, you can barely even tell you are in a city!  We loved it because it felt like a little escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. 

The park is on top of this structure!

Last week, we took another card and set out to explore Chateau de Vincennes.  It is on the far east side of Paris and used to be a hunting lodge for royalty.  Several French kings were born and married there.  It dates from the 14th century!  I loved it because there were hardly any tourists there.

This is the bridge to get across the moat.

VERY old doors.

We are standing in the moat to get this shot!

The chapel.

Beautiful!

The back of the sanctuary.

I absolutely loved this window.

After our walk through the chateau and chapel, we checked out a park nearby.  Unfortunately, our visit was cut short because I was stung/bitten by something several times on the backside!  Let's just say it was a pretty uncomfortable metro ride home!

Roland Garros

If you keep up at all with sports, you know that the French Open has been going on for the last two weeks.  Right before it started, Dustin and I had the opportunity to see some exhibition games at Roland Garros (where the French Open is held).  I don't exactly love tennis, but it was really neat to get to see Roland Garros and some of the players. 

One of the stadiums

The guy in blue is Andy Murray, the famous Scottish player.  

Roland Garros is an absolutely beautiful venue, and enjoyable even if you are not a huge tennis fan.  But I think my favorite part of the day was my 8 euro "Roland Garros" ice cream sundae from Haagen Dazs...is that bad?

Matt and Jennie in Paris!!

We have been extremely lucky to have so many visitors this spring!  The day my parents left, Matt and Jennie came to stay with us for a few days.  While Dustin and I worked, they explored the city.  And then in the evenings, we got together for dinner and to hear about all of the things they had discovered that day.  I can't even explain how wonderful it was to have such good friends around for an entire week!  Needless to say, we had an absolute blast!!

In the Latin Quarter after dinner.

Jennie and Matt

You never know what is going to happen when Dustin and Matt get together...

We took Matt and Jennie to a market on Saturday morning.  It was a beautiful day to do some shopping!  Here we are buying cherries...

Jennie and Matt added a lock to the Pont des Arts.  To read about the lock that Dustin and I added, click here.

Of course, we were sad to see Matt and Jennie leave, but we were also so thankful to have had the opportunity to galavant around Paris with them! 

Paris With My Parents!

My parents had the opportunity to come visit us for a couple of weeks.  I was so excited for them to see where I have been living and to show them Paris.  Since they hadn't been here before, we started with a two day bus tour!  It was a perfect introduction to the city.

Waiting for the bus tour to begin in front of Invalides!

Me and my dad on the bus tour!

With mom on the Champs Elysees

Mom and Dad on my balcony before the Easter Service at the American Church 

After church, we went to brunch at a restaurant called La Gare.  It is an old train station!

Fred and Beth were in Paris for the weekend, so they joined us for church and brunch too!

The weekend after Easter, Dustin and I took my parents to London.  We arrived the day after the Royal Wedding....bummer.  :)

We made a stop at Twinings to buy some Royal Wedding tea!

Our first lunch was fish and chips...of course!

Dustin and I rode a Ferris Wheel in Hyde Park.

Mom and Dad in front of the Tower of London

Tower Bridge!

While my parents were checking out the Tower of London, Dustin and I went to see a play in The Globe.

We took a boat to go back to the Tower to pick up my parents!

After a great weekend in London, we took the train back to Paris to cram in a bit more sight-seeing.  One of our stops was, of course, the Louvre. 

We also went to the Orangerie, the museum that holds 8 of Monet's Water Lillies.   

On their last weekend in Paris, mom and dad helped me plant flower boxes on the balcony.  Dad even did the shopping for the dirt by himself!  It was really special to have them there to help with this project.  I will always remember the three of us crowding onto the balcony, with our amazing view, planting together.  :)

Our last hurrah was an evening cruise on the Seine. It was absolutely beautiful and the perfect end to a wonderful visit.

I was really sad to see my parents leave.  It is so much fun when we have visitors, but it is bitter-sweet because we know that eventually they have to leave.  My dad walked me to school the morning they left (I have started teaching at a bilingual preschool...more on that later), and through tears I hugged him and watched him walk away.  I really hate "see-you-laters" like that.  But the two weeks my parents were here were fantastic, and we made memories that will last forever!