Here is the link for the Paris & Munich photos:
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Disney Cruise Photos On-Line
I have split the photos from this trip up into 2 albums on Shutterfly. Here is the link for the first album, which includes the Disney Cruise:
I will post the Paris / Munich photos soon... Enjoy! -Kyle
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Back Home
We made it! It took about 18 hours door-to-door, but we finally made it back to Tampa around 7pm tonight. The flights went pretty well, except that Brandon & Bailey got sick near the end of the Munich - Atlanta leg. Not sure why --airsickness? Oh well, better right at the end then right at the beginning, I suppose. The seats were all screwed up again on the Atlanta - Tampa leg, but we pulled a few switch-a-roos and made the best of it.
We are all exhausted and I am hoping to climb into my bed very soon (it is 2am in Munich right now). I took over 4,000 photos on the trip. I will narrow it down to my favorites, upload them to Shutterfly, and post a link here sometime next week. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! -Kyle
We are all exhausted and I am hoping to climb into my bed very soon (it is 2am in Munich right now). I took over 4,000 photos on the trip. I will narrow it down to my favorites, upload them to Shutterfly, and post a link here sometime next week. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! -Kyle
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Munich #4
This morning, we set out on our last tour of the trip: BMW World. It’s kind of hard to describe the facility there. It’s part showroom, a museum, a factory, a delivery center, a restaurant, and more. Even if you are not a BMW fan, you would have to admit, it is an impressive facility. The main building is huge and has a really unique design. I think they said it is supposed to look like a cloud. It is just across the street from BMW headquarters, the factory, and the museum. Inside, it’s all about their latest technology and new cars & motorcycles. There are interactive exhibits that demonstrate how things such as stability control operate. Kent & Pi were particularly interested in the section displaying all the available interior & exterior colors. A new car in their future, maybe? If so, maybe they will take advantage of the European delivery program which would allow them to pick up the car at this facility, drive it to a port on the coast (Spain, France?) and have it shipped home.
After the tour, it was time for a little show: One of their professional ridiers rode a motorcycle through the building and went up & down the stairs several times. The boys loved it! After the show, we went to the restaurant for lunch, which was really great. Much better than you would expect at a tourist attraction or car museum, for sure!
After lunch, the kids were invited to participate in a special children’s lab program for about an hour. Pi & our guide stayed with them, while the rest of the adults jumped in the bus for a quick tour of a nearby palace. We only had a few minutes to check it out, but it was lovely and we enjoyed a quick stroll in the gardens.
Next, we stopped by BMW World to pick up the kids and came back to the hotel. Michele, Megan & her parents are shopping for souvenirs and I think I am going to take the kids down to the pool for a little while. Tonight, we’ll have to pack up our things and get ready to leave early in the morning. Tampa, here we come!
After the tour, it was time for a little show: One of their professional ridiers rode a motorcycle through the building and went up & down the stairs several times. The boys loved it! After the show, we went to the restaurant for lunch, which was really great. Much better than you would expect at a tourist attraction or car museum, for sure!
After lunch, the kids were invited to participate in a special children’s lab program for about an hour. Pi & our guide stayed with them, while the rest of the adults jumped in the bus for a quick tour of a nearby palace. We only had a few minutes to check it out, but it was lovely and we enjoyed a quick stroll in the gardens.
Next, we stopped by BMW World to pick up the kids and came back to the hotel. Michele, Megan & her parents are shopping for souvenirs and I think I am going to take the kids down to the pool for a little while. Tonight, we’ll have to pack up our things and get ready to leave early in the morning. Tampa, here we come!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Munich #3
With our castle tour cancelled and our bike tour scheduled for 2:30pm, we had a free morning all to ourselves today. We put out the “do not disturb” signs and tried to sleep in as long as we could –which turned out to be about 8:30am for me. The boys were up soon after that. We let Michele & Megan sleep while we went down to breakfast.
It was kind of warm in the room, so we decided to go hang out at the pool for a while. They were a bit picky about things down there (no jumping, no splashing, etc.), but we finally reached an uneasy truce with the staff and swam for a while. It was a beautiful, sunny day and they opened up the retractable roof above the pool so we could take full advantage of it. The boys tired of swimming after a while and went back to the room while I sat by the pool in the shade and read my book for a while. It was very relaxing and I felt recharged afterwards.
We went out around noon looking for lunch. Most places were pretty busy, but we finally found a place with a table available for us. The waiter was very accommodating and let the boys bring Subway sandwiches to the table. We tried some local dishes that were pretty good.
After lunch, we came back to the hotel, put on sunblock, and went back downstairs to meet up for our afternoon bicycle tour. We walked about 10 minutes to the bike rental shop, with a few stops sightseeing stops along the way. There is lots of Nazi history in Munich, including the beer house where the Nazi party was formed, and the grandstand where Hitler gave many of his first speeches as he rose to power.
We all got fitted for bikes and then took off through the city following our tour guide. We were only on the city streets for a short time and then we entered the “English Garden”, a large park similar to Central Park in NYC. We had a great time riding around, taking in the sights and enjoying the beautiful day. What a great idea! Much better than sitting in a bus for 4 hours…
On the way out of the park, we stopped by the river bank to see something our guide had in store for us –a surprise. There were people surfing in the river! The water goes under a bridge and, when it comes out, it passes over some rocks in a certain way that makes a very nice wave. There were surfers lined up on both sides. Each would jump in on their board, surf for about 30 seconds, and then jump in the water and the next person would come in. Amazing!
After leaving the park, we met up with the rest of our group that had been on a walking tour at an outdoor beer garden / restaurant. The first game in the soccer world cup was starting and they had big TV’s set up so everyone could watch. We had a beer and some snacks and enjoyed the afternoon.
Finally, it was time to return the bikes and head back to the hotel. We met up with Roland & Sandy (who had been watching Megan for us) and then headed back out for dinner. Overall, a fun & relaxing day.
Tomorrow, we are going to BMW world in the morning and then we have some free time in the afternoon for shopping or more sightseeing.
It was kind of warm in the room, so we decided to go hang out at the pool for a while. They were a bit picky about things down there (no jumping, no splashing, etc.), but we finally reached an uneasy truce with the staff and swam for a while. It was a beautiful, sunny day and they opened up the retractable roof above the pool so we could take full advantage of it. The boys tired of swimming after a while and went back to the room while I sat by the pool in the shade and read my book for a while. It was very relaxing and I felt recharged afterwards.
We went out around noon looking for lunch. Most places were pretty busy, but we finally found a place with a table available for us. The waiter was very accommodating and let the boys bring Subway sandwiches to the table. We tried some local dishes that were pretty good.
After lunch, we came back to the hotel, put on sunblock, and went back downstairs to meet up for our afternoon bicycle tour. We walked about 10 minutes to the bike rental shop, with a few stops sightseeing stops along the way. There is lots of Nazi history in Munich, including the beer house where the Nazi party was formed, and the grandstand where Hitler gave many of his first speeches as he rose to power.
We all got fitted for bikes and then took off through the city following our tour guide. We were only on the city streets for a short time and then we entered the “English Garden”, a large park similar to Central Park in NYC. We had a great time riding around, taking in the sights and enjoying the beautiful day. What a great idea! Much better than sitting in a bus for 4 hours…
On the way out of the park, we stopped by the river bank to see something our guide had in store for us –a surprise. There were people surfing in the river! The water goes under a bridge and, when it comes out, it passes over some rocks in a certain way that makes a very nice wave. There were surfers lined up on both sides. Each would jump in on their board, surf for about 30 seconds, and then jump in the water and the next person would come in. Amazing!
After leaving the park, we met up with the rest of our group that had been on a walking tour at an outdoor beer garden / restaurant. The first game in the soccer world cup was starting and they had big TV’s set up so everyone could watch. We had a beer and some snacks and enjoyed the afternoon.
Finally, it was time to return the bikes and head back to the hotel. We met up with Roland & Sandy (who had been watching Megan for us) and then headed back out for dinner. Overall, a fun & relaxing day.
Tomorrow, we are going to BMW world in the morning and then we have some free time in the afternoon for shopping or more sightseeing.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Munich #2
Well, the room finally cooled down to a reasonable temperature around 11pm last night and we managed to get some sleep. We got up early this morning for a day trip to the highest mountain in Germany, near the Austrian border (Zugspitzgipfel). Before we left, I stopped by the front desk and asked them to check out the A/C while we were gone today. I also asked them to make sure they closed all the blinds and turned off all the lights after cleaning to help keep it cool inside. I hoped that it would work.
It was a 90 minute drive to the mountains. Once we got away from the city, the landscape was remarkably untouched with rolling green hills and forests. The road was much better than we expected and we didn’t have any carsickness issues.
After arriving in Garmisch, we were to board the cogwheel train to go up to the top of the mountain and then a cable car to go to the summit restaurant. We had about 45 minutes until the next train was to leave, so we went down to a nearby lake and walked around. It was beautiful, but Michele’s allergies were really flaring up with all the woods & flowers around.
We got on the train at 11:45am and began the ascent. We climbed for about 10 minutes winding gently up through the forest. Then, we entered a long tunnel which lasted about 25 minutes. When we finally came to a stop, we could see snow outside! We walked out of the train station and let the kids play around for a while in the snow. I felt a little foolish for wearing only shorts and a short-sleeve Hawaiin shirt! After taking a few photos, we boarded the cable car for the final ride to the summit.
We had lunch at the restaurant at the summit and it was delicious! We ordered a little too much because we weren’t sure what we were getting, but it was all good and I was STUFFED! After eating, we went upstairs on the roof to enjoy panoramic views all around. It was cold & windy up there, so I didn’t stay out for too long in my shorts! The rooftop walkway actually spanned the border between Germany & Austria, so I crossed the border for a few minutes, just to say I’ve been there –no passport required. We took a cable car all the way back down to the bus, so we didn’t have to go on the cogwheel train again.
The bus brought us back to our hotel in Munich around 4:30pm. We were all kind of tired, so we laid down for a little while. Then, I took the boys swimming for a little while. The pool is on the roof of the hotel and is really nice. Maybe we’ll go back tomorrow for a while.
Tomorrow, we have some free time in the morning. Kent will be flying in from Poland, arriving around 11am. After lunch, we are going for a bicycle tour. The weather is supposed to be warm & sunny again like today, so it should be nice. Brandon is really counting down the days now –he is anxious to get home. I am dreading the long flight back, but it will be nice to sleep in my own bed again on Sunday night.
It was a 90 minute drive to the mountains. Once we got away from the city, the landscape was remarkably untouched with rolling green hills and forests. The road was much better than we expected and we didn’t have any carsickness issues.
After arriving in Garmisch, we were to board the cogwheel train to go up to the top of the mountain and then a cable car to go to the summit restaurant. We had about 45 minutes until the next train was to leave, so we went down to a nearby lake and walked around. It was beautiful, but Michele’s allergies were really flaring up with all the woods & flowers around.
We got on the train at 11:45am and began the ascent. We climbed for about 10 minutes winding gently up through the forest. Then, we entered a long tunnel which lasted about 25 minutes. When we finally came to a stop, we could see snow outside! We walked out of the train station and let the kids play around for a while in the snow. I felt a little foolish for wearing only shorts and a short-sleeve Hawaiin shirt! After taking a few photos, we boarded the cable car for the final ride to the summit.
We had lunch at the restaurant at the summit and it was delicious! We ordered a little too much because we weren’t sure what we were getting, but it was all good and I was STUFFED! After eating, we went upstairs on the roof to enjoy panoramic views all around. It was cold & windy up there, so I didn’t stay out for too long in my shorts! The rooftop walkway actually spanned the border between Germany & Austria, so I crossed the border for a few minutes, just to say I’ve been there –no passport required. We took a cable car all the way back down to the bus, so we didn’t have to go on the cogwheel train again.
The bus brought us back to our hotel in Munich around 4:30pm. We were all kind of tired, so we laid down for a little while. Then, I took the boys swimming for a little while. The pool is on the roof of the hotel and is really nice. Maybe we’ll go back tomorrow for a while.
Tomorrow, we have some free time in the morning. Kent will be flying in from Poland, arriving around 11am. After lunch, we are going for a bicycle tour. The weather is supposed to be warm & sunny again like today, so it should be nice. Brandon is really counting down the days now –he is anxious to get home. I am dreading the long flight back, but it will be nice to sleep in my own bed again on Sunday night.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Munich
We got up a little early this morning to do a little last-minute packing. The phone rang around 8am and the concierge told me that our bus was here. We were scheduled to leave at 10am. OK, he’s pretty early, but we’ve noticed that he often shows up early and waits outside the hotel. No big deal. We finished up in the room and then headed down to breakfast where we saw Pi & his family and Mary Theresa and Lauche. Around 8:45, as we were waiting for our omlettes, the hostess came by and told us that the concierge was concerned about the traffic, since it was raining. He said we needed to leave a little early. How early? 9am –in 15 minutes! We told her that we’d do our best and continued waiting nervously for our breakfast to arrive. A few minutes later, our guide, Sylvie came in and told us it was a false alarm. They had planned to take Kent to the airport for his earlier flight to Krakow, Poland, but he had already left in a taxi. So, we tried to relax and finish up our meal.
We were a little concerned, because nobody had heard from Cristina, but she & the girls showed up right on time and we pulled away from the hotel around 10:15am. The check-in process at the airport was done at the typical French relaxed pace and took forever. At one point, one of the agents flipped her sign to closed, stood up and left without a word to anyone. I thought Pi was going to have a fit! Finally, they got us all checked in and on our way to security. Roland and Sandy got singled out for a more extensive search and were held up for a bit, while the rest of us went to the club to relax before the flight. Luckily, it was a little late, so that gave us some needed extra time to get a snack and use the bathrooms.
The flight to Munich was short and pleasant and we were soon standing at the baggage carousel waiting for our luggage. I think we were the only people that checked bags on that flight –it was deserted. We easily found our luggage (they were all ours) and met our waiting guides just outside of baggage claim. As a nice little added touch, both of them were dressed in traditional Bavarian garb!
It was about a 30 minute drive to our hotel, the Bayerischer Hof. I didn’t think anything could top the Ritz Paris, but I think this hotel has done it! Check-in was super-fast and efficient. They had us in our room with the bags in about 10 – 15 minutes (compared to over an hour at the Ritz). We have a beautiful suite on the top floor with plenty of room. The only problem is that it is very warm. We’ve had all the A/C units on max all afternoon and it is still uncomfortable warm. We may have to change rooms. Even if they are smaller, I would like to be comfortable.
After checking in, we went for a short walk to a beer garden / restaurant, were we sat at a big table outside and had an early dinner. On the way, we passed an impromptu Michael Jackson memorial outside our hotel, so we stopped to check it out and take a few photos. Michael used to stay at our hotel when he was in town, so I guess that’s why fans starting leaving momentos nearby.
Once we got to the restaurant, we had several different kinds of beer, lots of pretzels, and plates of assorted meats, cheeses, and other goodies. Delicious! I love Germany! The owner even invited the kids into the kitchen and made some chicken & gravy for Cameron with strawberries for dessert.
During the meal, we discussed our plans for the next few days. Tomorrow, we are scheduled to drive up to the top of the highest mountain in Germany for lunch at a scenic restaurant. It is about 90 minutes each way. Then, Friday, we were scheduled to drive out and see a famous castle, which is about 2 hour each way. That sounded like way too much time in the bus to us. Especially toward the end of our 3 week journey, we need a little more downtime. We decided to proceed as planned tomorrow with a generous break halfway for the kids to get out and run around. We cancelled the castle on Friday. Instead we will sleep in and relax, then split up for afternoon tours. Some walking and some riding bicycles. Saturday, we’ll visit BMW World and have some free time for shopping. Sounds like a plan!
We were a little concerned, because nobody had heard from Cristina, but she & the girls showed up right on time and we pulled away from the hotel around 10:15am. The check-in process at the airport was done at the typical French relaxed pace and took forever. At one point, one of the agents flipped her sign to closed, stood up and left without a word to anyone. I thought Pi was going to have a fit! Finally, they got us all checked in and on our way to security. Roland and Sandy got singled out for a more extensive search and were held up for a bit, while the rest of us went to the club to relax before the flight. Luckily, it was a little late, so that gave us some needed extra time to get a snack and use the bathrooms.
The flight to Munich was short and pleasant and we were soon standing at the baggage carousel waiting for our luggage. I think we were the only people that checked bags on that flight –it was deserted. We easily found our luggage (they were all ours) and met our waiting guides just outside of baggage claim. As a nice little added touch, both of them were dressed in traditional Bavarian garb!
It was about a 30 minute drive to our hotel, the Bayerischer Hof. I didn’t think anything could top the Ritz Paris, but I think this hotel has done it! Check-in was super-fast and efficient. They had us in our room with the bags in about 10 – 15 minutes (compared to over an hour at the Ritz). We have a beautiful suite on the top floor with plenty of room. The only problem is that it is very warm. We’ve had all the A/C units on max all afternoon and it is still uncomfortable warm. We may have to change rooms. Even if they are smaller, I would like to be comfortable.
After checking in, we went for a short walk to a beer garden / restaurant, were we sat at a big table outside and had an early dinner. On the way, we passed an impromptu Michael Jackson memorial outside our hotel, so we stopped to check it out and take a few photos. Michael used to stay at our hotel when he was in town, so I guess that’s why fans starting leaving momentos nearby.
Once we got to the restaurant, we had several different kinds of beer, lots of pretzels, and plates of assorted meats, cheeses, and other goodies. Delicious! I love Germany! The owner even invited the kids into the kitchen and made some chicken & gravy for Cameron with strawberries for dessert.
During the meal, we discussed our plans for the next few days. Tomorrow, we are scheduled to drive up to the top of the highest mountain in Germany for lunch at a scenic restaurant. It is about 90 minutes each way. Then, Friday, we were scheduled to drive out and see a famous castle, which is about 2 hour each way. That sounded like way too much time in the bus to us. Especially toward the end of our 3 week journey, we need a little more downtime. We decided to proceed as planned tomorrow with a generous break halfway for the kids to get out and run around. We cancelled the castle on Friday. Instead we will sleep in and relax, then split up for afternoon tours. Some walking and some riding bicycles. Saturday, we’ll visit BMW World and have some free time for shopping. Sounds like a plan!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Paris #4
We got on this bus at 10am this morning and drove about 45 minutes out of Paris to Versailles. The palace originally began as a hunting lodge for King Louie the 14th, and then each successive generation expanded on it. Now, it is a magnificent complex with over 2,000 rooms!
We arrived at the palace a little early for our timed tickets and decided to use the restrooms before we went in. What a joke! They have over 8 million visitors a year and they have only a few toilets. It is a good thing we didn’t have to go badly, because we had to wait over 30 minutes. Ridiculous!
The bathroom fiasco got me in kind of a bad mood and it only got worse from there. We literally had to elbow our way through a sea of tourist to work out way up to the groups / timed ticket entrance, where we had to wait another 10 – 15 minutes. I noticed that people from other parts of the world have different ideas of personal space that we do in the US. I was constantly brushed against and jostled. I tried to remain calm, but when a bunch of Japanese tourists started touching Megan, I just about snapped.
Thankfully, they let us into another area that was less crowded, where we waited more to go through security. Then, finally, we were in. I’m sure the palace was lovely inside, but I honestly don’t remember seeing much. Mainly, I remember swimming through a sea of people in a succession of over-crowded, over-heated walkways. I thought it might thin out after a while, but it didn’t. I finally took Megan, and raced ahead hoping to find some elbow room. I did finally get to a larger room and staked out a spot in an empty corner while waiting for the rest to catch up. Then, it was back into the sea of humanity again as we went through several more areas. I continued “swimming” as fast as I could and was so happy to escape from the madhouse and into a large courtyard. Whew!
We took a few photos in the courtyard, and then exited the palace and headed toward the royal gardens. With fresh air, few people and wide open spaces, I found this much more pleasant. We lingered in the gardens for a while and then it was time to head to lunch.
It was a short walk to the restaurant where we had a nice lunch (the best part was dessert). We then got back on the bus and made the drive back. We are supposed to go on a river boat cruise this evening, but our family is not going to go. Roland & Sandy aren’t feeling well and I don’t want to be out that late (8:30 – 11pm). Plus, I’m sure it will be hot & crowded!
We went to the Hard Rock Café tonight and had some American comfort food for dinner. Quick & easy (still hot & crowded). Tomorrow, we will be leaving Paris and heading to Munich. I am excited to go see Germany for the first time!
We arrived at the palace a little early for our timed tickets and decided to use the restrooms before we went in. What a joke! They have over 8 million visitors a year and they have only a few toilets. It is a good thing we didn’t have to go badly, because we had to wait over 30 minutes. Ridiculous!
The bathroom fiasco got me in kind of a bad mood and it only got worse from there. We literally had to elbow our way through a sea of tourist to work out way up to the groups / timed ticket entrance, where we had to wait another 10 – 15 minutes. I noticed that people from other parts of the world have different ideas of personal space that we do in the US. I was constantly brushed against and jostled. I tried to remain calm, but when a bunch of Japanese tourists started touching Megan, I just about snapped.
Thankfully, they let us into another area that was less crowded, where we waited more to go through security. Then, finally, we were in. I’m sure the palace was lovely inside, but I honestly don’t remember seeing much. Mainly, I remember swimming through a sea of people in a succession of over-crowded, over-heated walkways. I thought it might thin out after a while, but it didn’t. I finally took Megan, and raced ahead hoping to find some elbow room. I did finally get to a larger room and staked out a spot in an empty corner while waiting for the rest to catch up. Then, it was back into the sea of humanity again as we went through several more areas. I continued “swimming” as fast as I could and was so happy to escape from the madhouse and into a large courtyard. Whew!
We took a few photos in the courtyard, and then exited the palace and headed toward the royal gardens. With fresh air, few people and wide open spaces, I found this much more pleasant. We lingered in the gardens for a while and then it was time to head to lunch.
It was a short walk to the restaurant where we had a nice lunch (the best part was dessert). We then got back on the bus and made the drive back. We are supposed to go on a river boat cruise this evening, but our family is not going to go. Roland & Sandy aren’t feeling well and I don’t want to be out that late (8:30 – 11pm). Plus, I’m sure it will be hot & crowded!
We went to the Hard Rock Café tonight and had some American comfort food for dinner. Quick & easy (still hot & crowded). Tomorrow, we will be leaving Paris and heading to Munich. I am excited to go see Germany for the first time!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Paris #3
The skies were clear and the air was much cooler when we stepped out of the hotel today. We began our morning with a short driving tour around the city and then a stop at the Notre Dame Cathedral. Wow, what an impressive church! We split into two smaller groups and then began our guided tour. Our guide started with the intricate decorations above the door depicting those going to heaven on one side and those going to hell on the other. Even the boys were paying close attention as she described each figure.
The inside was also quite impressive, but many of the walkways were a bit too crowded for my taste and I was happy to get back outside in the fresh air. We took a few more photos outside the cathedral and then took a short walk to a little ice cream shop to get a little snack –it was delicious!
We got back on the bus and continued our driving tour, ending up back near our hotel, where we planned to stop for lunch. We were about halfway down one street, when the bus had to stop. There was a tow truck and several police removing illegally parked scooters. The tow truck was sticking out into the road and our bus could not pass. As is typical for municipal workers worldwide, they were taking their sweet time and did not seem concerned about us at all. We sat for about 5 minutes with cars honking behind us and still no progress. We finally decided to get out of the bus and walk the last few blocks. What a mess! The walk was worth it though –the restaurant was great! Quick, friendly service, and great food.
From the restaurant, we walked back to the park we visited yesterday and then turned the opposite direction toward the Louvre, taking our time and letting the kids play as we went. We go there shortly after 3pm and got inside the main lobby under the big glass pyramid and, boy, was it hot in there. Europeans (especially French) have a distinctly different idea of what a comfortable room temperature is. I have been too warm in almost every room & vehicle I’ve occupied since we got here!
Once we got away from the glass ceiling and into the museum corridors, conditions improved a bit. We saw Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, and several Michelangelo’s including the most famous Mona Lisa. It was a quick tour (about 1 hour) and we only saw a small fraction of the collection. I would like to go back someday without the kids and spent a day or two wandering around in there.
After the museum, we came back to the hotel to rest for a little while and then it was time to head back out to the Eiffel Tower (we had tickets to visit the top at 7:30pm). Traffic was heavy, but we made it on time and got in the short line for timed ticket holders. We only had to wait about 10 – 15 minutes and then we were on the first elevator up to the 2nd floor (about halfway?). From there, we had to get in a longer line to get in the smaller elevator to go all the way up. That probably took about 20 – 25 minutes –not too bad.
We had an incredible view of Paris from the top of the tower. Again, it was way too crowded! I guess this is high tourist season, so it is to be expected. Next time I visit, I will try to go off season to avoid the crowds. We had a glass of champagne and took a few photos at the top. At least we can say we’ve been to the top, now.
The bus dropped us back off at the hotel around 9:15pm and we walked back to the same restaurant where we ate for lunch for a quick dinner before bed. Tomorrow, we will be going to visit Versailles.
The inside was also quite impressive, but many of the walkways were a bit too crowded for my taste and I was happy to get back outside in the fresh air. We took a few more photos outside the cathedral and then took a short walk to a little ice cream shop to get a little snack –it was delicious!
We got back on the bus and continued our driving tour, ending up back near our hotel, where we planned to stop for lunch. We were about halfway down one street, when the bus had to stop. There was a tow truck and several police removing illegally parked scooters. The tow truck was sticking out into the road and our bus could not pass. As is typical for municipal workers worldwide, they were taking their sweet time and did not seem concerned about us at all. We sat for about 5 minutes with cars honking behind us and still no progress. We finally decided to get out of the bus and walk the last few blocks. What a mess! The walk was worth it though –the restaurant was great! Quick, friendly service, and great food.
From the restaurant, we walked back to the park we visited yesterday and then turned the opposite direction toward the Louvre, taking our time and letting the kids play as we went. We go there shortly after 3pm and got inside the main lobby under the big glass pyramid and, boy, was it hot in there. Europeans (especially French) have a distinctly different idea of what a comfortable room temperature is. I have been too warm in almost every room & vehicle I’ve occupied since we got here!
Once we got away from the glass ceiling and into the museum corridors, conditions improved a bit. We saw Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, and several Michelangelo’s including the most famous Mona Lisa. It was a quick tour (about 1 hour) and we only saw a small fraction of the collection. I would like to go back someday without the kids and spent a day or two wandering around in there.
After the museum, we came back to the hotel to rest for a little while and then it was time to head back out to the Eiffel Tower (we had tickets to visit the top at 7:30pm). Traffic was heavy, but we made it on time and got in the short line for timed ticket holders. We only had to wait about 10 – 15 minutes and then we were on the first elevator up to the 2nd floor (about halfway?). From there, we had to get in a longer line to get in the smaller elevator to go all the way up. That probably took about 20 – 25 minutes –not too bad.
We had an incredible view of Paris from the top of the tower. Again, it was way too crowded! I guess this is high tourist season, so it is to be expected. Next time I visit, I will try to go off season to avoid the crowds. We had a glass of champagne and took a few photos at the top. At least we can say we’ve been to the top, now.
The bus dropped us back off at the hotel around 9:15pm and we walked back to the same restaurant where we ate for lunch for a quick dinner before bed. Tomorrow, we will be going to visit Versailles.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Paris #2
I think everyone slept well in our very comfortable rooms and we got up feeling refreshed and ready for another day of adventure. A quick look out the window, however, revealed black storm clouds in the distance. As we got dressed and ready to go downstairs for breakfast, it began to rain –hard! Well, maybe we could find something to do indoors today.
After breakfast, we met up with the rest of the family in the lobby and discussed options: A walking tour, hop-on/hop-off bus tour, or a visit the science museum were the prime candidates. The thunderstorm had passed, but the skies still look threatening. After spending yesterday afternoon & evening in the room relaxing, what I really wanted to do now was get out and walk around Paris.
We came back to the room to the room for a few minutes and our guide, Sylvie, called to firm up our dinner plans and see how we were getting along. She was nearby and offered to accompany us on our little walking tour. We happily accepted. When we got back downstairs, the sun was starting to come out.
We really enjoyed our walking tour! We left the Ritz / Vendome area and walked a few blocks south where we arrived at a park . We paused for a few minutes while the kids rode the carousel, and then began walking west through the park toward Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. With the wide, gravel paths and green lawn, the park reminded me of the mall in Washington, DC. Justin & Sandy were having some trouble with their feet hurting, so they turned back to the hotel to relax while the rest of us continued. The kids had a great time running & playing as we walked.
At 1pm, as we were approaching the Arch, we decided to stop for lunch at a sidewalk café on Camps Elysees. The food wasn’t bad, but the service was terrible! Some people got their food, while others waited. After 90 minutes, some still did not have their “express lunch” entrees! Sylvie had another appointment and had to leave us as we were finishing up. They apologized and offered us free desserts & coffee, but we were ready to get walking again, so we declined.
We finally reached our goal for the day, the Arc de Triomphe, and it was magnificent to behold. The arch is enormous and sits in the center of a busy traffic circle. After taking a few photos, we noticed there were many people under the arch and on top of it. How could we get there? Cross the road frogger-style? Certainly not with the kids. We thought perhaps there was a crosswalk on the other side that we couldn’t see, so we began to walk around. Then, someone noticed a sign indicating that there was a tunnel under the road. Much better idea!
We found the tunnel, got out to the middle of the arch, and also bought tickets to go all the way to the top. Several hundred spiral stairs later, we were standing on top of Paris. The view was incredible. All the major roads seemed to lead to the Arch from all directions. We also had a nice view of the Eiffel Tower, where we would be eating dinner later.
After our visit to the Arch, we hailed a few cabs and went back to the hotel to relax and get cleaned up for dinner. We were to eat at the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel Tower. We hired babysitters to watch all the kids except Brandon & Bailey who joined us for dinner.
The bus picked us up around 6:45pm for the short ride to the tower. The area was packed with tourists, of course, but we soon found the restaurant entrance & elevator. Everyone stumbled a bit when the elevator began moving diagonally up the tower instead of straight up as we normally expect.
The view from the top was outstanding, but… It is their custom to put large parties such as ours in the furthest room and unfortunately for us, that room faces West. The sun was blazing in the windows on us for the entire meal. It was already warm to begin with, but as the room filled up with people and the angle of the sun became even more direct, it became almost unbearable. Most men shed their jackets. Even though they lowered some translucent blinds, the sun was beaming right in our faces. It was a shame. I certainly did not enjoy the first 80% of the evening. I would rather have gone to MacDonalds and had some shade and air conditioning!
Finally, around 10pm, the sun sank below the horizon and we got some blessed relief from the heat & rays. But, it was too late to salvage the evening for me. I nibbled some dessert and waited impatiently for everyone to finish so I could get back to the hotel and take off my sweaty clothes. Roland went out for a smoke and I joined him outside to get some fresh air and enjoy the view. By the time we came back, it was time to go. As we were riding back to the hotel, the tower light up and began pulsing with thousands of strobe lights. Beautiful!
Tomorrow, we are scheduled to do a city tour & the Louvre.
After breakfast, we met up with the rest of the family in the lobby and discussed options: A walking tour, hop-on/hop-off bus tour, or a visit the science museum were the prime candidates. The thunderstorm had passed, but the skies still look threatening. After spending yesterday afternoon & evening in the room relaxing, what I really wanted to do now was get out and walk around Paris.
We came back to the room to the room for a few minutes and our guide, Sylvie, called to firm up our dinner plans and see how we were getting along. She was nearby and offered to accompany us on our little walking tour. We happily accepted. When we got back downstairs, the sun was starting to come out.
We really enjoyed our walking tour! We left the Ritz / Vendome area and walked a few blocks south where we arrived at a park . We paused for a few minutes while the kids rode the carousel, and then began walking west through the park toward Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. With the wide, gravel paths and green lawn, the park reminded me of the mall in Washington, DC. Justin & Sandy were having some trouble with their feet hurting, so they turned back to the hotel to relax while the rest of us continued. The kids had a great time running & playing as we walked.
At 1pm, as we were approaching the Arch, we decided to stop for lunch at a sidewalk café on Camps Elysees. The food wasn’t bad, but the service was terrible! Some people got their food, while others waited. After 90 minutes, some still did not have their “express lunch” entrees! Sylvie had another appointment and had to leave us as we were finishing up. They apologized and offered us free desserts & coffee, but we were ready to get walking again, so we declined.
We finally reached our goal for the day, the Arc de Triomphe, and it was magnificent to behold. The arch is enormous and sits in the center of a busy traffic circle. After taking a few photos, we noticed there were many people under the arch and on top of it. How could we get there? Cross the road frogger-style? Certainly not with the kids. We thought perhaps there was a crosswalk on the other side that we couldn’t see, so we began to walk around. Then, someone noticed a sign indicating that there was a tunnel under the road. Much better idea!
We found the tunnel, got out to the middle of the arch, and also bought tickets to go all the way to the top. Several hundred spiral stairs later, we were standing on top of Paris. The view was incredible. All the major roads seemed to lead to the Arch from all directions. We also had a nice view of the Eiffel Tower, where we would be eating dinner later.
After our visit to the Arch, we hailed a few cabs and went back to the hotel to relax and get cleaned up for dinner. We were to eat at the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel Tower. We hired babysitters to watch all the kids except Brandon & Bailey who joined us for dinner.
The bus picked us up around 6:45pm for the short ride to the tower. The area was packed with tourists, of course, but we soon found the restaurant entrance & elevator. Everyone stumbled a bit when the elevator began moving diagonally up the tower instead of straight up as we normally expect.
The view from the top was outstanding, but… It is their custom to put large parties such as ours in the furthest room and unfortunately for us, that room faces West. The sun was blazing in the windows on us for the entire meal. It was already warm to begin with, but as the room filled up with people and the angle of the sun became even more direct, it became almost unbearable. Most men shed their jackets. Even though they lowered some translucent blinds, the sun was beaming right in our faces. It was a shame. I certainly did not enjoy the first 80% of the evening. I would rather have gone to MacDonalds and had some shade and air conditioning!
Finally, around 10pm, the sun sank below the horizon and we got some blessed relief from the heat & rays. But, it was too late to salvage the evening for me. I nibbled some dessert and waited impatiently for everyone to finish so I could get back to the hotel and take off my sweaty clothes. Roland went out for a smoke and I joined him outside to get some fresh air and enjoy the view. By the time we came back, it was time to go. As we were riding back to the hotel, the tower light up and began pulsing with thousands of strobe lights. Beautiful!
Tomorrow, we are scheduled to do a city tour & the Louvre.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Paris
Everybody was pretty tired this morning when we showed up for breakfast at 6:45am. During our meal, we heard an announcement that the ship was cleared and that we could disembark at will. After breakfast, we left the ship and picked up our bags. I stopped for a few minutes to mail back a souvenier knife that I bought for Brandon. Shipping was expensive, but I didn’t want the hassle of bringing it to Paris & Munich.
We got out of the cruise terminal around 8 and our bus was waiting for us. Knowing that we had about 3 hours to kill until we were due at the airport, our guide very offered a quick tour of Park Guell which was designed by Barcelona’s famous Antonio Gaudi. We had a very pleasant time strolling around the beautiful park –sure beats sitting at an airport gate on plastic chairs!
After our visit to the park, it was time to head to the airport. The flight was short (about 90 minutes), but all 3 boys fell asleep. Megan was very good & quiet the entire flight until… Just after they announced our initial approach into Paris and turned on the seat belt sign, Megan had a big blow-out in her diaper. Michele did a great job of keeping her quiet until just after we landed. Then, Megan started crying loudly and would not be consoled. She was ready for diaper change! We taxied a long time and then came to a stop. They announced that we would be waiting for a couple minutes for another aircraft to get out of our gate. Michele seized the opportunity to do a quick change on her and all was well again.
We got off the plane, picked up our bags, met our waiting guides, and were escorted out to our bus. It was about 45 minute ride to the hotel. After getting up early and traveling all day, none of us really felt like going back out, so we ordered room service and stayed in the room. We are staying at the Ritz and our suite is FANTASTIC! We can even see the Eiffel Tower from our balcony. I think we will be very comfortable here for the next few nights. Cameron had a fun time trying out the “butt-washer”.
I spent most of the evening working out details with our guide and Kent regarding our schedule for the next few days. I think we finally have everything settled. Tomorrow is a free day and I think we may go visit the science museum (kid-friendly) or maybe just walk around sightseeing. In the evening, we will leave the kids with a babysitter and go to a fancy dinner in the Eiffel Tower.
We got out of the cruise terminal around 8 and our bus was waiting for us. Knowing that we had about 3 hours to kill until we were due at the airport, our guide very offered a quick tour of Park Guell which was designed by Barcelona’s famous Antonio Gaudi. We had a very pleasant time strolling around the beautiful park –sure beats sitting at an airport gate on plastic chairs!
After our visit to the park, it was time to head to the airport. The flight was short (about 90 minutes), but all 3 boys fell asleep. Megan was very good & quiet the entire flight until… Just after they announced our initial approach into Paris and turned on the seat belt sign, Megan had a big blow-out in her diaper. Michele did a great job of keeping her quiet until just after we landed. Then, Megan started crying loudly and would not be consoled. She was ready for diaper change! We taxied a long time and then came to a stop. They announced that we would be waiting for a couple minutes for another aircraft to get out of our gate. Michele seized the opportunity to do a quick change on her and all was well again.
We got off the plane, picked up our bags, met our waiting guides, and were escorted out to our bus. It was about 45 minute ride to the hotel. After getting up early and traveling all day, none of us really felt like going back out, so we ordered room service and stayed in the room. We are staying at the Ritz and our suite is FANTASTIC! We can even see the Eiffel Tower from our balcony. I think we will be very comfortable here for the next few nights. Cameron had a fun time trying out the “butt-washer”.
I spent most of the evening working out details with our guide and Kent regarding our schedule for the next few days. I think we finally have everything settled. Tomorrow is a free day and I think we may go visit the science museum (kid-friendly) or maybe just walk around sightseeing. In the evening, we will leave the kids with a babysitter and go to a fancy dinner in the Eiffel Tower.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Day at Sea
I am writing a bit early today since I will be kind of busy after dinner packing my suitcase and get ready to disembark tomorrow morning. We are supposed to be at breakfast at 6:45am tomorrow, so we will have to try to get to bed early tonight for sure. It's hard to believe the first segment of our European trip is over already. It has been a whirlwind adventure and we've made a lot of great memories.
We tried to sleep in late this morning, but the laundry service called our cabin at 8am. So much for sleeping in! We took our time getting up & around and headed down to breakfast at 9. After breakfast, Michele had a spa appointment and Megan went into the nursery for a couple hours. Cameron & I hit the pool deck for a little fun in the sun, while the older boys played in the video arcade.
After swimming, Cameron was a bit cold (in upper 60's today and sunny), so we came back to the cabin so he could get a hot shower. I gathered the boys up (no easy task), got a quick lunch on deck, and then we went down to the theater to see Prince of Persia, which we enjoyed.
Kent stopped by our room for a few minutes this afternoon and we had a beer out on the verandah. We kept seeing white spots ahead in the water, and as we got closer we saw it was a bunch of whales (pod?). The ship was slowly overtaking them, so I grabbed my camera and snapped a few shots as we cruised by. Cool!
Now, Michele & Megan are taking a nap while I try to keep the boys quiet here in the cabin. We will be going to our last supper on the ship in about an hour. After that, we have to set out clothes for tomorrow (very important), pack everything else in the luggage, and set it outside by 10pm. It is always a hectic time for us, so I am hoping the boys will go play in the club for a while after dinner.
After getting off the ship tomorrow, we have a few hours to kill and then we'll be flying to Paris where we'll stay for 4 nights. The boys are so excited to see the Eiffel Tower!
(Once we get to Paris, I should have much better Internet access, so I will post more pictures)
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Villafranche, France
Well, I think we all enjoyed our last port of call on the Disney Cruise today. We got off the ship via tender about 9am and boarded a bus for the 45 minute drive to Monaco. The roads weren't too bad and the views were incredible! I resisted the urge to snap photos through the bus window, since they never really turn out very good. Otherwise, I'm sure I could have taken 100 shots on the way there.
During the ride, our guides told us more about the "principality" of Monaco. Technically, I think it is a sovereign country, although it is only 2 square miles and completely surrounded by France. Many years ago, they're main source of revenue was from exporting olive oil. Now, the main draw is the casino. The country strictly limits its citizens and gives them lavish benefits. The more they described it, the more it sounded like our Indian casino's back home in Florida.
Once we arrived, we walked to see the changing of the guard at the palace. It was very crowded and I didn't feel like fighting with all the other tourists for a spot to see, so we wandered around the square and admired the incredible scenic vistas. After the fuss died down, we went inside on a short tour of the palace.
Next, it was time to head up to the casino area, however, our bus was not allowed up. Because the hill is so steep, our guides suggested we ride the "city bus" public transportation to the top instead. We did so and it worked out just fine. The bus dropped us off across the street from our destination.
The restaurant was nice, but crowded. We were out outside on a busy patio area and had shade, but it was still a little too warm. As is typical in Europe, lunch started around 1:30pm and didn't end until 3pm.
Next, Kent, Pi, Lauche & I went into the nicest, most famous casino for a bit, while the rest of our group went to the shopping center. The casino was very elegent, but much different from Las Vegas. Inside, there were huge crystal chandeliers, beautiful artwork and trim adorning the walls & ceilings –it looked more like an opera house than a casino. It was much smaller than we expected and eerily quiet. It was almost like a museum or library in there. The slot machines were in a different room and had the volume turned down very low. We had about 30 minutes to look around. Pi & I played the slots while Kent tried his hand at roulette. I'm sure it is more lively at night, but it was still a lot of fun to visit this famous landmark.
We finished up around 4pm, met up with our group at the shopping center, and then walked down the long, winding hill to the parking garage where our bus was waiting to take us back to the ship. Our dinner seating on the ship is at 6pm, but I don't think any of us were very hungry after finishing lunch at 3. Justin, Cameron, & I stayed in the room and ordered a light snack while the rest went down to dinner. They are watching "Spy Next Door" with Jackie Chan for about the millionth time.
We are all looking forward to a relaxing day at sea tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Ajaccio, Corsica
We had a little excitement this morning just before getting off the ship. We were all ready to go and I told the boys to wait outside by the elevators for us while we grabbed a couple last minute items from the room. A few minutes later, Brandon came back in sobbing and holding his eye. It seems that there was some rough-housing on the stairway and Justin accidently kicked Brandon in the eye. It was red and starting to swell a bit, so we took a few minutes to get a bag of ice for him to hold on it and gave him a couple Motrin.
We finally got off the ship and met up with our tour group out on the pier. The plan was to take a boat ride to another town on Corsica to tour some churches and get lunch. However, when we met up with the guides, they said the water was pretty rough and suggested a bus instead. Either way, it was about a 2 hour ride one-way. The water was rough and the roads were narrow & winding. Neither sounded appealing.
After a quick conference with Michele, we decided we would rather take a walking tour of Ajaccio instead. Kent & Pi still wanted to go to see the churches, so we split up, one guide going with each group. Our guide, Anna, suggested a short boat ride to see the nearby blood islands followed by a walking tour of the city. That sounded great to us, so we waved goodbye to the rest of the group and headed out.
The boat ride was really nice. The weather was perfect: 70 degrees and sunny with a nice breeze. It was pretty wavy, but the captain went slowly, so the bumps were not too bad. The boys had a great time jumping around the front of the boat like they do back home, while we relaxed and took in the sites in the back. It took about an hour to put-put out there and back and we really enjoyed it!
Next, we walked into the city to see the sites. Ajaccio is probably most famous as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte and there are many statues around town celebrating their famous son. We even visited the church where he was baptized when he was very young.
We stopped and took a lunch break at a nice little outdoor café tucked into a backstreet alley. They had a beautiful awning made of branches with ivy growing all over it. The boys enjoyed their chicken nuggets and fries, but the pizza had blue cheese on it and they wouldn't touch it.
After lunch, we continued walking up a long hill to see another monument to Napoleon. This one was quite large with many steps, a sandy square at the bottom, and a big slab of stone set at an angle with engravings. The boys had a great time running all around and up & down the stairs. Cameron slid down the big slab on his butt and got a whole in his new jean-shorts. Ouch!
Like I told Justin, the good part about walking uphill, is that you eventually get to walk back down. We walked downhill all the way back to the ship with a brief stop for gelato and a little shopping. We got back on the boat around 4pm.
We had a grown-up dinner tonight in Palo's again and we all had fun hearing about each other's adventures. I have to say I was glad I didn't take the bus when Kent & Pi described how bad the roads were and how everyone was getting motion sickness! Other than the ride, they enjoyed their tour, too.
Tomorrow, we will be in Villefranche, France and Monte Carlo. It's hard to believe this is our last port of call already! We are all really looking forward to it. Next, we'll have a day and sea and then back to Barcelona.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
La Spezia, Italy
The morning got off to a rocky start at breakfast. We sat down at 8am and placed our order quickly so that we could be done in plenty of time for our tour. Michele & her parents are eating "gluten-free" meals and they have to speak with the head waiter for their special order. It has not been a problem so far, but this morning was a nightmare. We had trouble finding the head waiter. Then, Michele asked him a question and he immediately took off to find out the answer and didn't return for a long time. By this time, the boys & I had finished eating and Michele still didn't have her food. She still hadn't gotten her order 45 minutes later when it was time to leave. She was MAD! (and rightly so, I think).
Sandy decided she was too tired from all our touring and stayed on the ship today. We should have left Megan with her, but we didn't think of it until it was too late. We all gathered in our room this morning at 9am and then headed down to deck 1 to catch a tender to shore. That went pretty smoothly and we were on dry land by around 9:30am. We met our guides and spoke with them about what to do today. They told us that Florence was about 2 ½ hours drive from La Spezia. So, we decided not to go there, for sure. Pisa was about a 1 hour drive. Maybe later…
First, we decided to see a few things closer to the ship. We drove about 15 – 30 minutes to a little village by the sea called Lerici. We visited the castle which houses the Geopaleleontology (dinosaur) museum. The castle is located at the top of a big hill and we could only get there by stairway. I carried Megan in her car seat, while Kent carried the stroller up. 100+ steps later, we made it. Everyone was huffing & puffing after the climb, so we paused for a few minutes to take photos of the beautiful vista below.
After a short break, we headed into the castle and –more stairs. Michele finally got frustrated and said she & Megan would wait outside. Michele was finally able to buy some food while waiting for us to tour the museum. Afterwards, we walked around the town a bit and talked about what to do next. They suggested we drive to another nearby fishing village to get lunch. That sounded great, so we jumped back on the bus and headed out.
Boy, what a winding road! I think it was even worse than Naples. We wound our way up & down the hills, following the waterfront –back through La Spezia and on to Port Venere. It was almost an hour ride and everyone was starting to feel carsick by the time we arrived.
I think the drive was worth it, though –the village was so beautiful! We stopped at a sidewalk café and enjoyed a nice seafood & pasta lunch. We had umbrella's to provide shade and there was a nice ocean breeze. Mary Theresa even ran down the street and brought back some pizza for the kids.
After a very pleasant lunch, we continued to stroll along the waterfront shopping & sightseeing. The kids found a giant chessboard painted on the ground and played a round of "battle chess" with Kent. There was an old church at the top of the hill with absolutely stunning views in all directions. Cristina kept an eye on Megan while we checked it out. Of course Brandon had to climb on every rock & other dangerous area he could find –and Cameron had to follow right behind him.
I started getting really tired and was not feeling up to seeing Pisa in the afternoon. I asked around and was happy to learn that most of us were in agreement: Back to the ship! We drove back to La Spezia, boarded the tender and headed back to the Disney Magic. We had just enough time to get cleaned up and lay across the bed for a little while before our dinner seating.
There is a deck party tonight @ 9:45pm, so we may try to stay up for that, but I am pretty tired and hoping to turn in early. Day after day of tours is starting to wear us down. We need a day at sea soon! Tomorrow, we will be in Corsica and we have a boat ride & city tour planned. The boat sails early tomorrow, so at least we will be back early.
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