Thursday, July 30, 2009

Paris!!

As I mentioned before, although I've always been sure Paris was a very romantic and beautiful city, for being so popular it never topped my own travel wish list. I like to think that the more secluded places are the most memorable... but oh boy was I wrong!! Everything about Paris took me by surprise: the monuments, the architecture, the history, the gardens, the patisseries, the bike tour... it is all so magical!

We started and finished our 4 days in Paris with the Eiffel Tower. Our Parisian apartment was just 2 blocks away from the 'yellow elevator' as Bernardo used to call it and we couldn't have asked for anything better. There's something about seeing the tower in person that makes all the images you had in your head completed null. To me, it was pure MAGIC. Seeing my kids run (or crawl) up and down Champs de Mars without any idea of how huge of a scene they had behind their back was even more magical... because believe me or not their sparks was even brighter than the Tower at midnight!

Another magical moment for us was the bike tour - thank you Big Fat Tours! We quickly put our fears aside - mine of not being able to balance my big butt on the bicycle, hitting my head on the floor and taking my kid with me; and Chiquito's of being forced by his lovely wife of doing something he really did not sign up for - and were loving every single moment of it after a few minutes on top of the cruiser. What a treat!!! The only draw back was my tiny little shirt pocket... it looked like a handy little thing to put my lenses cover in until I saw my pictures... urrrrrgggg!!

Last but not least and totally worth of sharing. As you may imagine, while in France we've visited numerous churches in every little town that we've been too. In every one of these churches, Bernardo used to ask daddy for some coins to donate to the church so he could light a candle - and they we prayed the "Now I lay me down to sleep" prayer. When we finally got to Notre-Dame, the lines to go inside were humongous and the silence inside was just broken by the sound of feet sliding across the nave or by hundreds of people praying in whisper. Bernie, again, asked daddy for his coins and off they went to buy their candle. Daddy puts the candle on the stand, lights it up and tells Be: "now we pray son'. Be quickly and LOUDLY responded: "no daddy, now we sing: happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you....." SOOOO funny!!

Miguelito, although only 13 months, also had his share of memorable moments. As you might have noticed, I LOVE photography, and thus my little one first official word, besides mommy and daddy, is 'cheese'!! So we are on top of the Eiffel Tower and Miguelito cannot see a single camera, mine or yours, that he will put up his picture perfect smile and scream 'cheese' from the top of his little lungs. What makes this so funny? He only has 2 teeth, peaking at you like a warm welcome on a cold day!!
Here some of the pictures from our 4 days in Paris.


Rue de Montessuy, our home away from home

On the cruiser during our bike tour.... I warned you, but go ahead and laugh!!!
Miguel saying 'cheese' to whatever camera crossed his path!
Miguel trying his first steps in front of the Eiffel Tower

Luxembourg Gardens with its pretty wood boats...
Be sipping his cappuccino at Luxembourg Gardens


Batobus boat ride... and please try to convince this little man that it's time to get off the boat!


Champs Elysee Avenue

Sacre-Coeur - 3 metro lines later to just enjoy it for a few minutes before the rain got us off guard

I guess we were not the only tourists strolling around Paris...

Inside the Louvre Museum's famous pyramid


One of many pretty flower shops in France


Be enjoying some good music at Saint Germain Des Pres - we even bought their CD!

Last shot of Paris, and could not have been any prettier :)

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