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Paris & Loire Valley - France
Sam's & Libby's Highlights & Impressions
•The sound of French sirens ringing out over Paris
•Playing 'spotto' with landmarks incl the impressive Eiffel Tower & windmills
•Playing French Monopoly with Sarah & Lucy
•Seeing the 'Mona Lisa' at the Louvre (Sam)
•Libbys' charm of the Effiel Tower purchased at the Louvre (Libby)
•Eating Petite Pasteries from the bakery
Hi All from Paris & the Loire Valley
Paris, the city of love - except when travelling here with your kids in a camper !!!!
Summer has arrived in Europe and we have had a week of glorious sunshine and high temperatures here in France. With the aid of Tom Tom we battled city traffic and found a Parisian camp ground overlooking the Seine River in the Blois du Bolonge - a large green belt area about 7 km as the crow flies west of the Eiffel Tower. A five minute bus ride and the underground from Port Malliot (a new experience for our kids) has ferried us around most of the key sights of Paris. The Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees, Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Notra Dam, Hotel De Ville, Montmartre (Sacre Coeur), La Defense, Bastille Markets and numerous sights along the Seine.
Our multiple trips to the Eiffel Tower included a compulsory climb to the 2nd floor and then lift to the top for stunning views over the roof tops of Paris. We were surprised by the number of gypsy's and touts constantly approaching us - Libby especially was unnerved by their approaches at the start but after a few days didn't jump to our sides to avoid them!
Paris is about 'Grandeur' - every building a monument to its designer - we are constantly 'pinching' ourselves and asking - where we are!
We have conquered some of the kids 'must do's' that included the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower and for Sam we visited the infamous smiling lady (Mona Lisa) at the Louvre.
Highlights - dinner with our old friends Denis and Sue Pellerin - Denis and Steven worked together in the UK, and we spent a number of Hak parties in each others company - it was fantastic to meet again and to meet their daughters Lucy and Sarah. We had a superb BBQ, reminisced, gathered some local knowledge, and collected our Bankcards that had been couriered on to their home!
Another highlight was an evening boat trip on the Seine - departing in the twilight with the banks of the Seine full with Parisians enjoying the warm evening with bottles of wine in picnic like party fashion, we cruised, returning as the city came to life with the night lights highlighting Paris' architectural beauties. The last time we travelled Paris by night was 15 years ago following an All Black-France test match when after dinner, we along with Wayne & Nicky squeezed into Denis and Sues' rather tiny citroen on a tour of the city ... it had been a great day not least in terms of the victory over the French, something that we have struggled to do in two world cups since ... ooooh who mentioned that!
2.5 million Parisians do make the very most of what space has to offer here, from the cyclists and joggers out in the city's green belts to the evening party goers on the banks of the Seine and then there's those that simply strip down to their boxers on the pavement to grab a few rays of sunshine while they read a report.
We did delay our departure from Paris in the hope of going to the Grand Slam tennis at Roland Garros - our plans were futile - Monday was a public holiday and all the tickets were sold out, and there were not gate sales as we had anticipated - the one tiny bonus Pippa saw Venus Williams warming up on court 12, with Serena and Dad watching on - that made her 8km return walk (missed both buses) and early start seem worthwhile!!!
We packed up and have travelled on down to the Loire Valley where we stayed a night in Amboise - a river side campsite over looking 15th century Chateaux Amboise - a quaint village that pictures will best describe!; since moving on to Chenonceaux, and today visiting it's 16th century chateau that spans the Cher river. The countryside here is lush with spring trees and farming and the villages are quaint and French.
We are learning at every turn - in Paris nothing shuts, but smaller town shops close from noon till about 2.30, and on public holidays and Sundays the supermarkets don't open, which can make lunch and dinner times interesting!!
Boardies are not acceptable apparel in swimming pools for apparent hygiene reasons and so it looks like 'budgie smugglers' are set for a very fashionable return in this family ... the image will suffice and the blog will not need to detail further.
Tomorrow we again move on ... our destination Dordogne province further south.
Thanks again for all your return messages which are always appreciated by us all ...
Till our next blog ... it's Au revoir (over & out) from this Family on OE!
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