Muffin Man

The Muffin Man, Kensington, just steps from the high street tube station is a favorite.



Bryce, Kyle & Connor love going to Muffin Man for breakfast. They usually order a chocolate muffin (Bryce), a chocolate muffin (Connor) and a blueberry muffin (Kyle). They want hot chocolate but they get tap water instead. Hey, ordering them a hot chocolate at 2.50 pounds ($5) each was a bit too rich for our blood.

Uncle Greg wouldn't hear of it and left them enough money from his per diem (he feels rich now that he has finished paying off his 240pound congestion fine -- see earlier post for details). Thanks Uncle Greg - you spoil the boys (and they love it).

Greenwich

Today we did a London Walking Tour to Greenwich. Not knowing much about Greenwich history, we figured a tour would be ideal.





We took the tube to BlackFriars to check out the Old Globe and buy tickets for tomorrow's matinee. I am soooooo excited about this - I have been wanting to do this since before we left. By the way, the Circle Line is still a problem - today it there were severe delays due to a person being under the train platform. Hmmm... anyway, then we needed to find our way to Tower Hill to join our tour.

From Tower Hill we walked past the Tower of London to catch our boat. After 20 minutes of interesting commentary (including information about the various pubs, and stories of old walloping grounds, and a headnod to a place where Hemingway wrote one of his books) we arrive in Greenwich. It is a nice day - in the end I finish the day with a sunburn (and lose a backpack at the Kings Arms).



It was a fairly interesting tour but we were very distracted just before 1pm. Not so much because of the dropping of the ball - but because of the Royal event guide was occurring directly to our left. So while we wait to see the ball drop, our tour guide was perhaps imparting the most interesting information. But I'm sorry that I was distracted - watching the Royal event and trying to see who was there. Turns out it was the Queen's husband, Prince Philip was there and someone else sighted Prince Andrew.

At 2 minutes before 1pm the ball is at the top and as it begins to drop it is 1pm. Very exciting huh? Well, we also had our picture taking at the prime meridian spanning the east and west hemisphere's simultaneously.

We had lunch at the Kings Arms pub in Greenwich. That is where one of our backpacks got left behind (only lost my very fun and way cute INC jacket and Tom's jacket and 2 waters and the backpack). This was Kyle's backpack and he is very sad about it. We called but the backpack has vanished ... oh well. It could have been worse.

To the right is a picture of the "1st shop in the world" (longitude 00' 00.4W). Too bad it wasn't a clothing store or else I might have purchased something!

Kensington Nights

I quite enjoy our evenings at the flat. On our way back from where ever we were, I grab a copy of the London Lite and/or the London Paper (free rags handed out on the street). I get to read the gossip (utter rubbish?) and other weird headlines. Today there are tips on how to "get in bikini shape", "why Jen's here to be a groupie" and "Wimbeledon opens first tent city".

Then there is the park in the square were we are staying. The boys spend their evenings down there playing chess or boules (a game we saw the locals playing in Champs de Mar Park in Paris). If you look closely, you'll see Connor and Bryce playing chess on the left and Kyle and Tom playing boules on the right. What am I doing? Enjoying a glass of wine (ok 5) and lounging with my gossip rags (and looking forward to a game show on BBC 3 called "Snog, Avoid or Marry" [I looked it up and snog isn't a bad word])

Hey Nice Hat!

Little evidence in this photos that it was going to be complete mayhem in about 5 minutes time.



We could have waited here and elbowed through the crowd to get photos with these guards. But instead, we snap a couple of photos and went. Oh and yes, that is Bryce wearing a French beret.

Back in London

Ah, it is great to be back in London. Perhaps we didn't do Paris "right," or perhaps we do London "better." I was glad to be back in London. The line for the return Eurostar trip was a joke - even if you were there when they said, they wouldn't let anyone through security. This allowed for a mad rush through security, customs and then to find your coach (as luck would have it, we were in the first coach -- so we had to walk a looonnng way and about 1 minute after we boarded, off we went). Walking into the train station in London was like a breath of fresh air. Everything was clean, the air felt good and cool, and everyone was speaking English. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed our time in Paris - it is probably much different with kids in tow than exploring it sans kids.



So today we decided to do the very touristy thing and watch the changing of the guards. This after stopping for a quick breakfast at the muffin man. We arrived to Buckingham Palace just around 10:30 - the crowd was huge. We decided to find a place by the fountain. I think this was a good choice because we could move freely about and watch the procession from various angles.

One little know fact is that they march in to the song "Tequila" and then do part of the changing ceremony to the theme of "Mission Impossible." That wasn't as surprising as when one of the guards did "the running man" and then followed it a few minutes later with a break dancing move (ok, only 1 of those 4 claims are true - do you know which one?).

Last day in Paris

This is a belated post following our last day in Paris. Waking late (after the previous night's all-night summer solstice celebration) we took the bus out to Gare du Nord so we could walk around Montmartre. This is the arrondissement where the Sacre Coeur and Moulin Rouge are found. Walking through the train station (to confirm our later departure tickets) we were accosted by a bohemian looking man asking if we spoke french and then immediately if we spoke english; replying no to both he was on to us and yelled out "why not set a fine example for the next generation?!" I can't help but wonder what type of enlightenment he would offer (and how much it would have cost). Then we went out to find a cafe to enjoy one last Paris breakfast.





Then we were on our way. We took a pedestrian street up that was lined with shops (see above). Then took the funicular up to Sacre Coeur (see below).



Quite honestly, it was not worth the ticket cost and wait to ride up it. The stairs would have been nice and a good way to spend that pent up energy the boys always seem to be storing.

But while waiting in line we got to witness the friendship bracelet scam up close. The tour books warned us that someone may choose us to demonstrate creating a bracelet around our wrists. The only thing is that it is not a demonstration - they are expected a handout at the end and the bracelet is conveniently too tight to slip off and return.

After enjoying the views, we meandered down the hill through little pedestrian alley ways looking for moulins (windmills).

Walking through the main street of this town on a quiet Sunday morning, many of the shops were closed. It became quite obvious as we were getting close to the Moulin Rouge. Boys with eyes wide at the graphic words on many of the stores (but nothing to see but that one eye catching word). Failing to bring a map was a critical error - the only moulin we found was that on the Moulin Rouge (right). Later we found we had missed out on some great little walks and that we ventured very close to the Cimetiere de Montmartre where many famous artists were buried.


We meandered some more before submerging to the Metro. Part way through we were treated to a puppet show (see previous post).

Puppet Show

On our way back from Montmartre we were treated with a puppet show. This was on the metro as we were heading from Charles de Gaulle Etoile to Bir Hakeim (Tour Eiffel). A little surprising at first, a man put up a black blanket and then turned on music (wooly bully to be exact) and then voila a show started. This was perfectly timed to complete, ask for donations and get off at the next stop.



I will post about our trip to Montmartre when I return to London tonight. Now we are going out to get sandwiches (jamon + cheese - yum!), meet Kathy, Marianne and Michael at the bus stop and get them acquainted with the apartment.

Fete de la Musique

I'm accustomed to Summer solstice slipping in somewhat unnoticed. Wouldn't you know they celebrate it in Paris with city-wide Fete de la Musique - street parties and concerts. Bit o trivia for you: it is the only day that noise laws don't apply. It is 10:30pm, just beginning to get dark and something tells me that they quite haven't even began to party yet. Here's a view of our last night in Paris, taken from our apartment window.



Today we took the RER C train to Versailles. Following Rick Steves instructions precisely, we bought our Le Passporte from the train station - this gave us a VIP pass to Versailles and round trip train tickets. Also following his advice, we took the 8am train out and was at the head of the line to enter the palace. We also got to skip the very long ticket lines. Thank you Rick!!



Our VIP pass also included the audio tour, which is entirely necessary. After touring for about an hour, we were anxious to go outside and enjoy gardens in the great day we were having. At 11am the garden was filled with music and the fountains were flowing.




After wandering through the gardens, we head further out and rented bikes. This was a refreshing change in transportation and gave our aching feet a break.


We had a late lunch in the park.



Today was the warmest day we've had in Europe so far. Thankfully the sun has gone down and it is starting to get cooler.

Tomorrow we hope to tour the Montmartre area and the Sacre' Coeur in the morning. Then we meet Kathy & the kids at the bus station and help them get situated with the apartment. Then we return back to London.

668 steps

Kyle has been persistent ... wanting to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. But each time we walked by the lines were about an hour long. So we decided to go the economy manual route for $4Euro per adult. It is 668 steps to the second tier.

Today has been a low picture taking day. I left my battery charger in London...so guess who has a low battery!? Great.


We started the day sleeping in to about 9am...it is easy to do because we stay up so late. We walked a few steps to a cafe to have breakfast. A french breakfast for Bryce, an english breakfast for Connor and Tom, a cafe creme for me, and for Kyle a ham sandwich (hey it was on the menu - but they brought him an omlette instead). It was a great start to the day, just sipping on coffee and watching people hurry past.



Next we took the #82 bus to Luxembourg Gardens. We found a playground that had a $2,60 admission fee per kid. It was a lot of fun for the boys - there were playground equipment that we would never have in the US. A flying-fox style gym was their favorite. See photo above.

When we left the park, around 1pm, clusters of people were enjoying their lunches in the park. It felt amazing walking amongst them in the gardens, hearing their excited lunch-time chatter and taking in the views.



Next we went over to Notre Dame. Walked along outside of it and headed to Ile St. Louis to get ice cream at the famous Berthillon ice-cream shop. Then we returned along the river back toward Notre Dame. Eventually passing the queue of people lined up to go in. We saw possibly a diversion - a man wearing a weird mask was coming up between people acting silly. He could have been part of a pick pocket team.





Again hopping the bus back down to Orsay Museum. This was a so-so experience. Kids were hungry and not too appreciative of the art. Even so, they did find paintings they recognized (monet and van gogh).

The back to the apartment for dinner (picking up food at the local grocery and bakery). After relaxing and debating what to do next, we decided to go up the Eiffel Tower (per Kyle's insistence). Then to the RER to check out train schedules for the morning.

Off to Versailles tomorrow. We hope to rent bikes and tour the gardens that way. Wish us luck. Hopefully I have enough battery power to get in some pictures.

Bryce on Paris

This is Bryce on tonight's review of Paris

First of all, I have to say that I like the London tube better than the Paris Metro. Here's why: first, you don't have much time to board because the doors shut too quickly; Second, you can't understand a word anyone is saying (those French have a different word for everything). Onward to the first photograph.

The Eiffel Terror

Here you will see the Eiffel Tower at night as best viewed from our balcony. For the first 10 minutes of every hour, it sparkles like some Disneyland contraption. There are search lights on it too!

The Boat Races (on the Seine)
What else is there to say?

Caught in the Moment
The statues complain "a little privacy please?!"
Connor doesn't seem to get the hint.

Move, you're in the way of the Louvre
Next we have a picture in front of a fountain (Okay, it is really called the Jardin des Tuileries and wayyyy in the distance is the Louvre).

Ooooh la la

Paris is very different than I expected. Already I am missing London. We took the eurostar from London to Paris (about 2 hours travel time) then the number 42 bus from Gare du Nord to a few stops past the Tour Eiffel. Stumbled around trying to figure out where our flat was, got unsolicited help from a few Parisians and then out of nowhere is Jean Pierre (our french landlord). We were sure we were off to a rocky start when Jean Pierre remarked "Oh you have 3 childen" but he quickly added "I thought you only had 2" and he laughed when I said we could leave one out of the street. OK all is well. The landlord and his wife probably spent a full hour showing us every detail of their place. They even walked us down to show us places to eat, get great cheese, and fresh produce.

This is a very different culture and city. Our place does not appear clean it is dusty and even the sheets may not have been changed from the previous tenant. So we start our stay in Paris with a quick tidy. Actually it is Tom doing the tidy and I'm on the computer (obviously). But after I post my pictures, that will soon change.

Here is view 1 from our balcony:



Here is view 2:

Off to Paris

We leave for Paris in the morning...

Long armed guy

Long armed guy.
(that's all I am going to say about that).