Paris - Day one

As Karina posted, we’ve just spent a couple of days in Paris.  It was a great time and the kids really enjoyed themselves as well as the adults.  It’s been a lot of fun going places with the kids and seeing it through their eyes — mostly a great big playground!We stayed with Australian friends based in Paris, Di and Greg and their two daughters Georgia and Nikita.  They have a lovely apartment, just around the corner from the Eifel Tower which was wonderful.  Not only good company, but a great location too!

Window from Di and Greg’s apartment — the cornices everywhere were stunning.One of the reasons for going as well (aside from “because we can”) was to see the O’Dwyers — another Australian family who have just moved to Paris at the same time we moved to London.  Ella and Kate are in the same year at Alphington Primary, and were in the same class last year and also at creche together.  It was a great opportunity for the girls to hang out and see a familiar, friendly face.

Ella, Sarah and Kate in front of a florist.On day one, we hung around the apartment, then met Lisa, Kate and Sarah and wondered down to the Eifel Tower.  The kids played in a play ground for a while, then we went and stood under the tower and opted not to go up because of the queues and also because Ella was the only one that really wanted to — I promised to take her back the next day early.

Karina and I under the Eifel Tower — kids cropped out of this photo as they were looking horrible!We then wondered across the Seine, found a carousel, another playground and then went to Trocadero to catch the Metro to St. Michel and Notre Dame.  After a hot chocolate, we wondered down along the Seine to the cathedral.

Double decker carousel

Hot chocolates on the Seine at St. Michel

Kate O’Dwyer

Sarah O’Dwyer

By the Seine beneath Notre Dame, looking for dead bodies?The kids enjoyed looking inside Notre Dame, although Ella was dis-appointed that we didn’t go on a tour up the towers.  We then found ANOTHER playground beside Notre Dame and played there for a while before heading into the Latin Quarter to meet Paul O’Dwyer after work for dinner.

Notre Dame

Inside Notre Dame

Playground beneath Notre Dame.

At dinner.It was a tiring, but very enjoyable day.