The UK Queue: A Weekend In Paris

In early February, we were able to take a long weekend trip to Paris, without kids, to celebrate Mindy's birthday. We took the Eurostar through the Chunnel and enjoyed walking and walking and walking around the city core. It was Mindy's second visit, after having gone in November with Tala to celebrate her 12th birthday, but even though many of the sites and routes and food stops were the same, it was Paris and all worth a second go around.

We stayed in a B&B in the Latin Quarter and here was the view that greeted us from our window when we arrived. It was an absolutely stunning welcome.

We then pretty much just walked our days away, occasionally stopping for some hot chocolate, coffee, pastries, or food. It was amazing how good everything tasted and equally amazing how that cooking skill doesn't seem to have been able to migrate across the English Channel.

We walked past the Louvre, didn't go inside, but thoroughly enjoyed the architecture and open public spaces.

We did, however, go into the Musée de l'Orangeries, which showcases Monet's Water Lillies in two oval rooms that give the visitor the feeling of being at the water's edge.

Of course, we visited the Eiffel Tower, which much like Stonehenge was for us, was so much more impressive in person than could have been imagined. Having the top of the tower in fog was also cool, although we probably would have preferred sunshine and warmth instead.

We did have moments of sun, like this visit to Sacré-Coeur, a magnificent church that overlooks the entire city. Climbing up to the church was the only time we shed a jacket and once up there, we realized that Paris is a much prettier city from ground level than from above.