Paris, and Stacey's Visit

Stacey, Eric's mom, came to visit us for her spring break. She had a heck of a time getting here, but when she did, we met her in Paris, and ran her all over. Then, we headed back to London and did the same. As we promised, we are going to make our visitors write their own blogs, so here is what she had to say about her trip....

"Spring Break 2009…my first trip to Europe. What a grand adventure. Although the trip across the pond took longer than expected and followed a different itinerary than originally booked. It couldn't’t have been more perfect once I caught a glimpse of Eric and Anne at the Charles De Gaulle Airport. Yes, Paris.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: A broken seat on the plane out of KC, my seat, started a string of delays that took me on a drive from KC to Omaha (an unexpected overnight with Justin and Kate) and then flights to Houston, Newark and finally Paris, where I caught up with Eric and Anne (only 24 hours later than planned). There they were coffee and pain au chocolât in hand. Their foresight and planning made my first visit to Europe perfect. They even arranged for 7 consecutive days of sunny 18-20˚C weather. Unbelievable!

When I first began this blog I started by describing everything we did and saw. When I hit 2 ½ pages and we were just leaving Paris, I decided I had to take a different approach. I’m happy to share my 500+ photos with anyone interested. They will take you day by day through Paris, London, Bath, Stonehenge and Oxford. The meals we ate are documented, as well as all of the treats we had along the way; Berthillion ice cream, baguettes, La Durée macarons (a French pastry- 2 light cookies made with egg -whites, almond paste and sugar with a ganache or cream in the middle…delish!) crêpes, quiche, French fries, Guinness chocolate cake, Bailey’s cheesecake, beer, fish and chips, St. Patrick’s Day at Connolly’s Pub, Sally Lunn’s buns, pub food in Oxford, Italian food, Thai food and a full English breakfast…oh my! It’s a good thing we walked most everywhere we traveled.

Since returning to the states I’ve been asked several times what did I enjoy most. My response: seeing a different part of the world, visiting the historical sites, observing the differences in culture and doing it all with Eric and Anne. The highlights were places that I’ve read or heard about, seen in movies or photos; and spending time with Eric and Anne. (maybe sappy…but true)

Sunday & Monday

Paris: Hotel Fourcey, more like a hostel than a hotel. Problem: bath towels not provided. Solution: paper towels and chamois.

The sites: River Seine, Ile of St. Louis, Pantheon, Sorbonne University, Odeon Theatre, Jardin du Luxembourg, St. Germaine des Pres, Notre Dame, gypsies, Palace of Justice, St. Chapelle, Conciergerie, The Louvre, the Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, Champs Elysees, Arc De Triomphe, La Defense, La Trocadero, Eiffel Tower (night and day, view from the 2^nd level), Champ de Mar, Ecole Military, Hotel Invalides, Grand and Petit Palaces (from a distance), Pont Alexander III with the gilded lamp posts, National Assembly, Moulin Rouge, Montemarte, Place du Tertre, and Sacré-Couer Basilica.

Paris to London via the Eurostar, under the English Channel.

Tuesday thru Saturday - Eric and Anne took time off work to serve as tour guides. They were terrific making the most of the time I was visiting. Late in the week Eric and I took a couple of day trips while Anne was working.

London: Flat 1, 454-458 Chiswick High Road, Chiswick. Daily exercise up to the 4^th floor, a comfortable bed and towels to dry with after showering.

The sites: The Tube, Westminster, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace & the changing of the guard, Victoria Memorial, Wellington Arch, Hyde Park, Notting Hill, Books for Cooks, Kensington Palace and Park (where the now famous Peter Pan statue is located), Piccadilly Circus, Odeon Theaters, Carnaby Street, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Nelson’s Column (designed by Christopher Wren), Horse’s Guard, Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral (designed in 1673 by Christopher Wren), the Globe Theatre, Fleet Street (home of Sweeney Todd), and Billy Elliot, the musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

Chiswick, London: Chiswick High Road, home of 3 Starbucks, bakeries, clothing stores, churches, grocers, restaurants, and Eric & Anne.

Thursday Anne had to work, but Eric and I drove to Bath, England where the Roman Hot Spring Baths were first discovered in 75 AD. The modern day city was built in the early 1700s. We took a walking tour, visited the Abbey, site of the crowning of King Edgar, the first King of England in 973 AD. After lunch at Sally Lunn’s, where the recipe for the buns dates back to the 1400’s, we walked along the River Avon and then traveled to Stonehenge. An audio tour provided several theories on the history and construction of the structure. Anne had a delicious dinner waiting for us when we returned to the flat.

Friday we all had a Full English Breakfast before heading out again on the M4 (motorway like our interstate), this time to Oxford. Again, we took a walking tour with a terrific tour guide. What an amazing place. Eric and Anne’s earlier blog provides a description of the university format. The day we visited happened to be final exam day. We were able to observe students celebrating (“trashing”) as they finished their exams. The celebration didn’t seem that different from the same occasion in the U.S. We ate lunch at a local pub. My choice was vegetable soup, which turned out to be a pureed sort of creamy soup. A little bland, but went well with the chili nachos Eric and I shared. My last evening we had a delicious meal at the Thai restaurant across the road from their flat, then it was time to pack.

Saturday we were up early to arrive at Heathrow in plenty of time to board the plane. It was hard to say good-bye at the airport, knowing it will be several months before we are together again. But, what fond memories I have of our fun week together.

Other memories...”mind the gap” “Parisians and English looking toward the sun” “people hanging out outside everywhere” “toilets…no two alike…Where is the flusher on this one?”(I wish I had taken photos) “person on the track”…."Cheers!"