When I originally started thinking about visiting Paris, I had spring in mind. Seeing the sights with mild temperatures, beautiful blooming gardens, and before the crowds of summer vacation sounded perfect. When I started looking at my vacation days from work however, the two weeks surrounding Christmas and New Year's Day jumped out as the … Continue reading Paris in December
Our last full day in Paris fell on New Year's Day. Knowing it was a holiday and the Parisians aren't exactly our idea of early risers, we planned to be up and ready by 10am. All four of us were moving pretty slowly that morning, so I figure we headed downstairs closer to 10:30 or … Continue reading First Trip to Europe, Day 10 – New Year’s Day and Musee d’Orsay
Day five was supposed to be our second day for museums, but after a lot of walking the day before and 4 pairs of sore, tired feet, we opted to try a hop-on-hop-off bus tour instead of hoofing it around town. We used the hotel's computer to purchase our one day pass for Foxity's buses. … Continue reading Day 5 – Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus and Musee des Arts et Metiers
We originally set aside two full days for museums in Paris--the Friday and Saturday after Christmas. Most Paris museums close on either Monday or Tuesday, so make sure you check the museum websites before you set your itinerary. Friday and Saturday are probably more crowded days all year long, but it's what worked in our … Continue reading First Trip to Europe, Day 4 – Monet, Rodin, Napoleon, and The Louvre
Our second full day in Paris was Christmas Day. I was a little apprehensive about this when we booked our trip. We went back and forth about renting an apartment or a hotel with a kitchen so we could cook and hang out at "home" on Christmas Day, but we decided to test our luck … Continue reading First Trip to Europe, Day 3 – Christmas Day
We started our first full day in Paris early by local standards, waking up well before the sun. I had no idea that the sun doesn't rise in Paris until after 9am in the winter! Since mom and I take longer to get ready, we sent Josh and my dad to look for breakfast. They … Continue reading First Trip to Europe, Day 2 – Christmas Eve, Montmartre, and the Eiffel Tower
If you're just finding my blog, make sure you start at the beginning of this trip with Day 1 - Getting to Paris! Hotel Henri IV Rive Gauche, located on Rue Saint-Jacques, is just a block away from Ile de la Cite and Notre Dame. It's in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, and borders … Continue reading First Trip to Europe, Day 1 – The Hotel and First Night in Paris
When we were researching visiting Paris in the winter, I found lots of one line or one paragraph generalizations about how it's cold and rainy but generally less crowded. I want to go in the opposite direction and saturate you with as much information as I can possibly recall. Everything from planning to packing to … Continue reading First Trip to Europe, Day 1 – Getting to Paris
I'd Rather Be Sailing 