Paris

Peyton and I had long anticipated our week-long trip to France, and we are both so sad that it is over! However, we could not have asked for a better trip. We were blessed with perfect weather, an awesome hotel, and so many wonderful meals! (Not to mention that we didn't have to deal with any "hiccups," like lost baggage or subway strikes.) Usually when I travel with my family or with the school we try to see as much as we can of a country in a short amount of time, so we jump from hotel to hotel and drive a lot. For this trip, I wanted to stay in the same city/hotel, and get to soak it in in a way that was a bit more relaxing. There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches to travel, but I'm so glad that we chose the latter for this trip. We visited TONS of museums and historic sites in the city of Paris, but we also ate leisurely meals, slept in everyday, and took afternoon breaks at nearby cafes. Neither of us wanted to return home! Peyton kept saying that he was ready to move there. I like a traveling companion who loves a new place that much. :) We took day trips to Versailles, Louis XIV's famous chateau and gardens, and Giverny, Claude Monet's home and gardens. For both of us the highlight of the entire trip was our jaunt to Giverny. After our train ride, we rented bikes and rode the 4 kilometers to the house and gardens, and got to ride through beautiful French countryside and a quaint town. It was a dream! We are itching to get back to Europe already, but don't know when that will realistically happen. For now, we have the memories and photos from our favorite trip so far:

 Luxembourg Gardens was just a short walk from our hotel

 

 Cherry clafoutis: my fave French dessert

 

 Musee Rodin

 

 Inside the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles

 

 Peyton freaked out about French glace (ice cream)

 

 Monet's house at Giverny

 

 

 

Au revoir, Paris...