Juddsters: March 2013

Where do I even begin.... it all started years ago when cousin Mikelle decided that for her 12th birthday she wanted to go to Paris, and Hannah had to come along. My sister Bridget takes her children anywhere in the world they want to go when they turn 12. ( One of the benefits of working for Delta Airlines is free airfare!!) So I decided that if Hannah went I would have to go as a chaperone, and if Hannah and I went it would only be fair if Haley came too. So it was decided that in the spring of 2013 we would all go to Paris. The girls saved money and talked about this trip for a very long time!! Big plans were made as to what they would wear on the plane, and what they wanted to do while in Paris. (The Eiffel Tower and Disneyland Paris were on the top of the list).

The day had finally arrived!!! We were off to Paris. What a journey it was!!

We left Bakersfield at 4:30 am on Friday and drove to Burbank to catch a flight to Salt Lake City to meet up with Bridget and Mikelle. Once we got to Salt Lake the craziness ensued. We were flying stand-by which meant we did not have guaranteed seats. We had to choose the flight that looked the most open. We chose a flight to Amsterdam with a connection in Portland. We got to Portland okay, but it was very unclear whether there were enough seats from Portland to Amsterdam. Many prayers were said. Tender Mercies were showered down and within the final minutes before the plane took off, we were given the LAST FIVE SEATS!!! Can we say STRESSFUL!!!! Once we were confirmed we said a prayer of thanks and boarded the plane. We were on our way!!

Grandma made the girls these fun travel bags with all kinds of goodies inside.

They loved them!!!

Once we arrived in Amsterdam we had to get train tickets to Paris. The first train was sold out so we had to wait an hour for the next one. We walked around the Shipol Airport in Amsterdam. It is like a huge mall with shops and restaurants....and beautiful flower shops!

We finally boarded this high speed train to Paris. It was a scenic ride with assigned seats that were very comfortable. I especially loved seeing the windmills in Holland. It made me want to travel more, all throughout Europe!!

We arrived in Paris and had to get to our apartment. We bought 5 day unlimited use metro passes and headed off to find our way. We had to change metros a few times which was a little tricky with suitcases, but we made it to our destination....27 Rue Brochant.

There was a funny little elevator in the building. We were on the third floor.

After we got settled we went to the market for some groceries and then headed out for sightseeing. First stop...........The Eiffel Tower. We arrived around 6 o'clock pm, which was perfect timing because we were there in the daylight and when it got dark and everything was lit up. We opted to climb the 690 stairs to the second level which was so much fun!! The views were amazing!!

The next morning we were all so wiped out we slept in till 10:30am. No one moved a muscle until then. We had breakfast in the apartment and headed out for the day.

There are so many beautiful churches to wander through.....

.......and bakeries to buy yummy pastries from!!

We really enjoyed the Latin Quarter, with its quaint shops and eateries.
The girls had fun shopping here.

On our way to Notre Dame.

There was a mass going on inside as we walked through.
We also sat outside to hear the bells ring. This is an amazing building!!!

The gargoyles ward off evil spirits

For dinner we went back to the Latin quarter. There were men standing outside each little restaurant trying to persuade people to come inside and eat at their restaurant. We chose a little Italian restaurant.

One day we took the train to Versailles. (About an hour away) We loved going to this palace, home to King Louis XIII, his son Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. This all dates back to 1661. The gardens surrounding the palace are so grand and beautiful, and they go on for acres and acres. There are many smaller buildings also on the property. The artistry and workmanship are incredible. Pictures just can't do it justice.

The hall of mirrors, the ceiling inside the king's chapel, and the queen's bedroom (complete with a secret door that leads to a passageway where Marie Antoinette escaped)

A little chocolate filled crepe while we stroll through the gardens? I think so!!

We rented bicycles to ride around the gardens and see the hamlet Marie Antoinette was given by Louis XVI. It became her favorite place to stay. I can see why.......I loved the quaint little cottages!!

We had lunch in one of the garden restaurants.

The girls were very excited to spend a day at Disneyland Paris. The rockin' roller coaster and space mountain were the two favorite rides of the day.

The metros could get very crowded at certain times of the day, but we got really good at pushing our way on. I was so proud of us girls navigating our way all around Paris by metro and not once getting lost or ever getting on the wrong metro. Way to go girls!!!!