Fearing that the 3 week school break with cold weather in a 600 square foot apartment might put us over the edge we decided to venture to Paris to check it out. It wasn't exactly "springtime in Paris" but we considered our options and decided that there were just too many other places we want to see in the spring and early summer. Besides, we wouldn't be outside that much and it's supposed to be in the low 40's in Paris in January, right? NOT!! It was icy cold and damp but hey we were in Paris so who cares!! We made a very smart decision and took the high speed train from Stuttgart - it made a 6 1/2 hour drive by car in around 4 1/2 hours. It was definitely the way to travel considering that with the snow we never would have made it in 6 1/2 hours and it was oh so much less stressful. We read, ate, played games, listened to books on tape and watched the scenery. The seats are much like airline seats with a tray table and it was a really smooth ride.
We arrived Monday the 4th and headed to our fully equipped apartment (very common in Europe for families as most hotel rooms come with only one bed) only about 5 blocks from the Seine and Notre Dame Cathedral. We headed down to the cathedral which was all lit up with a large Christmas tree in front. They call Paris the City of Lights and it was especially lit up with all the added Christmas lights. On our way home we passed the Hotel DeVille which had twinkling light all over it and a large outdoor ice rink in front with people skating in the cold night air. There were antique carousels as well. It was really festive. I thought that the Hotel DeVille was a hotel! Duh, when the building was named the French used the word Hotel for "any building seeing lots of visitors". It actually is the equivalent to city hall! A really beautiful introduction to Paris in spite of the cold!
On day 2 we decided that it was going to be the warmest day forecast (a whopping 34 degrees) so we would do the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe (the two outdoor sights). We figured out the subway (called the Metro) and headed to the beautiful tower built in the late 1800's. The tower was absolutely beautifully designed and an amazing engineering feat. Unfortunately, due to the weather we could only go up to the first and second (about 38 stories above ground)viewing platforms. The top was closed but we had been told that the best views were from the 2nd platform. The view overlooking Paris was amazing and it was actually sunny. What a crowded city! Jay and I now know why they fear the swine flu so badly - everyone is packed in like sardines everywhere!! The girls enjoyed the tower in spite of the cold and then we headed out by foot to the Arc de Triomphe about a mile or so away. About halfway there, we realized how slowly one six year old can walk when cold and hopped on the Metro again.
The Arc de Triomphe was begun in 1806 by Napoleon and finished after his demise in 1836. It was equally amazing but actually had a better view because you could see the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees (the most famous Avenue in Paris where all the people go to see and be seen). We hung around until sunset and got some beautiful pictures of the Eiffel Tower as well as the Christmas lights up the Champs Elysees. It was especially nice since there weren't any crowds to contend with and the girls were able to see more than people's stomachs!
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