A Bird's Eye View of London and Paris March 2012 TR NEW! The END 1/12 p35

[petals]

Love the merchandise pics. I'm like oh I need that and that and that

 

[Charleston Princess]

So, I was amusing myself with trying to decipher all the French signs. My grasp of the language is rustier than I thought -- although I was able to remember that "avec" is "with."

Love all the pictures, Sheree! It looks like you were all having a great time!

 

[MeMom]

The souvenirs with Mickey and Minnie and the Eiffel Tower are cute. They had some of that in France, Epcot, but it would sure be cool to have it from the real France, of course!

The Teacups are pretty at night!

 

[ClaireW]

I'd missed a couple of updates so had lots to catch up on today!
Really enjoyed walking through the shops with you, and the more I see of the parks, shops and hotels the more I keep thinking we'll have to head back there one day

Hope you're neck is feeling better and that your boss is well again soon.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Wow lots of updates!!

The stunt show looks very cool. So does RNRC!

The photo op at Remy's is very neat. And lots of super cool shopping! Great pics as always.

The shops inside the castle are so cute.


Super lover

 

[jenseib]

I saw that super lover too and was like What???? I guess men by those for themselves.

Great pictures. It would be so hard to shop..wanting it all but trying to limit what you get. And knowing you might never go back again.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

This looks like such a FUN trip Sheree! I am absolutely loving all of your pictures!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

OMG! I can't believe I never went back and saw the pictures from your last update. Ugh! I hate when that happens.

That Toy Story area is very cool, but the RC racer. Hmmmmm - that might be a bit much for me.

From this update - WOW -so much to look at. ToT looks pretty cool. Actually the whole park looks pretty amazing. Again - I enjoy seeing the similarities and the differences. I have to go back and look at the pics again.

So glad the girls got to go back and ride BTMRR again and the Phanton Manor. What a very full and very wonderful day.

Of course I showed you all the best parts of the park! It really was beautiful in some places - I thought the Pixar section was fabulous! No way I would get on RC Racer either.
It was yet another great day!

Oh yeah - the teacups and the castle at night - spectacular.

The "it's a wrap" gate is too cute.

I really thought the lights at night at Disneyland were beautiful. I'm glad I snapped that gate picture. Sometimes I just shoot a bunch of pictures and don't realize what I've gotten!

Love the merchandise pics. I'm like oh I need that and that and that

You and me both!!
It was especially hard since it was mostly different than what I've seen at WDW and I don't have any plans to go back to France for a really long time!

So, I was amusing myself with trying to decipher all the French signs. My grasp of the language is rustier than I thought -- although I was able to remember that "avec" is "with."

Love all the pictures, Sheree! It looks like you were all having a great time!

Yeah, my French was minimal, but we managed okay! I used my translator app a lot on this trip!
Thanks - we really did have a wonderful trip! My friend who we visited in London is in town now and we were just reminiscing about how great it was!

The souvenirs with Mickey and Minnie and the Eiffel Tower are cute. They had some of that in France, Epcot, but it would sure be cool to have it from the real France, of course!

The Teacups are pretty at night!

Uh, yeah. I think it was in your or MEK's TR that I found that out. Kind of annoying, in my mind. I was thinking I was getting something "special" from Paris. At least I know I bought mine there! The girls got small Eiffel Tower statues from the Eiffel Tower, which was cool.
Do our teacups at WDW light up cool like that? I've never noticed!

I'd missed a couple of updates so had lots to catch up on today!
Really enjoyed walking through the shops with you, and the more I see of the parks, shops and hotels the more I keep thinking we'll have to head back there one day

Hope you're neck is feeling better and that your boss is well again soon.

Glad you're caught up - I'm hoping to work on the next update tonight during the Olympics!
Virtual shopping is fun - it's cheap, and you get what you pay for - Nothing!! HA! I hope you do get back there someday. I'd like to go back too. But I say that about most of the places I've been.

My boss is back to work and doing well, thank you. She will be on a mostly liquid diet for a long time (maybe forever) though. I told her to invest in a good juicer/blender.
My neck is a work in progress - good days and bad. I have to force myself to do the exercises.

Wow lots of updates!!

The stunt show looks very cool. So does RNRC!

The photo op at Remy's is very neat. And lots of super cool shopping! Great pics as always.

The shops inside the castle are so cute.


Super lover

Yeah - I HAD to get that day done already! I want to show you Paris!
I knew you'd appreciate RNRC! I doubt I will ever go on it.
I kind of wish the WDW castle had more in it like that - I thought it was so cute and fun underneath with the dragon, and cool shops inside. Apparently there was more upstairs with stained glass windows with the storyline that I missed altogether! How did I not know about that?? Not enough DIS research I guess!

For a brief moment I thought about buying that little super lover award. Then I came to my senses. Could have made a funny joke somehow perhaps.

I saw that super lover too and was like What???? I guess men by those for themselves.

Great pictures. It would be so hard to shop..wanting it all but trying to limit what you get. And knowing you might never go back again.

You're probably right! Maybe more Europeans are interested in that type of thing.
Shopping was hard. I wanted to find things that were unique to Paris, but I only had so much money. In hindsight, I might have gotten a few more things. But then I'd still be paying for it now!

This looks like such a FUN trip Sheree! I am absolutely loving all of your pictures!

Thanks Kelli - it was a super fun trip! I'm really enjoying reliving it with this TR!

I have been spending a lot of time in front of the TV since Friday night when the Olympics started. It's been so fun to see places we went in London. Watching the Today show anchors standing where we stood by the Tower Bridge, seeing the boats on the River Thames that we rode on, the London Eye, Big Ben... It's bringing back such great memories!!! It's also inspiring me to keep this thing moving so I can get it done before our October trip - which is in 73 days!!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Wednesday March 7 – Big day in Paris!!

So, in planning for this trip, I had checked out guide books from the library, pored over internet tourism sites, asked everyone who had been to Paris what they liked best, and made a list. It was very long. Too long for a visit that would only have a couple days at most in the city.
Here’s what was on it:
Louvre museum
Eiffel Tower
Pont de Arts - Bridge with love locks
Sacre Couer
Seine river cruise
Arc De Triomphe
Notre Dame cathedral
Shopping
Eating – croissants and baguettes and cheese
Musee d’Orsay
Luxembourg gardens

You can see how this was not going to fit in one day of touring. So I started picking the “Must Do” places. Then I found out that there are “excursion” packages available from the Disneyland resort. We saw one that we liked – you got transportation to the city (and back), tickets to the Louvre and for a river boat ride on the Seine. Well, that was at least two things on the list, right? I knew we’d have time to do those things and get to the Eiffel Tower. So we planned on doing those things at a minimum. There was also a tour we could book for a motorcoach ride from DLP to Paris at night and see the city lights. So we booked that for Thursday night!

Wednesday morning we got up early – we needed as much of the day in the city as we could stand. By 7:40 we were down at breakfast. (more chocolate croissants!!)

We made our way to the train station and found the RER-A train to the city. We had written instructions on how to get from DLP to the Louvre and so we thought we’d start there. I was concerned that I wanted to get to the Eiffel tower early, since we didn’t have tickets yet, but I was overruled by the written directions that made it so easy.

In case you didn’t know – the Louvre is HUGE!!!! You could spend DAYS in there! What I had done was brought my guidebook and marked the things I had wanted to see and what I thought the kids would appreciate. Then we just had to look at the guide map and go see them. Yup, simple. Ha! I am good with maps and I have a good sense of direction, but in that museum, that MAMMOTH treasure trove of a museum, I had NO idea where to go most of the time!!!
There were a good number of school and tour groups there of course. We found our way to the entrance and went in. The entrance is actually downstairs underneath the big glass pyramid that sits in the center of the square that the buildings form. Well almost a square. I have some pictures from outside I’ll show you later.

Thank goodness for the fact that most of what I wanted to see were the most popular things, and they had signs. We spent a few hours in there, at least half of the time being lost!! It was still absolutely amazing!

We saw the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, the French Crown Jewels, a sphinx, and lots of Greek and Roman sculpture.

Post office on the way in!

So many sections to choose from - now where is that Mona Lisa anyway?

Let's start with some Greek sculpture. I made it more family friendly.

I didn't edit this one

Sure, we know which way to go!

I think just the building itself is a work of art. You wouldn't even need to put paintings and sculptures in it!

Okay, we'll go that way.

Winged Victory

I liked this one.

You can always spot me in my bright yellow jacket!

Another beautiful painting

This place is filled with them!

THERE SHE IS!!

It really isn't a large picture. It's probably no bigger than what most people hang over their sofa.

This one, on the other hand, is HUGE! I believe it's a portrayal of the Last Supper.

I must have liked this one.

Uh oh, I took off my jacket. How will anyone find me in a crowd? It looks like I'm studying the map trying to figure out where to go next.

This is a ceiling!

Peeking out a window at the interior courtyard

cont.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

cont.

Here's Ms. Venus de Milo

You can see there's a low fence around the area so you can't get too close. Everyone just had to sort of work their way to the front to get a shot without all the other people in it.

More sculptures

The Three Caballeros? Not exactly.

One is:

and one is:

and one is:

What, you don't read French? The first guy was Plato, Aristotle and Socrates.

The Sphinx

This might have been the area where we saw the crown jewels. The ones from England are better.

Eagle has his own portrait!

Crown Jewels

See, he's a prince!

Really old crown

More sculpture

Working our way outside - this is the interior courtyard area

This just outside the area - I think it's some sort of war memorial I just can't remember!

My favorite people!

And with that, we were done with the Louvre. Prior to going outside, we went in search of a bathroom, or "toilette". Everywhere we went, the sign kept pointing us to exits and bathrooms and we just roamed around until we found it. That took about 45 minutes!! Having relieved ourselves, we said au revoir to the Louvre and hopped on the 72 Red bus. Lots more of Paris to see!!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I would have thought Mona Lisa was bigger than that!! And I looooove the Crown Jewels!!!!

 

[Pluto_fan]

Whew, I'm finally caught up, Sheree!
What a fabulous report! Loving all the details and all the pictures. Sorry the weather wasn't better, but on the bright side, the crowds seem to be really low. I can't believe how many attractions you're going on! I'm making notes of things you did at DLP that we've never done...the train, going into the Disneyland Hotel (how have we never done that? We've always gone right under it. I'm not even sure I know where the entrance is. )

Thanks for sharing your trip with us! I'm really enjoying it.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Beautiful pictures of the Louvre! I, too, remember being surprised at how small the Mona Lisa is (I was ten when we went to Paris) -- I always imagined it so much bigger.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Okay, DH pointed out that I put a BOW over the sculptures, um, privates! Might not have been the best choice, but I couldn't find a fig leaf. SO I apologize for that bit of inappropriateness.

I would have thought Mona Lisa was bigger than that!! And I looooove the Crown Jewels!!!!

Yeah, I think that's what a lot of people think, the guidebooks I've read all commented on the size. I wish I could show you pictures of the English crown jewels. I might have a postcard. But they did not allow pictures in there. They were amazingly beautiful!

Whew, I'm finally caught up, Sheree!
What a fabulous report! Loving all the details and all the pictures. Sorry the weather wasn't better, but on the bright side, the crowds seem to be really low. I can't believe how many attractions you're going on! I'm making notes of things you did at DLP that we've never done...the train, going into the Disneyland Hotel (how have we never done that? We've always gone right under it. I'm not even sure I know where the entrance is. )

Thanks for sharing your trip with us! I'm really enjoying it.

Hey Kathy!
Thanks - we had so ugh fun! The crowds were heavier than I expected for that time of year, but they didn't impact wait times too much. The entrance to the Disneyland Hotel is not a big main entry point - it's sort of off to a side from the tunnel to the park. I think you can go in on either side. But you HAVE to see it!!

Beautiful pictures of the Louvre! I, too, remember being surprised at how small the Mona Lisa is (I was ten when we went to Paris) -- I always imagined it so much bigger.

Thanks - the Louvre itself is a work of art as far as I'm concerned. Such a cool building and we didn't see half of it!!

 

[Lil'Mermaid75]

Okay, DH pointed out that I put a BOW over the sculptures, um, privates! Might not have been the best choice, but I couldn't find a fig leaf. SO I apologize for that bit of inappropriateness.

I thought the bowtie was a nice touch.

Great update! I love all the pictures.

 

[Charleston Princess]

I cracked up when I saw the bow -- didn't seem inappropriate to me.

 

[MEK]

So frustrated that I am just noticing your update now. NOW - when I can't see it?

But I will be back tonight to check it out. Can't wait. Sounds like the start to a fantastic day.

 

[jenseib]

What an exciting day so far. I have to say my Knowledge of the Louvre is what I have seen or red in the DaVinci code.
What a great experince for the family though.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I thought the bowtie was a nice touch.

Great update! I love all the pictures.

Hee hee. Well, I guess I could have used something else, but I wasn't going to spend too much time looking. Thanks - I took tons of pictures on this trip - I think we had close to 2000 between the three cameras and our phones.

I cracked up when I saw the bow -- didn't seem inappropriate to me.

Thanks! All in good fun around here!

So frustrated that I am just noticing your update now. NOW - when I can't see it?

But I will be back tonight to check it out. Can't wait. Sounds like the start to a fantastic day.

Yeah, these updates are picutre-intensive. It was a big day!

What an exciting day so far. I have to say my Knowledge of the Louvre is what I have seen or red in the DaVinci code.
What a great experince for the family though.

Yeah - I had not seen much or known much until I started reading in planning for this trip. I'd read the DaVinci code, but didn't see the movie.
We had a lot of fun exploring - I wasn't sure if the kids would like it, but they did find a lot of interesting things to see and they did have a good time.
I keep reminding them how lucky they are.

 

[Dancegrl624]

Great pics of the museum! Like others have said, I can't believe how small the Mona Lisa is! Your girls are so lucky to have had the opportunity to travel to Europe. I wish my parents would have taken us as kids, but they never had the desire. I definately do, but Tony doesn't. I think Madison would have a blast!