Bienvenue en France (Welcome to France)

It has always been a lifelong dream of mine to see the Eiffel Tower in person and walk the streets of Paris. Growing up in a small town in Montana, such ideas were just that...dreams. Moving to Europe has made these fantasies possible. Just before we took the plunge and got on the plane, I did some research and tried to find a photographer based out of France that specialized in working with young families. Not only did google supply just that, but an American Ex-pat living in France as well. Needless to say, I booked her on the spot! Here is our experience going across the "Chunnel" to the good old land of France!

Travel Planning

I've never been on the itinerary side of trip planning, but with Aaron otherwise engaged in school work, I was quickly promoted to trip master. I spoke with other locals about how to arrive and where to stay. It was evident the solution was to take the train and to stay in an Air BnB. I familiarized myself with the websites and began booking accommodations. We snagged a local apartment within walking distance of the Arc de Triomphe and a stunning, picturesque view of the Eiffel Tower from the balcony. I thought I had landed the deal of a lifetime. Our arrangements would prove otherwise. 

Upon researching travel options, it was clear that the train system was a maze of its own kind. I had been told that the prices of train tickets would be inflated during term breaks from school, so I fully expected a climb in charges. The Eurostar typically runs £29/ticket one way, so when I saw a fare of £67 during our planned travel, I thought nothing of it. This was approximately 3 weeks prior to our trip. We decided to hold off until just before our voyage to purchase the train tickets, because our true motivation was simply lack of confidence in the prescribed modes of transportation.

Most locals recommended a bus ride, a commuter train, and then the subway in order to get to St. Pancras International Train Station. After Aaron got this concise instruction from his colleagues, it was clear we needed a dry run to test out the route in person. Aaron, bless him, went through all the steps of arriving at St. Pancras station from Oxford, timing his every move.

The main lesson Aaron brought home that night was taking the commuter train would be problematic with children. For instance, for 45 minutes out of the 60 minute ride, Aaron had to stand between train cars scrunched up like a sardine. Once Aaron made the connection at Paddington Station from the commuter train to the subway, the cars were so packed that Aaron had to literally squeeze his body inside the doors in order for them to shut. At one point, a lady's tush was so hard pressed against his backside, he swears if she would have flexed, he'd have felt it! Needless to say, he suggested we skip all the fuss and drive to London and park at the adjacent car park, hop the Eurostar, and be done with it. Dry run #2 commenced...

The next day, we loaded the car with our three pipsqueaks and headed for London. I simply loved this city, from what I got to see of it. It has Old-English charm while buildings of an industrial nature pop up around you. Honestly, it had me feeling like I had just landed myself back in downtown Denver. It had a neat beat to it and I cannot wait until we get to check it out firsthand. 

We hit St. Pancras station and began exploring. We found the ticket stand to the Eurostar and were in for a heart-stopping surprise. Our tickets had gone up exponentially! Apparently, train tickets are similar to plane tickets. The closer to the travel date you are, the higher they rise. On top of that nice little gem, we were still traveling during term break. One ticket ended running us closer to £125 one way! OUCH!

With photographer and apartment booked, we had no choice but to complete the transaction. Lesson learned for next time....a very expensive lesson...BUY YOUR TICKETS EARLY!

The rest of the time we spent exploring the train station and shopping at our favorite stores, M&S, Fatface, and GODIVA. Chocolate makes everything better!

The Real Fun Begins

We arrived at St. Pancras Station bright and early on October 28th, very anxious for arrival in my first foreign speaking country. We decided to eat breakfast in the terminal before departure and found ourselves ordering the "traditional English Breakfast". I had heard of this quirky cuisine and hadn't decided until moments before ordering if I would ever partake of the adventurous plate containing none other than "black pudding". I opted for the positive attitude ringing through my ears, "I can try anything once!", and ordered my very own black tart! Black pudding is pig's blood fried up and prepared into a sausage patty looking circle. It has the consistency of mashed beans with a crispy outer coating. I am not going to lie, getting it in my mouth alone was a feat. I think knowing was half the battle. I am pleased to say I have tried the local grub and will never, I MEAN EVER, put that in my mouth again. 

When checking in at the station, the teller informed us there were problems with our train; it was running several hours behind schedule. We were given the option to upgrade to first class free of charge if we boarded the train departing in minutes. We accepted the upgrade and hit the terminal running. Aaron had the baby and our luggage, and I had the two tots. We initially were together, but then accidentally separated by the elevator and the escalator. Only Aaron was permitted to use the elevator with his buggy, thus the kids and I would require the mobile stairs. When trying to board the escalator, we were stopped and a ticket presentation was required before proceeding. AARON HAD OUR TICKETS! We were not allowed to proceed without ticket stubs, and Aaron was not answering his phone. After a few minutes, I went back to the elevator to discover the gentlemen that originally had boarded my husband had stepped away briefly and the current operator would not allow passage either. An employee working inside the terminal had witnessed the whole interaction and walked across to vouch for me. Up we went and were reunited once again. If eating fried pig's blood didn't cause my blood pressure to spike, that little escapade did the trick!

Riding in style

First class is nothing to turn your nose up at; tables, lounging room, and a free three-course meal! Paisley made herself quite comfortable on the way to France. AJ, however, wasn't keen on traveling under water. He full-on expected a deep sea excursion complete with view. The black abyss was a certain disappointment. He got over it after our train rose up to fields full of agriculture, sunshine, and endless blue skies. After living in England for 6 weeks, sunshine is a hot commodity. 

Unexpected Sights

Just before our journey down south, England had refused acceptance of the refugee camp of Calais into their borders and had passed their due date in doing so. As a result, the president of France had then decided to reabsorb the refugees into its own country by disbanding the entirety of the camp and spreading out the members throughout the countryside with the exception of Paris. I was curious to see if we would witness the refugee camp of Calais during our venture, but turned up short. However, our train briefly passed one of the small subsets of the camps and what I can tell you is this:

No human being belongs in such horrid conditions. Your gravest imaginations of what a refugee camp entails would not suffice. The amount of rubbish, filthy living conditions, and ruin would cause anyone to take pause in thought of what they are doing to rid the world of such ghastly situations. Your heart truly goes out to those surviving and existing in such turmoil. Needless to say, I have amped up my efforts to offer aid and supply to those living among us seeking sanctuary. I have to believe that no one chooses to live that way on purpose unless their lives required it for mere survival. I don't exactly applaud France's stance on things, but I have to admit I am grateful for the embracement of their state of affairs. 

Our First 10 Minutes

We were pointedly warned about pick pockets in France with a specific concentration in the train station. Aaron and I guarded our valuables closely and kept our eyes peeled for the red flagged bodies that walked the station without any luggage, tickets, or appearance of pending travels. There were even individuals disguised as officials administering surveys with clipboards, a handy distraction, while someone lifts your personal items. 

The moment we exited the train, AJ of course had to use the loo. It was in that moment that I realized the fantasy of foreign speaking lands was just that, a fantasy. Reality, on the other hand, had me scrambling for an English speaking employee who could point me in the direction of services and quickly before an untimely accident occurred. AJ and I found our way to the basement where the only bathroom existed and were met with a long queue of people waiting for relief. While AJ did the peepee dance, I tried to make sense of all the French scribble on the walls. I could see that someone was manning the bathrooms as a sort of gate keeper. There literally was a gate to use the bathroom and you must first purchase a token from the keeper. YOU HAVE TO PAY TO USE THE RESTROOM! It hit me all too sudden that since Brexit, the only currency I carried on me was the GBP and Euros were required for tokens. I begged the entrance worker to let my dancing child into use the facilities, but she took one look at me, shrugged her shoulders, and looked down at her register. I saw a card could be used for access and quickly retrieved my plastic from my handbag and made a sliding motion to indicate a charge purchase. She looked up at me again and said, "It's not working.", rolled her eyes, and continued counting her tokens. 

My eyes all but glowed red as I assured my child on the spectrum that we would find him relief soon. We bolted back to my husband who jumped to action. He grabbed AJ and whisked him away to a restaurant across the street. My son, my hero, made it without a hitch and I was left speechless at the rudeness I had just encountered all within my first 10 minutes of arrival. 

TAXI!

A currency exchange was made a high priority after that little ordeal. Hailing a cab in Paris is not at all like that in America. You don't head to a busy street full of driving cabs and expect to whistle one over to your side. Instead, you look for a taxi park where you will find busloads of them. Thankfully, such a park existed right next to the station. The only problem was our driver didn't speak any English. Thank goodness for Google Translate. We gave him the address of our key pick-up and luggage drop spot, and he began his trip. 

Driving in Paris

HOLY MACKEREL! There is nothing, I mean nothing, to prepare you for the scene that is driving in downtown Paris. There are no lanes anywhere! People are just driving about and rules/laws seem to be mere suggestions that people either follow or don't. Intersections are not four way stops or even round-a-bouts. They're more like a web of streets all coming into a point of congestion where people take turns driving through to get to their next destination. It is a cluster of crazy that no one has the capability to decode. How we didn't meet our Maker is still a mystery to me!

Small Instances, Answered Prayers

When you complete your application and pay for your apartment room on Air BnB, you are sent confirmation and instructions for retrieving your room. It wasn't until after our purchase that we learned our key pick-up and hotel were two separate locations. We weren't too bothered by the inconvenience. We just assumed we would drop off our things in the safe room and return later that evening to claim our key. That was until we pulled up to the location of drop-off.

It was located in a dodgy alleyway, poorly lit, and crowded with bystanders and homeless people. There were two individuals parked right in front of our entry gate, one seemingly passed out alongside the other. I told Aaron I was very uncomfortable and didn't feel safe being dropped off in this location with our children and belongings. Aaron translated to the cabby with his phone asking him if the kids and I could stay in the car until he could secure our luggage inside. The driver agreed. 

As soon as Aaron left the car, the gentlemen next to our gate started yelling at him and asking him for money. When he realized Aaron was American, he tried to appeal to him differently. He said, "Hey you! You're a big guy. You a big man. I'm hungry! Can I have money?" As he started to approach Aaron, I became quite nervous. Our code for entry into the gate wasn't working, and I began to panic. 

Just then a lady with a dish of keys walks up and asks, "Are you Kristi? I am Angie!" We were saved! Not only did we now have the keys for entry into our place, we did not have to leave our luggage to recollect later that evening in the dark alone with children. We immediately recognized the blessings and answers to our own prayers for protection along our trip. It was in that moment that we realized that perhaps the hungry gentlemen was in fact a blessing as well, an opportunity to give service to others and show charity. Aaron shared a few Euros from our recent currency exchange, taught him how to fist bump, and left our friend with a hug. Angie gave our driver the address of our rental and we sped off. It wasn't until then that we learned our apartment and key retrieval were over 7 miles apart, something we overlooked in our welcome package. Again, I can't stress this enough, we were looked after. 

What the What?!?!?!?

After posting on Facebook about our travel status, Aaron's previous supervisor's wife, now stationed in Germany, messaged me. She and her family were also in Paris and only a few blocks away. We weren't in our "hotel" but a few minutes before we were on our way to the Louvre to meet up with our friends! 

We hit up a few street vendors for some cliché French food i.e. baguettes, eclairs, and quiche, and of course pizza for the kids. We made our way quickly to the grounds in front of the Louvre for a banquet under the stars lit only by the glow of the night sky and the dazzling, twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. We spent the remainder of the evening reminiscing and comparing our new homelands in uniqueness and similarities. It was so refreshing to see friendly faces. 

Whilst carrying on deep conversation, I snuck a bit of eclair in my mouth, expecting the same taste I had experienced in America only to be blasted with a grandeur of flavor only heaven can know about besides the French. First of all, you have never had an eclair until you have had one in France. The cream filling alone is worth the trip. Secondly, the flavoring in America is all wrong. France uses chocolate centers not vanilla. I have to admit, I rudely interrupted my company's conversation to let out an "Oh my GOSH!" Thankfully, they knew just what my expression was all about and erupted with laughter. Seriously, book your flight now. Paris...eclairs...

Photoshoot of a Lifetime

I have kept these photos under wraps until I was able to use them in my blog. It hasn't been easy as they are all AMAZING. Katie Donnelly Photography is where it's at. She was so incredibly patient with us while we worked out a few kinks and catered to AJ's many needs. This was the day I finally visited the landmark I had waited my whole 31 years to see in all its glory: the Eiffel Tower.

Katie insisted we check out the Champs de Mars as another suitable location for photos and I am so glad she did. The grounds were perfection in all their autumn admiration. The fallen leaves of every harvest hue you can think of were crunchy under our feet while freshly departing ones sprinkled upon us from overhead. This was fall in every sense of the word like I have never seen before. 

I will simply leave you in awe with several captured moments from our wonderful photographer: 

 

 Under the Sea

After a few hours of forced smiles and choreographed poses, the kids needed some food and some fun! We grabbed some paninis, chocolate crêpes, popcorn, and ice cream before heading to the aquarium.

 It was a quick hour of underwater sightseeing, but we learned something besides fun fish facts. Many places in Paris double as family friendly kid zones during the day and turn into hopping night clubs in the evening. This particular aquarium was an underground disco during its nightlife complete with a neon dance floor, strobe lights, and all the smells of human excrement you could imagine. Yes, folks, Paris has a bumping night scene but a less than glamorous side, too. The ambiance overall is something to behold, but I can't count on one hand the number of times we encountered the pungent smell of urine! 

Notre Dame

Aaron wanted to check something off his bucket list next. We snagged a cab and headed for the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, known to our kids as the home of the hunchback, Quasimodo. It was a well spent 15 minutes walking about the grounds admiring the architecture of the church. I was surprised to find out that Notre Dame is a full up-and-functioning church that regularly holds Mass throughout the week. It was my assumption that such a historic landmark would only be used for preservation and sightseeing. My hope is: next time we are in Paris, we have more time to actually tour this venue and experience the tops of the steeples. If you look closely between the two towers, just behind the balcony are people standing there. This building his ginormous, but because of the camera angle, you can't tell just how enormous it really is!

However, I was not left to wonder what the toll of the church bells would sound like. They rang through the air just as we were snapping a few family photos. I can definitely say that experience was one for the books. 

Da Vinci in Person

With only a few hours left in Paris, I so desperately wanted to go to the Louvre and try to see a few famous exhibits. Aaron made it happen. We called a cab and loaded up our squad. The Louvre is the home of so many amazing pieces from world renown artists extending back centuries. 

Of course, at the top of my list was none other than the Mona Lisa. We followed the map signs but quickly discovered we would be separating again. The teeny, tiny elevators would only allow for Aaron and the buggy to travel separately while the kids and I climbed the stairs. I am so glad our separation was forced. Without it, I would not have been able to see the Nike. It is a large statue of a headless angel that stands erect in the middle of a staircase on the 2nd floor on your way to Da Vinci's works. The movement and extension of the piece are awe-inspiring. I have to admit, the statue was unexpected and caused me to come to a compete stop. I only wish Aaron could have partaken of this masterpiece. 

As we made our way up the rest of the floors, the kids and I tried to take in as much of the history and culture before us. I was careful not to spend too much time in one place with my little rug rats. They were patient with me, but had timelines as well. 

At last, we made it to the Mona Lisa and the crowds were swarming. You will not simply wait your turn in queue and expect to suddenly find yourself in front of her. Sharpen your elbows and get to cracking! Yes, you have to fight your way up front to see her and then catch a selfie if you can. I wish I had had more time to study the brush strokes and symbolism crafted in this one piece, but there simply was no room to gawk. What I can say first off is that it is much smaller than I had imagined in my mind and sits behind a glass and steal reinforced case. It is roped off from a fair distance as well, so a close up just wouldn't be possible. It's unfortunate, but after engaging in a scrap to see it, I can see why!

                               

We finished the exhibit and took pictures of a few more notable artworks. This one is probably my favorite and causes me to choke up every time I see it. It is a painting of David slaying Goliath. I chose to grab a shot with AJ standing next to this image, because to me, it describes my son so perfectly. He is a boy of small proportions, but the enormous world surrounding him is so obviously hostile to his existence. Everyday AJ gets up and slays his giant; he overcomes so much! He is David in every sense of the word.

Lastly, we took in the Roman and Greek antiquities before calling it a night. I got to see all my favorites: Zeus, Aphrodites, Hermes, Hercules, and so many more! I have always loved Greek mythology since I was a kid so seeing this venue was a special treat.

One more famous work and then we were headed home. The Venus! (Venus de Milo) As you can see, we stood among greatness and this trip will forever be a memory in my bank of treasured times!

Before leaving the Louvre, we spotted a strip mall connecting us to some restaurants and bathrooms. We learned very quickly to take advantage when you see a restroom handy. Thankfully the restaurants were serving all authentic French food, because my palette was still dying to try more. I am happy to say that Channing and I sampled duck confit, ratatouille, salami stuffed tarts with pickles, and British crème. However, our hearts were won over by the chocolate cream pie. The one thing I can say about Europe; they know how to do DESSERT!

Paris in the A.M.

As I said before, Paris has a busy night life, but the cool crisp mornings were left only to the early risers. I seriously underestimated the feeling of waking up to a Parisian sunrise and soft glow of the morning lights. The Eiffel Tower had a significant impact on my littles. I often caught my daughter just staring at it. It just goes to show you are never too young to appreciate art.

McCafé

The city doesn't really come to life until after 10 a.m., partly because everyone went to bed around 6 a.m.! We had an early departure on the Eurostar so we had to snag a spot outside our local McDonald's McCafé. I am not complaining though! McCafé makes some serious hot chocolate. We dined on plenty of tasty and savory combinations that morning and even acquired some macaroons for the trip home! 

We also just happened to be feet away from the Arc de Triomphe, another marvel of its kind. It is gorgeous and begs for a secondary visit. I had no idea all these landmarks would have their own tours available, let alone allow you to climb to the top. Until next time, we just had to appreciate the Arc from the ground.

NEXT TIME

France overall was a very memorable occasion! Sure there was plenty of headache, mostly due to ignorance. Aaron and I are far from world travelers, but this experience has given us cause to crave more! France has SO much to offer. There is history and greatness on every corner. A return trip is definitely on the horizon. We caught a glimpse of too many wonderful sites that need more exploring. 

Until Next time...Au revoir,

~K