Bonjour Paris

There is a certain difficulty in balancing number and length of posts with travelling, secure Wi-Fi connection, small people's needs, need for sleep, work and fear of boring people with endless travel stories. I'm never certain if it's best to go for a long rambling post and several shorter rambles - let me know and I'll do my best, although I think this is one of those long ones...

The last five days we've been travelling through the South of France from Paris (more tomorrow) and have just arrived North of Barcelona. But I wanted to share some of the highlights and experiences of Paris from a 'family' perspective.

Miss K at the Natural History Museum

Paris was not particularly kind in its weather while we were there. It rained. Quite often. On our second day, we paid a visit to the Natural History Museum in the Jardin de Plantes. A mainly 'traditional' museum in its presentation of wildlife, the children adored the interactive children's section (particularly an exhibit where a photograph of the child was taken and included in a short animation of a historical episode of Paris. Master A returned to this exhibit several times over). They were also impressed with the displays of Kiki the Giant Tortoise, the Dodo and detailed visuals on taxidermy. While we spent a good part of a day here, the Japanese Natural History Museum in Tokyo still superseded it (see blog post). Having said that, the gardens surrounding the Museum are beautiful and a full day (in sunshine) can be had adventuring around the Jardin de Plantes.



On Pont Alexandra III

Day Three in Paris and our intent had been to visit the Jardin de Acclimitation, but upon learning that a 'rue' on the GPS can lead you to an entirely different location, discovered ourselves in the midst of hundreds of mad Parisians and tourists driving down the Champs Elyse. After several terrifying trips around roundabouts and down side streets  (kudos to the MOTH again for awesome driving) we found a car park and decided that serendipity had granted me my wish to meander along the Seine so we'd make the most of it, despite the weather. We wandered down the Champs Elyse spending €2.50 to visit the loo! There is a whole blog posting on toilets to come, but as parents with small children, Paris can be very irritating on the public toilet front.

Notre Dame

We crossed Pont Alexandra III (a glorious bridge), admired the buildings and made our way along the Seine where we engaged in some funky interactive art installations. We crossed back along the river and paused at the Louvre. The children we amazed at the crowds of people and very fascinated by hawkers who jangled Eiffel Tower key rings at us. The Man of the House (MOTH) wanted to show us Notre Dame. The gothic grand lady looking particularly striking with the ominous rain clouds above.

Playing with the installations on the Seine

 

That distance is quite a walk for wee legs and we hopped onto a batobus (water boat) to head back to the Champs Elyse. If you do consider making this journey with small people in tow, it's worth getting a pass for the batobus early in the day as the ticket allows you to hop on and hop off at about eight different sights along the Seine as often as you like for the whole day. It's also a picturesque way to view the city.

Akira admires Paris from the Batobus

Day four led to the weekend and we decided on a few 'quiet days', popping out for lunch and playing in the park near our accommodation. I visited the local market with our host, Nadia... not quiet and somewhat overwhelming - a real cultural adventure for the senses.

Artists at Montmarte

On the Monday, our seventh and last day in Paris, the MOTH turned 40. He chose to visit Sacre Coeur on Montmarte. Many stairs to climb, a breath-taking cathedral, artists offering to paint your portrait, lots of tourists (despite the rain) and some good baguettes! The birthday was topped off with cake, gifts and Moroccan tea with our fabulous hosts.

The highlight of Paris had to be the beautiful family that hosted us. We discovered Nadia through www.airbnb.com. Over the week she and her family helped us with our French, shared much of their French and Moroccan culture and fed us well! By the end of the week we felt as if we had arrived as guests and were leaving as family. If you are thinking of heading to Paris, Nadia's home is one we would recommend.

Miss K adores Moroccan style meals!

 

Mummy Musings

While the children have been picking up small amounts of French throughout their time here, I think the biggest learning comes in the form of tolerance and cultural relativity. Miss K has commented on the what she calls the 'rudeness' of French people (our hosts aside of course). Cars and people will 'push in' in ways she considers to be unfair and there is a lot of waiting (some systems are less than efficient). There have been many discussions about how and why different cultures have different ways of thinking about and doing things, which I think is kind of the crux of being on this journey.

Next post... the journey South! Let me know what you're enjoying and what you'd like to know more about...I'd love to hear from you!

Rest time before Europe

The Man of the House (MOTH) is a very, very brave person. He survived Paris rush hour traffic and managed to get leased car and entire family from one side of the city to the other in-tact (although it has to be said that I think my life-span has been shortened by a good two years due to stress from that experience!) I should also mention that it was raining and the three children were hungry following an afternoon exploring the La Cite des Enfants (part of the Science and Technology Museum). Sadly I forgot my camera, so no shots of what as a very cool interactive place for the children. Even wee Master T (22 months) got completely soaked at the water play activities!

Getting in some play time in Kent

The MOTH and I have also realised that we are just over half way through this international journey and we seem to be getting into the flow of things. In the past four weeks there hasn't been all that much 'sight seeing', more 'people seeing'. Sometimes it's hard not to get agitated about the fact we're on the other side of the world watching the kids run around a garden or play Monopoly, rather than visiting some must-see monument or building, but these times are must-dos as well.



Travelling - the physical act of packing up belongings, sending luggage ahead, shedding stuff you don't need and squashing newly acquired 'can't live withouts' into existing luggage space is hard work; the physical act of saying 'goodbye', getting on trains, sleeping in hotels, flying in planes, waiting in line at customs, finding luggage, moving said luggage through security checks (and on and off trains) is tiring. I worked out last night, we've slept in 13 different beds since March (including campervan and our current abode) - unsettledness is to be expected, Recovery time is really, really important. Being conscious of small people's limits and cutting them some slack is something we're getting better at.  (Check out Miss K in this photo - even a sunny day in London is not an antidote to feeling displaced and tired sometimes).



Hooray for trampolines and cousins

Because it took almost two days to travel from Sendai to London (two hours via shinkansen, a night in Haneda, 12 hours on a plane (British Airways (AirNZ co-share) was not very child friendly)) and add to that a 3 hour car drive to Broadstairs (Kent) and an 18 hour time difference, it took all of us almost  five to six days to find' normal'. The children's jet lag and tiredness manifested in rounds, rather than all three in one go (there's a silver lining somewhere in that), so there was quite a bit of grumpy for a
while.

New friend

Yet we relished the time to meet old friends and make new ones. Rita and Willie (family friends) hosted us all with much love and laughter. We took walks on the beach, a windy day at Dover Castle and explored Broadstairs' village. Three days in Norwich involved being cloistered indoors because of the wet weather, reading magazines and a visit to Tane's Great Aunt Pat and her mother Great-Great Aunt Frieda (99). Miss K and Master A made a great many comparisons of nursing homes in Japan and the UK, the first being that they didn't have to put slippers on in the UK.

Looking out from the London Eye

The MOTH's generous sister and her gorgeous family opened their home to us in St Albans for a week. We got in one day 'sight seeing' around South Bank in London, where we discovered a fantastic café on street back from the Globe Theatre, rode on a city river ferry and looked over London via the London Eye. The simple pleasures of engaging with street performers and eating an ice cream, before hearing stories of the Tower of London as we crossed the river, were what the children enjoyed most.

Yesterday we arrived, via Eurostar in Paris. I'd booked Blacklane Services (a private shuttle company) to take us to Orly airport for our leased Citroen. Two important things to note here: 1. A private shuttle, while perhaps more than a taxi, is a stress free way of travelling in Paris with a group of five. We were met at the station, assisted with our luggage and safely taken to the somewhat obscurely positioned car pick up point near Orly airport in a nice big black limo-style van. 2. We're in Europe for eight weeks. It works out cheaper to lease a new car than to rent one for this length of time, particularly as we pick up and return the vehicle in the same country. We arranged this through Citroen DriveEurope New Zealand and so far, aside from driving on the opposite side of the road to that which we're used to, it's been pretty hassle free.

We were welcomed to Paris, by our host Nadia,  with a Moroccan feast for our hungry tummies (photo to come). With much laughter, we are all learning French (Miss K has quite an ear for accents, even picking up a touch of an English one from her cousins) and Nadia's two girls (3 and 2) and her husband are all teaching us new words. Brioche for breakfast, huge chunks of camembert and other cheeses are less than two Euros, bread is amazing... with such wet weather and such good food I think we might come rolling home!

The children continue to delight us with their observations and questions...Miss K is curious to know why Big Ben got its name, and Master A wants to know why, when travelling through the tunnel between London and Paris on the Eurostar, it didn't feel like we went down a slope under the sea? Responses imagined (preferably not googled (yet)) are welcome!

Bon nuit!