Wednesday, January 4, 2012

the 'Low-down' on Paris

So, the Hubs and I have been non-stop sense he's redeployed! I'm telling you it's utter chaos around these parts! I've barely had a chance to clean clothes before we hit the road again. Here's a timeline for your benefit:
7 Dec: Kevin returned home
8 Dec: Redeployment briefings began.
15 Dec: Block leave commenced.
18 Dec: Mother and Father-in-Law (our first visitors since moving to Germany) landed in Frankfurt- Cue adding miles on our car (which we didn't mind in the slightest bit).
19 Dec: Road Trip to Mannheim Christmas Market
22-25 Dec: Road trip to Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Southern Germany (on the boarder with Austria)/ Bavaria
24 Dec: Edelweiss tour of Munich Christmas Market
27 Dec: Edelweiss tour to random/gorgeous church and wood carving shop and second visit to under-renovations Neuschwanstein Castle:
28 Dec: Return to Baumholder.
AM of 30 Dec: Drop the in-laws off at the airport in Frankfurt.
few short hours, 30 Dec: Jump in the car with a friend and head to Paris!
30 Dec-2 Jan: Paris!!!

Ok, so now that, that is out of the way... Phew.. can I just saw I'm exhausted just reading that. Anywho... Paris: I loved seeing the sights: Sacre-Coeur, Natre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Hard Rock Cafe (that counts right? lol), Pont Neuf, Arc De Triomphe (my favorite site), Louvre Museum and the Army Museum. But here's the deal people. The first was a Sunday. I don't know if you all know this but Europe is SHUT-DOWN, completely unavailable on Sundays, then you add in a "holiday" everything we tried to visit that day was closed. It was sort of a bust.
Also, New Years Eve at the feet of the Eiffel Tower... so not as romantic as it sounds. There was no count down. No organized fireworks. Nada. Just a bunch of drunken Parisians launching homemade fireworks at each other- true story. We were watching the clock: Okay peeps it's 11:58..... chillin... waiting... Nothing. Ok, well crap it's 12:01. "Happy New Year... I guess". Lets go wait in line for the subway now. Woopty-doo. Seriously.
Oh we went to visit the Louvre NYE, we buy tickets at the kiosk and go to drop our coats at the coat check and the lady informs us the Museum closes in an hour (at 2 PM)... WTF? So we literally RUN to the Mona Lisa and Venis De Milo and leave (this was one of the places we tried to visit again on the 1st, but was closed). Can we say FAIL!?? Since I'm talking about the Louvre can I also say I now believe that there is seriously something wrong with people... case and point: What would motivate a person to break the uncircumcised-penis off a statue at the Louvre????! Seriously... many instances of this. Horrible. Just Horrible.

Well, while we were in Paris we were already looking ahead. We got a great deal on a hotel close to Vatican City in Rome!!! We fly out in a short 6 days! We'll be back 13 Jan and the hubster signs back in from leave on the 15th! Wow... hello 2012!!

3 comments:

Sven & Trin said...

Rome is my absolute favorite city in the whole world! My husband and I did a Europe trip for his R&R two years ago and I wasn't so impressed with Paris either, but I'm in love with Rome (to include Vatican city). If you can, go with a tour guide through the Vatican. You'll learn so much cool stuff. So glad your husband is home, have a great time!

Crazy Shenanigans-JMO said...

It sounds like you guys had an amazing block leave and a wonderful time in Paris!!

Unknown said...

My husband and I absolutely loved Edelweiss. I bet we went there at least twice a year while we lived in Italy. Rome and Paris are fun, but BIG in the sense that there is so much to see and experience and take in. We had a little better luck with the museums in Paris though. Have an awesome time in Rome.