Saturday, January 15, 2011

Out of Contact, the Loop & the Country...

Hey Bleeps! I've been extremely busy with the family for the past month and things have been very crazy around here. I just returned from a week-long trip to Paris & London. It was my first time traveling abroad and what a wonderful experience it was. The main reason for my trip was for my dad's wedding. It was nice! My childhood friend Elena accompanied me and we had a blast! We visited the Louvre, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees (the Rodeo Drive of Paris), Saint Chapelle, the Centre Pompidou, the Seine River, went to the Musee de Picasso - only to find that it was closed, saw Sacre Coeur from a distance, took the stairs up the Eiffel Tower (we got in the wrong line) and ice skated on the 2nd level of the Eiffel Tower. Talk about amazing! We also took a day trip to London and saw Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Bridge, the Thames River, Westminster Abbey and Harrods of London. It was a fabulous trip even though I returned home sick. The weather was on the colder side so we dressed in layers, but every establishment that we walked into had the heat cranked up to like 80 degrees. It's no mystery why I ended up getting sick - going from one extreme to another.
Anyhow, here are a few pics that I thought I'd share for now... Enjoy!

My dad finally convinced me to try Burgundy Escargot.
It was delicious! I ended up having a second.

The view of the Eiffel Tower from my balcony.


My dad and I in front of the Louvre entrance.


Elena and I opposite the Louvre entrance.


Yes, I saw her!



Gorgeous display at the cafe we had breakfast at in London.


The gates at Buckingham Palace.



The fountain outside of Buckingham Palace.



The guard staying out of the rain...



The Queen's Gallery.


Harrods London


The Memorial for Princess Diana & Dodi Fayed inside of Harrods (once owned by his father).


Standing in front of Saint Chapelle.



Notre Dame
I'm not catholic, Elena is. We arrived just in time to witness Mass.
What an experience!



Elena and the Eiffel Tower.