August in Paris

After our friendly reunion in Spain, James and I jetted off, just the two of us, for Paris. Since we were down to only two photographers, we didn't get as many pictures, but here are a few of us exploring the city of lights:

 Like the good little tourist sheep we are, we spent a hectic day at the Louvre, that is, us, and apparently every resident of Japan.

 I was most impressed by the Greek and Roman sculpture collection (mythology nerd alert!).

 James refused to leave the Louvre until we found The Code of Hammurabi (tax lawyer nerd alert!).

Since we don't handle stress exceptionally well, we found the Louvre a tad overwhelming. But we were glad to see the epic art pieces for ourselves.

Travel Tip: If you do get the chance to traipse through Paris, make time to visit The Orsay Museum. Filled with the works of Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Degas, Courbet, and many other geniuses, it is sensory overload. Plus, it is not nearly as crowded as the Louvre, so you can enjoy the works for longer.

Bicycle Trip to Versailles

Without a doubt, our favorite experience in France was our day trip to Versailles. Once again, Fat Tire was the way to go.

Before we got to the grounds, we stopped by a local market and picked up baguettes, meats and cheeses, and a bottle of wine for a picnic on the Versailles grounds.

The rest of the day was spent bicycling around the gorgeous grounds and exploring Marie Antoinette's old stomping grounds.

 This little guy is just one of the smaller chateaus built for Louis XV's mistress. She was obviously in it for love to live in such a dump.

Due to the large sides of the lakes, the gardeners weren't able to keep all the fountains on at once, so they worked out a system using red flags to warn each other when the king was about to turn a corner so as to turn one fountain off and another on before he saw it.

I use the same system for hiding Anthropologie purchases from James.

 Picnicking on the grounds, French royalty style.

 We also got to tour the Chateau as well. Apparently, Louis XIV was all about his calves, as they showcased his power, so James added a Longhorn twist to Louis' signature move.

 Although the Chateau was all grandeur and wonder, the outside grounds were our favorite. The manicured gardens have been shaped to mimic what they looked like in the 18th century.

Trying to take a picture without sunglasses, now reminded why I take pictures with sunglasses.

With a few days left in Paris, we managed to tour the Catacombs as well. The cemeteries were similar to New Orleans in that they had mostly above ground, elaborate graves.

The catacombs were something out of a nightmare. There were miniature sculptures designed by prisoners, gothic poetry etched into walls, and art made out of bones.

After resurfacing, we set our tourist goals on loftier sites and headed to Notre Dame Cathedral. Unfortunately, there was a large crowd, so I was only able to grab a couple of snapshots.

So that, in a sloppily written nutshell, is the overview of our European trek. It was worth the money, time, and indigestion, and I would highly recommend that if you ever plan a trip to Europe, do the EXACT SAME THINGS WE DID. Otherwise you will hate it.

So until next time, Au Revoir and/or Adios! We will resume our regular North American posts shortly!