Hi everyone! We are almost halfway through our trip to Paris/Spain, and I thought I would do a post on what we've done so far, in case I forget before we come home! I have a feeling that next weekend, Paris is going to feel very far away.

Monday

We got here on Monday morning, early, and took a cab to our apartment. We have a lovely 2BR apartment in the part of the city where the Marais reaches Ile St. Louis. The apartment is decorated in a bizarre mix of art deco/gay. Lots of artwork of men (and a few women) in compromising positions all over the place – thankfully the girls have no clue. The layout is perfect. We overlook the Seine. The only problem is that the road outside is very busy and at night, like right now, the motorcyle revving is a bit jarring (as we keep the windows open). There is a playground across the street and a metro stop a half a block away, and we can walk directly to Notre Dame and the Left Bank and the Marais. So we are very lucky!

Monday we took a nap for a few hours, then woke up and walked to Rue St. Antoine for a little bite to eat. Then we walked down to Notre Dame, via Ile St. Louis. The girls were completely unimpressed with Notre Dame, preferring instead to hang out on the seesaw outside the church. We ambled across the Seine and into Shakespeare & Co. bookstore, then found an overpriced and mediocre restaurant just off the Seine for dinner. A night walk home in the neverending daylight along the Seine and we were back at the apartment. Everyone was tired but Daddy and I stayed up late taking advantage of some generous soul's WiFi in the building.

Tuesday

We met Amy, Ashby, Shelby and Griffin at the Place des Vosges after a particularly late wakeup. We had a picnic lunch outside while the kids played on the playground, then hit one of the city's free museums - this one devoted to the city of Paris – in the Marais. It's an impressive museum, but was lost on the younger set. Then Ashby and Griffin took off and the ladies went to the Doll Museum in the Marais. (Daddy took a snooze outside). The Barbie collection was suprisingly interesting, as the doll outfits reflected the fashions at the times and were fun to see. Then we all met back up at the Stravinsky Fountain outside the Pompidou for ice cream (kids) and a crepe (me). We all then wandered back to Rue St. Antoine for another overpriced, mediocre dinner. Dinner ended just as meltdowns were starting. Another late night for the girls!

Wednesday

We got an embarassingly late start on Wednesday, but made our way eventually to the Louvre (outside) and then to the amusement park at the Tuileries. M &A did a slide/sled ride, and then M and Daddy went on a log flume, which ended badly when poor M hit her head on the boat. :(  (She's fine.) She got a bonus ride on the carousel with A to make up for it. Lunch was yummy Chinese/dim sum near the Tuileries, and then we walked to see the Madeleine church, since M is named for it! We took the metro from there to the Bateaux Mouches port and met up with A, A S & G for a ride down and up the Seine. It went right by our apartment! The girls weren't as into it as we'd expected, but they had fun. After the boat, we all came back here to the apartment and Amy and I brought in food. We had a really fun dinner here at the apartment, with lots of wine and laughing. Another late night!

Thursday

We got a really late start on Thursday, and then raced to meet A, A S & G at the Musee Dorsay. Again – not much art appreciation going on, but lunch on the balcony was fun. After the museum we made our way – slowly – to the Eiffel Tower. (Amy put it well when she said, "We are on the road to nowhere.") Ashby took off in search of dinner for the group, and the 7 remaining braved the lines and claustrophobic elevators to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Beautiful views, we survived. Cab back to the apartment for a middle eastern takeout dinner. Again, fun, though less wine because the Kinches left Paris early this morning. Another late night for the girls.

Friday

Today we got a horrifyingly late start (Daddy and I each went running this morning before we left the apartment). The girls and I went to the playground across the street, and then we all walked over to the left bank and Boulevard St. Germain. We got lunch and ate it in the gardens of the old, pretty Musee Cluny. Then we walked around the Sorbonne area and made our way to the Luxembourg Gardens. What a great playground at the L.G. – the girls played for a long time there. Then we walked over to Rue Cherche Midi to a place that sold famously good cookies (they were OK), then metro'ed to Les Halles, home to an underground mall on steroids. We went to an area we'd never been in before, not far from L'Opera, to a restaurant recommended in the NYT. It was a bit out of the way but really good. We are so glad we found it. Then it was back to the metro and back to the apartment. Girls were still up at 11!!!

OK, that brings us to tonight. That's a quick synopsis of what we've done. We have learned that the girls can't take TOO much walking, though they are OK for a little while. They don't love the food, though they do love the desserts. Anything active and outside is a big hit.  The weather has been wonderful and we are truly so lucky to be here.

We leave Sunday (quel dommage!) and head to Spain on an overnight train. Not sure when/if we will have Internet again after tomorrow night.

So that's the report so far! Photos in a week or so.