Eurotourismo

Travelog of Jamin, Sally, River & Mia
Well, as all good things must come to an end, so too for this blog and my family’s life changing adventure in Paris. It seems appropriate that this final entry is post number 42, which is (as we know) the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. So, as the dolphins would say to us before leaving our due-to-be-demolished-for-an-intersteller-by-pass planet, ‘So long, and thanks for all the fish’. As I write this last post my family has already left Paris… and I remain here alone. Despite the beauty, the colour and the zest of Paris, it is that much less beautiful, less colourful, and less full of life and laughter without them.  Our time together on the other side of the world has been remarkable; it has been such a wonderful opportunity to spend time together as we explored, discovered and re-evaluated our place in the world. In the short (though approaching 10 year) history of our family, there have been many significant moments, though I think I can say in one breath, that there was the meeting of Sally and I, the birth of River, the birth of Mia, and our journey together to Paris. I hope you have enjoyed sharing some of our journey. To life, love, laughter and family. Jamin.

Well, as all good things must come to an end, so too for this blog and my family’s life changing adventure in Paris. It seems appropriate that this final entry is post number 42, which is (as we know) the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. So, as the dolphins would say to us before leaving our due-to-be-demolished-for-an-intersteller-by-pass planet, ‘So long, and thanks for all the fish’.

As I write this last post my family has already left Paris… and I remain here alone. Despite the beauty, the colour and the zest of Paris, it is that much less beautiful, less colourful, and less full of life and laughter without them. 

Our time together on the other side of the world has been remarkable; it has been such a wonderful opportunity to spend time together as we explored, discovered and re-evaluated our place in the world. In the short (though approaching 10 year) history of our family, there have been many significant moments, though I think I can say in one breath, that there was the meeting of Sally and I, the birth of River, the birth of Mia, and our journey together to Paris.

I hope you have enjoyed sharing some of our journey.

To life, love, laughter and family.

Jamin.

While the kids were sneaking around in the bushes at a very lush and pretty little garden near the Notre Dame… Sally and I decided to get married next year. Vive l’amour!

(OK, so maybe it’s a bit late, but love plays by no rules other than its own sweet dance in its own sweet time…).

A day spent enjoying the sun and not doing too much. 

The first three photos:

Your having fun at the Caféothéque, enjoying your hot chocolate and playing with your brother, Dad looks relaxed in his chair, nothing untowards there… next thing you know… BAM! He’s drinking your hot chocalate.

Busting moves at the Arc de Triomphe…

Our trip to the Arc de Triomphe: punctuated with hot drinks at the Cafóthéque, fairy floss and play grounds at the Jardin de Tuileries, a stroll along the Champs-Élysées, an invigorating break dancing demonstration, and then busting some moves of our own under the Arc itself. 

Oh, and continuing our tradition of french sweets to end the day.

Another trip to the Jardin du Luxembourg… this has to be one of the best parks ever. I wish I was a kid again…. (incidentally I hoped onto a seesaw with River at one of the other parks and a split second later the booming voice of a female park officer commands me to get off the play equipment, in French, much to my chagrin… so no, I cannot even pretend to be a kid in the parks in Paris…)

Walking the streets of the Marais, and visiting our favourite bakery (boulangerie).

Lovely day spent at the Natural History Museum. So many taxidermies! Yes, that is a Tasmanian Tiger in one shot… probably not a taxidermy. It was a sunny day so a walk through the Jardin des Plantes afterwards was welcomed… the kids running around pretending they were animals. Naturally.

Today was a trip to the Cité des Sciences - a very cool science playground for kids - albeit an expensive lesson. The different areas involved kinetics, astronomy, mass production, television, animation and more - with heaps of interesting gadgets and gizmos to keep all well occupied. We also saw an Imax film there about dinosaurs… well, sea reptiles as they are known. Or unknown. Finishing of the day with a small treat from a local boulangerie…

Every now and then, when the moon is in alignment and all things are just right… we have what we call a “special kids day”. This was one. River chose some excellent new clothes from a cute little shop, which he was very impressed with. Pedestrians were very impressed with Mia, trudging along humming Pendulum songs in here hooded Jacket and pet dog ‘Scruff’ tucked in to keep warm.

The weather is definitely turning towards winter now - it is mostly sunny but the chill factor is creeping up steadily. In the third last image you can see the hill of Montemarte that we visited a few days earlier.