Paris, je t'aime!

The Oxford Online Dictionary

Definition of SURPRISE 

noun

• an unexpected or astonishing even, fact, etc.: the announcement came as a complete surprise
• [mass noun] a feeling of mild astonishment or shock cause by something unexpected: much to her surprise, she'd missed him
• [as modifier] denoting something done or happening unexpectedly: a surprise attack

SURPRISE, 
I AM IN PARIS!
JUNE 18TH-22ND

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View from the Eiffel Tower... Yes I was scared to death! 

Yummmmmmm! CREPES!

On the boat tour.

Sacre Coeur <3

Unfortunately we were too poor to go in.

Notre Dame

Prayers.

Love Lock Bridge.

Locks of <3.

Tuk Tuk's in Paris? 

Resting our feet... and our stomachs after yet another crepe.

Soon after the surprise :)

Photo credit - Evan Duncan

Baby brother in his favorite city! 

Cider in mugs? Oh la la!

Du Musee Du Louvre.

Moulin Rouge!

I didn't see the hunchback - gosh darn it!

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The surprise was a success and Paris was amazing. I am so glad that I went and I am so happy that I got to spend time with some of the people that are very important to me.

Tuesday early afternoon I got to the hotel before everyone else, put my bag in their room and went for a coffee around the corner. Sitting by yourself seems so boring when you are waiting to complete a surprise trip. Bored of coffee, cokes, and waiting alone, I went back to the hotel and waited in the lobby. My chair was hidden from the front of the door so I could not been seen until I made my self present. When my mommy walked in I said "took you long enough" and she stood there in shock before the tears came. Evan walked in right after and said "who is that" before we all had a nice family hug! The hotel was just down the road from the Arc de Triomphe and once we were all settled in the rooms we went for a walk down the Champs-Elyees before dinner at Oscars.

Wednesday was declared the Eiffel Tower day because the weather man said that it was sunny with clear skies. I am terrified of heights but I wasn't going to wait at the bottom. The last time I was on the Eiffel Tower was when I was a kid with my daddy and William. My only memory is that my daddy's hair was a mess from it being so windy, and he was sweating and nervous giggling in the elevator - yes I get my fear from him. After waiting in line for the tickets we waited in another line for the first elevator. All the lines do not help someone who is scared of heights and the whole experience would have been far less scary if they didn't CRAM you in the elevator that has glass walls. Both elevators had glass walls and both elevators were surely over the limit of people. Once you are at the top you just have to suck it up, move to the edge, and enjoy the view which was truly amazing. Evan and Jake had to use the restroom just so that they could say they peed at the top of the Eiffel Tower - boys will be boys. After taking in the scenes it is lines and glass elevators back down again - no wonder my dad had his nervous giggle when I last went! Crepes and a boat tour followed the Eiffel Tower. After seeing the sites of Paris from the boat we did some more walking and left the mommies to have wine and snacks. Evan, Jake, and I had an interesting encounter with a man in a dress sitting in "no sit" area of a park holding an umbrella over his/her dog to shield it from the sun. Jakes face was priceless. Dinner was delicious at a local family run restaurant where we had more bread, the mommies had more wine, and Evan and Jake demolished three courses.

Thursday we went to see the beautiful Sacre Coeur. We walked around the area with Kathy as our tour guide, no we didn't get lost and yes we laughed about chicken picnics. The square with all the artists around the corner from Sacre Coeur is where we stopped for goats cheese salads to rest our legs and escape the heat. Lots of stairs and large hills are tiring for people who live in flat land areas - on the plus side my calf muscles look great now ;) Before lunch we walked by The Moulin Rouge and Jake got his first look at the Paris "sex area" - really was a laugh when my mom sent his father a picture of him in front of a sex store and Kathy told him not to talk to any women! Again another priceless look on Jake's face. After lunch we headed to Notre Damn but we only saw Jake pretending to be the hunchback. We then walked along the Love Lock Bridge and watched some people lock their love in Paris. It is a pretty cool bridge to see and maybe one day I will lock some love on that bridge - how romantic!

Friday was a rainy day and museums are best done when you cannot enjoy being outside, so we headed to The Louvre after Jake and Evan demolished pain au chocolats for breakfast. To be honest the Mona Lisa was a huge disappointment. It is so small and you can't even see it because of the crowd. Evan, Jake, and I much preferred the bigger pieces that looked like they must have taken years to paint. After leaving the museum we realized that is was Summer Solstice which is celebrated with music on every corner in Paris. Friday night we went to catch the lights go off on the Eiffel Tower after dinner in an area where we "tried" to enjoy some music but the guitar player clearly needed some practice. I will admit I was cranky and my feet hurt from all the walking we had done but it was beautiful to see it all sparkling with lights.

Saturday was the day I was given my first Hermes scarf by my mommy! I am one very lucky girl :) Oh and we ate A LOT! Kathy's motto was "when in Paris you eat as much as you can" and we certainly did! I don't think I will be able to look at another baguette again for a while. We walked along the Champs-Elyees one last time laughing about all the funny stories from the last few days and enjoyed our last hours in Paris. The goodbye was not fun as it will be a while before I see them again and it was hard to hold back my tears in the taxi to the airport. It was a great long weekend in Paris and I enjoyed every moment of it, even the pull out bed was comfortable! My surprise long weekend in Paris will be one I cherish for a very long time.

Beautiful :)