Yes, it really is as beautiful as you'd think! We were there at the absolute perfect time- the tulips were in full bloom, the birds were chirping in full force, and the outdoor cafes were filled with people enjoying the sunshine and a not-so-cheap espresso. This was also a perfect time to visit Disneyland Paris!
We spent an entire day hopping between the two parks, enjoying the European version of Disney. In case you're wondering, they have a lot of the same rides- Twilight Tower of Terror, Aerosmith Rockin' Rollercoaster, It's a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, but there is definitely not the same level of "polish" as you get in Orlando. We waited until the close of the park, in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, expecting a spectacular fireworks show in celebration of the 15th anniversary of Disneyland Paris...... but the Candleabration Extravaganza was actually Mickey and a couple of other characters dancing on a platform made to look like a cake and some tinsel confetti shot out of 15 candles (off the beat of the music) and no fireworks were in sight. If you have never been to Disneyworld in Orlando, you might think I am being overly harsh, but if you HAVE been then you know what I am talking about- I mean, a few tinsel streamers compared to a giant fireworks extravaganza- really no comparison there..... One other exciting moment of the day- not really in a good way- was being emergency-evacuated from the Star Tours ride (yes, we really did EVERY thing) with no explanation of what was going on, and then told to completely evacuate the park by a misinformed drink cart saleswoman. We're not sure what actually happened- we figured a medical emergency of some kind- but we never had to evacuate the park, and we never went back to ride Star Tours. Nonetheless, we had a fantastic time at Disney and it was very surreal with it being so easy to forget that we weren't actually in Orlando. In case you're wondering, Mickey Mouse speaks English at Disney Paris.
We hit all the major sites in Paris, the Eiffel Tower and all the crowds that go with it,
...the Louvre Museum which was complemented by the fantastic Rick Steves audio guide that we downloaded onto the iPod (hence the headphones).....
So now we are in Buenos Aires, getting over jetlag from the 14 hour flight from Paris. We decided to settle down a bit more and have rented an apartment for the month in a "bohemian" part of town. It is going to be a very different feeling not hopping towns every two days, but it should be fun having a chance to get to know a place better, and hopefully pick up on more of the language and local culture. We have a few more days to live it up with our hotel points (the Plaza Hotel definitely didn't know what to make of us rolling in with our giant backpacks!) and then off to our new (temporary) apartment!
...the Louvre Museum which was complemented by the fantastic Rick Steves audio guide that we downloaded onto the iPod (hence the headphones).....
....Notre Dame, multiple trips to patisseries to enjoy their fantastic desserts. I would say this go-round Paris wins the award for most delicious creme brulee, butter croissant, rhubarb pie, well the list really could go on but you get the drift.....
We stayed in a Courtyard Marriott just on the edge of the city, which was close enough to have an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower from our room, but far enough away to not have swarms of tourists on your doorstep. We started the trip on a sour note having a run-in with a VERY snooty Parisian on the subway coming in from the airport. Turns out everyone else was in general much nicer, and of special note was when I was spending our last €6.50 on a sandwich in the airport, the bill came up to €6.60 and I embarassedly had to admit I didnt have enough to pay for the food. Instead of making me put the sandwich back, the clerk gave me .10€ from her tip jar to cover the difference- now THAT was a nice way to leave a city.
The week before Paris we spent in Valencia, Spain, having a fantastic time taking advantage of the apartment(s) we rented. We cooked lots of great dinners using all the fresh produce we picked up at the daily markets, wandered around the town enjoying the laid-back atmosphere, bought a laptop computer- not QUITE the impulse purchase it sounds like- rented bikes to explore more of the city, and just had a great time relaxing. Valencia is a great place if you have a chance to visit.
So now we are in Buenos Aires, getting over jetlag from the 14 hour flight from Paris. We decided to settle down a bit more and have rented an apartment for the month in a "bohemian" part of town. It is going to be a very different feeling not hopping towns every two days, but it should be fun having a chance to get to know a place better, and hopefully pick up on more of the language and local culture. We have a few more days to live it up with our hotel points (the Plaza Hotel definitely didn't know what to make of us rolling in with our giant backpacks!) and then off to our new (temporary) apartment!Cheers,
Anna
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