Sunday, September 17, 2006

First trip to Paris - Nantes and Paris, July 15 & 17, 2006


This was our first trip to Paris and I was so excited to make a train trip in to see our foreign exchange student, Mathilde, that we had had over the summer. The only day we could meet them was on Saturday. We took the train from Paris to Nantes and it was our first experience on a bullet train. The train went 160 miles an hour. It was incredible! There was no time to say "oh, looks at that!" It would be gone... very cool way to get around. The girls had school until noon, so their parents picked us up and this would be the first time that we would meet her family. They told us to step off the platform and wait right there. That they would come to us. We knew them immediately and I am sure they recognised us right away. We went to square in Nantes and had cafe au lait and croissants until it was time to meet the girls from school. All the kids go to school on Saturday there.



After lunch at the Periot's house, we all headed out for an electric boat ride around Nantes. Their town was so charming. I cannot wait to return. It was SO good to see Mathilde and Justine again. I was so sad to leave.









Here is Dan with Florence, Pascal and Mathilde.













Back in Paris we spent the next day exploring Montmartre. It sits on the hill in Paris and I LOVE this neighborhood.

















Here I am at one of the MANY cafes along Boulevard St. Germain.



Sunday, May 28, 2006

May 25, 2006 - Chicago


The river outside our hotel


Cool art in the city...


A very nice walkway that leads all the way out to Navy Pier.


The walkway along the river... this fountain goes off every hour (I think)


The lobby of the Hyatt Regency

Fox and Obel... a great grocery store we stumbled upon. I wish we had one! http://www.fox-obel.com/

The olive oil counter... with free tastings!


The cool cheese shop in Fox and Obel




Navy Pier was just covered in fog... I saw this cool ship anchored to the docks.

Navy Pier



This is one of the buildings along the river ride.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency... on the right... hard to see. It was an excellent hotel in a great location!

A great walkway along the river. I love it here!

For any of you that live here in Salt Lake, and want to know what's going in by the VA hospital... it's the Corner Bakery. This was a great spot in Chicago and all over the place. SO... hopefully it will do well here because it was great!