Well, yesterday's day of travel was not exactly smooth- but we all survived and made it safely to Paris, to our apartment, and me to a croque monsier.
Our flight was leaving at 2:20 in the afternoon, and we had to be out of our apartment by 11am. Which gave us just about the right amount of time to load ALL of our stuff (oh jeez, you have never seen 3 adults and 2 kids travel with so much stuff) into two cabs and head to the airport to check in 2 hours ahead of time. Well, we arrived at the airport, unloaded the bags on the curb, tried really hard to keep the kids entertained while all this was happening...and then the guys realized they didn't have their backpack...you know, the very important backpack that carries travel stuff...like their passports. We weren't sure if it was left at the apartment, left in the cab, disappeared never to be found again? So Rob jumped into a cab and went back to the apartment- Matt called the cab company to see if they could get a hold of our cabs...and I said a prayer to St. Anthony...the saint of lost things....who, I might add, has never let me down. AND, what do you know, Rob got to the apartment, and there was the backpack, propping the front door wide open....he raced back to the airport and joined us in line (oh yes, did I mention that Matt and I managed to get all of our luggage- plus two gigantic car seats, and the kids all inside into the check in line all by ourselves, in one trip...it was an amazing sight.) So we got all checked in and found our gate...sort of...our gate was changed about 3 different times. And then the flight was delayed 2 hours. And the airline we flew was open seating...so when they opened the gate to let us off the bus, up to the plane, there was pushing and elbows flying. BUT, we made it. The flight was easy, our luggage all came through and we hopped in another couple of cabs to meet the lady at our new apartment.
The apartment is ADORABLE. It is a little rough around the edges, but comfortable. The ceilings are really low...we keep feeling like we need to duck- but don't actually...my dad definitely would! It has a terrace outside with a lovely garden (I feel like it is important to say lovely when describing the gardens here...) The apartment is small, but the living room has massive floor to ceiling windows that look out into our lovely garden. The neighborhood is definitely a neighborhood- we aren't in the center of Paris...the metro is pretty easy to use, but will need to be used often to get anywhere. And there aren't elevators or escalators, so I am trying to brainstorm how to do the metro with the kids...we are thinking perhaps leashes...
So we were finally settled in about 8:30...Rob ran out to the grocery store to get some dinner and breakfast food, Matt put on a video for the kids, and I decided to do a little exploring...nothing big, as I was exhausted...and really didn't feel like bringing a map or a phrase book. So I wandered around (trying VERY hard to remember which way I came from, so as not to get lost or sucked into an alternate universe, like I did Barcelona). I found a cafe and had some salad and a croque monsier- even in our non-touristy little neighborhood, the waitress spoke English, and was completely pleasant about doing so. I only got lost twice on my way home...took one wrong turn, realized it and went back the other way...and then thought I was totally lost, had a quick moment of panic, only to realize I was actually ON our street and had already passed our entrance. Pretty proud of myself. :) Got home, chatted for a bit, and went to bed.
The dads took the kids out to breakfast this morning, and haven't yet returned...I am taking them out for a few hours so they can start unpacking and run the necessary "new city" errands. We found a park with a PLAYGROUND....phew, right by our house...less than a 5 min walk...which is SUCH a relief. Although, it is currently raining...so I have been frantically looking up indoor activities for kids. I am absolutely not complaining about the rain or the soo comfortable 60-something degree weather...so much more comfortable than the 95 degree, 500% humidity we just left in Barcelona. I do have a few fun souvenirs from Barcelona...about 30 mosquito bites that I got in the last 2 days. Yeah...the whole time we were in Barcelona we commented on how few bugs there were, and were never bothered by any...and literally, the last two days...I don't know where they came from...but I am covered. My arms have about 25 on them...I look like I have chicken pox. And they itch like crazy! Grrrr...soo annoying.
I know there aren't pictures, but we just got here...so I'll give you an update after the weekend, with some pics.
Later...E
