Vive La France

Last day in Paris

2011-07-16T07:36:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe but we are less than 24 hours from getting on a plane and heading home! I believe the girls have had a great time, however, I think they are READY to come home. This morning we departed for a guided tour of the Versailles - the home and gardens. Our tour guide, Etienne, gave us a brief history of Versailles on the bus ride. Once we arrived and started to tour the gardens - it rained! Even though it was not pouring down rain, and there were a few umbrellas to share, everyone seemed to get a bit wet! What a farewell to Paris. We then toured house and again our tour guide provided valuable information in all the rooms we visited. Of course, the girls hit the gift shop before we departed home. There seems to be a lot of talk about "suitcase issues" so when we got to FIAP, we encouraged the girls to start AND finish packing. Tomorrow morning we depart at 7:00 a.m. for the airport to catch our 10:00 a.m. flight. Au Revoir Paris . . . it's been WONDERFUL!

Transportation

2011-07-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

As our trip winds down, I was just reviewing all the forms of transportation that we've used in London and Paris. Obviously, we started out on a plane to London. Once in London, we took a motorcoach, the underground and a double decker bus. We took the Chunnel to take us from England into France and once in France we took the Metro and used the public bus system. We also used our feet - alot to get around both countries. The girls have become "experts" with the Metro system in Paris. The picture is taken at the Glaciere station which is our main departing depot and the map is the Metro system map which we have navigated daily.

Bastille Day & Rebecca's Birthday

2011-07-15T04:16:00.000-07:00

Finally - "we get to sleep in". That was the comment regarding yesterday. Since it was Bastille Day, there was no school and the girls took full advantage of it! We met for lunch at noon and had the cafeteria staff bring out a cake for Rebecca. We sang Happy Birthday in French, English and Spanish. At 2:45 we departed for a nearby cinema to see Harry Potter. All the previews and commercials were in French and I was getting concerned that the movie would be played in French. But much to my surprise, the film was in English with French subtitles. Bernice and I are not really a Harry Potter fan so the girls had to bring us up to date before the movie started. There was crying, cheering and applause. We stopped in for dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant that was quite lovely. Friday is the last day of school so the girls want to celebrate by...shopping! I know, that's quite a shock so Bernice and I will force ourselves and take them to a few areas for shopping. Saturday morning we depart for Versailles and Sunday it's home. See everyone very soon!

Orsay Musuem and The Chapel of the Miraculous Medal

2011-07-14T04:14:00.000-07:00

Shortly after lunch we departed for the Orsay museum. Again, we reminded the girls that some of the most famous impressionist works are housed in this museum and they have the opportunity to enter and view the pieces for FREE! One of the things I love about Paris is that they encourage young adults to become culturally educated by giving them access to the museums for free. The Orsay is much smaller and easier to navigate than the Louvre and the girls enjoyed their visit. We then walked to the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal and the home of St. Catherine Laboure - just beautiful. As we headed home, Rebecca, Caro Nunez, Caro Carasa and Katie Watson joined me at the Cafe Oz to watch the Amercian women defeat the French women soccer team - Go Team USA! Alex, Caryn and Olga ate at FIAP, while the other girls stopped at the Italian restaurant by FIAP for dinner.

Today, July 14th, in addition to Bastille Day, it's Rebecca Charur's birthday. We met for lunch and had the kitchen staff prepare a cake for her as we sang Happy Birthday. Later we're scheduled to go the movies to watch Harry Potter. The pictures posted are in front of the Orsay and at the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal.

As our trip winds down, I hope the girls have had an awesome time in London and Paris. While I'm glad to be headed home, I'll miss Paris - the City of Lights!

The Seine River

2011-07-13T02:53:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, our scheduled picnic was rained out. The girls seemed grateful for the opportunity to take a long afternoon nap on a rainy day. That evening we departed for a river boat cruise on the Seine River. The sights on the river are even more beautiful at night including Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Orsay museum. On Wednesday we are scheduled to visit the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. St. Catherine Laboure relayed a request from the Blessed Virgin Mary to create the Miraculous Medal that is worn today by many Catholics and even Non-Catholics. After visiting the chapel we head to the Orsay museum home of the some of the most famous painting by impressionist painters such as Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Degas. Tomorrow is Bastille Day and Rebecca Charur's birthday. Happy independence day France and very Happy Birthday Rebecca!

Free Day in Paris

2011-07-11T23:44:00.001-07:00

After the "exhausting" weekend, we decided to give the girls a "free day in Paris" i.e. no planned outings. We went back to the area with L'Opera and Galleries Lafayette. Some girls toured the opera house, while some girls toured the shopping malls - you know who you are! In the evening, FIAP hosted a dinner for our group as well as groups from Canada, Brazil and Argentina. After a little coaxing, we seated the girls with the other groups so they can get to know some of their fellow students. The evening turned out quite well and we all realized that teenagers are teenagers no matter where they come from! Today we are scheduled to have a picnic at Jardin du Luxembourg and this evening we are scheduled for our boat tour along the Seine River. I will post picture when we return from our outing. The girls have been great and while I know they are enjoying Paris - some are just a tad homesick.

Normandy, St. Malo and Mont St. Michel

2011-07-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning departed FIAP for the weekend. The first stop was Caen, where the Peace Memorial is located. This memorial is dedicated to the forces that stormed the beaches on Normanday. We viewed a film via a split screen that shows the Allied forces storming the beach while the German soldiers prepared for the invasion. The film was moving as well as the walk through the museum. We then departed to Omaha beach where we were able to walk along the same beach that our soldiers landed on. It was an extremely moving and emotional experience, especially after we visited the cemetery where 9000+ American soliders are buried. Our tour guide, Etienne, spent a great deal of time retelling the history of the war on our drive down to Caen. He also expressed his gratitute on behalf of the French people for the efforts during the two month of the Normany invasion.

After leaving the cemetery, we drove for about 2 hours to a quaint fishing town called St. Malo. The hotel provided dinner so we departed for the "city" around 9:00 p.m. Our tour guide walked us through the town filled with rich history. The girls shopped, ate crepes and ice cream. We made it home around midnight where everyone went to sleep right away. The next morning we left the hotel at 8:30 a.m. for Mont St. Michel. Etienne, took us on a walking tour of the abbey and explained it's dedicated to St. Michael, the Archangel. The girls had free time to eat lunch and shop. We departed for FIAP at 1:00 p.m. and made it home around 6:00 p.m.

It was a wonderful, event filled and emotional laden weekend. I hope the girls enjoyed themselves and so did I.

Rodiin's Museum and Napoleon's Tomb

2011-07-08T05:06:00.001-07:00

After lunch and nap time, we departed for afternoon of history and culture. In Paris, most of the museums and historical places we visit are free for students. Madame took a few minutes to explain to the group what an opportunity they have to be enriched in culture. Our first stop was Rodin's museum. The house and gardens are home to his most famous works including "The Thinker", "The Kiss" and the "The Gates of Hell". His works in marble and bronze are amazing to view. We headed to Les Invalides - the home of Napoleon's Tomb. In addition to Napoleon, some of his family members and soldiers that served for him are buried here. Although we were going to head home, we took the girls to Galleries Lafayette for shopping. Some ate dinner out, while other ate dinner at FIAP. Today, we are headed to the Louvre and expect an early evening since we are departing for Mont St. Michel and Normany Saturday morning.

The Eiffel Tower

2011-07-08T02:36:00.000-07:00

Wednesday evening we departed for the Eiffel Tower. We had lift tickets at 8:30 p.m. so the girls could experience the tower at night. We stayed until 11:00 p.m. so we could see the tower twinkle. An awesome experience.

Montmartre

2011-07-06T05:08:00.000-07:00

I don't know why but the girls are just "exhausted". We let them nap after lunch and departed at 3:00 p.m. for a fun filled afternoon. We began by visiting the Basilica of Sacre Coeur. Montmartre is located on a hill and you can see an amazing view of Paris from the top 129 meters above sea level. Some girls chose to accompany Madame on the tram, while the brave ones walked up the steps with me. The church takes your breath away. Afterwards we headed into Montmartre. Many artists such as Dali, Monet, Picasso and Van Gogh had studios or worked around the Montmartre community. Today, the city is filled with "starving artists", shops, restaurants, galleries and a museum dedicated to Salvadore Dali. Many girls had artist paint their portraits. It was a great time watching the artists draw a picture that developed into such a likeness of the girls. They are very excited to show you their "portrait". After spending time in Montmartre, before heading home, we headed to the Champs Elsyees. The avenue is filled with such energy and girls had some time to explore on their own. We arrived at FIAP around 10:30 p.m.

This evening (Wednesday) we are headed to the Tower Eiffel - in the evening. We were able to purchase advance lift tickets for 8:30 p.m. At 10:00 p.m., nightly, the tower lights up and twinkles. Looking forward to it . . .

First day of school

2011-07-05T00:03:00.001-07:00

The girls officially began their french classes on Monday morning. They were placed in levels that correspond to their current knowledge of French. They have met people from Russia, Brazil, Japan and Spain. After lunch we departed as a group for the Pantheon. It was originally built as a church dedicated to Ste. Genevieve (the patron saint of Paris) and now serves as a mausoleum for distinguished citizens. Among the people buried in the crypt are Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, Emile Zola and Alexandre Dumas. The first floor is dedicated to portraits of Ste. Genevieve, Joan of Arc and the French revolution. The structure is beautiful! We headed back to FIAP to take a walking tour of the area that includes St. Anne's Hospital (used to house soldiers during the war) and the Catacombs which was built in the 1700's and house around 6 million people. We continued our walking tour in an area known as Denfert-Rochereau that is filled with restaurants and shops. Even though the original plan called for dinner on the Champs Elysees, the girls were "exhausted" and ate dinner on their own at one of the surrounding restaurants.

Our first day in Paris

2011-07-03T12:06:00.000-07:00

After breakfast this morning we departed on our city of Paris. The day was glorious - low 70's, blue azure sky and not a cloud in the sky. Our tour guide was wonderful and filled us interesting information as we navigated our way through the narrow streets of Paris. We had plenty of photo ops at the Eiffel Tower, Napoleon's Tomb, the Arc of Triumphe and the Champs Elysees. Our last stop was Notre Dame cathedral where we stayed for mass - simply awesome and breathtaking! We stopped for sandwiches and crepes then walked over to the Latin Quarter. The Latin Quarter is home to Sorbonne College and is filled with shops, cafes and a lively atmosphere. It is also home to statue/fountain of Saint Michel. After exploring the area, we took the Metro home and settled in for dinner. Tomorrow we've scheduled an afternoon of sightseeing after lunch then it's back to FIAP for a welcome reception at 5:45 p.m. I'm really getting to know the girls and their nuances. Some girls like to shop, some are NOT morning people, some like to eat, some like to walk and others - not so much, but one thing they all have in common is that so far ALL the girls love Paris.

Bonjour!

2011-07-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

We've made it to Paris! After checking out of our hotel this morning, we headed to the train station where we took the chunnel to Paris. Taking the train is NOT like taking an airplane. You are responsible for carrying your luggage through security and onto the train. Our group's luggage overwhelmed the workers and almost delayed the train. The ride was awesome and we were only "under the channel" for about 30 minutes. Once we emerged from "under the channel" we were promptly deposited into France. The train takes you through the countryside of England and Paris and it was just beautiful. Full of green rolling hills and farms, you could have mistaken it for the midwest in the United States. Our motorcoach dropped us at FIAP - our home for the next two weeks. After settling in and eating dinner, we had a short orientation regarding FIAP and the rules and regulations. Tomorrow we meet for breakfast at 8:00 a.m. then off to a city tour of Paris. Our last (and only stop) will be Notre Dame Cathedral where we hope to attend mass at 12:45 p.m.

Madame and I are SOOOO excited to show off Paris - the city of lights - to your girls. We are planning fun and full days. Please know that your girls are being well taken care of and looked after. Stay tuned . . .

London Day #3

2011-07-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

This morning we took an abbreviated city tour of London where we saw Big Ben, Parliament Square a quick view of #10 Downing Street then to Westminister Abbey. Breathtaking is the first word that comes to mind. The history behind the Abbey is incredible. After the Abbey, we continued on a city tour and spend the afternoon in Picadally Circus and Trafalgar Square. That evening we went for dinner and entertainment at a Medievel Dinner Theatre complete with Henry VIII, his queen (s), the court jester and the court acrobat. The girls had a good time and ended the evening dancing to "American" music. Tomorrow morning we depart for Paris via the chunnel. Stay tuned . . .

175 Steps and counting

2011-07-01T15:32:00.000-07:00

The best way to get around London is to take the Underground - which we have been doing. However, the stations are jammed with people and to get on the train you have to take the lift a.k.a. elevator down. I encouraged the girls to take the steps with me and they did - all 175 of them down and all 175 steps up! Since we took the underground twice yesterday we did a total of 700 stairs! The girls are about to kill me, but I keep telling them they'll thank me later when their legs look good!

Yesterday - the City of London public workers went on strike causing a slight disruption in our plans. We went to the Tower of London which houses the crowned jewels. Amazing! Afterwards our bus dropped us at Covent Gardens for lunch and shopping. Covent Gardens is an outdoor area filled with shops, restaurant and is the home for the Royal Ballet. It is lively, filled with music, street performers and an outdoor market.

Later that evening we took a double decker bus to the theatre district where we saw "Legally Blonde" - the girls loved it! We found a lovely place for dinner and made it back to the hotel around 1:00 a.m. A great day and evening in London.

First Day in London

2011-06-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

As our first day abroad comes to an end I want to update you on a few things. We were able to secure tickets to Legally Blonde for tomorrow evening at the Savoy Theatre. The girls were SOOO excited!

After purchasing the tickets, we took the underground to Harrods where the girls shopped and shopped. They asked to come back for more shopping. Oh No!

Later we ate dinner at the local London Pub, then back to the hotel. As I blog, I am surrounded by girls on their laptop. iPads, phones etc ... taking advantage of the free wireless in the lobby. What a great group of girls. So excited to be spending the next few weeks with them. Will update more tomorrow . . .

We Made It!

2011-06-29T08:16:00.001-07:00

Finally...we touched down in London around 8:30 a.m. Overall is was a smooth takeoff, flight and landing. Our hotel, The Royal National Hotel is located in Russell Square which is fairly centrally located. After checking in, we took the girls for fish and chips and to the British Museum filled with incredible Egyptian artifacts dating back to 700 B.C. In addition, the museum houses the Rosetta Stone. So far, we've not had luck finding tickets to a show ...we'll keep trying. We're going take the girls to Harrod's via the Underground, then dinner, then back to the hotel for an early evening. Tomorrow morning we'll depart around 9:00 for a city tour of London. Stay tuned . . .

2011 Trip! 1 day to go . . . .

2011-06-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is as excited as I am to travel to England and Paris!

I've been collecting the "suggestions" regarding which show to see in England. We'll discuss further at the airport tomorrow.

Au Revoir and Cheerio!

We're coming home

2009-07-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

I'm back . . . I have been unable to blog over the last few days because I have been unable to access the Internet via a wireless connection. I am blogging from the computer in the hotel in Spain so unfortunately I cannot post any new pictures.

We ended our Paris trip with a wonderful afternoon at Versailles. We toured the gardens and the palace. The highlights of the palace tour were views of the King's bedroom, Marie Antoinette's bedroom and of course the Hall of Mirrors. The girls really enjoyed this visit. After making our way back to FIAP some of the girls went for pizza at a restaurant nearby. They made their way back early to finish last minute packing before we embarked for Spain. We're going to miss Paris and all the wonderful adventures we shared. Spain . . . here we come!

After arriving in Madrid and checking into the hotel, we met for a walking tour of the city. Our tour guide, Leo, was spectacular. She started by taking us downstairs into a parking garage to show us the "walls" that were built by the Moors - incredible. Next we went to Plaza Mayor for a traditional spanish dinner before going to bed after a long day.

The next morning after breakfast we met Leo again for bus tour of the city and a visit to El Museo del Prado. Since we we short on time at the musuem we made a point of seeing Velazquez and Goya. After lunch it was off to Toledo for a walking tour of the city. The cathedral was spectacular as was the view from the top of the city. Afterwards, the girls were on their own for dinner.

We're scheduled to leave early in the morning for Miami. Our flight departs at noon, however, because we're such a big group we're staggering our check out times and we're scheduled leave the hotel by 8:45 am. I know the girls have had a wonderful time but I think they are all ready to come home!

I hope you have enjoyed reading about our adventures - it's been my pleasure to accompany your girls on this trip. See you soon!

Napoleon's Tomb

2009-07-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Thursday, after lunch we headed out to visit Napoleon’s Tomb. What an enormous dwelling for such a small person! It was breathtaking as were the gardens that surround the structure.

It was one of the hottest days we’ve experienced since our trip began. Last week the weather was perfect “touring and sightseeing” weather with temperatures in the mid 70s. Yesterday it felt as though we were back in Miami. The girls had the afternoon free and the seniors chose to come back to FIAP and head towards the Luxembourg Gardens. The juniors walked around the Rue de Rivoli for some last minute shopping (these girls are unbelievable). We ate dinner at the FIAP and as the evening began to wind down we were smacked with a hail storm. As you recall that FIAP is not equipped with air conditioning, therefore our windows are opened all the time. The girls had to scramble to close their windows as hail was coming in. There were down branches and leaves scattered everywhere. Even though the rain stopped, the lightning lasted until the early morning hours.

Today, the day is cooler than it has been as we head to Versailles. This evening the girls want to have a farewell dinner in Paris. We cannot believe that our adventure in Paris is coming to an end. I believe that they have had a wonderful time and it has been my pleasure to accompany them. They are truly a remarkable group of young women.

Saturday morning we head to Spain for a whirlwind tour of Madrid and Toledo. Then it’s back to Miami. I’ve heard the girls tell me that even though they’re having a wonderful time, they miss their family and their home.

Free day in Paris

2009-07-15T04:10:00.000-07:00

After lunch, the juniors went to the Latin Quarter (yes again!) and then to Champs Elysees. Many more purchases were made and there have been discussions about “is there enough room in my suitcase for ALL the stuff I bought?” The seniors enjoyed an afternoon relaxing at FIAP then they were off to dinner to a Brazilian restaurant.

Since we have an early flight to Madrid on Saturday morning, we encouraged the girls to begin packing and organizing.

Tomorrow, we’re off to visit Napoleon’s Tomb and Sainte-Chappelle and the girls have a free evening on their own. And finally, on Friday we’re visiting Versailles.

After being in Paris for over a week, I have made the following observations that I wanted to share:
1. Air conditioning is scarce.
2. The French love their dogs and take them EVERYWHERE; even on vacation. When we were visiting Mont St. Michel – there were plenty of dogs on vacation with their families.
3. Smoking in not a taboo – it is part of their culture. People of all ages smoke and they smoke everywhere.
4. Waiters don’t work for tips. Generally the service is slow and if you don’t ask for your bill, they will never bring it.

Bastille Day

2009-07-14T04:08:00.000-07:00

Today is Bastille Day (Independence Day), therefore there is no school. The girls took advantage and slept in.

We spent the afternoon at the Orsay Museum. This museum houses a large collection of impressionist painters among other works of art. The girls saw Van Gogh, Monet, Cezanne, Picasso, and Matisse among others.

For the evening we got tickets to see La Fille mal gardee, a ballet at the Opera National de Paris. We sat in individual rooms on the mezzanine level. The ballet was funny and lively, filled with dancing and a wonderful array of costumes. Afterwards, we tried to make it see the fireworks, but unfortunately, because of the crowds we were unable to.

This evening was a “dress up” day and the girls looked beautiful! Tomorrow is a free day for the girls to explore Paris on their own.

The Louvre

2009-07-13T04:02:00.000-07:00

Today we were off to the Louvre. Before we let the girls explore the museum on their own we gave three “must sees”: DaVinci’s Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo.

The museum is overwhelming and you could stay for days and still NOT see everything. The girls appreciated the visit and in addition to the “must sees”, found works of art that were deemed as their favorites.

There was no evening activity planned so the girls were on their own for the evening. Sisi, Tabitha, Elsa and Stephanie made their way back to FIAP and enjoyed dessert around the neighborhood. Gayle, Marielou and Alex shopped the Rue de Rivoli and went back to Montmartre for more shopping. Arianne, Aymee, Allie, Zoe, Dani and Gaby headed to the Latin Quarter and Anabelle and Andrea joined me at the Champs Elysees. We ate the most amazing and world famous macaroons at Laduree – which has been in Paris since 1862.

Tomorrow we’re off to Orsay and L’Opera for a ballet.

One week down, one week to go

2009-07-12T04:19:00.000-07:00

Today, marks one full week that we’ve been in Paris. It has been a wonderful trip so far and I expect this coming week will be more of the same.

Friday afternoon I took the girls shopping (yes, more shopping!) to the Latin Quarter. The Latin Quarter is a lively part of Paris full of boutiques, cafes and entertainment.

That evening we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Spectacular is the first word that comes to mind. While at the top we saw a couple get engaged – awww how romantic! Many of the girls decided to take the stairs down the tower. We waited until 10:00 p.m. when the tower is lit and the lights twinkle for about 5 minutes. It was awesome. There we were, in front of the Eiffel Tower eating crepes. These are memories that will last a lifetime.

Saturday morning we departed Paris early in the morning on our way to Caen – where we visited the Caen Memorial - A Museum for Peace, which is dedicated to D-Day and the Normandy invasion. We began our tour with a movie depicting the days before D-Day, D-day itself and the days following D-Day. After the movie, we toured the museum which is filled with artifacts from WWII including personal letters written from the soldiers on the front line of Normandy. Our next stop was the beach and the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. While at the cemetery, the national anthem began to play – we all stood at attention and understood the enormity of the moment. There are 10,000 crosses at the cemetery representing all the lives lost on D-day. Next we stopped at Saint-Malo – a quaint fishing town on the coast of France. We walked into town along the sea wall which was erected to protect the town from storms. After a quick tour of the town, the girls were on their own to eat dinner and explore.

The next morning we left for Mont Saint Michel. When Mont Saint Michel was built it was completely surrounded by a forest. Today, it is completely surrounded by water. Mont Saint Michel is thought to date back to 708, when the Bishop of Avranches had a sanctuary built in honor of St. Michael the Archangel. Today it still houses an abbey, a chapel and cloisters. Following a long trip home, we settled in for the evening after an exhausting but fun-filled weekend.

This week looks to be packed with museums, monuments, opera, and Bastille Day celebrations before we depart for Madrid. That’s all for now, continue reading and enjoying our adventures.

Montmartre and Sacre Coeur

2009-07-09T00:40:00.000-07:00

We were scheduled to leave for Montmartre at 3:00 p.m., however, some of the girls (you know who you are) wanted to get in more shopping after lunch and before going to Montmartre. We ended up at Rue Rivoli which is a main avenue across from the Louvre. There were many souvenir shops and the girls had a ball.

We met up with Madame at Sacre Coeur - church of the Sacred Heart. The church sits up on a hill and once you get to the top you have the most amazing panoramic view of Paris you could ever see. Most of the girls took me up on my challenge and walked up the 300+ steps to the top of the church. Others (which will remain nameless) decided the Madame needed personal accompaniment and took the easy way on a tram.

After the church visit we went to the heart of Montmartre which is shops, cafes and most of all painters. Montmartre used to be where many of the French painters got their start - that tradition lives on today as many "would be" artists display their work and are willing to paint your portrait. We indulged in the most amazing crepes I've ever had, and some even decided on ice cream AFTER their crepes. These girls have a bottomless pit for a stomach! We finished our day with what else - more shopping! Parents - check your accounts because they shopped to their hearts' content.

On Friday, we have tickets to the Eiffel Tower at 8:00 p.m. We're riding all the way to the top. This afternoon was supposed to be a "napping" day but the girls want to explore and shop some more so I guess I'll continue to make the ultimate sacrifice and take them where they want to go. On Saturday morning we leave for Normandy - really looking forward to it.

Stay tuned as we continue our adventures . . .

Shopping and Seine

2009-07-08T12:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we started our outing by going shopping. We visited Galeries Lafayette - an indoor mall that houses many, many stores. The girls had a wondeful time but you might need to transfer some money into their accounts because damage was done!

After eating dinner at FIAP we met at 8:00 p.m. to make our way to the Seine for a river cruise. What a wonderful evening! Throughout our trip there was commentary that pointed out and explained the sights we were seeing. The evening was crisp and cool and as we were passing by Notre Dame , the sun was setting and "Ave Maria" was playing over the speakers. It brought tears to my ears. Throughout the river cruise the girls had a great time waving at all passerby boats and insisting that everyone wave back. I heard from all the girls that they really enjoyed this tour.

Tommorrow we are headed to Montmartre and to visit Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart church). Montmartre is also an art district with street artists, full of paintings and other Paris mementos.

I have to say that I'm not sure if I'm having more fun because I'm experiencing Paris or if I'm just enjoying seeing the girls have so much fun. They are a great group and all get along so well. It is truly my pleasure to accompany them on this adventure.

Hope all of you are enjoying the blog. I will try to continue to post as often as I can. Until later . . . au revoir!

The Paris City Tour

2009-07-07T02:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had an intense city tour of Paris. Our guide, Katherine, was full of wonderful information (historical and otherwise) that added so much value to the sights we were experiencing.

Among the sights we saw were the Pantheon (where among many other notables, the following people are entombed: Rousseau, Voltaire, Curie, Hugo, Dumas and Braille), the Latin Quarter, the red light district including Moulin Rouge, the Louvre, Orsay, Napoleon's Tomb, the Eiffel Tower (of course) and Notre Dame. Because Notre Dame was our last stop, we stayed for mass. What an experience to hear mass at Notre Dame cathedral!

We got caught in a rain storm and ate at a nearby bistro. We finally made it home where the girls who seemed exhausted called it an early night (or so I like to think).

Tomorow we're meeting at 2:00 p.m. to go shopping - I hope the girls know the meaning of the word budget. This evening we're going on a boat ride on the Seine. Stay tuned and enjoy the blog!

What an awesome night!

2009-07-06T00:41:00.000-07:00

Last night we departed our home and headed towards the Champs Elysees - the most famous avenue in Europe! Amazing and awesome are the two words that come to mind when I think back to the evening. I think once we got off the Metro and landed on the avenue it really hit the girls - WE'RE IN PARIS!!!

We navigated our way up the Champs Elysees until we reached the Arc de Triomphe. Along the way we stopped briefly at the shops and ate dinner at Le Deauville. Most of the girls ordered Crepes and other traditional French delicacies. The girls practiced their French with the waiters. After dinner we stopped and Haagen Dazs for dessert before heading towards the "Arc".

As I was sitting outside at a French cafe on the Champs Elysees with an amazing group of girls, I thought to myself -this is Magical! On the way home on the Metro we saw the Eiffel Tower in all its glory - what a spectacular sight. This afternoon we are going to enjoy a city tour of Paris.

Stay tuned . . .

We Made It!

2009-07-06T00:31:00.001-07:00

We arrived safe and sound to our "home" FIAP Jean-Monnet on Sunday, July 5th. Most girls were tired, hungry and desperately needed to shower. Once we settled into our rooms and met up with Madame James and her group, we had an early dinner at the residence. We agreed to meet for breakfast between 8:15-8:30 on Monday morning before class. As I write this, the girls are in class and I am downstairs in the lobby surrounded by students.

A little bit about our residence: the rooms are laid out "dorm style" and most contain two bathrooms with showers. The showers are "interesting". In an effort to conserve water, the water does not stay "on" while you shower. You press a button to turn the water on, then after a few seconds (I mean seconds) it automatically shuts off. The girls will quickly learn the valuable lesson of taking short showers. There is no air conditioning at the residence - which so far does not seem to be a problem. The nights are cool and the windows are left open.

After class today we will be taking the metro to the Champs Elysees. On Tuesday, we are scheduled to take a city tour of Paris. More to come later.

I hope to post pictures daily. That's all for now - au revoir!

T -8 days

2009-06-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

We are leaving in exactly 8 days. Not only am I excited to share this trip and experience with my own daughter, but with your daughters as well. This is my first trip to Paris/Madrid as it is with many of the girls. It will be wonderful to see Paris/Madrid through their eyes and as a first timer will be an extra treat.

My hope is to blog as often as possible - hopefully daily while the girls are in class in the morning. I also hope to post pictures so you can follow along and see the sights of Paris. I believe you can leave comments on the blog so feel free to share your comments and I will pass them along to the girls.

That's it for now. Adieu!