TravelStream™ news feed for member jillflorant on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/jillflorant en-us Copyright ©2010 TravelPod.com Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:39:29 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/2/1224354600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/2/1224354600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/2/1224354600/tpod.html Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:39:29 -0400 Roadtrip to Carl's Wedding in OC

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Mission viejo, California, United States

Once upon a time, there was a roadtrip, involving Mark, Jill, KC, Tommy and our friend the "Danimal"...we left at O Dark Hundred am on Thursday 10/16 and headed out to the OC. Thankfully, we only met one nice law officer and he only slowed us down for a few minutes while enroute, to remind Mark that he hasn't used up his full allotment of Traffic School chits, so we cruised into Javier's by a cool 1pm. Several margaritas later, we realized that Erin may still need our help at the home front, so we trekked the last few miles to Jackpot Jan's.

We arrived just in the nick of time to rescue the beautiful maidens from their afternoon of boredom and hard work and to tie 200 sashes and move 200 chairs and pour all the wine and admire the new bar that Opee built. That was our Thursday story.

Believe it or not, on Friday we realized that there was a new Javier's that must be tried out, so Mark and Dan and Ken did the job while Kari and Jill managed the boys and beautified their nails. By 2pm we were basking in the glow of the BeachComber at Crystal Cove marvelling at how wonderful the Engagement must have been back in July while feasting on Grgich Hills and steak salad. Ok...back to work...next chapter, "the rehearsal dinner" later...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1219361400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1219361400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1219361400/tpod.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:47:07 -0400 Exploring Europe with the Florants

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Palo Alto, California, United States

Ok everyone, we have made it home safely. After an exhausting day of travel, we are so delighted to be back in our own home sweet home.

After a long weekend of jetlag, we're back in the swing of things, with a brand new school and brand new school year. The boys had their first day Tuesday at Ohlone School, a special magnet school within the Palo Alto Unified School District. One of its major distinctions is the school farm, where they learn hands on about science and the environment. Tommy is now in his first year of Kindergarten and KC is adjusting to a new school and classroom in 2nd grade. He misses his old friends from Palo Verde but can't wait for soccer to start on Friday with his first practice so that he can be with his buddies again!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1219130400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1219130400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1219130400/tpod.html Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:36:23 -0400 Exploring Europe with the Florants

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Paris, Île-de-France, France

Bonjour everyone...

Well, we've now been to San Gimignano, then Florence again for a little more shopping and dining, taken an overnight sleeper train to Paris, and have greatly enjoyed our stay so far at the Hotel Raphael, near the Arc de Triomphe. you'll have to take our word for it, as we lost about 60 pix somehow on the camera. We're still trying to figure out how the boogeyman got in there and deleted things, but oh well...

The trip here was really, really something. We were right on time, arriving at the Florence train station around 8pm for an 8:53 departure, and kind of planted ourselves near the big sign which announces which track all the departures are on. After waiting for about 30 minutes and still not seeing an announcement for the Paris train, we started to fuss and sent Mark over to the ticket office to figure things out. A few minutes later, I see an agent running with another couple to a nearby train, and I flag her down once she's done to ask her about Paris. She tells me we're in the wrong place and that I need to IMMEDIATELY jump on the train she's just come from, take it one stop and then change trains to the Paris train. I say, wait, my children, bags, husband, and scream at the very top of my lungs for Mark, who is easily 150 meters away and out of sight. I look at the train, and it is scheduled to depart at 8:35, and it is 8:35. The boys start jumping and screaming, I start moving bags and we are able to get Mark to come running and schlep all the bags on the train. Now the clock is ticking, but the train is not moving. We're huddled with a bunch of other passengers, in the gangway, near all the bags, and for some reason the train is not moving. It seems like time is standing still, we look at the clock and finally the train starts moving at about 8:49. What if we catch the train, but it misses the next? The next stop is supposed to be 5 minutes away! Well, when our train stops, we hop off, grab all the bags and THANK GOODNESS, our train is still there, right next to us, Coach 95 being the very first car. We made it! Ok, if we had missed any of these connections, there would have been no back up plan. We'd have needed hotel rooms in Florence and another ticket for the next day, on an all day train, and we would have missed one of our few days in Paris.

Whewwww.....

Well, things improved dramatically as soon as we arrived. We got to the Hotel Raphael pretty disheveled and tired from the overnight trip, expecting that we could use their gym to freshen up and change while we waited for our 4pm check in time. Voila, as soon as we get there, they say that if we'll just sit down and have some breakfast at their beautiful buffet, our room will be ready in just a few minutes. The hotel is absolutely beautiful, with original Raphael's hanging all around. It is smaller in scale than many we've stayed at, but that just means that we feel it is our own place. The concierges and bell staff and everyone are awesome, and we feel right at home.

We head on down to the Left Bank and Notre Dame via the Metro, which is right outside our front door. We hang out in front of a beautiful church at a great little cafe and while away the afternoon. That night, we also hit the Hotel Costes for dinner, one of the great "scenes" in Paris. The people watching is tremendous, this place is still hip enough, since we were here 5 years ago with Uncle Ken, that it is filled with models, rappers and numerous well dressed locals to spice up our delicious, but very expensive dinner. Mark orders a Vodka Tonic and when the bill comes, there is a 5 Euro charge for the tonic and a 20 Euro charge for the Grey Goose. Ouch! The rest of the pricey options, at least we had a menu to forewarn us about how much we were paying. It just hurts to feel gouged when you didn't see it coming, I guess....A major plus tonight is that our taxi driver takes us right under the "10 minute light show" at the Eiffel Tower at 10pm which is amazingly spectacular.

Monday we head out to our appointment at the Louvre and enjoy seeing all the Italian paintings, sculptures and so on. KC was a big help in finding our way around. We had purchased a little book that has challenges for kids, and the pictures were so good, he was pointing us this way and that and looking for special items of interest, especially at the Wings of Samothrace, the Hall of Apollo, and the Mona Lisa exhibits. We then hit the double decker bus tour that we have come to enjoy in almost all the major cities, and catch some lunch at the Trocadero near our hotel. It is really nice to know that as soon as you see the Arc de Triomphe, you know you are close to home.

We have dinner plans with Dan Summers and his boys, who are also in Paris this weekend. He has made reservations at an awesome Guy Savoy restaurant, GR5, and they meet us for drinks at our hotel a bit in advance. We have a great time checking out the view from the amazing roof top terrace, and his boys are great sports with KC and Tommy, playing chess and just goofing around. We're sorry to see them go at the end of the night, as we have a wonderful time. They are headed home Tuesday and we have just 2 more days!

Tuesday we spend most of the day enjoying the neighborhood around the hotel and the Eiffel Tower. The boys are in the mood to play and bring their dinosaurs to the park for a bit of young fun, before our lunch at the Altitude 95 restaurant on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. It is great having a restaurant reservation, because the wait in line is much, much smaller. You still can't quite imagine the long lines, and until you actually arrive the whole process seems quite annoying. Once you get situated though, it is really something to be able to sit at the window and enjoy all of Paris at your feet.

Ciao for now...

So, Tuesday night is our "big night out"...reservation at Laurent, babysitter for the boys, date night! We have an amazing, amazing dinner. Too bad we'll have to take out a home equity loan to pay for it, but it was delicious...Since the Taillevant and Tour D'Argent were closed for the month of August, we were referred here by the Raphael concierge, and we loved it. Great sommelier, who referred us to a new full bodied french white, from an area just outside of Mersault. We like the white so much that we get talked into drinking Syrah with my steak and Mark's tuna, but looking back, we should have known the Pomerol would probably have been better. All in all, a great night out, including a nice couple of phone call interruptions from sister Kari and friend Doug. Boys are still up when we get back at 10:30, so they were quite happy watching TV and playing all night, with Pizza Hut delivered straight to the room.

Last day is Wednesday, and we are trying to relax, take some make-up pix and all in all enjoy our last day. We walk the Champs Elysee from the Arc to the Obelisk, then hop the metro to Notre Dame and Hotel de Ville. We find a great spot to lunch in the St. Germain that even has a flatscreen with Olympics coverage...not bad!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1218448200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1218448200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1218448200/tpod.html Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:31:36 -0400 Exploring Europe with the Florants

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Tuscany, Italy

Ok, we made it fine, which is a big step, as this was my first time driving in Italy...more on that later.

The house is spectacular, set on its own 20 acres of rolling hillside with a fantastic pool deck looking right out on the sunset.

We're a little bummed about Olympic coverage...we've got a satellite and flat screen, but the only english speaking coverage we have access to so far, if you can possibly believe it, is from Al Jazeera...we're starting to get used to the schedule and listening to the Italian coverage. We've seen alot of synchronized diving, fencing, a tiny bit of swimming and basketball, but at least its realtime.

More on the setting. The house is huge, beautiful, and has an amazing view and pool. We are really getting a kick out of the outdoor setting and lounging by the pool. Anyone who has had the pleasure of watching Tommy try to avoid putting his head in the water would be amazed at the little fish we have sprouted. Both boys (and Mom and Dad) are having a ball with our multiple daily swims.

Since we're about a 10 minute drive to the main road, we go out just once daily for our main activities. First day, we only made it up to Casole D'Elsa for lunch and grocery shopping, but what fun that was. The little hilltop town is straight out of a movie set, with just about 2 main streets and great views everywhere. The restaurant recommended by the concierge is tiny, with just a few delicious dishes to choose from, and a very nice wine selection-perfect for us!

The second day, we make a commitment to stay at the villa all day long, only leaving the house for a wine party down at the main concierge's house. Great fun to meet a few other lucky people who are staying out here, then we return to the house to make pizza in our own wood burning pizza oven., We have a great time, although the pizza makers of Italy are clearly several centuries ahead of our skill level.

Wednesday, we have a real adventure heading out to the nearby hilltown of Siena. They are having the famous Palio horse race this Saturday and one of the trails was tonight. We had hired a guide to take us around the sights and give us the lowdown on the horserace, as we've been told that the actual event will be too crazy for our young kids to endure this weekend. We had a ball watching the horses being led in to the main town square and wish we could share a soundtrack of the crowd singing all their local songs as they followed their neighborhood horses into the piazza. We should have taken a picture from the car, as one of the highlights (lowlights?) for me was just getting there safely with bad directions, small medieval streets and crazy Italian drivers.

Happy now to be chilling back at the villa...ciao for now...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1217914440/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1217914440/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1217914440/tpod.html Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:48:27 -0400 Exploring Europe with the Florants

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Florence, Tuscany, Italy

After a day long trip to Florence on the train, we've finally arrived in the boys desired destination: Italy. All along this trip, as they've been trying new and different foods, they've imagined being in Italy, the land of pizza and pasta. After only 2 hours in town, we have our first meal at La Giostra, and we immediately arrive at the food and wine olympics. I'll write more later, but here are the first pics....

Ok, it is Wednesday, I'm finally ready for a bit more of an update. The first 2 days have been awesome. We overlook the River Arno and the Ponte Vecchio from our hotel rooms at the Lungarno Suites. Most places are a reasonable walk from here, although we have been quite indulgent in buses and taxis as well. I wish I had a recording of little Tom saying to us, "Mom, I have something to tell you. My feet are getting really really tired and I think we should find a taxi to take us back to our hotel. Do you think that is a good idea?" Well, more often than not, we walk a little further, than find a ride somehow...

First day, we had nothing planned but a lunch at the beautiful Villa San Michele on the hillside of Fiesole, just out of town. With our concierge's help, we mapped out a ride on the double decker tourist bus through several of the major tourist destinations with a final stop in Fiesole. Not much to do up there but snap pics, but the lunch itself was well worth the trip. 5 star food and service but tuxedo'd waiters with all that Italy has to offer at our (their) fingertips. KC has fallen in love with Canneloni, thanks to a taste of Daniella's dinner when we were in Belgium, so he now has a favorite order to look for on Italian menus. The view is spectacular, the setting, divine. Definitely worth a bit of a splurge! Mark and I finally find our first "California-like" Chardonnay since we have been in Europe. Thank goodness! Planeta Chardonnay, from Sicily, is absolutely delicious, we are going to have to find more of that...we spend the rest of the day wandering around a bit, and beginning our search for the perfect leather jacket for Mark.

Tuesday, we had a big day, which started early. We had 1 hour left on our City Sightseeing Bus Pass, so we got up early and made it to the front row, 2nd floor seats for an hour drive through the Boboli Gardens, Piazzale Michaelangelo, and so on, before our 10am appointment at the Uffizi Palace. After a beautiful walk through the spectacular paintings of Cimabue, Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo and Michaelangelo, the boys had selected their favorites. Tommy really liked the large number of Crucifixion paintings, while KC favored one that showed the slaying of Andromeda. Moving on to the San Lorenzo Market, we got down to the serious business of leather shopping. Our favorite person in Italy so far is Massimo, the guy that Mark is convinced sold him his leather jacket in 1989. He refers us to a great lunch spot, Trattoria Garribardi, which may become our everyday hangout. Everyone has exceptional food and drinks, we head home for a siesta, jubiliant at our wonderful day so far. Our day begins again with a trip to Dreoni, a fantastic and amazing toy store. The boys have been on their best behavior and have a small budget to play with on this exciting visit. We head out, very happy with our new saber tooth cat and dragon, happily off to ZaZa for dinner. Can we really be eating again? I thought I would never say this, but "basta, pasta" I'm dreaming of Sunday, when we get a real kitchen in Tuscany and we can once again have Mark's simple and delicious chicken for dinner. Eating out every meal is great, but I'm sure I've gained 5 pounds, just from my first 2 days in Italy!

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, we wander, we go to Garibardi for lunch, everyday, and we find our great evening deck spot, the Hotel Continentale right next door, a partner hotel to ours. We look down over the main street looking over the Ponte Vecchio, and observe all the rooftops leading to the Palazzo Vecchio and Duomo. What a great view, and a great scene. We decide that this is where we need to come every evening for drinks before we go to dinner. We check out restaurants Golden View Open Bar, Da Alberto and Osvaldo Culinario, ultimately deciding that we've absolutely got to go to La Giostra again for our last night out. We stroll around, checking out art at the church's themselves and some of the places they were meant to be--Palazzo Pitti, Boboli Gardens, Santa Croce, Bargello, Santa Spirito and finally, Palazzo Vecchio.

Tommy and KC have really started counting down the days til we go to "Tuxany" as they call it. Our room is seeming just a bit small, we know that we are one day away from having Daddy's cooking again, which we really look forward to. We also realize, that in Florence, we are not going to see much of the Olympics. It seems the Italians really only show their own people performing. For example, when the France, Italian and US gymnasts were doing their first round routines, we saw about 20 Italian routines, 1 French bar routine, and 1 Shawn Johnson vault. That is all we've seen so far of the US women. We're really hoping the satellite setup is better in Tuscany.

More to follow, xo...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1217573160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1217573160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1217573160/tpod.html Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:18:45 -0400 Exploring Europe with the Florants

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Cap d'Ail, Provence, France

Ok, we are really getting in the vacation groove now. Our hotel, the Riviera Marriott, has turned out to be an exceptionally good choice. Our location is almost hidden away in an amazing corner immediately adjacent to Monaco. We overlook a beautiful view of the Mediterannean and some of the more human scale yachts. We walk right around the corner to a great swimming beach and tennis club where the boys have enjoyed going to kids club. We have access to a 3km long walking/running trail right along the rocky coast in one direction, and in the other, the Princess Grace Rose Garden which leads to all that Monaco has to offer.

We've been to the "scene" right outside the Monte Carlo casino, with Ferraris and Rolls Royces jockying for position and attention, while the steady stream of very rich tourists and locals wander by. The shoes I've seen up here are amazing! We got a big kick out of sitting in the shadow of the casino while having dinner at the Cafe de Paris, especially when a well dressed group of 12 women and 1 man sat right next to us in their full going out attire. It almost looked like a scene from America's Next Top Model with an aging, hipster 70 year old producer heading the table. Funny to note that none of the food delivered exceeded about 100 calories on the plate...Tommy and KC had fun dining on their standard fare of penne and canneloni, Mark and I continue to have fun ordering French burgundies and whatever looks good off the local menu.

The aquarium in Monaco is really someting else. Unfortunately, we made 2 big mistakes this day. First, we forgot our camera, and will definitely have to go back, just to get some snaps. Second, we decided, in the very warm summer heat, to walk back to the hotel, kind of finding our way along as we went, no map in hand. This turned out to be very doable, but a very, very long hot, sweaty walk for all of us. I'll try to send some pictures on another update, but don't hold your breath. http://www.oceano.mc/ You can get a good idea by checking their website.

An amazing highlight for us was Tuesday night's track event at the nearby stadium. The last European races before the Olympics were held at the Stade Louis II and we had front row seats, right in front of the sprint starting line! Asafa Powell, Tori Edwards and friends rocked....

We also spent a morning wandering around the ancient medieval city of Eze, high atop the hills overlooking the Riviera. This was also the first day that Tommy and KC went off to french sports camp located by our hotel. So walking up the steep paths and stairs that comes with going to Eze was not accompanied by the usual "Are we there yet , or I'm tired can we stop". As luck would have it , we ate out on a beach cafe the night before and when the boys finished they wanted to play on the beach, they made a friend there and we met and got along very well with the parents at who's home we ate last night. They are living the year in a magnificent apartment next to our hotel. We are planning to watch the Monaco vs Rome football (soccer) match with them on Saturday.
Really lovely people ! !
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1217143560/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1217143560/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1217143560/tpod.html Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:18:23 -0400 Exploring Europe with the Florants

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Prague, Bohemia, Czech Republic

Ok, quick, quick update from the Bohemia Bagel internet cafe.

We did the "planes, tranes, and automobiles" thing all day Thursday to get here. Train to Paris, put girls on the plane home, hopped a Lufthansa flight to Munich, ran to make a connection and ended up in Prague by 5ish in a rainstorm. Major results of the day, KC discovers that he likes turkey sandwiches (thanks Lufthansa!) and somehow falls in love with tomatoes as well.

Friday we hit Prague Castle, Charles Bridge and Old Town, finish the night at some tower above the city for very upscale dinner recommended by our concierge. Very cool.

Saturday, having hit all the tourist sites the day before, we reward boys for good behavior with a trip to the Prague Zoo. Every day also includes swimming at our hotel and bagels to start the day at the Bohemia Bagel Internet Cafe. They play rave music and Tommy rocks out every morning. Wish I had the soundtrack and a video camera, too funny!

I'll send another update tomorrow from Monaco...

Ok, here in Monaco. Awesome hotel with view of Mediterannean and the port of Cap D'Ail, across the street from Louis II Stadium where Tuesday night we go to the big Herculis Track Meet, last warmup to Olympics for alot of the world's best.

More thoughts on Prague....

The city of Prague is outstandingly beautiful. We really enjoyed strolling around the Old Town, with beautiful, 1000 year old architecture intermingling with modern cafes, cool bars, just enough touristy stuff, and views, views, views. Our favorite spot and experience was our Saturday night dinner. Right on the water, perfect weather, everybody happy with delicious food. Our first time in Europe finding and ordering California Chardonnay. What a treat! Sunday, we finished our weekend with an afternoon at the park surrounding Petrin Tower, a mini version of the Eiffel Tower. Literally built a few years after the real thing, and to a one fifth scale. Having gotten a bit lost in the woods trying to find our lunch reservation, we were reminded how fun it is to be with the boys in the forest. With a busy night of travel, we arrived finally in Nice, France just after midnight Sunday.

While on the French Riviera, we have committed to ourselves to cut back on all the touristy activities and just relax and be on vacation. We can tell, even at first glance, we've arrived at a great place for that. More to follow...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1216806840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1216806840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1216806840/tpod.html Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:58:44 -0400 Exploring Europe with the Florants

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Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Highlights - TGV from Amsterdam at 7:52am, canal boats to Van Gogh Museum and Museumplein, lunch at awesome cafe "Condor" or something like that, horsing around on the playground, back to the canal boats, 2 hour ride (lots of sleeping by kids) and then Anne Frank's House. Back to TGV, italian dinner at 10pm in Brussels. Amazing call from Carl Eric, right when we get our food, letting us know that he asked Erin to marry him(!) on the evening of his 40th birthday celebration in Laguna at Crystal Cove. She said yes, everyone is SOOOO excited....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1216120200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1216120200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jillflorant/1/1216120200/tpod.html Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:54:14 -0400 Exploring Europe with the Florants

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Brussels, Belgium

Day 1, we were still amazed at making it all the way to Belgium from San Francisco. Everything had gone smoothly, but we were dead, dead tired. After the non-stop flight and a TGV train and one taxi ride, we made it, with a heavy dose of jetlag. Mark actually made it out of the house for a quick trip to the market, and we happily dined at the nearby restaurant recommended by our hosts, Philippe and Claudie.

We made it onto the metro, which is actually very, very close. The first several hours we had a pretty tough time getting around. The maps seemed strange, the language is difficult, and we were pretty apprehensive. By late afternoon, we happily accepted a ride on the tourist double decker bus, which took us to several key sites. Tommy was dying to go to the dinosaur museum, so we had that as a possible destination in mind. Alas, none of the metro stops or tourist buses go very close, so we instead viewed the key palaces and city spots, before retiring to the Moby Dick restaurant. Key finding of the day--noone speaks english here! Mark and I are brushing up on our French, but it is coming back very, very slowly. Parlay Vous Anglais anyone?

Day 2 of touring (actually occured on Thursday, for anyone who is counting) included a major metro trip out of the city to the Atomium and Bruparck, which includes "Mini-Europe". Ok, so it simply included alot of changing from train to bus to metro again, then some walking, but hey, we're tourists I guess...Lots of great pics of the boys near the tiny versions of all the major monuments in Europe. We'll definitely visit again when the girls get here this weekend. Johanna gets here tonight, we are very, very excited to see her. Also a little worried about her finding us, but this fear proves unwarranted. She arrives around 8pm, then Mark cooks a DELICIOUS dinner of tagliatelli bolognese...One of our favorite shops so far is the nearby italian fresh food store. The boys are living, somehow, without curly noodles, but they ask for pizza and spaghetti, literally, every day.

Day 3, we finally make it to the Royal Institute of Natural Sciences. This is dinosaur museum Tommy has been wanting to go to since learning of it in the US. It has the biggest collection of igaunodons ever found in the world. We have to walk a million miles to find it, taking the long way, of course, but stumble right by the EU's home in Brussels. With all the flags and the impressive glass buildings, we enjoy a few pictures. We head back to the Grand Place for lunch, which is Brussels most historic site. We finally get seated for our lunch of croque monsieur's and local beer, when the Belgian air force begins practicing for their Monday holiday celebration. Wow, a flyover right when I have my camera out! What luck...when the Giants have flyovers, I am usually still on my way out of the Acme Chophouse and stuck in a tunnel somewhere...

Day 4, Mark heads to Paris at 0:Dark:Hundred to meet the girls at the airport. They'll all be back Sunday, so Johanna and I decide on a day of exploring the local Wolvendael park and the Fair du Midi near the downtown trainstation. Amazingly, we found the cool park, (the long way, of course) and felt as though we were really in the 100 Acre Woods of Winnie the Pooh fame. The boys loved the playground and aside from a few raindrops, the whole morning was really great. Afternoon we headed to the Fair, rode a few rides and really enjoyed the Ferris Wheel above the whole city. I'll leave out most of the detail on our failed trip to the Sablon to find a pizza place that turned out to be closed. Lets just say, a 100 minute detour with way too much time in the ugly parts of the train stations...Lovely dinner in our home neighborhood, the boys enjoying the bread more than the steak, oh well. Johanna and I loved having fresh salmon and we retire late at night.

Day 5, we take it a little easier. Jill and the boys hang out home, go shopping and to the Wolvendael park (again) and Johanna heads downtown for shopping. Of course, it is Sunday, so most stores are closed. Big event happens at 5:30 when Mark and the girls arrive from Paris. Everyone shares stories and we head to the closest open restaurant, which turns out to be the best so far. Johanna has creme brulee for the first time, and everyone agrees it is fantastic, as is the chocolate mousse.

Day 6, National Holiday in Brussels. We are shocked to find that our favorite patisserie, Pain Quotidien is open. We get coffee, baguettes and fresh oj, and head happily home to make a big meal for all the kids. We're quite lucky to have such a big, fully stocked chef's kitchen, and this lazy morning is perfectly what we had in mind when deciding to come to Europe. After eveyone is up and ready by 1pm, we head out to show the girls the sites. We take the tram up to the double decker touring bus, thinking that this will be perfect to give the girls a quick glimpse of the city and mini Europe, Tommy's favorite place. One might think that he is inspired by all the cool monuments, but really, they have a ton of fish that love to be fed and wait with their mouths out of the water, to be handfed by little tourist boys. Everyone has a ball and we enjoy a late, rainy meal at the cafe before heading back into Central Brussels. Unfortunately, we get there AFTER the big military parade is over, so we simply head back home with the crowd, tired and looking forward to being at our big cozy home away from home. We all have fun listening to music, watching movies and hanging out. Tomorrow is our big trip to Amsterdam, so we (try) get to bed early...

Off to Amsterdam on the TGV, we are excited to make it to the right track, on time, and with a bit of train station waffles and coffee in our tummies. The TGV is very roomy and spacious and we have our own section of 6 chairs facing each other, which is very cool. After a comfortable, smooth ride, we make it to Centraal Station Amsterdam, spirits high. We head immediatly to one of the little Canal Boats that take you all through the city on the water. We head to the Van Gogh museum and while passing an awesome looking kids park at the Museumplein, say yes to Johanna's generous offer to take the kids to the park instead of the museum. Mark, Jill and Daniella enjoy the museum for a while, then reunite with the group at the cafe adjoining the park. Marissa and Johanna say that all the food looks really good and we agree to hang there for lunch. We are not sorry, everything is delicious and the sun finally comes out for our first time the whole trip.
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