Paris, France

This was the final destination on our parent trip. My parents joined us for a drive to Versailles & Paris. Then, we said goodbye after our drive to Frankfurt. We saw a lot in France and used our time very well. See the many photos below from our journey...

We're off!

Ray with a street sign. How fitting! He looks a little excited, right?

Various scenery shots around the Seine River (yay, another river I get credit for!)

haha!

A boat waiting to cross... it's green... go!

My mom... so artistic!

A very festive building! (it is Jan. 2nd at this point...)

Desserts! Ray had a crêpe and Mom had a waffle.

left: Porte Saint-Denis & right: Charlemagne

Notre Dame

Photo from inside the Musée du Louvre

Quite a few exterior shots from the Musée du Louvre

We actually really enjoyed it. I wouldn't want to know what the crowds are like during the summer, though. We were there on a Saturday, which was bad enough! I've grown to love statues, it seems. We have lots of photos of them. I think they have great character.

Here's Dad getting into the spirit! :)

right: The Dying Slave (by Michaelangelo)

Mom & I enjoyed taking this photo. The men look so awkward!

Sarcophagus of a Married Couple

right: "Sabine" -- I took the photo because that's our tutor's name!

The Wedding Feast

hahaha! I have such a fun husband!

Psyche and Cupid

oh... the crowds!!!

Here she is... The Mona Lisa

Like Mother, like daughter.

I know she isn't looking at the camera... but I love this shot! So naturally pretty! (The Great Sphinx of Tanis)

The Great Sphinx of Tanis

right: The Club-footed Boy

twins, right?

left: Borghese Gladiator & right: Aphrodite

Minerve

The halls of the Louvre

The entire place was gorgeous (it used to be a palace transformed into a museum-- a truly glorious one)!

Condocet - French philosopher

Sitting at the Grande Roue de Paris

Grande Roue de Paris

Grande Roue de Paris

Hey look, it's George!

Arc de Triomphe (aka: crazy traffic circle)

Arc du Triomphe du Carrousel (with the Eiffel Tower) -- this is located near the Louvre. This had a striking resemblance to the Brandenburg Gate because of the Quadriga on top. Napolean did love them...

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Uncle Rick, Mom gets credit!

These are for our friends, Nik & Solange... Disney lovers. We saw the signs... but didn't go. We heard there wasn't any "magic" at this park!

Église Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois

...AND of course...

There are a lot! Since we don't intend on returning, (while nice, why?) and since our batteries were running dry, we took a lot! Photo shoot:

We're a little nutty. Too bad we over-shot Mom's! She looks so cute in the French hat that I had to post it anyway!

Ray isn't really holding much, it seems... and Mom & Dad are getting kissy!

It was freezing! But, I really wanted to stay for the lights to come on! So... we waited... and waited... and were haggled by a billion illegal street vendors to buy their Eiffel Tower trinkets (we did buy one for -.50)... and finally... the lights came on!

Au revoir!