Melanie has always wanted to see London and Paris. I have been putting it off for years but she finally said we can’t go back to the places I want to go UNTIL we see London and Paris. So off we went! We left SFO in the evening and arrived in London the next afternoon. We did not want to pay the prices for sleeper cabins but we also did not want to travel coach. Thank god there was a Premium Coach option. The legroom was much better and the food served was a notch better than coach. Going Business Class for 5 people would be way over our budget.
We stayed in the Mayfair area of London and that area must be real Posh. We had never seen so many expensive cars parked on the street in our lives. We counted 7 Bentleys on a walk one morning. There were Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces, McClarens parked on the street! The “cheap” cars were there Mercedes’ and the BMWs.
We visited some of the famous places in London. The London Eye, Big Ben, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace, Churchill’s War Room and the Warner Bros. Studio where Harry Potter was filmed. I would say the Harry Potter studio was the highlight attraction for the kids.
I did not expect the food to be as good as it was there. The boys and I had fish and chips everyday we were there. They make killer fish and chips.
We had Afternoon Tea (High Tea) 3 times and that was a HUGE hit with the kids. I have to admit, it was pretty scrumptious.
Getting around was a breeze with the use of the “Tube”. Easy to get on and off and it stopped at all the famous attractions.
After 6 days in London we took a train to Paris. A nice meal was served on the train and it was wonderful to see the French countryside. We rented an apartment in the 8th District and it was gorgeous. Still close to the Metro (subway trains) but in a quiet neighborhood with nice bakeries and restaurants nearby.
We also visited some of the famous sights. Eiffel Tower, Palace of Versailles, The Louvre, Musee de Orsay, Notre Dame Cathedral and Montmartre. We took a food tour of Montmartre and it was spectacular. The food we tasted was fantastic and we went back everyday until we had to fly home. The chocolates and crepes were the highlights for me and the kids.
After 6 days in Paris it was time to go home. From the time we woke up to leave Paris to the time we stepped into our house, 30 hours had passed! Only 40 winks here and there during that commute.
It was a great memorable vacation and I think it will be on our minds for awhile.