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  • Gabrielle Ingram

Europe

A 62-day adventure by Gabrielle Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 27, 2017
    Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    At the airport ready to head offWaiting around for three hours

    Getting here

    August 27, 2017 in England ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    A whirlwind last week in Brisbane, which very sadly meant we were also saying goodbye to the lovely Mia as she left Australia to return to Kiel, Germany.

    It was always going to be an epic journey for the children, but they handled it well, and we arrived safely. There was an overload of movie watching and general amazement that we were served dinner three times in a row.Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    A bright shiny Landy in Landy Land
    Buying street food at Notting Hill CarnivalFamily Day at the Notting Hill Carnival. Apparently the parade tomorrow is a bit more risque.A stroll through Hyde Park, passing by Kensington PalaceThis building is spectacularHyde Park and a giant statue covered in goldNatural History Museum and the Blue Whale, which is hugeDevonshire Tea at the Victoria and Albert Museum

    London

    August 28, 2017 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Beautiful weather and clear blue skies awaited us in London. Getting in early meant we had to put in a full day before going to bed, so that's what we did. Luckily for us, the Notting Hill Carnival, Europe's biggest street party, was hotting up just as we were about to head out, basically right on our door step.

    First stop though was to buy a data pack, and with that in hand we were on our way.

    The end of the main street was being cordoned off ready for the parade, so we just had to follow the crowd and wait. The Carnival is a celebration of the Caribbean culture, so there was plenty of colour and lots of loud horn blowing (called vuvuzela). There were loads of people and when Craig went out later in the evening to forage for food, he felt as though he was in a distopian movie as there were so many people moving around. Finn commented his first impression is that people in London all travel in "gangs".

    Unfortunately the parade wasn't quite as coordinated as we would have hoped, so to save waiting around, we watched the first little bit and headed off through Hyde Park on our way to the Natural History Museum. Contrary to my sister's experience, we walked right in without lining up for an hour.

    After that, we went next door to the Victoria and Albert Museum, and ended up having some scones with clotted cream and jam in a rather ornate tea room.

    By this time, the feet were getting weary, so we jumped on a bus and headed home for an early night. Given we are at the tail end of summer, we were in bed before the sun went down (which the children thought was peculiar).    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Waiting for the Changing of the Guards (for an hour... in the sun... glad we have hats!)
    Buckingham PalaceFlashy statues are a specialityEven though I've seen the Changing of the Guard a few times, this was the first fancy versionWestminster AbbeyTrafalgar SquareLunch break in the cafe of Westminster AbbeyHanging out with our friend Ben. He is big.Catching the train to Harry Potter StudiosThe Kitty Kat and a big lion at Trafalgar Square

    London

    August 28, 2017 in England ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Today we headed out to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. I have seen this spectacle a few times now, but this was the first time I saw the full blown ceremony. We started with a stroll through St James Park and like obedient tourists, got there an hour early (although that was more accidental than planned). You can imagine Craig's delight at waiting for an entire hour, in the sun!

    The Band of the Irish Guards accompanied the parade today, so there was lots of pomp and pageantry (or standing around and being yelled out by the head Guard if you ask the kids).

    We left a little before the main crowd and was rewarded by a very short queue of less than 5 minutes at Westminster Abbey, and a good chunk of that was waiting for the ticket man's machine to connect to the payment network to take our money. I can never get tired of coming to this place. It is quite simply an awesome spectacle. This time around, audio guides were issued as part of the ticket and Finn and Kate listened with great interest to all the commentary as we moved throughout the Abbey.

    The rest of the day consisted of walking various Monopoly landmarks along Pall Mall past Downing Street, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and onto Euston Station to catch a train out to the Harry Potter Studios.

    The journey home was an interesting one. We got off the train to change lines at Shepherd's Bush and was confronted by thousands of people making their way to the same Tube station. When the authorities tried to close the station because it was too crowded there was a surge of people into the station trying to keep the gates from closing. Given it then looked like a riot was about to start, we decided to catch the bus instead, but the sheer volume of people made that an impossibility so walking 30+ minutes home was the next option. Picture four tuna trying to swim in the opposite direction to several thousand tuna. It was hard work. Katie was at the right level to take a few elbows to the head, so even though quite "intense" (code for freaked out a little), it was still a spectacle.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    One of our two local tube stations
    White Tower, Tower of London | The most famous tower keep in the world apparentlyYeoman warder, Tower of LondonRoyal Armouries, Tower of LondonRoyal Armouries, Tower of LondonTower BridgeLining up to see the "Clown Jewels"Nearly in!Walking across the Tower BridgeThe incredible Borough Market

    London

    August 29, 2017 in England ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    After a late night last night, we had a leisurely start to the day, so didn't arrive at the Tower of London until about 11.30am. Once again, we were lucky in the lining up situation, especially since I hadn't pre-purchased tickets, and we were inside within 5 minutes or so.

    This is my third time here and the second for Craig, so we let the kids dictate the pace. We had to line up for about 15 minutes to get in to see the "Clown Jewels" as Kate was calling them.

    We then walked across the Tower Bridge, along the Thames to check at Borough Markets. I can see why they are popular - they are so eclectic and diverse. Located right under the overhead train line for the Tube, there was the noise of trains every few minutes, which just added to the vibe.

    So it was an early mark back to our apartment for a bit of rest, ready to head out to Matilda the Musical in the West End, written of course by the fabulous Tim Minchen.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Love!
    LoveAbbey Road, M&M style

    London (M&M World)

    August 29, 2017 in England ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    The kids discovered M&M World in Leicester Square which I kid you not was 4 levels of prime real estate dedicated to selling a mountain of M&Ms. We escaped financially unscathed, which is code for "we were mean parents and refused to buy very expensive M&Ms".

    Craig's comment: I can't believe we have flown half way around the world and this is where we end up.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    The amazing model of Hogwart's Castle which was used for some of the scenic cinematography
    Trying to gain access to Platform 9 3/4The recreation of the Hogwarts Express platform at Kings Cross StationThe bridgeTaking Hagrid's bike for a spinWanna buy a wand?Professor Snape's potions classroomGryffindor Common RoomThe Hollow, which had cool things like an iron and knitting doing their own thingsKatie on Platform 9 3/4

    London (Harry Potter Studios)

    August 29, 2017 in England ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    This was simply amazing!

    The real sets used in all eight movies were set up on location at the Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden, just outside of London. The sets included the costumes, props, wigs and animatronics. The gift shop was one of the best I have ever seen for a tourist attraction. The kids (and I) were completely enthralled by the experience. The Great Hall was incredible in terms of the construction, the real stone floor and the attention to detail. The rooms set up for The Hollow (the Weasley's kitchen), Dumbledore's office, the Gryffindor Common Room and bedroom and Diagon Alley were a lot smaller in real life than you would expect, but once again, the detail in it all, plus the explanation of how they made it look so authentic was fascinating.

    The Hogwart's Express and the entire train station was set up, as was Privet Drive. The attention to detail in the props was incredible and the process of creating the animatronics (including the man hours for a large team for 10 years!) was trully amazing. Buckbeak was there as well as Hagrid's Hut, the animated Monster Book of Monsters, the Mandrakes (those crying baby plants).

    A true delight for Harry Potter fans!    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    On the steps of St Paul's Cathedral
    Us at St Paul'sMe taking a picture of Craig, Kate and Finn taking a picture of St Paul's CathedralA history photo for Kate since she has not long learnt about convictsA pint of London ale with a good headOur beautiful girlAfternoon tea at The Leonard HotelLesley and meSchool of Rock musical at New London Theatre, Drury Lane

    Last day in London

    August 30, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    No more hot weather! Craig was delighted to find London had put on its usual, and more expected, gloomy rainy type of weather which makes it altogether a much more English experience. So out came the raincoats and the umbrellas and we set off for another day in London. The kids have become quite adept at reading the Underground maps now and with both Bayswater and Queensway stations almost on top of each other and only a few minutes walk from our accommodation, it has been pretty convenient to get around and for the most part we have had to avoid taking more than one line to get anywhere.

    We did a walk by of St Paul's Cathedral (mainly for the Mary Poppins reference for the kids - birds not there, perhaps because they are no longer fed). An educational walk by Newgate and Old Bailey via Temple Bar, where I was able to be impressed/surprised by Kate's recall of both from her convict unit at school. We then skirted around St Bart's Hospital on our way to the Museum of London where we spent several hours. I first visited this back in 1991 and was impressed then, not only because it was really well done, but also because it was free - an important criteria if you were travelling on the cheap! It has been completely updated since then, but importantly, it is still incredibly brilliant and free!

    Our one and only pub lunch for the visit provided another bit of respite from the rain before we jumped on a tube to Tottenham Court Road and to visit a specialist guitar shop and bought a guitar for the trip. Too wet to walk along the full length of Oxford Street, we jumped on another tube to get to the other end. Since Craig and I have recently watched the miniseries Mr Selfridge, we decided to go and look at the real deal. The place was jam packed with people which is a testament to the vision, but also hard to believe he died a pauper. Kate declared it the best toy section she had EVER seen in a shop.

    We then ducked around the corner to The Leonard Hotel and met Lesley for a very English afternoon tea in a very English drawing room. It was lovely to meet up again - last time we visited, Finn was only 10 months old. I lived with the Watters family in London in 1991.

    We popped home quickly to ditch the guitar and dress a bit warmer, and headed back to Drury Lane in the West End to see the "School of Rock" musical. Another bunch of talented kids performing and it was great to be caught up in the live atmosphere of the production. The character of the kid bass guitar player was called Katie, and our Kate had a conversation this morning about perhaps learning base guitar, so it obviously made an impact. She did look cool!

    A whirlwind tour of London in 4 days - off to Lille in France tomorrow for some self-driving of the battlefields of the Western Front.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Petit déjeuner - finer fare could not be had!Whattaya do now? The steering wheel is on the passenger's side!On the Eurostar from London to Lille1Craig playing guitar at ferme de la NolliereFact: The French don't drink much milk. This is the milk selection at a large supermarket.

    London to Lille, France

    August 31, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Although we are travelling light, we thought it best to avoid the peak hour in the tube, so packed up early and were on our way to the tube by 6.30am. We had to change lines a few times (and a few more than necessary since we got on one going in the wrong direction, got off at the next stop and backtracked). Ended up at the Eurostar well and trully ahead of schedule and then boarded the train for what turned out to be just over an hour from London to Lille. Impressive! Claustrophobic boy survived, barely aware that we had just passed under the English Channel, whilst the kids got some homework done.

    Picked up the hire car and now for the hard bit - driving it!!! Craig's job (yay) which was not helped by the fact that the minute we drove out of the car park we were on a 6 lane motorway and it his first time driving on the "wrong" side of the road... I was in the nerve-racking position of being his navigator and getting us to our AirBnB with lots of really hard French names in the way of success, so our marital bliss was at stake. Happy to report we are still talking.

    Our converted farmhouse accommodation is lovely and all Frenchy. Pascale, our host, offered to drive us to the supermarche so we didn't need to brave the road again. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    We stopped at her recommended bakery on the way where bread is sold by the kilo! Grocery shopping was a lot harder than you would think it should be, but we ended up with pate, cheese and sausage for lunch, and provisions for dinner including the very necessary alcoholic beverages. We also discovered that milk is not available in French supermarkets in any great quantity.

    Now chilling out for the rest of the afternoon - Craig is serenading us on the guitar and the children are working out how to live without a telly so are making up their own games, which seem to be getting increasingly violent in a fun-loving way ;-). Oh, they are progressing to making up their own jokes now.

    JOKES:
    Q: What did the cow do when he got to London?
    A: He went to the moo-seum.

    Q: What did the Carribean horse say when he went to the Notting Hill Festival?
    A: Hay man.

    Q: What did the sheep say when he got to London?
    A: Can you point me to the Temple Baaaa.

    ROFL?    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Outside of the Carrière Wellington in Arras, France
    Getting ready for the underground tour of Carrière WellingtonPart of the extensive tunnels in the quarry dug by NZ soldiers300 metre tunnel in Carrière WellingtonLunch in a little square in Albert, France.The entrance to the Musee de Somme, Albert (we spent a lot of time underground today!)Some of the shells from WWIMusée Somme 1916There are way too many beautiful scenes like this in France!Another lovely scene - Albert, France

    The Western Front

    September 1, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    It is trully amazing how beautifully presented and preserved the war memorials, museums and cemeteries are in this part of the world. What was also surprising is the number of Commonwealth cemeteries blotted across the landscape, on the sides of roads and tucked down laneways. Each of them is surrounded by perfectly manicured green grass, blooming flowers at the gravestone, all tastefully presented. It is quite breathtaking.

    We visited Carrière Wellington in Arras which were a series of abandoned medieval chalk quarries which were used in WWI. New Zealand soldiers dug tunnels to connect them, essentially building an underground city which housed 20,000 soldiers prior to the Battle of Arras. They essentially popped out of the ground right at the German line and took them by surprise. The sheer scale of the underground city was incredible. The NZ soldiers were digging and clearing 80 metres of tunnel a day! My grandfather's war diary has him in Arras on the 26th March 1918. On the 5th of April 1918 there is a diary entry which states "Captured by Fritz".

    We also visited the Musee de Somme in Albert which was in an underground tunnel where it laid out the various scenes of combat and life in the trenches. We stopped at a boulangerie for baguette and had lunch in a little square in Albert. My grandfather's war diary states he arrived in Albert on 10th February 1917, leaving on the 11th. He then came back on the 13th April 1917.

    A long day given we didn't get back to our farmhouse until 8pm, but since I was still wearing sunglasses because it was so sunny, it still felt early. I think we are quite easily falling into the later evening lifestyle of Europe!    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Pozières Memorial to the Missing, Somme Battlefields
    Just a few of the many unknown soldiersPozières Memorial to the Missing, Somme BattlefieldsFinn trying to locate all the "Ingrams" on the wallOn the approach to the main structure at the Villers–Bretonneux Australian National MemorialVillers–Bretonneux Australian National MemorialEntrance to the Villers–Bretonneux Australian National MemorialSobering view from the topFamily snap

    Pozières Memorial and Villers-Bretonneux

    September 1, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    The Pozières Memorial to the Missing was also breathtaking, commemorating the loss of 14,900 lives. So many graves of unknown soldiers, where the only identification is their country of origin. To think of the parents of these soldiers having no idea where their son was buried is heartbreaking. My grandfather arrived in Pozières on the 25th April 1917.

    The walls of the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux bear the names of 11,000 missing Australian soldiers who died in France. It is quite sobering an experience to walk through this incredible structure.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Approaching Sanctuary Wood memorial
    The view of the cemetery from the 5th Australian Division monument on the buttKatie sketching a part of the cemeteryPolygon Wood Cemetery near Zonnebeke, BelgiumEvery day life and century old memories mixed

    Polygon Wood Cemetery, Zonnebeke

    September 2, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We spent the day in Belgium today travelling between various cemeteries and war memorials related to my grandfather and his two brothers who fought in WWI in this area. My grandfather's brother, Charles Duncan, was in the 52nd Battalion. He was involved in the battles of Polygon Wood, Ypres and Messines. He was killed in action on the 23rd September 1917 on his 21st birthday. A bomb landed in the gun post he and four others were manning. All were buried in the trench by the bomb and his remains were later exhumed and transferred to Bedford House Cemetery, Belgium.

    So with that being the back story for today, I have split the journey into each of the places we visited in Flanders, the first being Sanctuary Wood Memorial Cemetery with a memorial to the Australian 5th Division. Of the 2,100 soldiers buried here, only about a quarter are identified. The surrounding wood was peaceful and squirrels were running between the graves. It is here Kate started her sketching activities.

    Across the road is another smaller cemetery and what is incredible about all of the cemeteries we visited is how they adjoin the farms around them. This one had a donkey and chicken run on one side, a house and corn fields surrounding the rest.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    The busker forgot to put out his hat!
    Ale and baguette - yummyLunch with a view across to Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917

    Lunch in Zonnebeke, Flanders

    September 2, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    What better way than to spend lunch with a view like this! Across from the lake is the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917. Craig played a little guitar, which became rather hilarious when a guy passing buy made a show of coming over and giving him 50 cents! I need to put the boy to work obviously...

    We had a local baguette and pastries washed down with a bottle of the local Passchendaele Ale. A lovely afternoon.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Kate continues her sketchingGetting some pointers from Dad about shading and shadows

    Tyne Cot Cemetery, Flanders

    September 2, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    I came to Tyne Cot Cemetery in 1991 but couldn't recall much about it other than it was really big! It has had the addition of a visitors centre since then and as you approach a sombre voice is reading out the voices inscribed on the graves and the wall of the cemetery. It is the largest cemetery for Commonwealth forces in the world, for any war and is located just outside of Passchendale. With over 11,900 soldiers laid to rest, there isn't really much more than can be said about such a tragic outcome.Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    The entrances to one of the underground tunnels. No natural light inside!
    Craters from shelling around Hill 62In the trenchesWet, cold, dark, cramped and muddy - not a good combination

    Sanctuary Wood Museum (Hill 62)

    September 2, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We stopped here for a bit of fun for the kids. The farmer who owned this farm during WWI returned to his farm after the war to find it riddled with trenches as it had been the site of the battle at Hill 62 which was mostly a Canadian forces offensive. The museum at this farm is privately maintained by the grandson of the original farmer who elected to preserve a number of the trenches.

    So, the kids went wild! Apparently running around in here was like all their dreams had come true. Who knew we only needed to dig and connect some holes in the back yard! As could be expected in this part of the world though, it was muddy and wet and I get the impression that this is the norm. Light drizzly rain stops anything from drying out much. Kate said she didn't want to get trench foot. Through this place you can still see evidence of the craters formed by shells.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Sometimes German, sometimes Allied bunker at Hill 60
    Finn found the entrance to an underground tunnelAnd yet another entrance to something undergroundOur first day of seeing a non-cartoon acornAnother collapsed tunnel/bunkerThe scars of war on Hill 60

    Hill 60

    September 2, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Whistle stop to wander around Hill 60. The concrete bunker was used by both German and British Armies. This was another site riddled with underground tunnels which were used by both sides. They would try to dig close to the other side, listen in and once confirmed it was the enemy would set of explosives to try and cave in their tunnel network. The Australian soldiers were known to dig as low as 8 metres to try and get right under the Germans without detection - they would occasionally die from carbon monoxide poisoning or the tunnels would collapse.

    The site was purchased by a British family after the war in order to preserve it as is. There were so many fallen soldiers whose bodies had sunk into the mud during the battle that they could not be retrieved and buried properly.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Craig performs Amazing Grace
    We made it to Bedford House CemeteryCross of Sacrifice found at all Commonwealth war cemeteriesEntry in the cemetery registerFound it!Blood line relatives of Charles Duncan, 100 years after his deathCharles has a lovely outlook in his final resting place

    Bedford House Cemetery - Charles Duncan

    September 2, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    And the final war memorial of this trip was to Bedford House Cemetery where my grandfather's brother is buried. Charles Duncan was killed at age 21. His and the other 3 soldiers he was fighting with had their remains exhumed and moved to this location.

    Of the 5,075 soldiers buried here, 275 are Australia and my great uncle is among those. He is buried in Enclosure 4 and with nothing more than that information, it took some time to find him. Kate placed a poppy on his grave and Craig had brought along the guitar so he played Amazing Grace. It had been so cold and windy as we were trying to find the grave, but then we sat down and the wind died down and the sun came out. The cemetery itself was beautiful. Charles has a great view in his final resting place!    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Norwich Pipe Band playing in Ypres
    Ypres Cloth HallA glass for every Belgium bierThe cadet bugle bandWalking toward Menin Gate which is part of the city rampartsWaiting for the 8pm ceremony to commence in a few minutes. Note the sun!The Norwich Pipe Band make an entrance

    Ypres and Menin Gate

    September 2, 2017 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We ended our foray into Flanders with dinner in Ypres and then the Last Post Ceremony which has been held under Menin Gate every night at 8pm since 1928 (save a few years of WWII) as the local way of honouring those who fell in WWI. People travel from around the world to attend, play or lay wreaths. On our visit we were lucky enough to witness an extended ceremony and hear the Norwich Pipe Band from the UK and a local bugle band of cadets of some sort. There were around 1,000 people attending which, for a ceremony that happens every night of the year regardless of the weather, is rather amazing.

    The kids were on the hunt for Belgium waffles afterward, but the places had either closed or sold out, so they had to settle for Belgium ice cream in a waffle cone instead.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Hundreds of stalls like this
    Kate and I decided this is Lumiere and Cogsworth from Beauty and the BeastPascal (our AirBnb host) picking plums from his treeThe streets of LilleLunch in LilleIngrams in LilleIngrams in Lille

    Braderie de Lille

    September 3, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We caught the metro into Braderie de Lille this morning. We didn't realise we had to change lines along the way, but luckily a young French guy started talking to us on the train and his cousin just so happens to live in Brisbane, so he helped us change lines and set us in the right direction before he got off to go to work.

    Apparently this antiquities and flea market dates back to the 12th century. It was cancelled last year due to terrorism fears as there are around 2 million visitors to the event each year and their safety could not be guaranteed. Not sure what made it possible to guarantee the safety of visitors this year, but there were a lot of police with rather large machine guns at the ready standing around! There are so many people arriving by train and so much rubbish on the streets, I can't really see how they could have a hope of foiling the plans of a would-be terrorist.

    It seemed busy to us, but one stall holder who started talking to us said business was so-so as it was not as busy as recent years. We had lunch in a little cafe off one of the main streets. We were jammed into a bench seat and the man next to us started talking to us. He was born and still lived in Lille, but had travelled a lot. We had a great conversation with our almost non-existent French and his better English. He was an avid cyclist and obviously followed the rugby as he was asking about the All Blacks (we set him right that he needed to go for the Wallabies!) and Phil Anderson (first Australian to win a stage and wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France - I had to look that up!).

    Back at the farm, our AirBnB host Pascal asked if the kids wanted to go for a swim in her pool. 29 degrees, so off they went. We started talking to her and her husband (also named Pascal) about their hobby farm and all the rabbits we saw on the lawn the night before, which led to picking plums from their tree, checking out their quince, pear and walnut trees and collecting eggs from the chickens. The kids had fresh-from-the-chicken boiled eggs and plums for dinner. Can't get much more direct to the plate than that! We've been having last season's walnuts in our salad at night as there is a bowl in the apartment with a nutcracker. This AirBnb has been brilliant!    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    The parents joined us in Paris
    Katie playing a public piano at the Lille train stationKatie Koozle on the trainRue Gabrielle? Could anyone?Obligatory view from the topAnd no visit to Montmartre is complete without one of these photos eitherA promenade...Half way up the hill

    Lille to Paris

    September 4, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    An early start to the day to avoid the peak hour traffic as we drove into Lille to drop our hire car back. Driving bit of the holiday done and dusted for a few weeks now. Just over an hour later we were in Paris and checking into our lovely AirBnB in the Montmartre district. Glen and Jeff were joining us in Paris and are staying right next door in a hotel. After a leisurely luncheon in our little kitchen with supplies from the supermarket just down the street, we ventured out and up the hill to Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

    We then wandered around the Montmartre district, the obligatory photo at the Moulin Rouge, and then ended up wandering back down a street filled with adult shops which was probably not the right sort of scenery for our children! I heard Kate saying to Craig "Daddy, that doesn't look like a very good shirt to buy" in response to a scantily clad mannequin in the window shop. I think we escaped unscathed with what could potentially have been some rather awkward questions!    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Lots of time for photos whilst waiting in the very long line
    The kids also had a lot of time to read whilst waiting to enter VersaillesWay too much opulence!Hall of Mirrors

    Château de Versailles

    September 5, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    An amazing phenomena (in my humble opinion) is that in the year 2017, many of the museums of Paris are completely shut on a Tuesday. It is not like they have teamed up to determine that one should close on Tuesday, another on a Wednesday etc. So as a result, this forced our hand to travel to Versailles for the day, along with every other tourist to Paris, Tuesday being the discount day for Versailles for those eligible for various local passes etc.

    And so it is here that our luck in not having to line up for long to visit stuff ended. Close to 1.5 hours in the line in front of a very impressive building, and we were in.

    The interior itself is opulent and extravagant and all up, it should not have been that surprising to the nobility of France when the Revolution finally occurred!    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Parterre garden at Versailles
    Parterre gardenWater garden set to musicCraig and me at the water gardenConnections between the different gardensOne of the spectacular spaces in the Royal GardenLooking down to the main canal, Versaille Royal GardensHercules - enormous statue in the pondOne of the avenuesAnother amazing water feature

    Château de Versailles (Royal Gardens)

    September 5, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    The Royal Gardens at Versailles deserve their own set of photos. Classical music was playing through the loud speakers as we walked throughout the gardens. Not all the fountains were operational (sadly) but there were a number which did their own "water show" to the music.Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    The original foundations of the Louvre when it was a palace
    Don't worry Kate, these statues are 'armless!The four greatest minds over the ages...There she is, over there with all those people gawking at her...1Photos can't do this space justice. It was enormous and just beautiful

    Musée du Louvre

    September 6, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    The spaces in the Musée du Louvre are quite amazing really. The building itself looks large from the outside, but once you get inside it is like the tardis. It is almost incomprehensible that the size of the exhibition spaces, and so many of them, can fit inside the building.

    Without a doubt, my most favourite museum ever!    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    The Ingrammies up the Tower
    BeautifulAvenue des Champs-ÉlyséesUp the Eiffel TowerUp the Eiffel TowerTuilleres GardenOut for dinner with the husbandAbout to go to Le Crazy HorseThe Tower at night

    Paris - Tour Eiffel + Le Crazy Horse

    September 6, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    The first big day out in Paris! Straight up, we should be thankful for having children who did not complain once despite the 10km+ of walking we put in today! We decided to walk from Montmartre to the Musée du Louvre because at 36 minutes, it seemed only marginally slower than taking the Metro without the hassle of trying to work out the ticket vending machines. The Louvre deserves its own posting, so the adventure continues on after the Louvre to the walk through the Tuilleres Garden just outside, along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées to the Arch de Triomphe, with the plan to find a boulangerie on the way to buy a baguette to eat with our salami and cheese. Despite a relatively high density of such shops everywhere else in Paris, it would appear the cost of real estate on the Champs-Élysées would render this type of business unprofitable, because there were none to be found.

    Still, around the corner on the way back to the Tour Eiffel we managed to locate one as well as a park bench at which we could rest the weary feet. Across the Seine we bought our tickets to the top of the Eiffel Tower and once again I think we were relatively lucky in terms of waiting time (15 minutes or so). The real queues started at the elevators, both on the way up and on the way down and no amount of pre-purchasing was going to save us from that. But, it was worth it - a most incredible structure and really quite beautiful. The 1991 budget tourist me could only afford to walk to the second level, so the lift to the top was a treat (and much less tiring).

    We caught the Metro home. Walking was not an option.

    The kids enjoyed dinner out with Nanny and Poppy, having crepes for dessert and a night view of the Sacré-Cœur - complete with furnicular ride to the top.

    Craig and I enjoyed a dinner out in Paris prior to going to the Le Crazy Horse cabaret show. Finn was asking why they weren't coming out with us. We told them that the show was only for adults to go to, Craig adding that they didn't want stinky children there. When we got home, the kids had found a brochure for Crazy Horse whilst they were out for dinner with Nanny and Poppy and Kate said "I know why we couldn't go mum. It looked like those girl soldiers were not wearing very many clothes."

    True dat! The theatre was smallish, perhaps seating around 150. We had great seats only 4 rows from the front with a bottle of champagne. The lighting, music, costumes (what little there were) and the stage setting were done brilliantly. Highly recommended for a special night out in Paris.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    Not THE Pantheon, but a Pantheon none-the-less
    More Notre Dame (and amazing stone work)The cobblestoned streets of Rue MouffardNotre Dame in the backgroundNotre DameLove, our wayMore Notre DameThe déjeuner that sunk FinnyThe inside out building

    Paris - Pantheon, Mouffard, Notre Dame

    September 7, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Another big day of walking ahead, so Glen and Jeff decided to do the Hop On/Hop Off bus around Paris. We did start out with a Metro ride though, but in the end I think we ended up walking a big chunk of Paris and home again, given taking the Metro by the time we we were ready to come home was going to take only 2 minutes less than walking. Walking won.

    The agenda for today started us out at the Pantheon, but given this was not THE Pantheon, Craig was willing to reserve entry until we hit Rome - so only the outside viewing. Across the road was the Sainte-Genevieve Library which I wanted to have a sneak peak of, but non-borrowing visitors apparently are only allowed at certain times, and it was about 4 hours from when we rocked up, so it didn't eventuate. We then wandered to the Rue Mouffard Market which is a lovely narrow cobblestone street full of specialty shops (fish shops, veges, olives, fromagerie, patisserie, flowers etc) and narrow restaurants and cafes. The street is narrow as is, but the vendors pull out checker-plate platforms into the street to extend their shops which gives it a very intimate feeling. Craig bought his Opinel wooden handled knife whilst we were here, so we are set for picnics for the rest of the holiday now.

    A 20 minute walk further on we were crossing the Seine to the back end of the Notre Dame. Craig had declared this a "no queue" day, so it was only for a look from the outside, and then we ran into the parents! Around the corner from here, we joined the Parisiennes in what seems to be a prolonged affair and had déjeuner at one of the gorgeous cafes that line the streets. I had lunch a glass of rosé which seems to be the vin du jour (and with good reason - quite quaffable!). After lunch we continued on to the Pont Neuf to look at the thousands of padlocks attached to the balustrade and then across to the "inside out" Centre Pompidou.

    The kids are keen for their holiday souvenir to be a pocket knife, so as we were walking to Rue LaFayette we came across a hunting shop. It was so tiny and full of what would mostly likely take up 4-5 times more real estate in Australia. As such, it was a constant stream of saying "pardon" to every other person in the shop as you walked in or around them, trying to not let all the stock fall on the ground. A bit of an experience trying to negotiate buying a couple of pocket knives.    Read more

  • Gabrielle IngramEuropeTraveler
    The first passage had a Christian Louboutin shoe shop at the entrance!
    Just beautifulThe umbrella and walking cane shopOh what a ceiling!View from Galleries Lafayette across to Montmartre, so we walked home!

    Paris - Passages and Galleries

    September 7, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    One sight I was really looking forward to was the covered Passages of Paris. There are only about 20 or so remaining - glass covered arcades dating back for the most part to the 19th century, each with their own unique characteristics. Some where more well preserved than others, but each was fabulous in its own way. The shops inside were also wonderful, including one that only sold umbrellas/parasols and walking sticks! One passage in particular had mosaic floor tiles which were worn and uneven and just lovely. I think we went through 5 or 6 passages all up.

    Which brings us to Galleries Lafayette - OMG David Jones, eat your heart out. The French just know how to do stuff on a spectacular scale! I did have some delusional thought early on of needing to buy Kate a singlet. Hmmm, don't think a children's department consisting of Dolce and Gabbana, Armani, Gucci and the like, is likely to stock the humble Chesty Bond singlet in white! The interior to this building is a feast for the eyes. It is hard to see how you could get tired of working in this building really.    Read more

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