Trip report, live from Paris! (including updates from Amsterdam, Bruges, and Brussels)
Jul 17th, 2006, 07:25 AM
#22
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Ggreen, thanks for the tip about the place in NYC, I'll definitely try it out!
Heat wave here and at home, I guess. Going to be 94 tomorrow - perfect for our day at Disneyland Paris - ugh!
So, Dejais, take your Mom to Altitude 95, you won't regret it. We just got back, kids taking their little afternoon nap so I have a minute to write. It's HOT out there, 91, so it's nice to be in our air conditioned apartment for a bit. Ryan is doing much better, fever is long gone and he's taking his medicine. He had a ball at the Eiffel Tower! Too bad I can't post pics simply to the site, I have hundreds already. I'll make a web page when I get home.
Oh, so Altitude 95. The best thing is that you get to wait on the "priority line" for the elevator to the first floor. Our wait was about 2 minutes as opposed to the hour long line for everyone else just going for a visit. The meal was good, fairly priced, not spectacular (not the ambience of Jules Verne either), but the overall experience was just wonderful. The wait staff, as most here in Europe were just so great with the kids - everyone who passed our table stopped to play with them and our waitress kept bringing them little cookies every now and then. We called just yesterday and got lucky - they had cancellations - but we couldn't get a window seat. We were told you have to reserve those at least a month in advance, so call way ahead! It wasn't that big a deal though, Ryan kept getting up to go look out the window whenever he wanted to and we lingered on the first floor for around 45 minutes after lunch. No need to go higher, the view was spectacular and it wasn't the least bit crowded.
That's all for today, shopping this evening then Disney tomorrow - I don't think Ryan will be able to sleep!
John
Heat wave here and at home, I guess. Going to be 94 tomorrow - perfect for our day at Disneyland Paris - ugh!
So, Dejais, take your Mom to Altitude 95, you won't regret it. We just got back, kids taking their little afternoon nap so I have a minute to write. It's HOT out there, 91, so it's nice to be in our air conditioned apartment for a bit. Ryan is doing much better, fever is long gone and he's taking his medicine. He had a ball at the Eiffel Tower! Too bad I can't post pics simply to the site, I have hundreds already. I'll make a web page when I get home.
Oh, so Altitude 95. The best thing is that you get to wait on the "priority line" for the elevator to the first floor. Our wait was about 2 minutes as opposed to the hour long line for everyone else just going for a visit. The meal was good, fairly priced, not spectacular (not the ambience of Jules Verne either), but the overall experience was just wonderful. The wait staff, as most here in Europe were just so great with the kids - everyone who passed our table stopped to play with them and our waitress kept bringing them little cookies every now and then. We called just yesterday and got lucky - they had cancellations - but we couldn't get a window seat. We were told you have to reserve those at least a month in advance, so call way ahead! It wasn't that big a deal though, Ryan kept getting up to go look out the window whenever he wanted to and we lingered on the first floor for around 45 minutes after lunch. No need to go higher, the view was spectacular and it wasn't the least bit crowded.
That's all for today, shopping this evening then Disney tomorrow - I don't think Ryan will be able to sleep!
John
Jul 17th, 2006, 07:32 AM
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I reserved a window table for an evening dinner however I could never get them to confirm it. You have to call or fax them a letter as they do not take email reservations. I did this back in January for our September trip. Guess I will have to send them another fax and hope they are still reserving our table. I was going to let it go but if you think it is enjoyable then we shall leave it on the schedule. Thanks so much for the info.
Disney, however, is definitely NOT on our list. I live in Tampa, FL! Hope it is not too hot for you. Have a great time!
Disney, however, is definitely NOT on our list. I live in Tampa, FL!
Hope it is not too hot for you. Have a great time!
Jul 17th, 2006, 08:23 AM
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Good question. Ummm, there were definitely people going up to the second floor fro the first floor, but I'm 99% sure you need another ticket to go from 2 to the top. Maybe you have to buy it before you go up at the same kiosk you check in at for Altitude 95 (you buy a ticket for the lift to floor 1 from them).
Jul 17th, 2006, 10:05 AM
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Great post John. We took our three to Rome at Christmas. We also found it to be a rewarding and great experience.
Glad that going all carry-ons worked out for you. However, a suggestion for parents reading this post in the future: If you are not coming directly from a port-of-entry city, consider that you will be hauling all those carry-ons around when you change planes. And if it is winter, you will have all their coats too.
If your kids are older (my oldest was 10), you might be able to count on them hauling something. On the way back it might be wise to check an extra bag or two because the kids will be more tired and cranky having done the long flight first.
Keep counting up your carry-ons over and over until you board the second plane. Or one might get left behind at the drinking fountain!
Glad that going all carry-ons worked out for you. However, a suggestion for parents reading this post in the future: If you are not coming directly from a port-of-entry city, consider that you will be hauling all those carry-ons around when you change planes. And if it is winter, you will have all their coats too.
If your kids are older (my oldest was 10), you might be able to count on them hauling something. On the way back it might be wise to check an extra bag or two because the kids will be more tired and cranky having done the long flight first.
Keep counting up your carry-ons over and over until you board the second plane. Or one might get left behind at the drinking fountain!
Jul 17th, 2006, 10:12 AM
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Glad to hear you are having such a wonderful time. You are experiencing (much as we did in Paris) that children open many doors (mine are 4 & 15 months). Can't wait to hear about the remainder of your trip.
Jul 17th, 2006, 12:20 PM
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Hey all,
Thanks for all the kind responses! Hope you guys are enjoying my report as much as I enjoyed reading others before my trip.
I'll post all the apartment info this weekend, I promise.
Altitude 95 doesn't use a private elevator like Jules Verne does, but they DO let you skip ahead of the line for the regular elevators we waited for like 5 minutes, seriously. When you check in at the Altitude 95 kiosk, they check your name off the reservation list and sell you a special ticket for the priority elevator line (like 4 Euros, I think).
Just got back from Le Bon Marche, nice store!!!
Thanks for all the kind responses! Hope you guys are enjoying my report as much as I enjoyed reading others before my trip.
I'll post all the apartment info this weekend, I promise.
Altitude 95 doesn't use a private elevator like Jules Verne does, but they DO let you skip ahead of the line for the regular elevators we waited for like 5 minutes, seriously. When you check in at the Altitude 95 kiosk, they check your name off the reservation list and sell you a special ticket for the priority elevator line (like 4 Euros, I think).
Just got back from Le Bon Marche, nice store!!!
Jul 17th, 2006, 03:36 PM
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John -
Thank you so much for taking time-outs to share your trip.
The Bastille Day celebration sounds just wonderful! Sometimes it pays to just follow your own inclination and it definitely worked for you this time.
(I didn't follow all your planning stages, so I don't know what was said. I'm sure you found that most advise given here is terrific, but there are most often several different points of view for the same issue. So, we read it all and make a decision based on what feels right for us.)
Anyway, it's fun tor read about Paris from your perspective. Definitely looking forward to more . . .
Linda
Thank you so much for taking time-outs to share your trip.
The Bastille Day celebration sounds just wonderful! Sometimes it pays to just follow your own inclination and it definitely worked for you this time.
(I didn't follow all your planning stages, so I don't know what was said. I'm sure you found that most advise given here is terrific, but there are most often several different points of view for the same issue. So, we read it all and make a decision based on what feels right for us.)
Anyway, it's fun tor read about Paris from your perspective. Definitely looking forward to more . . .
Linda
Jul 22nd, 2006, 03:34 AM
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Well, I'm back home, but not happy about it. Paris is the only place I’ve ever left without feeling even a little twinge of that “happy to be going to the comforts of home” feeling. Our last morning we were looking in all the real estate windows trying to convince ourselves that if we just bring lunch to work and cut out some luxuries (why do we really need to ever buy new underwear?) that we can obviously afford a little apartment in Paris to escape to whenever we’d like. :
igh::
Back to the report...
So, our day of Disney craziness began at 7:30 AM with a train ride in which the kids were half asleep and probably unaware of what was going on! Let me explain something to start; my wife is one of those Disney freaks - we all know one - the kind who’s been to WDW six times, has all the films committed to memory, has a few snowglobes and figurines around the house, etc. When we were in Paris last, our honeymoon, we had to buy one of those paving stones engraved with our names on it at the entrance to Disneyland commemorating the event, you get the picture? So yes, Ryan was very excited to see his favorite characters and go on the rides, but I think D was even more excited to be there with him.
It was a 12 hour day at Disneyland Paris. Daniela was delirious - disney overload. The kids were just adorable. The minute we walked in and Ryan saw the castle he yelled, "There it is, there it is - we made it!" as if he found the holy grail! All he wanted to do was meet characters. We bought him a little autograph book and he collected signatures and gave them all a million hugs, it was too cute! We did a character lunch so he saw a few there and then we had to wait on a line to see Minnie (Ryan was dying to see her, when he saw Mickey at the character lunch he asked him where she was). He loved Small World, Buzz Lightyear, Alice's maze, etc.. Pirates and Peter Pan scared the bejesus out of him, as I predicted, but Daniela, caught up in her Disney craziness had to drag him on. We even took Christopher on them, he just buried his head in my shoulder during Pirates.
Oh, their favorite thing was the Lion King show. Ryan was so excited! We got second row seats (I think D trampled a whole family en route) and he just sat there beaming. He clapped and screamed, "Yay" after each song and at the end just looked at us and said, "That was great!" After the parade (another huge hit) we had dinner and as we were finishing, ready to leave the park, he said, "Thank you for taking me to Disneyland." He's just too sweet.
Did I mention it was like 100 degrees in Paris that day? Disneyland wasn’t so bad though because they have so many shops and restaurants with ac that you can always take a break, and we took a whole lot of them. Also, it wasn’t that humid so it was tolerable. Back home, it’s 83 and soupy out - just gross, I’ll take the 90s in Paris any day.
The next day felt even warmer. Since we were still exhausted from Disney and it was so hot, we decided to just do the Musee D’orsay and a little shopping - just take it easy and try to stay indoors. The kids were tired and cranky making the museum a little unpleasant. Ryan liked seeing the Monets and VanGoghs he recognized but was uninterested in anything else. They really were only moody a couple of times throughout the whole trip so we considered ourselves lucky and just moved on. Oh, a museum tip; advance tickets are easy to get and handy to have to avoid lines. We purchased tickets for D’Orsay while browsing the Virgin Records store - you can just go up to their ticket counter (sorta like Ticketmaster here) and buy tickets for the museum.
We took a good break at the apartment, enjoyed the AC, and headed out in the evening for a return trip to the little carnival in the the Tuilerie Gardens because Ryan had a good time the other night. Before we got there though we remembered a post I had just read here about an exposition at the Grand Palais. It was a series of demonstrations of these crazy machines, contraptions really, that did silly tasks such as crashing two enormous cymbals together, making it snow in the Grand Palais, and launching pianos on catapults - I kid you not. We were the only non-french family there, didn’t understand a word of what was being said at each demonstration, and still had a wonderful time - another great tip from this board. Coupled with a late night at the carnival, it was a fun and festive last night in Paris.
Our last morning we packed and had lunch at Bistro Romain - why aren’t our chain restaurants this good? Oh, and speaking of chains - Paul is unbelievable for pastries, etc. I can’t even believe it’s a chain! They had better stuff than most little independent shops we tried. There was one right on our corner and we had something at least once a day, I think.
Our cab ride to the airport was hassle free (www.airportshuttleparis.com if anyone is interested - we got the private shuttle) and the flight was your typical long flight with kids, about 20 minutes of crankiness and a lot of sleep (thank you Benadryll). The crankiness was worse on the way home though than on the flight over, prompting a passenger in front of us in business class to beg the flight attendants to bring Ryan some cookies to shut him up (I don’t know what she actually said but that’s what they did). We were a little embarrassed but then realized it was really the only “problem” we had on the trip with regards to annoying anyone else so we just tried to forget it. I did lose it for a minute though during the “I wanna be home now” tirade, threatening to take away all Ryan’s toys at home if he didn’t stop whining immediately. Does every parent have a moment now and then when they turn into that parent we swore we’d never be? The one that uses, “Because I said so”, as a valid response? I hope I’m not the only one, but I’m certainly not proud of it.
This is a good time to talk about how it was actually EASIER than we thought it would be to travel with two small kids. Don’t be afraid to do it, just make the decision based on the your kids’ behavior and enjoyment when you go out for a day or meal in your hometown. It’s really the same on vacation, you’ll have the same ups and downs, just in a different setting. As far as home sickness, we went from the first night where Ryan said, “I miss my usual home, I want to go home now”, to the last morning in Europe where Ryan asked, “When are we coming back to our little home in Paris?” Seriously, on the few trips we’ve taken him on, the homesickness lasts about a day and that’s it. Not a big deal at all - we just reassure him that we will be returning home, eventually, and he’s fine.
Well, that’s about it I guess, if I think of other stuff later that might be helpful to anyone, I’ll post more. If anyone has any questions, especially involving travel with kids, I’d be more than happy to relay our experiences.
Oh, some endorsements. American Airlines - they were great with the kids. On the flight over they gave us not one, but 2 extra seats so we could spread out. No extra seats to be had on the flight home but they moved us to a bulkhead row without us even requesting it. Nothing bad to say as both flights were right on time and hassle free.
Our apartment in Paris, here’s the info: Rentalfrance.com (Pascal Z.) - yet another tip from this board that proved to be invaluable! We stayed at the Rue de Buci apartment, which was small for an apartment but much bigger than any hotel room, and adequately equipped and spotless. Washer/dryer, AC (not what we’re used to at home, but it was fine) - very comfortable bed too! The price and location were unbeatable and the whole process was as smooth as can be. They even provided a portable crib for us at no extra charge.
Well, thanks for reading - hope our trip report can provide even a fraction of the help I received from this board to others who are planning their own trips!!!
igh::Back to the report...
So, our day of Disney craziness began at 7:30 AM with a train ride in which the kids were half asleep and probably unaware of what was going on! Let me explain something to start; my wife is one of those Disney freaks - we all know one - the kind who’s been to WDW six times, has all the films committed to memory, has a few snowglobes and figurines around the house, etc. When we were in Paris last, our honeymoon, we had to buy one of those paving stones engraved with our names on it at the entrance to Disneyland commemorating the event, you get the picture? So yes, Ryan was very excited to see his favorite characters and go on the rides, but I think D was even more excited to be there with him.
It was a 12 hour day at Disneyland Paris. Daniela was delirious - disney overload. The kids were just adorable. The minute we walked in and Ryan saw the castle he yelled, "There it is, there it is - we made it!" as if he found the holy grail! All he wanted to do was meet characters. We bought him a little autograph book and he collected signatures and gave them all a million hugs, it was too cute! We did a character lunch so he saw a few there and then we had to wait on a line to see Minnie (Ryan was dying to see her, when he saw Mickey at the character lunch he asked him where she was). He loved Small World, Buzz Lightyear, Alice's maze, etc.. Pirates and Peter Pan scared the bejesus out of him, as I predicted, but Daniela, caught up in her Disney craziness had to drag him on. We even took Christopher on them, he just buried his head in my shoulder during Pirates.
Oh, their favorite thing was the Lion King show. Ryan was so excited! We got second row seats (I think D trampled a whole family en route) and he just sat there beaming. He clapped and screamed, "Yay" after each song and at the end just looked at us and said, "That was great!" After the parade (another huge hit) we had dinner and as we were finishing, ready to leave the park, he said, "Thank you for taking me to Disneyland." He's just too sweet.
Did I mention it was like 100 degrees in Paris that day? Disneyland wasn’t so bad though because they have so many shops and restaurants with ac that you can always take a break, and we took a whole lot of them. Also, it wasn’t that humid so it was tolerable. Back home, it’s 83 and soupy out - just gross, I’ll take the 90s in Paris any day.
The next day felt even warmer. Since we were still exhausted from Disney and it was so hot, we decided to just do the Musee D’orsay and a little shopping - just take it easy and try to stay indoors. The kids were tired and cranky making the museum a little unpleasant. Ryan liked seeing the Monets and VanGoghs he recognized but was uninterested in anything else. They really were only moody a couple of times throughout the whole trip so we considered ourselves lucky and just moved on. Oh, a museum tip; advance tickets are easy to get and handy to have to avoid lines. We purchased tickets for D’Orsay while browsing the Virgin Records store - you can just go up to their ticket counter (sorta like Ticketmaster here) and buy tickets for the museum.
We took a good break at the apartment, enjoyed the AC, and headed out in the evening for a return trip to the little carnival in the the Tuilerie Gardens because Ryan had a good time the other night. Before we got there though we remembered a post I had just read here about an exposition at the Grand Palais. It was a series of demonstrations of these crazy machines, contraptions really, that did silly tasks such as crashing two enormous cymbals together, making it snow in the Grand Palais, and launching pianos on catapults - I kid you not. We were the only non-french family there, didn’t understand a word of what was being said at each demonstration, and still had a wonderful time - another great tip from this board. Coupled with a late night at the carnival, it was a fun and festive last night in Paris.
Our last morning we packed and had lunch at Bistro Romain - why aren’t our chain restaurants this good? Oh, and speaking of chains - Paul is unbelievable for pastries, etc. I can’t even believe it’s a chain! They had better stuff than most little independent shops we tried. There was one right on our corner and we had something at least once a day, I think.
Our cab ride to the airport was hassle free (www.airportshuttleparis.com if anyone is interested - we got the private shuttle) and the flight was your typical long flight with kids, about 20 minutes of crankiness and a lot of sleep (thank you Benadryll). The crankiness was worse on the way home though than on the flight over, prompting a passenger in front of us in business class to beg the flight attendants to bring Ryan some cookies to shut him up (I don’t know what she actually said but that’s what they did). We were a little embarrassed but then realized it was really the only “problem” we had on the trip with regards to annoying anyone else so we just tried to forget it. I did lose it for a minute though during the “I wanna be home now” tirade, threatening to take away all Ryan’s toys at home if he didn’t stop whining immediately. Does every parent have a moment now and then when they turn into that parent we swore we’d never be? The one that uses, “Because I said so”, as a valid response? I hope I’m not the only one, but I’m certainly not proud of it.
This is a good time to talk about how it was actually EASIER than we thought it would be to travel with two small kids. Don’t be afraid to do it, just make the decision based on the your kids’ behavior and enjoyment when you go out for a day or meal in your hometown. It’s really the same on vacation, you’ll have the same ups and downs, just in a different setting. As far as home sickness, we went from the first night where Ryan said, “I miss my usual home, I want to go home now”, to the last morning in Europe where Ryan asked, “When are we coming back to our little home in Paris?” Seriously, on the few trips we’ve taken him on, the homesickness lasts about a day and that’s it. Not a big deal at all - we just reassure him that we will be returning home, eventually, and he’s fine.
Well, that’s about it I guess, if I think of other stuff later that might be helpful to anyone, I’ll post more. If anyone has any questions, especially involving travel with kids, I’d be more than happy to relay our experiences.
Oh, some endorsements. American Airlines - they were great with the kids. On the flight over they gave us not one, but 2 extra seats so we could spread out. No extra seats to be had on the flight home but they moved us to a bulkhead row without us even requesting it. Nothing bad to say as both flights were right on time and hassle free.
Our apartment in Paris, here’s the info: Rentalfrance.com (Pascal Z.) - yet another tip from this board that proved to be invaluable! We stayed at the Rue de Buci apartment, which was small for an apartment but much bigger than any hotel room, and adequately equipped and spotless. Washer/dryer, AC (not what we’re used to at home, but it was fine) - very comfortable bed too! The price and location were unbeatable and the whole process was as smooth as can be. They even provided a portable crib for us at no extra charge.
Well, thanks for reading - hope our trip report can provide even a fraction of the help I received from this board to others who are planning their own trips!!!
Jul 22nd, 2006, 04:14 AM
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Glad to hear you are home safe and had a wonderful time. I fell in love with your son as you wrote. What a sweetheart. The Disney comments must be tucked away and pulled out from time to time. They were magical.
Also, thank you for the tips as you went along. I did indeed get in touch with Altitude 95 and have secured a reservation for a window table for my mother and myself in September. I don't think I would have followed through had it not been for your encouraging words about the experience. So thank you again. We are looking forward to it.
Also, thank you for the tips as you went along. I did indeed get in touch with Altitude 95 and have secured a reservation for a window table for my mother and myself in September. I don't think I would have followed through had it not been for your encouraging words about the experience. So thank you again. We are looking forward to it.
Jul 22nd, 2006, 04:20 AM
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John - just found your trip report and thoroughly enjoyed reading of your family adventure. My husband & I took our soon to Europe almost yearly from the time he was 3. Thank goodness for umbrella strollers! He's 22 now and leaving for Chile Monday with his first job out of college. While I'm sure he'll do fine as I (hopefully) did my part trekking him around Europe all those years, he's really anxious. When we were in Germany years ago he got sick (actually started running a fever from our first day in Munich). I didn't have a thermometer to take his temperature (learned that lesson once) and eventually, took him to a doctor in Garmisch. It was a fascinating experience and Dr. Wolfgang Underholzer (sp?) diagnosed strep throat and prescribed very reasonably priced antibiotics. Again, thanks for the report.
Jul 22nd, 2006, 08:05 AM
#37
Excellent report. I was taken to France when I was 18 months old, 6 years old, 11 years old... and then I started going on my own when I was 17. I have never understood parents who don't want to take small children on major trips, because such things have always been among the most treasured memories of my life.
Jul 22nd, 2006, 10:21 AM
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John -
What a wonderful time you had! I also fell in love with Ryan. The best times I ever had at Disneyland were when my kids were small. What precious memories you have and will continue to build on.
And don't worry about the momentary lapse when you became "that parent" we swear we will never be. It won't be the last time that happens. But, you know, our children seem to survive and turn out pretty well in spite of our goofs as parents. Just the way you write about your son reveals so much love - your boys are very fortunate in more ways than one!
Thank you so much for sharing. I really enjoyed this.
Linda
What a wonderful time you had! I also fell in love with Ryan. The best times I ever had at Disneyland were when my kids were small. What precious memories you have and will continue to build on.
And don't worry about the momentary lapse when you became "that parent" we swear we will never be. It won't be the last time that happens. But, you know, our children seem to survive and turn out pretty well in spite of our goofs as parents. Just the way you write about your son reveals so much love - your boys are very fortunate in more ways than one!
Thank you so much for sharing. I really enjoyed this.
Linda
Jul 24th, 2006, 11:56 AM
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Thanks so much everyone for all the comments on our trip, the kids, parenting, etc. - it means a lot!
I'm one of those people who is always saying I'm going to keep a journal but I never do. In a weird way, this board was the push I needed to write about our trip and I'm extremely grateful for it.
I wanted to add one one thing about our experiences because so much has been written here recently about acting and dressing like an American in Europe and how Europeans perceive us. This is really so simple. Dress? Don't give it a second thought, if you look neat, you're good to go. Attitude? Ah, now there's the real issue! We had the most wonderful experience with everyone we encountered in every country. We also happen to be polite and courteous people. Many people are not. Here at home this is a major pet peeve of mine (the decline of common courtesy, as I like to call it)and this is what causes the problems between Americans, or any ill-mannered person for that manner, and people we encounter while travelling. I saw this first hand many times - for example, we saw many American and British tourists walk right up to someone in a shop, ticket kiosk, etc. and just start rattling off long sentences in english without saying hello, expecting to be understood and promptly taken care of. I don't know about you, but if I worked in a Manhattan shop and a customer came up to me and just rattled off something in French then impatiently waited for me to not only respond but DO something, I'd be slightly annoyed too, wouldn't you? That's it, that's the whole issue, nothing more. It comes right down to the same common courtesy problem we seem to have lately here at home transfering overseas when we travel.
Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now, but I've now been to 6 European countries and got along fabulously with everyone, always. Be polite,speak slowly, and learn a few pleasantries in their native language and you're set.
Anyway, stay tuned, I'm trying to get a few pictures uploaded...
John
I'm one of those people who is always saying I'm going to keep a journal but I never do. In a weird way, this board was the push I needed to write about our trip and I'm extremely grateful for it.
I wanted to add one one thing about our experiences because so much has been written here recently about acting and dressing like an American in Europe and how Europeans perceive us. This is really so simple. Dress? Don't give it a second thought, if you look neat, you're good to go. Attitude? Ah, now there's the real issue! We had the most wonderful experience with everyone we encountered in every country. We also happen to be polite and courteous people. Many people are not. Here at home this is a major pet peeve of mine (the decline of common courtesy, as I like to call it)and this is what causes the problems between Americans, or any ill-mannered person for that manner, and people we encounter while travelling. I saw this first hand many times - for example, we saw many American and British tourists walk right up to someone in a shop, ticket kiosk, etc. and just start rattling off long sentences in english without saying hello, expecting to be understood and promptly taken care of. I don't know about you, but if I worked in a Manhattan shop and a customer came up to me and just rattled off something in French then impatiently waited for me to not only respond but DO something, I'd be slightly annoyed too, wouldn't you? That's it, that's the whole issue, nothing more. It comes right down to the same common courtesy problem we seem to have lately here at home transfering overseas when we travel.
Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now, but I've now been to 6 European countries and got along fabulously with everyone, always. Be polite,speak slowly, and learn a few pleasantries in their native language and you're set.
Anyway, stay tuned, I'm trying to get a few pictures uploaded...
John
Jul 24th, 2006, 12:16 PM
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That's too funny about the business class passenger wanted Ryan to have cookies to shut him up. LOL I don't like kids, never had kids, but it's beyond me how impatient people can be with small children. It's like somehow they think you are sticking pins in the child just to make sure it keeps crying.LOL I really liked your report and I think Ryan will be just fine...you sound like wonderful parents.
