Bonjour! Pardon moi, ma Francais est tres mal...

Bonjour!

We are in Paris!  Hooray!

Greenfumb you were right!  On this trip we are going to be in France, Ireland and Malaysia  :)  It's been so long since we did a real holiday - no work, well not much anyway - and just sightseeing and exploring with the family.  Peggy, we are not going down south as we only have a week and a bit in Ireland to see family and attend Mr Bok's sister's wedding so will stay up north.  I love Donegal and the Antrim coastline so I'm looking forward to heading there as well.

Had a fantastic trip over, airlines were on time, served great food, kids were perfect, I don't know who paid them but I'm so thankful!  Thank GOD!!!!  I felt quite close to heaven on the plane as Ms Bok (6) kept asking what would happen if we got hit by lightning...or if the engine noise stopped and didn't come on again...or if the wings fell off...she was cheerful but I was paler with each response 'we will crash and die'.

We used the CARES harness on Master Bok (2) and it did a great job of keeping him buckled in when he needed to be on the plane.

 

Paris is GORGEOUS.  We are staying at a terrific apartment in the 7th.  Kids stayed awake until 7pm last night then crashed and are still asleep (it's 5am here).  I'm up doing a bit of  UN work but it feels so much better doing it from this apartment in Paris than from Melbourne, no idea why, I'm still in the rosy glow of first love with Paris.  The apartment is a real splurge for us but it's also much much better than I'd expected.  Great value actually and it's in a gorgeous spot.

View from our balcony - Miss Bok is very excited she can see the Eiffel tower from here! See it just behind the apartment?

Rue Cler is the market street near us and for the first day we trailing up and down the neighbourhood admiring the buildings and produce.

 

We arrived at 6am here yesterday, headed straight to the apartment and then Ms Bok and I headed onto Rue Cler for what else but food shopping  :)  It's a fabulous market street, and I'm pleased to say that my terrible French has been understood by all market stall keepers who all replied back in French, slowly...I even asked the fromager for a chevre to be eaten that night and that is in season.  He must have been appalled at the way I butchered his language but he was very gracious about it.  Ms Bok was showered with free treats like mini bananas (they had no idea how happy she was, bananas being a scarce commodity back home but how were they to know that) and had a huge ice cream that she had to wash off her face and hands in a fountain we passed by.  I was somewhat disconcerted though that some young Frenchman tried to convince us to have dinner with him.  The cheek!  Me with my 6 year old!  Perhaps I should have agreed and then turned up with the whole family  :)

The smallest and sweetest melons...so fragrant and beautiful

Loaded up on the amazing berries...loving all the fruit that is in season - compared with wintry Melbourne back home it is heaven.  I adore summer fruit

 

No idea what these fruit  are but the market man insisted we take some as gifts

  

Florists abound at every turn

 

The glace that Miss Bok enjoyed and the fountain she washed her hands and face in afterwards!

The fromager who was so kind and understood my appalling French

Nope didn't get the huge escargot...

We collected delicious items from here for dinner - and no I don't want to have dinner with you !

Master Bok enjoying the fruits of our expedition back home (heehee fruits get it? I'm so sad)

View from our balcony facing the other way - a march of some sort complete with opera music, singing and drums.  I'm sure it was just a demonstration though?

As soon as I file this report I'm going to rouse the troops and head off for brekkie, a chocolate croissant and coffee await!  If I don't keep a travel diary like this I'm sure I'd forget what we've been doing in a jet lagged haze...surprisingly we are all feeling alert and refreshed today!

If you've been to Paris - or if you live here! - please leave me some tips on what to eat, where to go, what to avoid etc.  Thank you!!

Have a lovely day wherever you are!