Our Last Full Day in Paris

The Louvre

Watch out, Wonder Woman!  Here we come!  Unfortunately, we were the most unprepared for the Louvre.  We tried.  We listed out what we wanted to see and the room numbers, but that place is a stinkin' maze.  Add to that the trouble of the unexpected strollers and we had ourselves a big problem.

Amazing ceilings!

We don't travel with stroller anymore because it became too time limiting for us.  You always had to find another way to get here or there.  Europe is not super handicap friendly, even if mostly it has been made handicap accessible.  Just because you can do it, doesn't mean it's easy.  I had Bobby on my front in the Ergo, and Brian had Judah in the hiking backpack as we started to go up the escalator.  This lady stopped us and told us we had to check the hiking backpack and that they had strollers to lend us for free.  Our backs and legs were sore, so instead of telling Judah he'd have to suck it up which we do from time to time, we decided to go with the borrowed strollers.  When Bob saw Judah's ride, he wanted one too.  What's one more?

The Mona Lisa, can you see her in that tiny frame?  This was Hannah's moment of beauty and happiness.  Can you tell?  Can you see the Mona Lisa smile?  That is her being happy.

This turned out to be a big problem because so many of their elevators were out of order, some of which were not even marked and we would just stand there pushing buttons and waiting before we gave up and went a different route.  Also, there are a half a dozen steps here and there all over.  You can hardly leave a room without needing yet another elevator.  Then the elevators were tiny and a lot of able-bodied people were taking them up and we'd have to wait for it to come back down.  Brian kept lecturing (many times) the children on how if they can take the stairs, they always should because some people genuinely need it and have to wait.

We were so frustrated we didn't see much on our list in the end, but we spent a significant amount of time there.  I realized a week later that we didn't even see Hammurabi's Code!  I got a sinking feeling in my stomach when I realized we missed something the kids had really wanted to see.  Maybe we'll see Paris again together.  Brian and I hope to travel there someday when we retire and spend much more time in the Louvre...with no complaining children either!

They loved their strollers, Mom and Dad's back loved the strollers, but Mom and Dad did not.

We saw the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo which were on our list.  Hannah loved the Mona Lisa and I was glad for that.  The hall right before the Mona Lisa was full of beautiful Renaissance art.

Venus De Milo

Venus de Milo with Broke de Arm Boy

This was supposed to be our lightest day since we cancelled the Pantheon, but we still had one last place on our list, but we had to get food in our bellies first.  We metro'd to the next area we needed to be in and had lunch at a delicious steak and frites and hamburger place.  Best hamburger I've had in Europe!  So very good.  Sadly, I split it with Drew not thinking it would be very good.  That kid can eat lately!

Then we walked down the street to the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal.  We spent our time there praying and admiring the enchanting chapel for Our Lady.  Blues and golds filled the small chapel.  There were two incorrupt saints (St. Catherine and St. Louise de Marillac) there and St. Vincent de Paul's heart, all on display at the front.  We went in two groups up to the front because we draw a lot of attention moving as a group and there was an air or reverence and prayer more so in this chapel than in the others we'd been to, which were so touristy.  Plus, it was small and very quiet.  Genna, Drew, and Bobby went with me.  Drew always has a million questions, and in a smaller group I typically love them.  I get weary of them most often when too many people are needing me at the exact same moment, but when we have a little quiet time together, I love how he is so eager to learn.

World's Cutest Baby in the Miraculous Medal Chapel Ever!  He even matched the blue Marian color scheme they had going, blue shirt and golden hair!  I seriously don't know how I get a thing done with this precious boy to squeeze and kiss.

In front of St. Louise de Marillac's incorrupt body in a glass case.

A really beautiful Chapel for Mary!

I was trying to get Bobby to whisper when a lady came up to me and told me that she had six kids too and that she thought he needed to go to the toilet.  Her kids always talked louder when they needed the toilet.  I was thinking he has a diaper and she was a little nuts, but I smiled and thanked her.  Sure enough, not two minutes and i looked at him and asked what he was doing.  With a grimace, he said, "Poopin'."  Well, shows me, huh?  That lady must've know what she was talking about.

Brian, Isaac, Hannah, and Judah were down kneeling at the front looking at St. Vincent de Paul's heart.

After a quick stop in the gift shop, we got crepes and ice cream for dinner before heading back to the hotel for the last time.  Only two things that we saw that whole day, and still we got there after 8pm, but at least it wasn't 10pm when we got back.

Can't get enough ice cream for these nuts!