Driving down Wine Road...

When he found out we were coming to Germany, our good friend (who is from Germany) planned out a drive for us! Sunday morning, after Mass, we drove West into Southern France and stopped at Colmar. Our friend didn't tell us where to go in Colmar, so we drove around for a while and didn't see much. We were both looking at each other with raised eyebrows. Hmmm.. We decided to just park and walk around. The first place we stopped was a restaurant. Well, I guess I didn't look too closely at the sign, because they only served drinks! I drank an espresso and asked where the nearest restaurant to EAT was! She pointed us in the right direction. After a couple of blocks, the entire atmosphere changed and we were suddenly in the most charming, precious, beautiful town you've ever seen!

Pictures do NOT do it justice!

Where we ate lunch...
The Tour de France had just come through here last weekend!

Check it out! A piano shrub!

I wanted to spend the whole weekend here, but we had to keep going. We felt like we'd "discovered" this place. (Even though our friend told us about it!) It was wonderful!

It was a beautiful drive up wine road. In the South of France in the Alsace region, they have vineyards everywhere! You can stop at any of them, taste a little, and buy as much as you want! (Cheap!)

Unfortunately, we were again limited by time. We stopped at one vineyard, where between French and German, we got the point across, and bought a couple bottles of white wine.

Paris- Day 3

Sunday morning, we had another yummy breakfast of croissants, brie cheese, proscuitto, and coffee, then headed to Notre Dame for Holy Mass.

Notre Dame was built between 1163 and 1272, thanks to Saint Louis. Quoting from the book, "Other cathedrals narrate the Bible with abundant illustraions, but not this one, which is entirely oriented towards the only face in which Christians recognize the face of God: that of Jesus Christ." Mass is celebrated daily and "there is a priest on call from morning to evening to welcome those who seek a listening ear or confession, or to offer help for each person who enters the Cathedral because it is the house of God our Father."

Above the central doors is the "Portal of the Last Judgement". "This portal depicts the whole Church gathered in everlasting joy; everyone reunited around Jesus."

The North Rose Window is the work of Jean de Chelles and was donated by Saint Louis.

A side chapel.

Unfortunately, our camera battery was dying, so we had to limit our picture taking! When I went to Paris before, Colleen and I discoverd Le Petit Chatelet and loved it. When we came back through and met up with Emily and Tim, we took them there. So I wanted to take JC, too! We had a nice lunch after Mass. It was gorgeous weather.

JC at Les Invalides, where Napoleon is buried.

After Les Invalides, we went back to the airport and flew home. There we found that our camera battery was not the only battery that died...our car battery had as well! It took a few hours, but we finally made it back home! Poor JC had to get up early and go to work, but it was all worth it. We had an amazing start to our European adventures! Nous aimons Paris!!

Paris- Day 2, Musee d'Orsay and dinner

After our Parisian picnic lunch, we walked over to the Musee d'Orsay, home of the great Impressionist painters and more. Here are some of my favorites!

That night, we celebrated our third anniversary with a fabulous dinner, thanks to my parents and two of our good friends from Oklahoma! This dinner was amazing!!! The food was so pretty I had to take pictures! The wine was free flowing and it was such a great time to sit and go deep in conversation. It was a very special night for us.

Paris- Day 2

Day two began with a bang. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at our hotel and headed out to Saint Chapelle. Saint Chapelle is Notre Dame's "little chapel" and was built by Saint Louis to house THE Crown of Thorns worn by Christ during His passion. It was gorgeous and awesome.

However...before we left, JC had to go to the bathroom. I told him I'd wait in the sun, he thought I said I'd wait outside. We both waited and waited and waited before he came looking for me. It was very scary for me, as I had NOTHING on me- no money, no id, no water... I was beginning to panic before he came to find me!

The Arc de Triomphe and site of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was our next stop. However, upon arriving at our stop, we realized we had either lost our map and guide book or it had been stolen on the Metro. SAD. But we carried on... or climbed on, I should say! It's 397 steps up and 397 steps down, but well worth it. It gave me goosebumps to think of soldiers marching through the arc in victory. We have so much to be proud of! Inside, they have set up a fabulous method of learning more about the scupltures and engravings. I didn't get to the Arc my last visit in Paris and was SO glad we went this time.

Posing in front of the Champs Elysees! Instead of taking the Metro to our next stop, I insisted we walk down this famous street! It was a LONG walk!

We stopped in the Tuileries Garden for a picnic lunch. JC got attacked by a brazen bird who wanted his sandwich and we forgot a corkscrew for the wine. Our day had many hitches in it!

Walking over the Alexander Pont III bridge towards Musee d'Orsay.

Paris- Day 1

I arrived on June 10, our three year anniversary! JC had a three day anniversary, so we went to Paris! We had an amazing and romantic weekend there, celebrating life and marriage! We got up at THREE AM and headed to the airport. We arrived at nine and, after checking into our fabulous hotel, went to the Louvre. Then we explored Monmartre, dined at a sidewalk cafe and worshipped in Holy Mass at Sacre Coeur. We then took the Metro down to Tour d'Eiffel. It was a wonderful and thorough day exploring Paris!

And of course, the Mona Lisa!

The Nike of Samothrace- of Winged Victory

Which of these is not like the other!

Venus de Milo

Outside the Louvre on our first day!

Je t'aime my husband and Paris! When we first started dating, he gave me a large mounted poster of a couple kissing in the rain in front of the Tour d'Eiffel. I tried to recreate the memory- but he wouldn't let me use an umbrella!

Sacre Coeur- home of perpetual adoration of Christ in Paris!