Archive for the ‘Travelling with Kids’ Category

Paris: A Dream Come True (and with kids too)

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

I started learning French when I was in 5th grade and, miraculously, I decided that I loved learning the language. As a result, I continued on and took it through high school – including a year of French literature – and into college. The sad thing was…I never made it to France…until this summer.

Finally - Paris!

Finally - Paris!

The second leg of our trip was to Paris. I must say it was AMAZING. I was a little worried at first. I had years and years of education about the sights and culture surrounding France…and I knew I’d only be there for a few days – and with my kids!! AHHHH — would I see it all? Would I enjoy it? Would my kids enjoy it? The answer to these questions was YES – of course!!!

Here are a few of the highlights – and a few tips on seeing Paris with kids.

I must admit we were out and about from breakfast and into the wee hours of the night. It stayed light until after 10 pm so it gave us ample opportunity to pack in the sights.

The people in Paris were quite friendly. At one restaurant, the kids were given light sticks. That night we headed over to the Louvre to see it lit up against the night sky. It was quite a sight. Although I loved the beauty of the Louvre in lights – the kids loved playing Star Wars battles with their new found light sticks! Everyone was happy!

Star Wars at the Louvre!

Star Wars at the Louvre!

We tried to throw in kid-friendly activities. So, after a day at an art museum, we went to the Luxembourg Gardens and let the kids ride the ponies…and have ice cream! A favorite!

Pony rides at Luxembourg Gardens

Pony rides at Luxembourg Gardens

Who could resist the stained glass at Saint Chapelle and the awe-inspiring size of the Cathedral of Notre Dame?

Stain glass windows catch the eye of people of all ages!

Stain glass windows catch the eye of people of all ages!

The Louvre was great for me because I saw the Mona Lisa…it was great for my kids because they saw a Mummy.

Mummy!!!! In the Louvre!

Mummy!!!! In the Louvre!

My kids still talk about going up in the Eifel Tower. AND – we saw it at night several times – when the lights flicker and it turns to “diamonds” – a thrill for everyone.

View from the Eifel Tower

View from the Eifel Tower

Garden mazes became a theme of the trip – the kids loved running through them…here’s one at Les Invalides.

Ahhh - the mazes - a kid's version of big fun!

Ahhh - the mazes - a kid's version of big fun!

Napoleon’s tomb may have been cool for me…

The kids weren't so interested in Napoleon's tomb...

The kids weren't so interested in Napoleon's tomb...


but the tanks,
checking out one of the many tanks at the Musee d'Armee

checking out one of the many tanks at the Musee d'Armee


armor,
Pint-sized armor

Pint-sized armor


and cannons
Endless cannons at the Army Museum in Paris

Endless cannons at the Army Museum in Paris


were cool for my kids. I think my son pretended to shoot off every single cannon in the museum!

Versaille was the most universally family friendly place. It was absolutely beautiful with hours of garden mazes for the kids.

More mazes!

More mazes!

Anyone seen my kids??

Having some fun in the gardens at Versaille...

Having some fun in the gardens at Versaille...


The bottom line: Don’t worry, you can see everything you want to see in Paris with kids.

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Sightseeing in Davos with Children

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

I can go on and on about our time in the Swiss Alps – and I probably will. I absolutely LOVED every minute of our time there!

Davos may be one of the prettiest towns I've visited - I love Switzerland!

Davos may be one of the prettiest towns I've visited - I love Switzerland!

The train ride through Switzerland was absolutely gorgeous! The kids loved seeing the jagged mountains, swift rivers, and countless waterfalls. The cows…oh how they loved the cows! Every cow wore its own collar with a giant cow bell attached. Anyone who knows my children knows how much they want to own their very own cow – seeing these pretty pale brown and gray cows with their “necklaces” on just added to their cow-filled dreams.

After a three hour train ride, we arrived in Davos, Switzerland. It has some similarities to Vail and Aspen in Colorado. I would say that all the charm that people appreciate in the Colorado villages originated in Davos. Basically, developers in Colorado mimicked the town of Davos when they created the ski towns of Aspen and Vail. The town has everything you need – markets, shopping centers, ski trams and gondolas, pristine lakes, lush valleys, and endless hiking trails!! It is certainly a town that I want to return to time and time again.

One of our first sights was Reinerhorn. It is a ski area complete with a gondola, petting zoo, playground, and hiking trails. We took the gondola up the mountain and the views were amazing. All the valleys in the area are a brilliant green and covered with yellow, purple, and pink wildflowers.

Alpine flowers were in bloom.

Alpine flowers were in bloom.

Once on top of the mountain at Reinerhorn, we hit the trail. I can’t go on enough about how pretty this area is – a must-see!

Hiking atop Reinerhorn.

Hiking atop Reinerhorn.

I think the highlight of Reinerhorn for the kids was the playground.

The playground on Reinerhorn.

The playground on Reinerhorn.


A jumbo see-saw, long zip-line, multi-tiered merry-go-round, trampoline, and kid-sized gondola were the favorites in our crowd. Big Fun!
The trampoline was a favorite on top of the mountain.

The trampoline was a favorite on top of the mountain.

The playgrounds in the town of Davos were amazing, as well. Zip-lines, treehouses, giant wooden bugs were some of the highlights.

Giant wooden bugs at the playground in Davos.

Giant wooden bugs at the playground in Davos.


Treehouse and Slide at the park.

Treehouse and Slide at the park.


Zip line...need I say more.  Getting ready for Costa Rica?

Zip line...need I say more. Getting ready for Costa Rica?


But…nothing beats the giant wooden plane or albatross – especially for a three year old boy.
The Albatross of Davos

The Albatross of Davos

We took one afternoon for a hike atop one of the mountains overlooking town. The tram ride was fun for the kids and a nice break from the hills for me. We managed to time it perfectly so that there were no lines and we had the entire tram to ourselves.

Going UP!

Going UP!

The nights were still crisp in the Alps, but luckily we brought enough warm clothes. Most dinners were spent at restaurants with my husband’s co-workers. Lively stories, delicious food, and a glass or two of wine became the norm. One night, one of his Swiss co-workers taught us all how to yodel. I’m not sure if the rest of the restaurant patrons were impressed by a group of 10 adults and 2 kids yodeling in unison – but it sure was fun! Who knows, maybe it will end up on you-tube!

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Travelling to Europe with Kids: Our European Adventure May/June 2010

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

For part of May and for much of the month of June, we travelled through Europe, specifically, to Davos, Switzerland; Paris, France; Leipzig, Germany; and, Munich, Germany. In my case, “we” means everyone – my husband, my kids (almost 2 years old and almost 4 years old), and myself. In fact, the only one being left to her own devices is our well-loved Labrador retriever.

I’ve had many people ask me how we managed to travel such long distances, for so many weeks, with such young children. So, I’ve decided to dedicate this post to answering those questions. I guess, in some respect, practice makes perfect. These kids of ours have been travelling around the globe since they were infants. Wherever we go, we take them with us.

This year, each kid had a backpack stuffed with their favorite things. So, it meant bringing a few coloring books, a large pack of crayons, stickers, blank computer paper, and a few books. They love coloring and drawing – so the blank computer paper was a godsend. Sometimes they drew and colored, sometimes I drew and they colored in whatever I had created. Big fun and a big way to pass the time!

Putting the coloring books to good use while on the train.

Putting the coloring books to good use while on the train.

I cannot rave enough about Canada Air – the airline we used to fly to Switzerland. The flight attendants were friendly. The airplane was super-clean. Each seat-back had its own television, with endless shows and movies to watch. And the best part…free and unlimited beverages of all kinds – beer, wine, water, soda, juice. It really made for a fun and relaxing flight – albeit a long one.

The only thing that made travelling a little challenging at times were the bags…if only we had packed a few less things for our month abroad!!! We were really weighed down and looked more like a band of gypsies than American tourists with all of our gear. Backpacks (x3), dufflebags (x2), strollers (x2), computer bags (x2) (since the reason for this trip was for my husband’s work, computers were required), and a suitor (again filled with hubby’s work clothes). Note to self – next time PACK LESS!!!

The next few blog posts will cover various towns and activities we did with the kids during our trip. Stay tuned!

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