Most of you know that my GF and I recently (Nov 1-8) went on our first Europe trip. We visited London and Paris for three days each. The trip was amazing and the company even better :) This was just to wet our international travel appetite. We definitely want to go back to each place for longer. At any rate, here's the summary of our trip.
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Day 1 - Boston to Newark to London-Gatwick Airports. Train into London. Taxi to Bayswater-Somerset Hotel; traveled from 2pm EST to 1pm London time (18 hrs total). Check in, freshen up, head out. Underground/Tube (London subway) to Tourism office, picked up London Pass (entry to all sked tourist sites, and bus/underground transport), headed to London Eye (world’s largest ferries wheel). Rode to top, saw the whole city. Walked down past Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abby. Had Indian food for dinner. Asleep early.
Day 2 - Slept in, Bfast in hotel, Tube to Buckingham Palace. Witnessed the changing of the guard (w/ 5000 other tourists). Walked to Westminster Abby, very cool. All monarchs from the 6th-19th century are buried there in huge sarcophagus’s. Beautiful church. Tube to London Tower Bridge and London Tower (used to be a prison for political prisoners, now the home of the crown jewels). Arrived 20 min’s late (misled by guide book ;) Headed back to hotel to get ready for night at the theater. Headed to the ‘West End’ (London’s ‘Broadway’) to catch SPAMALOT. Enjoyed show, had a Moroccan food dinner. Excellent day, out late, slept well.
Day 3 - Bfast at hotel, Tube to British Museum. Saw Rosetta Stone, Egyptian/Roman/Greek ruins. Then on to St. Paul’s Cathedral where ADM Horatio Nelson (he defeated Napoleon’s fleet at Trafalgar) is buried. Headed to Tower of London where the Crown Jewels are kept. My favorite site in London. Stopped by ‘Harrods’, London’s version of Sachs 5th Ave. Dinner at an English pub…fish, chips, and a pint. Back to hotel to rest up for transit to Paris on day 4.
Day 4 - Bfast at hotel. Fast train from London to Paris (via the Chunnel under the English Channel). Taxi to hotel, then to pick up Paris Museum Pass, transport tickets, and Open Bus Tour booked. Caught the Open Bus halfway around the city (there was commentary in Englais about all the history along the route)…passed through Place del Concorde (the sight of beheadings during the French Revolution). Then off to Eiffel Tower. Went to second level (350’ up) and saw the whole city lit up. Headed back to hotel to call it a night.
Day 5 - Bfast at hotel. Subway to the Louvre. Biggest art museum in world, used to be a palace but was replaced by Versailles in Louis XIV's reign. Did the “Da Vinci Code” Tour. Saw “Mona Lisa” and lots of other amazing paintings.
Day 5 (cont)- Headed on the open bus tou4 on to Notre Dame (of “Hunchback of Notre Dame" fame). Amazing stained glass windows. Lunch at a café, then picked up hat and scarf (it was below 40 degrees that day). Climbed 200 steps up a spiral staircase to the towers above Notre Dame...saw Quasimodo’s belfry. Back on bus on to Champs de Ely’see (where the allies paraded up at the end of WWII), and the Arc de Triumphe (that Napoleon built, and where the tomb of their unknown soldier lies). Back to hotel to sleep…
Day 6 - Bfast at hotel. Train to Chateaux du Versailles (Louis the XIV’s palace). Amazing sight. It took up 5 city blocks! And the inside…there’s more wealth and decadence there to pay for half the worlds debt (no wonder the peasants revolted against Marie Antoinette). Favorite site in Paris. Headed back to Paris and stopped at Hotel des Invalides (veterans hospital built by Napoleon)…also the site of Napoleon’s grave. Had many relics (guns, swords, coat and hat) that Napoleon owned. Shopped for souvenirs and called it a night…
Day 7 - Up at 5am…taxi to airport, delayed flight due to weather back in Newark…8 hr flight back to US. Delayed for another 7 hours in Newark…flight to Boston. 1.5 hr ride home…finally to bed after 26hrs of traveling.
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Day 1 - Boston to Newark to London-Gatwick Airports. Train into London. Taxi to Bayswater-Somerset Hotel; traveled from 2pm EST to 1pm London time (18 hrs total). Check in, freshen up, head out. Underground/Tube (London subway) to Tourism office, picked up London Pass (entry to all sked tourist sites, and bus/underground transport), headed to London Eye (world’s largest ferries wheel). Rode to top, saw the whole city. Walked down past Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abby. Had Indian food for dinner. Asleep early.
Day 2 - Slept in, Bfast in hotel, Tube to Buckingham Palace. Witnessed the changing of the guard (w/ 5000 other tourists). Walked to Westminster Abby, very cool. All monarchs from the 6th-19th century are buried there in huge sarcophagus’s. Beautiful church. Tube to London Tower Bridge and London Tower (used to be a prison for political prisoners, now the home of the crown jewels). Arrived 20 min’s late (misled by guide book ;) Headed back to hotel to get ready for night at the theater. Headed to the ‘West End’ (London’s ‘Broadway’) to catch SPAMALOT. Enjoyed show, had a Moroccan food dinner. Excellent day, out late, slept well.
Day 3 - Bfast at hotel, Tube to British Museum. Saw Rosetta Stone, Egyptian/Roman/Greek ruins. Then on to St. Paul’s Cathedral where ADM Horatio Nelson (he defeated Napoleon’s fleet at Trafalgar) is buried. Headed to Tower of London where the Crown Jewels are kept. My favorite site in London. Stopped by ‘Harrods’, London’s version of Sachs 5th Ave. Dinner at an English pub…fish, chips, and a pint. Back to hotel to rest up for transit to Paris on day 4.
Day 4 - Bfast at hotel. Fast train from London to Paris (via the Chunnel under the English Channel). Taxi to hotel, then to pick up Paris Museum Pass, transport tickets, and Open Bus Tour booked. Caught the Open Bus halfway around the city (there was commentary in Englais about all the history along the route)…passed through Place del Concorde (the sight of beheadings during the French Revolution). Then off to Eiffel Tower. Went to second level (350’ up) and saw the whole city lit up. Headed back to hotel to call it a night.
Day 5 - Bfast at hotel. Subway to the Louvre. Biggest art museum in world, used to be a palace but was replaced by Versailles in Louis XIV's reign. Did the “Da Vinci Code” Tour. Saw “Mona Lisa” and lots of other amazing paintings.
Day 5 (cont)- Headed on the open bus tou4 on to Notre Dame (of “Hunchback of Notre Dame" fame). Amazing stained glass windows. Lunch at a café, then picked up hat and scarf (it was below 40 degrees that day). Climbed 200 steps up a spiral staircase to the towers above Notre Dame...saw Quasimodo’s belfry. Back on bus on to Champs de Ely’see (where the allies paraded up at the end of WWII), and the Arc de Triumphe (that Napoleon built, and where the tomb of their unknown soldier lies). Back to hotel to sleep…
Day 6 - Bfast at hotel. Train to Chateaux du Versailles (Louis the XIV’s palace). Amazing sight. It took up 5 city blocks! And the inside…there’s more wealth and decadence there to pay for half the worlds debt (no wonder the peasants revolted against Marie Antoinette). Favorite site in Paris. Headed back to Paris and stopped at Hotel des Invalides (veterans hospital built by Napoleon)…also the site of Napoleon’s grave. Had many relics (guns, swords, coat and hat) that Napoleon owned. Shopped for souvenirs and called it a night…
Day 7 - Up at 5am…taxi to airport, delayed flight due to weather back in Newark…8 hr flight back to US. Delayed for another 7 hours in Newark…flight to Boston. 1.5 hr ride home…finally to bed after 26hrs of traveling.
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