AAAGGHHH!!!! Tomorrow it's over.

The photos in order are
Lanie and her prince at the Fantasyland Castle in Disneyland
Sitting in comfy chairs in the Tuilleries Gardens in Paris looking up to the Arc de Triomphe
First crepe in Paris
John and I at Sacre Couer
Lanie and I at the Moulin Rouge

Hope you all feel sorry for us. Tomorrow will end our 5 weeks in France. We have been busily eating and drinking all the things we feel we might miss when we return home. Had the best French nougat today - it was superb.

Yesterday Lanie and I had a shopping day. It was wonderful and we did buy a few things that needed to be bought. We had a lovely time shopping in Paris. Not every day a mother and daughter get to do that. It was special. John and Ben went to the Army Musuem. Lanie and I were disappointed we couldn't go but forced ourselves away. We all aimed to be home by 3 to watch the French Open and we were ready to sing Advance Australia Fair from the balcony. Maybe that's why Sam Stosur lost. John headed off the the Maritime Museum as well in the afternoon and Ben and Lanie went to see Sex and the City at night. Now that's true love, Ben!!!

Today John and I went to Pere Lachaise Cemetry. Funny the things you do when you are travelling hey. Wouldn't dream of going to a cemetry at home but here we saw the graves of Heloise and Abelard, Chopin, Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde. Interesting. Oscar Wilde's grave has lipstick kisses all over it and messages written on it. From there we met Lanie and Ben at Sacre Coeur for a beautiful view over Paris and a walk down Mont Matre to the Moulin Rouge. As it had rained pretty heavily in the morning the artists and buskers were not out but it was still a pleasant time. We then went out to the Flea Market at St Ouen, one of the biggest in Europe. Was very interesting wandering around and we picked up a few souvenirs. Met Lanie and Ben for a walk from Notre Dame to the Place des Vosges and Place de Bastille and then home.

Big day and our feet are hurting!! We all love Paris and have had a wonderful time here. The French people have been helpful and courteous and it is a very easy comfortable country to live in. We have not found it that expensive but we have eaten mainly from the supermarket and have had the advantage of having the apartment where we can cook and wash etc.

Love it, love it, love it!!!!!

Look forward to seeing everyone. We get home on Wednesday morning after spending two nights on the plane. Thank you for your emails and interest. Au revoir.

I'm just a kid again, doing what I did again

These photos in order

Fontainebleu

John and Ben drinking multiple beers in big big glasses

Lanie at Disneyland

Outside Disneyland Paris

... like going on the ROLLERCOASTER!!!! Today we had a wonderful day at Disneyland Paris. This was one thing Lanie really wanted to do and we all hummed and ha-ed a bit but we all ended up having a wonderful time. Within the first 10 minutes we were plummeting around the Indiana Jones - Temple of Peril - on a rollercoaster. it was terrifying. They tell me it even went upside down. My eyes were shut so tight I didn't really know much except that we were moving very very quickly and that it came to an end!!!

The sun was shining and it has got quite hot. We had a really good look around and did most of the rides we wanted. The Paris Disneyland is a really good park about 40 kms north east of Paris. We go everywhere on the trains. It was only 17 euro for a weekly pass for the trains and the buses. Great value. Lanie had a wonderful day and has got a new design for her first house - the Fantasyland castle. We got some beautiful photos of our princess in a castle.

Yesterday we went separate ways - Lan and Ben went to Versailles and had a very full day exploring the chateau and the gardens and John, Alana B and I went to Fontainebleu Chateau - majestic like Versailles but not so many people. It also was a mindblower with its extravagance and its gardens. It also houses one of the oldest tennis courts in Europe which is still used for international tournaments. We got back to Paris and went to a couple more memorials and then had time out at the movies where we saw Robin Hood.

So all in all a productive couple of days. We are conscious that the end is now near. We will miss all the great things France has to offer and to which we have become very accustomed. Love it here - no wonder so many people choose it as a holiday destination.

Shopping with my girl in Paris tomorrow - hope our feet can stand up to the challenge. Think so!!!

Gay Paree!! You gotta love it.

These photos are in order:

Lanie and Ben canoeing and talking to the animals

Us after being submerged coming through the weir

Looking over the Camembert Valley

Lanie and Ben feeding the fish and chooks

John at our favourite picnic place - Menil Glaise

After a delightful final day in Normandy when we revisited a couple of our favourites - Camembert and Menil Glaise - with Ben and Lanie, we packed up and I mean packed up, the mighty Twingo and got on the road for Paris. It is about a three hour drive and we made good time. I tell you - the Parisiens are crazy drivers - and we couldn't wait to get rid of our car. We nearly had about 100 accidents looking for our apartment but we finally found our piece of Paris.

It is a very French big apartment at the top of six flights of steps. It is wonderful and we are very very comfortable on the Boulevard de la Villette. We spent the afternoon relaxing here and then headed out to see the Eiffel Tower. As usual most of the major monuments are covered in scaffolding - pity but still pretty spectacular. We had a lovely stroll by the Seine and under the bridges.

Today we went out to Roland Garros to see if we could get a day pass for the tennis but no such luck. Pity but it is not to be. The stadium is in a very green and leafy area and it was worth a walk around. We then headed back to the Ile de la Cite and walked from Saint Chapelle to the Arc de Triomphe via the Louvre, Tuilleries Gardens, Place de la Concorde and Champs Elysees. It truly is a fantastic city which awaits us to explore.

We have our friend, also Alana, coming over from London tomorrow and then we have a few days planned. One at Disneyland, one at Versailles/Fontainbleu, one shopping (of course), and we will fit everything else cultural and historical in as well. It will be relaxed having a week here and I know we will enjoy it.

Lanie has just cooked dinner and is calling. We have a couple of bottles of wine to finish off. Think we really splurged tonight - the wine was 1.3o euro. Someone has to do it!!