Hello Cyberspace,

It's me Roy Verspoor again, I've got something knew to tell you. This time its about the City of Love: Paris, France. But before I get ahead of myself let me begin where all good stories begin, at the beginning. My family arrived in London last Saturday morning. In some extremely good timing Kait and I met up with them right as they were walking out of the apartment we rented. After some expensive Italian Breakfast and after I had escorted Kait to the airport I headed back to the apartment to really see the fam. I brought back a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts for everyone but not even that could wain them from the clutches of jetlag. After everyone's extensive siesta we headed out for some authentic London cuisine: Pizza hut. In case anyone has forgotten (I know Kyle hasn't) Pizza Hut stuffed-crust pizza is, in fact, really delicious and if it is at all possible you should go get some right this minute. I think I'll have Pizza Hut cater my welcome back home party.

That was just first day, by the second day we hit the ground running. I did my now patented London-in-a-day tour. Saw the London Eye, Big Ben, Westminister, the Royal Parks, Buckingham Palace and Tralfalgar Square. After realizing that our family wasn't cut-out for the central london, no-table service, pub scene we found a nice restaurant called Garfunkels. After lunch, the london-tour was extended to its furtherest sightseeing bounds and we went to the National Gallery, crossed the Thames and saw the Globe, Southwark cathedral and London Bridge. All of this in one day.

The second real day of the vacation we didn't sightsee at all, instead we went to Kingston to see my home away from home. I showed my family around town, we got TGI Fridays and my Dad got to ride on the top level of a double-decker bus...all in all a complete success.

The next day we woke up bright and early for Paris. We headed to the station and took a lightning fast train through the chunnel into France. The train ride was really nice and we all got croissants to put us in the mood. We had a nice set-up with a tour group. There were these buses that rode all around the city and we could up on and off them at each sight as we pleased. The first sight we saw was that famous giant Arch, I don't know its exact name. For the second time now I was in a country that didn't speak English and it gave me the same sudden i'm in another country feel. Adding to the confusion I found that Paris is very busy, with traffic that rivals New York. Also the streets and roads aren't really marked with lanes or directions very well. Good thing I wasnt in a rent a car because I would have crashed no more than thirty feet from the train station. Also, unlike London, there are linesssss for everything in Paris. To get to the top of the Eiffel Tower would have easily been three-four hours and when we were only in Paris for a day it didn't seem worth it. On top of that, unlike London, the Museums aren't free in Paris AND there are huge lines just to get in to buy a ticket. AND on top of that, there are all these gypsys and beggars asking you for money and trying to trick you. At least in London the people who need money learn a talent or something to get easy money. Or they just sit on the streets and ask for money. In Paris we were swarmed. It was a bit of a turn off.

Still the city was really beautiful. Actually, I think every single building we saw that day was really magnificently crafted. So much so that you started to get jaded to it. We accomplished all the sightseeing possible: that famous arch, eiffel tower, national assembly, hotel del invalides, lourve, Notre Dame, mini-statue of liberty, opera house...a good hand fill more too. In the end it was really great to see Paris, but it doesn't hold up to all the razzle-dazzle that surrounds it and its not a place I'd want to live. It wasnt quite what I expected it to be, which was this.

Here are some pictures, I'll continue with the second half of the family-visit next blog.

Until then au revoir and merci for reading,

Roi