shopping in paris

today, our last day in paris, we decided to do a little shopping!

we walked and walked...went to the champs elysees to see all the fun stores...we had lunch at a sidewalk cafe...at little tiny tables...shopped in some stores...found a few favorites..had a drink at louis'....and generally just wandered...a nice, but tiring day...that shopping can take it out of you!

easter monday in paris

today was a busy day...kerry, ashley and i walked to the louvre this morning thinking we would get in....surprise, surprise...it was easter monday...i.e. holiday in paris!!! the line was really long...so back to our hotel we went...we picked up kelly and went to the eiffel tower where we had lunch at the jules verne restaurant...it was so fun to eat in the tower...it is a great restaurant..pretty fancy..they had set the table with teeny tiny forks and spoons, which were never used...guess we didn't order correctly!....the food was delicious...afterward we went out to look at the sights...it was a gorgeous view.....from lunch we hopped on the red bus tour which took us around paris...we stopped back at the louvre, but, this time had prepaid tickets and walked right in....yea!!! we saw the mona lisa, venus di milo, winged victory....etc.etc...but it was really crowded so we left and went to notre dame cathedral...that's fantastic to see...from notre dame we went to the sacre couer cathedral...i've never been there before because it's a bit out of town...it's on a hill looking over paris...gorgeous!!! walked around a bit, found a taxi to take us to moulin rouge...that was disappointing...not what we were looking for...so after seeing that we headed home...a long but great day!!!

paris

we arrived in paris this evening...went straight to the eiffel tower...made a new friend....had a crepe....went on a boat ride...and walked, walked, walked...tonight we had to say goodbye to kristen..she leaves early tomorrow morning...:(

brugge easter

we're back to our story: on saturday and sunday we were in brugge...it's such a beautiful little city...we went for a boat ride on the canals...they call it the little venice of the north...the weather was beautiful..like summertime...we walked around the city, did a little shopping...bought delicious chocolates..belgian, of course!! we went on a little carriage ride, we saw different parts of the city this way...it was so interesting...a few facts of note...the city tax collector used to tax the people on the number of windows in their houses...the more windows the richer you were...some of the houses had a window, then a window boarded up....that wouldn't be counted...there is a convent still operating that opened in the 1500's...the clock tower rang it's bells last night and pretty much all day long today for easter...there are 21 churches in town...20 of them catholic and 1 protestant! now we're on the train to paris....it's kristen's last night...tomorrow we'll have to say goodbye to her....:(

happy easter!

a break in the regularly scheduled program:

Happy Happy Easter!!!

brugges

today we took the train from amsterdam to brugges belgium...it was a very pretty ride through the country...brugges is a small little city...easy to walk around...it's like a little fairytale...the buildings are so pretty...so much detail in them...it's really fun to see...so we just wandered and looked around...shopped a bit...had some fun...we took pictures in all the cute little doorways that we found...tomorrow we will explore more throughly...it's beautiful...tonight at dinner there was a little procession for easter...pretty interesting...fun times!

kuekenhof

on thursday we go up early and went to the van gogh museum, that was fantastic to see his amazing paintings...then went to the trainstation and jumped on a train to keukenhof to see the beautiful tulips...the flowers are so wonderful to see...keukenhof is a huge garden that is only open from end of march until end of may when all the flowers are in bloom...i never knew how many varieties of tulips there are! everone of them gorgeous....we took the train and then a bus to get there...out in the dutch countryside..after we walked around the gardens we rented bikes and went for a little ride in the country...that was really fun...i haven’t ridden a bike for a long time...luckily i haven’t forgotten how...while riding we saw the beautiful fields of tulips...so many colors...it was quite a site...took the bus, train, taxi back to our hotel...we were exhausted and spent a quiet night in the hotel....friday onto bruges which is in belgium!

touring amsterdam

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today kerry and i went to the airport and picked ashley up to complete our little group..we didn't give her much down time, but took off to explore the city as soon as we got back...she was a great sport..even though i'm sure she was exhausted from the flight...so we walked down and caught a boat to central station so we could take the boats around the city...afterwards we rode the boat to the anne frank house...that was an amazing thing to see...to imagine them living for 2 years in that house...unbelievable! strong people...we then walked and walked and walked and ended up at the riiksmuseum...that is a fantastic place with rembrandts and other famous artists...afterwards we took the tram back to the city center where we walked in the famous 'red light' district...during the day it's not bad...we saw china town...and then found a little fair with a huge ferris wheel and other rides...kerry and ashley went on the swing ride, kelly, krisen and i went on the ferris wheel which was fun...unless you're kristen and afraid of heights...the view was amazing...we had a great dinner at an argentinian restaurant...had a crepe at the fair for dessert...came home exhausted!!!

amsterdam

this morning we got up and drove back to belfast...after driving a couple of days, it felt almost natural...we made pretty good time. got to the airport, said good bye to marty and dee and checked in for our flight to amsterdam...the airline would only let you take one item on board...kelly had to empty her purse out so she could put her computer in to carry it on board..we arrived in amsterdam to beautiful warm weather...hope it holds! it is a beautiful city...we walked down through the city for about 20 min. to an area where there are alot of restaurants etc...we ate at a pizzaria...that took forever! we waited 1 1/2 hours before we got our starters...oh well..you win some and lose some...walked back along the canals..tomorow we'll see more of the city..can't wait...

monday in portaferry

today we have been in portaferry...we slept in and missed breakfast...this is the type of hotel that they know exactly what you’re always doing....they made sure to tell us tonight to get up earlier! we met up with marty and dee and took a wee little drive...we went up to windmill hill...it’s an old windmill and has a gorgeous view..the hills are so beautiful and green...also beautiful yellow flowers called brose...we then drove to different cemetarys looking for mary mullin’s grave...we didn’t find it, but found the graveyard...it was cool to look at the different headstones....they are so old and intricate..we also saw st. patrick’s church...went to the town of greyabbey...had lunch at a little pub...we dropped marty and dee at the library where they went to do some more research..we drove back to find the sign of the ‘wee damn road’...when we got back to town the girls and i took the ferry to strangford so they could also see the republic of ireland..it was a very fun day...driving back to belfast tomorrow and then on to amsterdam!

portaferry,ireland

this morning we got up, ate our porridge, an oat cake and took a taxi to the airport...we met kelly and kristen there and got our car...our large 7 passenger van would not hold 6 of us with any luggage at all....so we rented a smaller car, loaded up and off we went..kelly did a great job driving after just getting off the plane from LA...it was a beautiful drive down the peninsula to portaferry...this is a small town that the mullin's great, great grandfather immigrated from in 1850...we are here to do some family sleuthing...trying to esablish a few things, find a grave or two...it should be fun...portaferry is a cute little town...after checking into the only hotel in town, we went for a walk around...kristen was feeling a bit tired so she took a wee nap...the town is pretty small, has the obligatory castle, cemetary etc...after our wee walk, kerry and kelly opted for a wee nap...marty, dee and i took the ferry over to strangford...it turns out that were then in the republic of ireland...so in 5 minutes we were in a different country!  the view was beautiful...the sky was blue, the water even bluer...our wee ride was alot of fun...if you've noticed, i've picked up a new word..."wee"...they say that and "yous" all the time...there is even a road called "the wee damn rode"...pretty cute....so off to bed and more adventures tomorrow...

belfast, northern ireland

on thursday night, kerry and i left los angeles (after a nervous ride to the airport, (bad traffic) for jolly old england...we landed, found that i had forgotten to book our luggage to belfast, so, in a rush, we went through customs, retreived our luggage, went upstairs to check in for our flight, found that our next plane was in a different terminal, found the train, took train to terminal one, checked in, went through one check point, then security....finally got to our plane with 5 minutes to spare!!! whew!!! so, we finally arrived in belfast...right after getting into our room at about 7:30 pm, we saw marty and dee walking down the street...we went to dinner, came home and collapsed...today we took a tour of belfast...you know, belfast and northern ireland has had it's wars...they are called 'the troubles'...it's been going on for hundreds of years...and since about 1916 in the last go around...the catholics vs. the protestants...it's all about religion...we toured around the areas today...we saw a park of murals...they show different aspects of the troubles, starting back in the 1600's...a really cool one is of the sniper...it's an optical illusion...his gun is trained on you, no matter where you stand...we saw where the protestants live...the peace line, which is the dividing line between the two groups and the catholic area...kids go to segregated schools..everything is separate...so interesting...belfast is a neat city, not huge, easy to walk around...we are staying near queen's college, so there are alot of students...belfast is where the titanic was built...they are very proud of that...they say, it was great until the 'english' took over the ship...haha...after our tour we ate lunch at a little sandwich shop, then we went to a mystery book shop...that was fun...just full of mysteries...took a little nap...had some chinese food...alot of those in town...now...to bed! tomorrow we pick up kelly and kristen, then the 6 of us are driving to portaferry where the mullin family originated...that is why we are here in ireland...dee is doing some research on the mullin family for us...so we are tagging along to the 'old' hometown!!!

me, myself and i

how many times do you say the word I, me, my mine etc?  we are all self absorbed...we are doing what we have or want to do...it's our lives so that's how it goes...it's my wedding, my trip, my day, my way....my, my, my,...i'm not writing to lecture..it's cause i'm on that path...i need to stop and smell the roses..
we need to look into other's lives...think of others...read someone elses blog, talk about someone else...ask how a friend is doing instead of immediately talking about yourself...be aware of the world...be aware of your daughters accomplishments...of your son's worries at work, of your friends dreams....think of others...do service for others...get out of yourself...or myself as the case maybe...but, i've gotta go...i have to go spend time on me!!!

adventures

if you saw me walking down thousand oaks blvd...i wasn't lost...no, russ, kristen and i went on a little adventure....today we went house hunting for the two of them....it was fun to see what they might be living in after the wedding...then we went to dinner at p..f changs...that's always great...and afterward we went to a chinese foot massage....we had to split up because one place could only take 2 people...so i went to one and they to another...it was the best $20 that i have spent in a long time...i was instantly transported to china...so, that's a great deal!  the massage was fantastic...i think i'm going to have to try all the places out around the conejo valley...that will be a fun job!!!

APRIL FOOL'S?????
yesterday i got an early april fool's surprise....i'll tell you the story...last week my dishwasher wasn't working...on monday i called the dishwasher repair man...he said it was the outlet that the dishwasher was plugged into...yesterday, i called an electrical company and they sent over a guy...he said i needed a new outlet and decided to check the box outside...he showed me that the wires hooked into the fuses were all burned and needed to be replaced...for the price of $3000!  for that price i decided to get a second opinion....and aren't i glad that i did....my friend sent over an electrician that was more trustworthy...he looked at the box and showed me that the wires were only burned on top...not all the way around like they should be....the first electrician had burned them himself!   can you believe that?  he had me worried that my house was going to burn down at any time..i also learned that the price of the job would be $500!  so grateful for friends i can count on and an electrician that is not trying to make a 'fool' out of me!