Disneyland and Paris

After our traumas on the periphery of Paris the rides of Euro Disney were really quite tame. They saved the Warning signs, not suitable for those with heart conditions, or pregnant women, for the menus (even my expensive cappuccino was bad!).
The boys had a great time, poor Casper was just 1 cm short for the star wars type ride, which meant Sebastian got to go on it twice (and so gloated for quite a while). We met a few of the characters, Casper was thrilled when he saw Woody from Toy Story.

A Day in Paris
We are taking our travels at quite a leisurely pace so Euro Disney was followed by a day of rest, and then a day in Paris. We took the train into Paris from the outskirts which was probably as exciting to Casper as the rides at Disney, he sat very quietly, just commenting on the speed.

The Eiffel Tower as seen from Trocadero was fantastic, it was a glorious day and the 3 Eiffel Tower keychains for 1 Euro is the kind of bargain that helps make a good day that little bit better. Masses of people were stood in line to go up the tower, so we decided to give the climb up a miss, especially as the boys enthusiasm for climbing stairs has quite a limited shelf life.

From the tower we walked through a lovely park and the boys had a great time in pedal power go karts. Then we decided to go to see the gardens of the Musee Rodin, which had been recommended in our travelling with kids guide book. The Thinker, The Gates of Hell, and The Burghers of Calais, are all on display in the restful gardens. The good thing about exposing the boys to classical artworks that stand about 10 feet high and are made of stone is that I do not feel they can do much harm.

I can tell I am missing Jozi, because at Disneyland I felt I would rather be at Gold Reef City, and looking at the impressive art works of Rodin both Paul and I were thinking of the Zim guys working at the market at the junction of Main.

The day in Paris was exhausting even though we left at about 5pm, Casper had hit the wall and he just sat on the pavement then lay down and could go no further, the sighting of an ice -cream van, got a few more yards from him.


Lunch Time
France has been the cure to the boys waking up between 5.30 and 6am, however whilst I wholeheartedly embrace lie ins until 8am, it means we struggle to leave the site before 11.30 unless a significant effort is made. This means that we arrive at Le Supermarche just as they close shutters for 2 ½ hours.

Un petit problem dans Le Periphique/A86

The sat nav lady is officially on her final warning, having taken us on a rather extreme and terrifying journey through Paris. I had been given the role of chief navigator for our journey from Dieppe to Paris, and instead of having faith in my own abilities I delegated to Sat Nav Lady (she sounds so confident, I feel she has taken the route many times before).
I had my doubts as I compared her instructions to the map, and those doubts escalated when we paid a 15 Euro toll for what seemed like a short stretch of highway, (alarm bells rang as I had a vague memory of a congestion charge). It was 5pm and the congestion charge was clearly no deterrent to the caffeine charges adrenaline junkies we encountered on our slow and frankly terrifying journey.
We do not travel unnoticed especially during rush hour and fellow motorists were driving slowly alongside, and eyeing her up, I am sure I heard wolf whistles. Confirmation of her traffic stopping good lucks came by way of a three bike pile up, fortunately no one was hurt. The motor bikers weave through the traffic, at such speed and grace that it is as though they are not mere mortals with bones that can be broken, that is until a car does an unexpected manuever, and the motor bikes have to stop.This particular biker did not notice the need to apply his brakes as he was gazing at the airstream so he hit the bike in front (causing it to hit the bike in front) and then fell to the side into my car door. As he got up and I wound down the window, he simply said" I was looking at your airstream"

(I wish could work spell check on this!)
I must go now as we have preparations to make for Disney tomorrow.