We went to Europe a family and came home a family, success!
July 8, 2024
On our last day in Paris, we are trying to both take it easy while also enjoying every last bit of this amazing city. We began with a trip to their botanic garden and zoo. The zoo still uses many of the original buildings and menagerie which was interesting to see. Liam also rode their Dodo carousel, which looked very old and some some interesting animals, all of which are apparently extinct or endangered. We then grabbed some delicious crepes for lunch before headed back to Luxembourg Gardens.
We had big plans too recreate out first day here but ended up in a major storm, which killed some time. When there was a little gap we made our way to the playground area of the park and found the marionette show. This show began with a video of how they produce it and this one is one of the biggest indoor theaters of this kind in Paris. It was a telling of the 3 Little Pigs. Liam enjoyed it for a bit, but after a while got bored, probably because it was all in French and it didn’t quite follow the story we know. We decided to leave early and let him enjoy the playground again instead.
Marionette show
Final Thoughts On Paris…
Paris felt very easy! Maybe because we have both been here or because we were staying in such a central area, we found it so easy to get around and keep Liam entertained.
We could come here over and over and still not see everything. We love the charm and feel of this city and already cannot wait to return.
The image of people walking around with baguettes is real and lovely to partake in!
There is never-ending green space and benches to plop down for a picnic or to just stop and observe the city.
We were happy to explore some new places this time around, as well as introduce Liam to some of our favorite sights from our last trip.
Final thoughts on traveling with a kid…
There were some rough moments on the trip that often left us wondering if making this trip was a mistake. That includes all the illness, throwing off all our routines, and Anna flipping over the stroller while trying to push it over cobblestone. However, in the end it turned out to be a lovely time. It seems like Paris was a little reset for us and we spend the final leg of the trip just enjoying the city. Some final thoughts on traveling with Liam so we don’t forget what it was like…
Liam loves a good picnic. He would constantly find a grassy spot or a bench and suggest… “That looks like a good spot for a picnic” or “I have a great idea…let’s have a picnic.”
While he often complained he missed home and his toys, he would also have moments where he would look at something and exclaim “I can’t believe my eyes!” Those moments made it all worth it.
He figured out the best way to ask for a trip to the playground was to ask, “It’s a lovely day for a playground, right?”
We found and rode all the carousels we could and Liam chose the vehicle every time.
His pure joy and excitement to see the Eiffel Tower up close was so much fun to see. It was cool to see something again from new eyes and see how impressed he was by it.
He is quite the adventurous eater. While he had days where he would set his mind on one food (ie the tomatoes), he was also open to eating pretty much whatever we did. He happily ate escargot and would try pretty much anything off our plates.
