well, since my last post i've done a bit of travelling... to Paris, back to the States, and to Malta. All of the trips were great, and i'm looking forward to more travel opportunities... but it is nice to be home for a few weeks...
Paris:
Mostly, it was cold. And the city was actually quite dirty... and yes, the people were sort of rude. Unlike most popular tourist cities, Paris did not make an effort to post signs, menus, etc in languages other than French. We did okay... finding places to eat, and ordering mostly sandwiches. Our hotel was a dump. Just thinking about how crappy it was makes me shivver (so if you're going to Paris, I can recommend a place to NOT stay).
Since i was so busy with work, I didn't have a lot of time to research things to do. So we started out doing the main tourist things within walking distance of the hotel. Then we decided that we could see more (and see different things) by taking one of the open top bus tours. We did see more, but we nearly froze to death in the process.
We also took the train to Versailles. The line for tickets there was very long (2 hrs), then the line to get in was long (another hour)... and on the inside, while it was super beautiful, you weren't allowed to take photographs, and you were ushered through the rooms like sheep. Some rooms I didn't even get to see the exhibit because there were so may people pushing me through. Overall, after spending 3 hours in line, we were only inside the palace for an hour. By the time we got out, we were too tired to walk through the gardens (but lets face it, it was winter, and they aren't spectacular at that time of year anyway).
The best part of the trip was having dinner at Chartier's. We had read in our guide book that it was a neat place, and that if you go there alone, you would be seated with others. So, as a couple, we did not expect to be seated with anyone else. Wrong... the place really only had 4-seater tables... so we were paired with another couple. They were just as thrilled about having to spend their "romantic" dinner with another couple as we were (much sarcasm). But through the course of the night, we got to know the couple, and became quite friendly. They live in London, and we exchanged numbers in order to get together sometime.
To see pictures of our Paris trip click: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=160b7u6w.c03kozuo&x=0&y=2xtkig
States:
Getting to visit with my family was nice. I got to be my sister's first houseguest! She and her fiance just bought a house! It was cool seeing how her life is coming together. And I took a few days to visit with some friends in Maryland. Again, it was good seeing everyone... but because of a work trip to Vegas, there were still some dear friends that I didn't get to visit with this time. The rest of my time back in the States was pretty uneventful. I relaxed and did a lot of shopping. Just what I like in a vacation... The ride home was eventful, though... the winds in London were super high when we tried to land... i thought the plane was going to come apart! after the first attempt failed, we tried again... and again, the plane shook like i've never felt before... finally, the pilot decided it was too risky, and we diverted to Amsterdam. That would have been okay, if we hadn't been forced to sit on the plane on the tarmac the entire 3 hours we were there. Eventually, we made it back to London, and I was glad to be home.
Malta:
The trip to Malta was a little rushed. Having just returned from the States on Monday, leaving on Friday for a 2 day trip wasn't the best idea. But it was nice to get to see the sun for a few days. The weather was just right - not so hot that you had to wear shorts... and not so cold that you needed a coat. We also did one of the open top bus tours there too. In less than 3 hours, we were able to cover the major part of the island. It wasn't very beachy, but since I'm not a fan of sand, that didn't bother me. I enjoyed learning the history of the island and seeing the architecture more than anything.
Pictures from the Malta trip can be seen by clicking: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=160b7u6w.1lh0kbj4&x=0&y=-hud64x
Like I said, I am glad to be home for a bit. It's springtime here in England... and I'm enjoying seeing the flowers in bloom, and all the bunnies hopping around. Yay Spring!
Hope you all have a wonderful Easter!
2 comments:
Hello Ms. Dupin,
I am writing because I think I know your husband, he and I grew up in the same small town of Petaluma, CA. Does your Chris Dupin have a Brother named Chad? If so, maybe we can get in touch, I've been trying to track down Chad or Chris for a while now.
If this matches the description of "your" Chris Dupin, can you send me an e-mail?
Thanks.
P.S. congratulations, the Chris I knew was a fantastic guy.
er... shouuld probably leave an e-mail address for you to write to,.
try wiskinator at gmail dot com.
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