Oui Oui Paree

We arrived in Paris early yesterday morning after a 5am start from Brugge.  Everything about Paris has been easy. Our Airbnb host was waiting to greet us at the apartment on our arrival.  We marvelled at the position and the whole ambience of our new set up..... a total cliche, I know, but it is so Parisian.  There is even a separate bedroom for Z full of boys toys, as the room is usually inhabited by a 6 year old boy.   We dropped our bags and headed straight out to explore the local neighbourhood while the apartment was being cleaned.  We are staying in the 3rd arrondissement and have a full view of the Republique Statue from our 6th floor position (hooray, we have a lift!).  It's stunning and within walking distance to pretty much everything.... even for little legs.

The Thomas family arrived last night and it's been so good to catch up and for Z to have a few buddies to explore with.

So far we have:

• Spent hours in the  Luxembourg Jardin.  It's a fantastic space for kids and an incredible public space set on over 20 hectares.  There are some impressive playgrounds, the sailing boats  are brilliant.   So simple and it's amazing to watch how much joy kids of all ages get from sailing them.  Then A & I took the wee lads to a Marionette show in the gardens while the big boys headed off to the closest Brasserie for a couple of beers.  We had no idea what was going on in the show but it was funny to us....even if we were laughing when nobody else seemed too be.
• Made a visit to Shakespeare and Company.  Where we literally brushed bottoms with every other person squeezing through the tiny rooms of the book store.  You may remember it from this film?
• Eaten an array on incredible crepes in the Latin Quarter... salted chocolate with ice-cream, sugar & lemon, Suzette......
• Made notes off all the clothing stores we want to head back to after Wednesday when the Paris Sales start!  Timing hey.
• Experienced a lively night in the Marais for the summer solstice, La fete de la Musique.  The music at the bar across the street kept us awake until well after 2am this morning (for anyone who ever came to stay with us in Sydney.....I almost thought I'd been transported back to Kings Cross!).
• Cracked ourselves up using Face Juggler  while sitting in a beautiful courtyard, telling silly jokes.  
• Heard numerous fart references, jokes and unspeakable sounds.  
• Negotiated the tastes of 7 individuals at meal times.  

By evening we have been exhausted and totally crashed out on the couch.
Ready for.....tomorrow.  xx