Back from Paris . . .

[Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt]

Well, I'm back from Paris, France and surrounding areas. My family (18 in all with the exception of my brother-in-law) left for Paris France, June 16 and returned June 24. What a trip!!! I took over 1,700 photos and hours of video.

I promise I won't post all the photos on here but will share a few for those of you who may be interested.

If you want more photos and details, go to my blog. I'm to day 3 on it now!

Photo 1 - This is most of our family in front of our Hotel. This was the first day we were in Paris.
Photo 2 - Our first landmark to visit was la tour Eiffel! What an amazing structure it is!!!
Photo 3 - My youngest daughter did her best to keep the tower from falling over!
Photo 4 - My brother, Randy, paid for his trip by doing a little advertising for Mr. B's in Grand Saline, TX! (Not really)
Photo 5 - Eddie, Anna, Rachel, and I in front of the Eiffel Tower
Photos 6 - My sister Carole and her husband pose in front of the tower. Her husband would not come with us so we took him with us!! You will see him (with the same expression) in several of my photos. :basic05

[Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt]

More Photos . . .

Photo #1 - The Eiffel Tower is like taking photos of a majestic mountain. You can never take too many! It is lit up at night and sparkles!

Photo #2 - Another night view of the tower.

Photo #3 - A view from the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was a wonderful view but there were so many people that you could hardly walk! I was not comfortable!!

Photo #4 - Another Night Shot

Photo #5 - I'd seen someone on this list post a photo of the tower from below it so I had to get one! (day shot)

Photo #6 - The same view at night!

[Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt]

Photo #1 - My parents, Jerry and Mary Larpenter, in Normandy.
Photo #2 - The new museum at the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach
Photo #3 - The memorial statue at the cemetery
Photo #4 - The reflecting pond at the cemetery
Photo #5 - There are over 9,000 graves of American Service men and women in this cemetery.
Photo #6 - A D-Day museum we toured in Normandy

[Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt]

Photo #1 - Uncle Buck came in handy from time to time!
Photo #2 - I loved the stonework in the streets
Photo #3 - Motorcycles go where they want to go!!!
Photo #4 - Our Motel, Hotel de Motte Picquet (it only had 18 rooms and we took up 8 of them!)
Photo #5 - My youngest daughter (a true southerner) thought that all tea was sweet, iced tea. Much to her surprise, this is what came when she ordered tea!! You know who ended up trading with her!
Photo #6 - My oldest daughter was determined to order and eat Steak TarTare which she did. I was so glad that she didn't get sick!!!

[Dana Grant]

Ok, I'm laughing at Uncle Buck right now!!!

Appropriate name -- BUCK -- NAKED........LOL


Beth, your pictures are fabulous!!! I especially love the pictures of the tower at night.

Just beautiful!!

Keep sharing!!!!!!!!

[Judy Hamilton]

Beth

Looks like there was a great time enjoyed by everyone
a family journey to remember for sure
thanks for sharing this remarkable city with us
i will return again someday and give Paris proper attention
as i only spent three days there
did you get to du musée du Louvre ??

This world renown museum is for me the best reason to
to return to Paris
as we spent only one day in the museum
oooing and ahhing..and just silently hoping by osmosis
some of the grandeur and significant of the structure, the
art and the history one could almost palpate would leave a mark on our lives

http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Paris/Museums-Paris/Louvre.shtml

I also have yet to visit Normandy and this will be
definitely be a point of destination next time I go to Europe

Judy

[Cecil Wallace]

Photo 3 - My youngest daughter did her best to keep the tower from falling over!
:basic05

Looks like she is doing a good job, huh? :basic05

What does your brother-in-law think about the use of his face to disguise that statue's unmentionable?
That is funny.
Thanks for sharing. Great pics.
I'll have to check your blog to learn "the rest of the story."

[Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt]

Dana,
I'd not thought about the Buck "Naked" before!! That's too funny!!

Judy,
We did go to the Louvre. My sister hired a guide to give us a tour. This woman had at least one degree in art and knew more stuff about art than anyone I'd ever heard. She spent a great deal of time discussing a large piece depicting the cornation of Napoleon since our ancestors were friends with him.
She also went into great depth with the Wedding at Canaan. She didn't elaborate much on Mona Lisa. It was an amazing tour and I'd love to go back and see more.
We may go back next year and I'm already making notes of things I want to see again and new things that I'd like to do.

Cecil, I love the "LEANING" Eiffel Tower!!! You're good!!!

Beth

[Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt]

Here are some more before I head to bed:

Photo #1 - The Figs were Huge!!! We learned that you should not touch any food unless you are going to buy it!!!
Photo #2 - More Figs
Photo #3 - The Cherries were beautiful. They also had Rainier Cherries.
Photo #4 - I couldn't risist taking this little boy's photo! He never touched the cherries!
Photo #5 - The Smart Cars are everywhere. I'd love to have one!
Photo #6 - I found this vehicle interesting.

[Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt]

Photo #1 - Another perspective of the Eiffel Tower

Photo #2 - Looking down a tree-covered street in Paris

Photo #3 - The Amazing thing about these two buses were they were MOVING - NOT PARKED!!! They get bumper to bumper. We were on a double-decker bus when this photo was taken.

Photo #4 - This is the our Hotel's computer keyboard. Do you see any differences between it and the one you are using?

Photo #5 - The Flame of Liberty was given to France by the USA. Directly below the flame, in a tunnel, is where Lady Di was killed.

Photo #6 - The bus on which we toured Paris. It's a fun way to see the sights!

[Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt]

Here are the photos!
Sorry!

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

What a wonderful trip you must have had! It is also nice seeing Randy in a photo - he and I had lots of good fellowship together in both Louisiana and West Texas. Also your mom and dad's photos bring back good memories of Louisiana.

I enjoyed all the photos -- you have an artist's touch!

[Cecil Wallace]

Photo #3 - The Amazing thing about these two buses were they were MOVING - NOT PARKED!!! They get bumper to bumper. We were on a double-decker bus when this photo was taken.

Photo #4 - This is the our Hotel's computer keyboard. Do you see any differences between it and the one you are using?

Re: the buses.. I think that I would have been a bit nervous. That was entirely tooo close for comfort.
Re: the computer keyboard.... it surely isn't a QWERTY keyboard. Looks like I would definitely have to go to "hunt & peck" in order to type.:basic05

Again... great pics. I really enjoyed my "virtual" visit to France.

[Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt]

Photo #1 - This guy was down in the metro, playing for tips. It was a neat sound, hearing it reverberate through the tunnels.
Photo #2 - The "person" was standing still for tips! I'd rather pay the musician!
Photo #3 - There were groups of girls who would come up to you with a slip of paper in their hands and ask you if you spoke English. If you said yes, they'd give you the paper to read which was a plea for money. I sat and watched them while visiting the Eiffel Tower and saw quickly that they were under the leadership of an older woman. They were very irritating and we finally just started ignoring them.
Photo #4 - This was taken on a crowded metro. (Underground train) They'd warned us to watch out for Pick-pocketers on the metro and sure enough, my brother came in contact with one. I should say, one came in contact with my brother. He was putting his hand in my brother's front pants pocket when my brother stopped him. He acted as if he had just bumped into my brother.
Photo #5 - I had fun flirting with these little boys on a bus. I believe it must have been a school group in the bus. When I pulled out my camera, one of the little boys disappeared!
Photo #6 - This was a strange sight. I caught some photos of a bride and groom walking down the street with another lady. I'm not sure if they were going to or come from a wedding!