3 bad points to consider before going to Disneyland Paris:
a. expect to wait 60min's in a queue for every ride.
b. check with the public transport information if there is going to be a strike (at the end of the day).
c. try not to carry a handbag (at all) - which is prone to pickpocketing.
1 good point to consider before going to Disneyland Paris:
a. The best time to go on rides is between 9-11am and 7-10pm when the crowds are sparse. At those times it only takes 5-15 min's to get on a ride. The rest of the day should be full of watching parades and shows and trying to find the Disney characters and enjoying. We learnt this lesson kind of the hard way, but it still turned out alright. Between 10-12 we went on 4 rides, 12-7 - 2 rides, and 7-10 about 8 rides. The rides were very very good and although we spent too much time in a couple of queues (especially Thunder mountain) the excitement made up for it. Now that i think about it i just realised that many of the made-up cute houses/cottages next to the rides are actually built to contain the long long long queues for the waiting public - strange.
So anyway, Disneyland Paris was great but with a few unexpected and unfortunate events which did spoil the day a bit. We can't figure out whether Rochelle was pick-pocketed or she may have dropped it accidentally, but she is minus her purse... Because we're close to the end of our holiday i don't have time to get new c/cards (especially now over xmas time) so i've basically got a chunk of money to tide us over for the rest of the trip (now 2 days) and left almost zero credit in my c/card balances (i can top them up if i need to make any major purchases). Then when i get home i'll get new cards.
The other unfortunate event was when we got to the RER train station (just outside the front entrance) we found out that the drivers had gone on strike that evening.
So.......
What do you do?
What do you do with 4 sleepy kids in the middle of virtually nowhere at 10pm when the train system has gone on strike - and there's NO notices (french or english) as to what you should do... And then you go up to 2 girls also standing around to ask them what to do and they're visiting tourists from Israel (whose French is poorer than their English) and they also don't know what to do... To cut a long story short, about 100 people packed into a bus to another train station about 40mins away, which took us to Gare D'Est (50mins). From there 2 metro trains took us home (another 20mins). So we got home around 1.30am - and believe it or not we were all ok. We had a warm cuppa with a bit of Talia's bday cake and then flaked out till almost 10am this morning.
...OyVey.
This is another perfect opportunity to make the point that all the girls are real troopers and do soldier on when they need to, without much fuss or causing commotion - kol hakavod to them. Even on these last few days the girls are still having new and interesting and exciting (and unexpected) experiences. What doesn't ---- us, makes us stronger (and wiser). Absolutely.
Today in Paris it was around 5 degrees and a bit wet. Thankfully no wind but unfortunately no snow which we were kind of getting used to and enjoying (not a white xmas after all). We got out at 12pm and ventured to the Grand Palais. Here's another traveller tip - if you come to Paris, SEE the Grand Palais. It was built for the same Exposition that the Eiffel Tower was built for in 1900, but for many years it lay dormant, closed and run-down. I remember seeing this amazing building with a massive glass and steel framework roof on my 3 previous visits to Paris (over 20years) and wanting to see it from the inside. Well, about 3 years ago they re-opened it and today we went inside...
It
is
awesome.
Currently they have a fete running on the inside and it couldn't have filled out this massive hall any better. There was a huge ferris wheel (about the only ride we didn't go on because it would have cost us over 50bucks) and lots of big spinning and upside down rides - and lots and lots and lots of fun. We all had a ball.
Afterwards we walked up the Champs Elysees (past yet another Village Noel) to Sephora again and the girls bought some small perfumes. Then we came home and are now going to bed, so we can get up early to open our presents - ha ha.
We'll go do Shabbos shopping in Rue du Rosiers, Marais, again tomorrow and possibly try to see Montmartre. On Shabbos we're thinking about walking to the Luxembourg Gardens and perhaps the Rodin Garden to see The Thinker (the original). If we have time Talia wants to go ice skating again at the Trocadero, so we might try to fit that in Motze Shabbos.
Sunday morning, 10am, the shuttle comes to pick us up for the airport, then...... home.
This is a great holiday...
P
Latest update from the Steinbergs In Paris...
Web photo album: http://picasaweb.google.com/steinbergpicasa
Blog online: http://steinbergsinisrael.blogspot.com
GoogleMaps Steinberg Israel Tour: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=101845790702321945414.00046ae3bb9b8c8d66f12
Skype Paul username: 'paulsteinberg'
Skype Steinberg Family username: 'prsteinberg'
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