Travel
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Latin Quarter, Arrondissement 5, Paris
Eiffel Tower from The Pantheon The Latin Quarter We chose to stay in the Latin Quarter as it was central, while also being good value for money. Plus there was plenty of restaurants and bars in the area so we didn’t have to travel far for food. These venues probably weren’t the best choice to go with an infant, but in Paris I don’t there is anywhere that is baby friendly. The Latin Quarter got its name from the University that was founded here in the 12th century. In those times Latin was the language of the educated. Pantheon An impressive building. Originally constructed as a Church, it’s use has…
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Versailles, France
Château de Versailles Versailles So off we went to the Chateau and Gardens of Versailles. An easy train ride on the RER C train from Paris which took approx. 40 minutes from Saint-Michel Notre-Dame Station to the terminus station at Gare de Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche. We had the unfortunate luck of catching the train in peak hour. Most of the passengers deboarded at Issy Val de Seine. No doubt you’ll be going there early in the morning to make a full day of it, so an easy way to spot your train during peak hour is it’ll most likely be stickered inside and out with Versailles imagery. This was…
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Historical Axis of Paris
View from Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile Arc De Triomphe Turns out there are two Arc de Triomphes, the du Carrousel and the much more famous de I’Etoile. A brief history, both Arcs are to celebrate Napoleon’s victories in 1805. Carrousel was constructed between 1806 to 1808, while the much larger I’Etoile was constructed between 1806 to 1836. Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile I’Etoile stands 50 m (164 ft) tall and has a viewing deck at the top for those with tickets. Access to the inner area is via one of two underground passageways. To reach the viewing deck is via spiral staircases, consisting of, by my count, approx. 280…
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Palais-Bourbon, Arrondissement 7, Paris
Eiffel Tower from Champ de Mars We headed off on this damp morning towards the Eiffel Tower. A straight forward enough walk, just need to watch the map for a few key intersections to turn at. Being Paris, there is no grid system, mayhem reins. Eiffel Tower Located in the Champ de Mars park, the Eiffel Tower stands out in the relatively low Paris skyline. I can just imagine in 1889 when it was built, it would have been an impressive sight. It still is. We approached from the south-east end of Champ de Mars, and got our photos from a distance, before moving progressively closer. Of course, taking more…
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Minneapolis, MN
Stone Arch Bridge My first visit to an American city outside of the top 20. And depending on when you read this, Minneapolis is ranked in position 46. My draw to visit this city was a conference. And this is how I would summarise Minneapolis, a conference city. Located along the Mississippi River at mile marker 854. Which is also the location of the only naturally occurring water falls along the Mississippi River, the Saint Anthony Falls. This then meant I had the ability to see the Mississippi from (almost) both ends. Our trip to New Orleans in March means we saw the Mississippi from mile marker 90.3. To mix…
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Toronto, ON
Toronto Previously known as York, Toronto received it’s current name in 1834. We came to Toronto to catch up with friends, as well as to make our way to Niagara Falls. Toronto is a big sprawling city in need of better public transportation infrastructure. With the baby’s stroller we walked to all the sights, no not to Niagara. We probably could have caught a bus to get around, but didn’t want to waste time trying to sort out the routes and payments. The airport is a whole level of weird. If you can’t clear immigration via the automated computer, due to a weird visa or something, then it’s always slow.…
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Niagara Falls, ON
Horseshoe Falls and American Falls We headed to Niagara Falls for the day from Downtown Toronto. The drive is approx. 90 minutes and 132 km drive away. We parked at Skylon Tower, 5200 Robinson St, and cost $10 for the day. To get to the falls we went down a level to the arcade and towards the south west corner and down the stairs, turning left on Murray St. At the corner of Murray St and Niagara Parkway is the Niagara Parks Welcome Center. Tickets to attractions can be pre-purchased here. Cross the Niagara Parkway and you be faced with the American Falls to the left, and the impressive Horseshoe…
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The Food of New Orleans, LA
Cochon Fried Alligator and Louisiana Cochon New Orleans is famous for its foods. Beignets, Jambalaya, Gumbo, P’boy, Crawfish Etouffee. While our stomachs are only a certain size, we tried to put a dint in the local seafood population. Day 1 Our first stop was Drago’s. Drago’s apparently invented the char grilled oyster. These were the best I had while we were visiting. As the oysters weren’t a meal we grabbed the Alligator Tacos and Seafood Gumbo to complete lunch. As this was a late lunch around 3pm, we got a table immediately. Annoyingly we lost internet on both of our phones, so just wondered aimlessly until we decided it was…
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New Orleans, LA
Jackson Square Louisiana, so named after King Louis XIV, and New Orleans so named after the Duke of Orleans. New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. The Louisiana Purchase occurred in 1803, where the USA bought Louisiana from the French. New Orleans is comprised of a number of districts, such as the French Quarter, The Garden District, Downtown and, the Arts Warehouse District, amongst others we didn’t manage to have time to explore. And despite popular portrayal in TV and movies, the Bayou isn’t behind the French Quarter. French Quarter The reason to visit the big easy. The French Quarter is thirteen blocks by seven…
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2018 Year In Review Video