Punchy in Paris

Thirty days into the world’s best family vacation, we were definitely feeling the full effects of tired feet, sleep deprivation, monument overload, and a touch of homesickness !  But it was a phenomenal city to end our tour and one we are all keen to visit again. You can fall in love with Paris for any one of a hundred reasons — art, architecture, churches, gardens, history, shopping, food and nightlife — just to name a few.

The Eurostar trip from London to Paris is fast and easy -- although Zack forgot to pack a knife for his scone.

Hello Notre Dame! Arriving at our studio apartment -- we were surprised that the view from the room was even better than advertised.

We were as impressed with the size and beauty of the Louvre's exterior, as we were by the gems found inside.

This simple painting drew quite a crowd.

Sometimes you have to use your imagination to picture what these ancient sculptures originally looked like.

Queen of the Nile

All of the best sights in Paris are located around the Seine.

We enjoyed the Paris Cafe scene at night -- perhaps a little too much. Not sure how we started this contest to see who could fit the beer glass in your mouth, but some of us were more talented than others.

We may have set a record on day two in Paris that will stand the test of time.

Climb Notre Dame, climb the Arc de Triomphe, walk the length of the Champs Elysee, check out Musee de l’Orangerie, take in the impressionists at the Musee d’Orsay, tour the Rodin Museum, late lunch on Rue Cler, ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Then collapse for the evening.

On a day that brought us to the top of Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower -- our best elevated ambience award goes to the gargoyle riddled church tower.

The 80 scenes in this rose window at Notre Dame must be amazing up close -- but from our vantage point it resembles a beautiful kaleidoscope

Despite the crazy traffic circle, the Arc de Triomphe looks almost sedate compared to the pictures we've seen of Hitler marching triumphantly past it into the city.

After 300 steps up the Arc de Triomphe, you're treated to a stellar view of the Champs Elysses and the other 11 streets radiating from Place Charles de Gaulle.

The Musee de l'Orangerie is a worthwhile stop for the water lilly rooms -- designed specifically to house an impressive slice of Monet's great work.

We were out of gas by the time we reached the Rodin Museum, but even so, we really appreciated the unusual treat of seeing all of his great works in the mansion and grounds where he once lived.

The family was easily able to replicate the weariness of Adam in Rodin's The Three Shades

You have to stand about a half mile away from the tower to fit it all into perspective.

In the case of the Eiffel Tower, I'm not quite sure a picture paints a thousand words. The delta in height between the top of the tower and rest of Paris creates a sensation of height and distance not replicated anywhere else.

We made a game day decision to scrap the plan to visit Versailles on our last day in Europe. Instead we opted for an agenda-free day to sleep in a bit, do some shopping and just see whatever came our way. It was a great finale to a fabulous trip.

On a fairly lightweight last day in Europe, we enjoyed the festive atmosphere around Sacre Cour in Montemarte.

For our last hurrah in Paris (and Europe), we capped things off with a stunning night cruise on the Seine. The Eiffel Tower is a stunner again -- and tops this view each hour when it erupts into a light show.