Reminiscing About Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and Thoughts on Why the Fire That Nearly Destroyed the Historical Landmark Touched People Worldwide

All photographs in this post are courtesy of my best friend, Krista Van Staalduinen, from our trip to Paris in June 2015, and have been used with her permission

Yesterday afternoon when I opened Facebook and saw the news that Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was on fire, my heart sank. I hoped it was a minor fire and the pompiers (firefighters) in Paris would be able to put it out. But as the afternoon wore on and my social media feeds filled with pictures and videos of the raging fire, that sick feeling in my stomach grew. Notre Dame was burning in earnest; 800+ years of history was literally going up in flames. Now because there are always ignorant, negative people on social media, I had the displeasure of seeing someone make the comment, “But it’s only a building. Be glad nobody died.” Of course everyone is glad nobody died; it’s an absolute miracle nobody was killed. And, yes, okay, it is technically just a building and you can’t equate that with the loss of human life. But it’s so much more than ‘just a building’. For centuries, Notre Dame has been a symbol of Paris. A symbol of art, architecture, history, religion, and culture. It has survived the French Revolution and two World Wars. You don’t have to be Catholic - or even Christian - to appreciate its beauty and rich history. Those things, paired with the fact it seemed like one of those monuments that would be around forever, are part of what makes this such a devastating tragedy for people all over the world. Whether you’ve been to Notre Dame, hoped to go there someday, or you’re indifferent, this is a loss felt by the whole world.

I had the pleasure of visiting Notre Dame twice. My first time was in 2001; I was 17, and it was my first trip abroad. It was a whirlwind ten days of history and art and food and freedom. We saw ancient buildings and priceless art and so many things that left me speechless, but I remember being in complete awe when we walked into Notre Dame. It was swarming with people, and yet there was this hushed sort of reverence inside as people wandered around or sat in the pews or lit candles.

I vividly remember stopping in front of the statue of Joan of Arc and feeling this rush of emotions that brought tears to my eyes. I had just done a school project on the saint and felt this strange affinity to her; I had gone above and beyond on my project, reading everything I could get my hands on (and these were the days when there wasn’t much to be found online, so I think I checked out nearly every book from my library that so much as referenced her). Even though it was just a statue, it was like history coming alive in front of me and making it more real. Another special moment was when I lit a candle in memory of my dad, who died in 1994, and whose family originated in France.

My second trip to Paris, and to Notre Dame, was in 2015. Our time in Paris was cut short after an issue at the border in Callais, France (it was closed due to riots and strikes, so we were stuck in Dover, England for a day, unable to cross the Channel until the border reopened). That meant we only had about two full days in Paris, but we were determined to make the most of it and see as much as possible. I knew for sure that despite having seen it 14 years before, I wanted to see Notre Dame again. It had made a real impression on me, and I wanted my travelling companion/bestie, Krista - a fellow lover of art, history, and architecture - to see it. I can honestly say it was just as awe-inspiring the second time. Tragedies like this show us that nothing - not even the things that seem indestructible and eternal - lasts forever. Just because something has stood the test of time, as Notre Dame did for hundreds of years, doesn’t mean it can or will forever. A friend messaged me yesterday and told me how much she regretted skipping a visit to the cathedral during both her visits to Paris because of the long lines, assuming she’d visit it next time. I saw other people sharing the same sentiment on social media yesterday and this morning. Because that's the thing, right? We all think we have time. Time to see and do the things we want, especially when it comes to seeing the things that have always been there and you assume always will be. When I think of my last trip to Europe, one thing that often comes to mind is the number of times we had to wait in line. The first instance was our visit to the Tower of London. Krista and I wanted to see the Crown Jewels, but the people we were with didn’t want to ‘waste time’ in line. Krista and I looked at each other and agreed that we hadn’t travelled thousands of miles to let something like a line stop us from seeing something we wanted - and had paid a lot of money - to see. So we got ourselves some ice cream from a nearby vendor and we waited in line, taking pictures, talking, and laughing all the while. That moment set a precedence for us: if there was something we wanted to see, screw the lines. It happened again several times throughout our travels (the most memorable being the hour we spent in the blazing Italian sun while waiting to enter St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican), including when we visited Notre Dame. We had a limited amount of time to squeeze in everything we wanted to do, but it was a beautiful day, so even though the lines stretched all the way to the end of the square, we joined the queue. Now I’m so grateful we did.

We hear about ‘gentle reminders’ all the time these days. ‘Just sending a gentle reminder to get your entries in for X by tonight’ or a ‘gentle reminder to practise self-care’. Well, let this horrible event serve as a not-so-gentle reminder. Do the things you want to do. See the things you want to see. I know it’s not always that simple, believe me. If I could hop on a plane to Europe right now I would, but it’s not possible right this moment. But whenever possible, even if it may make you a little uncomfortable, even if it means stepping outside your comfort zone (hell, especially if it means stepping outside your comfort zone), even if it takes time, even if it means waiting in a huge line, do the things you want to do. Don’t assume you can ‘do it next time’ because there might not be a next time. Let this also serve as an everyday reminder: Take chances. Do the things you love to do, as often and as joyfully as you can. Appreciate the good people in your life. Make sure the people you love know how you feel about them. See and do as much as you can, because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

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Review: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

 

This novel was partly inspired by Mackenzi Lee's discovery of the concept of the Grand Tour, something done by many rich people in the 18th century, that would last for months or even years, depending on funds. It's similar to our modern day 'gap year', where young people see the world between high school/college and pursuing further education or employment. I always wished I could have taken a gap year, and I still harbour a not-so-secret fantasy of taking several months or even a year and travelling through my own home country of Canada, plus Europe, so adventure/travel books like this really appeal to me. Plus, as a historical novel, it's interesting to see how difficult it often was to travel back then when people were limited to horse-drawn carriages and boats.   

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The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Series: Standalone
Published: June 27th, 2017
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
528 pages (eARC)
Genre: Historical Fiction/LGBTQ+/Adventure
Acquired this book: Via Edelweiss in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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An unforgettable tale of two friends on their Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe who stumble upon a magical artifact that leads them from Paris to Venice in a dangerous manhunt, fighting pirates, highwaymen, and their feelings for each other along the way.

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue was one of my most anticipated books of 2017. I was even more excited when I saw a few trusted reader/blogger friends raving about it. When I finally picked it up, I giggled my way through the first 10% and then...well, then the disappointment kicked in. While the book started out funny and set things up nicely, I found myself bored through a lot of the book. I skimmed a lot, which I don’t normally do, and I considered DNFing several times, but by then I’d already dedicated several hours to the story and my mama didn’t raise a quitter!

I’ll start out with the things I liked. I loved Monty’s voice. He was hilarious and irreverent and selfish and hugely flawed, but also really likeable, and experienced great growth throughout the story. I also liked his sister, Felicity (she’s just the type of strong-willed, intelligent, against-the-grain girl I love seeing in historical fiction, and I'm incredibly excited she's getting her own book) and best friend/love interest, Percy. I loved the diversity in the story - Monty was bisexual, Percy was biracial and had a disability (I won’t mention what because I’d consider it a spoiler, but it was fascinating to learn how it was perceived in the 18th century and what the fate of someone with Percy’s condition often was), and they met up with a band of African pirates during the course of their adventures. You so rarely see any diversity in historical fiction, so it was refreshing to see. I also enjoyed the humour and the adventure itself (which was more of a misadventure) with highwaymen, pirates, alchemists, a sinking island, and lots of mishaps that ranged from amusing to tense.

I think this book could have easily been a five-star read for me if it hadn’t been so long. It felt like it took me forever to read and like it was never going to end. I’d be reading for ages and think I must be close to the end only to look down and see I’d only read 10% and was merely halfway through the book with another 3-4 hours to go. A book like this should have been so action-packed and exciting that I didn’t want to put it down, but instead I had to force myself to keep reading. 

I’m so sad and disappointed to say The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue didn’t live up to my expectations. Despite enjoying the adventures and liking the characters, I felt like I was slogging through, and I honestly couldn’t wait to be finished. I did appreciate Monty’s growth, and I was glad to see he got a happy ending after all he went through, plus there were definitely many laugh-out-loud moments, and a sweet romance. I’ve seen plenty of people raving about this book, which could make it a case of ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ or 'right book, wrong time'. As always, I encourage you to give this one a try if it sounds like something that would interest you.

Have you read The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read any other LGBTQ+ historical fiction books?

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Wanderlust Wednesday: Books Set in France

 

Since June marks the 2-year anniversary of my big UK/European adventure, I'm feeling nostalgic...and I'm also feeling the need to read alllll the books with settings of places I love. Last week, this week, and next week I'll be recommending books set in each of the countries I visited: England, France, and Italy. I love travelling vicariously through stories when I can't actually travel myself, and I know I'm not the only one, so I hope you'll enjoy these lists!

Last week I shared recommendations for books set in England, and this week it's books set in France.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins ~ One of my favourite books ever. It makes me giggly and swoony and just all around happy. I love the Parisian setting and getting to explore the city with Anna.

The Beautiful and the Cursed (The Dispossessed #1) by Page Morgan ~ Set in 1899 in Paris, this book features gargoyles - something I haven’t encountered in YA before or since reading this book. It’s got lots of action and romance, plus interesting lore about gargoyles.

The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters by Jaimie Admans ~ This book completely transported me to Normandy. I could picture myself at the chateau and living a quiet, simple life surrounded by nature, and shopping at the market every week.

Fleur de Lies (Passport to Peril #9) by Maddy Hunter ~ Each of the books in the Passport to Peril series (my favourite cozy mystery series - actually, one of my favourite series, period) is set in a different country, and Fleur de Lies is set in France. You get to see different areas of the country, and I loved it!

The Conspiracy of Us (The Conspiracy of Us #1) and Map of Fates (The Conspiracy of Us #2) by Maggie Hall ~ These books take place in a few different countries and cities, but Paris is a main setting. Having been to Paris twice, I loved reading about so many familiar places. I could picture it all with perfect clarity. These books are action packed and keep you guessing. I can’t wait for the third book, The Ends of the World.

Just One Day by Gayle Forman ~  Like the Conspiracy of Us series, this book takes place in a few different countries and cities, but Paris is an important one. 

One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank ~ I’ll be honest, this isn’t my favourite book, but I added it to the list because of the setting (and cover) and because I like to encourage people to decide for themselves. This book is good if you’re looking for a light book with a fun setting.

What are some of your favourite books set in France? Do you have any recommendations for books set in France (especially Paris)?

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Review: The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters by Jaimie Admans

The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters by Jaimie Admans

Series: Standalone

Published: June 7th, 2017

Publisher: HQ Digital

272 pages (eARC)

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration

Warning: May contain spoilers

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Where dreams come true...?

Wendy Clayton stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago. Instead, she has a ‘nice’ life. Nice job. Nice flat. Absolutely no men. Until her life is turned upside-down when her elderly neighbour, Eulalie, passes away and leaves her the Château of Happily Ever Afters!

But there’s a catch: she must share the sprawling French castle with Eulalie’s long-lost nephew, Julian. And no matter how gorgeous he is, or how easily she finds herself falling head over heels, Wendy needs to find a way to get rid of him…

Because surely happily ever afters don’t happen in real life?

I’ve been a fan of Jaimie Admans’s books since her debut, Kismetology. The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters was a breath of fresh air. With Admans’ trademark humour, wisdom, and sass, plus a touch of magic, this book was a delight from beginning to end.

I connected quickly and easily with Wendy. Besides being the same age, we’re similar in other ways - she’s afraid to go outside her comfort zone or take chances, and she has trouble trusting people, and I related to those things. I think if I’d been placed in the same situation as hers (co-inheriting a French chateau with a hot Scot), I would have acted/reacted much differently than she did, but her pettiness and immaturity were fun to read and had me laughing myself silly. I was glad when she started to come around and formed a tentative friendship with Julian, because these two were perfect for each other. They were both complex characters with realistic issues and hang-ups about relationships, and I loved watching them turn from enemies to a tentative truce to friends to something more. I adored Julian, and I appreciated how he turned Wendy’s perceptions of him upside down - he had so much depth to him and was much more than just a pretty face and a hot body.

Hilarious, charming, and romantic, The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters is one of my new favourite romantic comedies. I was transported to Normandy and could easily picture myself living in the Chateau and experiencing life in the village. Read this book if you want to feel like you’ve been whisked away to the French countryside where you’ll laugh, swoon, fall in love, and be reminded what it’s like to believe in magic.

  

Have you read The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you like romantic comedies? Have a favourite?

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Wanderlust Wednesday: Just a Lil' Lost's Paris Month

Check out my previous Wanderlust Wednesday posts

For the last few years, my friend and fellow blogger Michele from Just a Lil' Lost has dedicated the month of April to all things Paris. I've followed along, enjoyed her posts, pictures, reviews, and guest features, and this year I get to be part of it! I'm so honoured to have had the opportunity to do a guest post for Paris Month this year.

Michele's new banner for Paris Month - isn't it pretty?

I've been to Paris twice now, and since both visits were short I decided to share tips for a quick trip to Paris. There's so much to see and do in the City of Light, so if you're only going to be there for a few days, it's good to have a plan. Besides sharing my tips, I also shared a few pictures, plus a giveaway of an Eiffel Tower keychain I bought specially in Paris last June for one lucky person.

Check out my post: 3 Tips for 3 Days in Paris, and be sure to check out all of Michele's other amazing posts this month. 

Here are a couple of the pictures I included in my post, just to give you a sneak peek:

And this is the Eiffel Tower keychain (along with some cute Eiffel Tower stickers) I'm giving away at Michele's blog!

Be sure to check out my guest post, plus the rest of Michele's Paris Month posts!

Have you been following along with Michele's Paris Month? Do you have a favourite post? Have you visited Paris? What were some of your favourite things to see and do? If you haven't been to Paris, is it on your travel wishlist?

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Wanderlust Wednesday: My London-Paris-Rome Trip Recap!

 

Check out my previous Wanderlust Wednesday posts.

It's taken three weeks, but I finally did it - I have a trip recap! Warning: it's a really long post! I tried to keep it as short as possible, but it is two weeks' worth of stuff, and I didn’t want to leave anything out. I hope this will interest some of you and that a few of you might even get through the whole thing. ;-) I've highlighted the highlights in case you don't want to read the whole thing, but just want to know what I did, where I went, what I saw, etc. There aren't many pictures, but most of my Wanderlust Wednesday posts from now on will be themed posts about my trip, including lots of pics. Next week’s WW is the British Fandom Edition, where I’ll share pictures of 221B Baker Street, Gower Street, Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross Station, and the TARDIS we found! In the meantime if you want to see more pics, visit my Instagram, because I posted some pics as we went, and I'm still posting pics there fairly regularly.

Here we go! 

Marie and Krista Do the UK and Europe

 
Day 1 - Bye bye Canada!

• We left around 3pm for Pearson International Airport in Toronto, which is about a 2-hour drive. Checked in, got through security (I'd been worrying about security for months, not knowing what to expect, but we breezed through it in minutes and it was super easy, proving that I am often neurotic for no reason). Grabbed some food, charged our phones, people-watched, then boarded our plane. We didn't want to pay $35 each for reserved seats when we booked our flights, so we ended up sitting on opposite sides of the plane - boo! I sat with a lovely woman and her teenage daughter from Texas, and Krista sat with a guy from London, so she got lots of tips and tricks for the trip, which was great. We had a yummy dinner (I always hear how plane food sucks, but I thought the food was delicious), I watched Paddington, slept a bit, and overall had a pretty good flight.

Day 2 - London, baby!

• We arrived at Heathrow shortly after 8:30am, got through customs, grabbed our bags, then went through the airport to the tube (subway), where we bought our Oyster cards (a travel card you put money on and then simply tap to ride the trains - best thing ever, for so many reasons. If you're travelling to London and you're curious about this - or anything else I talk about in this post - please don't hesitate to contact me to ask questions). Luckily the tube runs straight from the airport to our stop, so we didn’t have to change, but the ride took about an hour, and we ended up standing, balancing against our luggage, for the whole ride. We went straight to our hotel (less than a five-minute walk from Russell Square station, yay!) and miraculously were able to check in right away, despite check-in technically being at 2pm. We were both tired and felt gross (my eyes were so tired and dry, I could barely see), so it was nice to get settled into the room. We had planned to do a ton of stuff that day to avoid jet lag, but unfortunately, we were both so out of it, it took us ages to work up the energy to leave the hotel.

• We finally dragged ourselves out and wandered around the area. I was specifically looking for Gower Street, where BBC’s Sherlock is filmed, since I’d read it wasn’t far from the hotel. We kept getting turned around, but we ended up seeing some really pretty parks and interesting buildings, and finally ended up at Gower Street by accident. It was so cool to see the facade of the building where Sherlock is filmed, plus Speedy’s Café, which you can see in every episode. Very cool! From there, we grabbed the tube. We’d intended to get to Tower Hill, but ended up in Leicester Square, where we decided to wander around. We discovered we were in the City of London, which was one of our goals; Krista's brother sent her this video before we left, explaining the difference between London and the City of London, and we were fascinated. We were completely lost, looking for a place to eat, and I just happened to see one of the City of London crests, so that perked us up right away. We finally found a place to eat (my first meal in London? Fish and chips, naturally!), then headed back to the hotel.

Day 3

• Took the tube to Piccadilly Circus. Wandered around, stopped at Caffé Nero, had a real British scone, complete with clotted cream and a tiny pot of strawberry jam - heaven! I also had my first ever macchiato, which was also really good.

• Went to the Household Cavalry, saw the cavalry guard, went through the museum

• Saw Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey went through St. James Park (where we stopped for ice cream and sat to watch the birds and ducks), saw Buckingham Palace, Wellington Arch

• Around 5pm we went to meet my friend JK. She moved to London last November and is working as a librarian in a school on a 2-year visa. We met her after work at Baker Street tube station, went to see 221B Baker Street (the museum was closed, but we hadn’t intended to go in anyway, although now that I’ve seen the outside and peeked in the windows, going inside is on my list for my next trip to London), then went for dinner, wandered around Oxford Street, and then parted ways since it was getting dark and we were all tired.

Day 4 - Day trip out of London

• We left early in the morning to meet up with a tour going to Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge.

• We did a tour of Windsor Castle, which was huge and beautiful. AND...Queen Elizabeth was in residence! We were there during the Royal Ascot, and I guess the queen is always at Windsor (her favourite home) for that. It was exciting knowing she was there. On our way out, we saw part of the changing of the guard, but we were in a hurry to catch the bus, so we couldn't stay long. I definitely want to go back to Windsor, do a more thorough tour of the castle, see the chapel, and check out the town itself.

• From there we drove to Bath. We saw the cathedral from the outside, and got to do a tour of the Roman Baths. Krista and I both drank from the spring, which is apparently full of minerals and healing properties. It was hot and gross, but it’s fun to say we did it! Next time I go to England, I’d love to spend at least a full day, if not a couple days in Bath. It was so beautiful, but we didn’t get to do anything other than the Roman Baths.

• From there, we drove to Stonehenge. I’ve wanted to see Stonehenge my whole life, and it didn’t disappoint. We took our time doing a full loop of the circle before making a mad dash back to the bus.

• After that it was time to head back to London. It was a whirlwind day, and it didn’t feel like we had enough time to see everything properly, but considering it was a 12-hour day and we spent over half of that just driving from place to place, it would have been impossible to spend more time in each place. I’m happy I got to see what I did, plus our tour guide was incredible, and gave us several tips for things to do in London, some of which we actually ended up doing.

Day 5

• We met JK in the morning and headed to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard

• Wandered the streets for awhile (okay, we got totally turned around, but we ended up seeing some pretty cool things, including the London Ritz, where I’d love to go for high tea someday).

• Said goodbye to JK, then Krista and I headed for the British Museum. We were there for several hours, then got some yummy waffles from a cart outside and sat and watched people come and go.

• 6pm: Contiki group meetup! We met our tour manager and the people on our tour, then had a group dinner before meeting our coach driver and setting out for a quick tour of London. We ended up at Buckingham Palace at dusk, which was nice because there were only a few people milling around instead of the usual massive crowds.

Day 6

• We set out with some of the people from our Contiki group and started the day at the Tower of London. This little history nerd was very happy! We did one of the tours guided by a Beefeater, had ice cream while we waited in line to see the Crown Jewels, and then went up in the White Tower.

• From there we went for lunch, then did a cruise on the Thames River. We got off at Westminster Pier, where we took the tube to King’s Cross Station and...saw Platform 9 3/4! We had to wait in line for quite awhile, but it was totally worth it once I was up there, wearing a Ravenclaw scarf, holding a wand, and going off to Hogwarts (at least in my own vivid imagination)! I got a few neat little things in the gift shop for myself and my nephews, then we headed back to the hotel to drop everything off and head straight back out to meet our Contiki group for...

• A Jack the Ripper walking tour! We walked through the streets of Whitechapel, seeing the murder sites and the buildings from the 1880s that are still standing, and heard about the murders, theories about the murderer, and what life was like in the late 1800s in London. I’ve had this sick fascination with Jack the Ripper for years and our tour guide was fantastic, so this was definitely a highlight for me.

• After the tour, we walked to a nightclub, where about half the group got in, but then the rest of us were turned away because it was too full. We headed down the street to a pub, which was PACKED. We were like 'meh' and so were the girls we were with, so we caught the tube at Piccadilly and headed back to the hotel, where we met up with a few other people who had skipped the bar, and we had dinner and drinks with them in one of the hotel’s restaurants.

Day 7 - Last day in London *sniff*

• Did a tour of Westminster Abbey. We spent probably two hours exploring. I got to light a candle for my dad, Grama, and Poppy. Again, the history nerd in me was happy...and it was exciting to walk down the aisle where Duchess Kate walked to marry Prince William!

• Had a delicious lunch at a pub near the Abbey (I had steak and ale pie, which was one of the best things I ate on the entire trip), then walked through St. James Park again, but it was a different section than Day 3 and we got to see pelicans! We just happened to be walking by and the guy who feeds them was coming out and they all rushed out of the water, along with a bunch of herons, for feeding time. They were massive! I’m so glad we got to see them.

• Went back to the Household Cavalry (Krista’s obsession - cute, uniformed boys on horses), and this time we were in time to see the changing of the guard, so she was extra happy.

• More wandering led us to Trafalgar Square

• From there we went to Kensington Gardens and saw Kensington Palace

• On our way back to the hotel, we ended up having to change trains at Earl’s Court, which is where our tour guide from Day 4 told us the TARDIS was...so we did a lap of the station and found it! There was definitely some squeeing on my part!

• Back to the hotel to get ready for a night out to see Mamma Mia! We knew a West End musical was included on our tour, but we didn’t know what it would be. Mamma Mia was my top choice/wish, since I love Abba and the movie is one of my favourites, so I was beyond excited, and it exceeded my expectations. 

Kensington Palace, current home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (aka Will and Kate) and their beautiful little munchkins Prince George and Princess Charlotte, as well as Prince Harry

Day 8 - Cheerio, London!

• We left London early and drove to Dover to cross on the ferry to France...or at least that’s what we were supposed to do, but when we reached the port, we were told the workers in France were striking (something we’d soon learn they love to do), and we couldn’t cross.

• Went to Dover Castle to put in time, then drove half an hour to Canterbury, where we spent a couple hours waiting for word on the border opening so we could leave England.

• We ended up leaving Dover around 5:30pm, which was the time we were supposed to be arriving in Paris. It was a 90-minute ferry ride to Calais, then another 5-ish hour drive to Paris, where we arrived around midnight, checked into our hotel, and called it a night.

Day 9 - Oui oui, Paris

• We were supposed to have a group dinner and a coach tour the night we arrived in Paris, but since we arrived so late, we were reimbursed for the dinner. Our coach driver had exceeded his driving hours the day before and wasn’t allowed to drive until later in the day, so we all hopped on the Metro to Trocadero to see the Eiffel Tower from a great picture-taking vantage. We were supposed to go up the Tower that morning, but they were striking (ha!), so we had free time.

• Went to the Arc de Triomphe (which we climbed to enjoy the view of the city), then Notre Dame Cathedral. Saw the Louvre (we didn’t go in because we didn’t have time; luckily I went on my first trip to Paris in 2001, and Krista and the girls we were spending the day with ended up going in that night while I went to Moulin Rouge).

• Met up with the group at Place de la Concorde (where they were setting up for the Tour de France) and had the city tour we missed the night before.

• That night: Moulin Rouge! This was another highlight of the trip for me. A gourmet 3-course meal, wine, a glass of real champagne, and a show like no other. It was incredible. Afterward, the coach was there to take us back to the hotel or we could go out, so a bunch of us went next door to a famous bar called O’Sullivans for drinks and some dancing.

View of Paris + the Eiffel Tower from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

Day 10

• Did a tour of the Palace of Versailles.

• Went to the Musée d’Orsay. I love Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh, so this was another highlight for me.

• That night we had our farewell dinner since we were all parting ways. Some people were going home, some were staying in Paris, some were going on to Amsterdam, and others were going to Rome. We climbed the stairs in front of Sacre Coeur Basilica, then went to dinner at a fancy restaurant in Montmartre.

• How we ended our evening: Eiffel Tower by night! We finally got to go up, see the city, then watch it sparkle, which it does every hour on the hour from dusk.

Day 11 - Au revoir, Paris!

• We flew from Paris to Rome, where our comedy of errors continued. There was a fire that morning at the airport we were supposed to land at, so we were detoured to the other airport in town, where we were supposed to be picked up, but there’d been a mix-up so we ended up camping out on the airport floor for several hours. It was actually kind of fun because we all bonded while we were sitting around sharing food and stories.

• That night we went for dinner with some of our group. I was looking forward to eating ALL THE FOOD in Rome, and the gorgonzola pizza, tirimisu gelato, and prosecco didn’t disappoint.

Day 12

• Country #4: the Vatican! Went to St. Peter’s Basilica, then climbed the dome, which seriously just about killed me. We took a lift partway, but still had to climb 320 stairs in an airless, tight, windy tower. I wanted to kill Krista for making me do it, but the view of St. Peter’s Square and Rome were incredibly, plus I was so freaking proud of myself when we got back down and I knew I’d accomplished something amazing and concurred a huge challenge.

• Back to Rome, where we wandered around the ridiculously beautiful city, ate gelato, and visited Santa Maria del Popolo Square and the church.

St. Peter's Square (which, as you can see, is actually a circle) from the top of the Dome at St. Peter's Basilica

Day 13 

• Roman Forum

• Palatine Hill

• Colosseum

*Both of us history nerds rejoiced yet again at all this incredible, ancient history, despite the crippling heat and the need to seek shade every 5 or 10 minutes. I got a wicked sunburn, despite applying sunscreen twice. That night, we were supposed to meet some of our group for dinner, but we somehow missed them, so we went out in search of food on our own. I'd seen a restaurant earlier in the day that looked good and wasn't far from the hotel, so we walked a bit and when I thought I saw it, we paused for a second outside, and a waiter swept out the door, said 'buona sera' and handed us glasses of free prosecco, so we were like 'ok, guess we're eating here' haha. We ended up having an incredible dinner (and more prosecco after our free glass). It was a great night.

Day 14

• Spanish Steps

• Trevi Fountain - There's a legend that if you throw a coin in the fountain and make a wish, you'll return to Rome one day. The fountain is under construction, which I knew beforehand, but I thought it would be much worse because in the last pictures I saw, it was under heavy construction and covered in scaffolding. I was so, so happy when we got there and saw it wasn't as bad as expected. Even though there wasn't water in the fountain, you could still throw your coin over the glass into the empty basin, so we did!

• The Pantheon (which was closed because it was a holiday, which nobody bothered to tell us. We were so bummed!)

• Lots of wandering, visiting squares, a bit of shopping

*I was absolutely dazzled by Rome, especially on that last day. There's something magical about the light in the city, plus I swear I've never seen a sky so blue. 

Day 15 - Arrivederci, Rome!

• Flew home! One of the longest days of my life, with a few more hiccups (because why not, consider we had them the whole trip lol), but we made it home safely and were extremely happy to be back on Canadian soil after a whirlwind trip.

  

Three weeks later, I'm at the point where the whole thing feels like a crazy, amazing dream. I still can't believe I got to do and see so many things I've fantasized about my whole life. I've been so busy with work I haven't had time to sort through all 2,100 of my pictures, but I'm working away at it and setting aside the ones I want to share for future Wanderlust Wednesday posts. I hope you enjoyed reading about my trip! If you have any questions, you can leave a comment, email me, or chat with me on Twitter! 

   
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