So...we are moving to England!: 2014

Not unlike the Puritans' sixty-six day journey on the Mayflower from England to Cape Cod to seek religious freedom, the Bowers family journeyed two hours on the Eurostar from England to Paris to seek a proper Thanksgiving dinner.

We had a very traditional meal - turkey and all the fixings - at a 50's style American diner called "Breakfast in America." It is run by a couple from Connecticut and was jam packed with Americans. While it didn't live up to my Mom's home cooking it was still tres savoureux.

The diner

Here Mom, eat a leaf.

The boys' thought napkin hats were a 'thing' on Thanksgiving - we went with it.

As Henry was being tucked in to bed he said to Beth, "But we didn't go to Thanksgiving!" When Beth reminded him that we just came home from a large Thanksgiving feast he replied, "But none of our friends or family were there." Well said, Henry - that pretty much how we all felt about being away from family on Thanksgiving.

The next day our first stop during a walk along the River Seine was the Statue of Liberty. I guess if we can have an Eifel Tower in Las Vegas they can have a Statue of Liberty in Paris. Fair's fair.

First of many Eifel Tower pictures

The lines were outrageous so we put off going to the top until the next day and instead played hide-and-seek, did a little geo-caching and of course, Eifel Tower selfies.

Here they are hiding.

Carousel ride. There is always a carousel.

Next stop - Arc de Triomphe. The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Elysees. The Arc honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces.

Um Henry? That has been frowned upon here since the 40's. In his defense I think he was going for a super hero pose.

Next stop was a stroll down Champs-Elysees which was all lit up for Christmas with an outdoor Christmas fair that spanned several blocks.

"Can we have waffles for dinner? PLEASE?" When in Rome....

The boys in a giant snow globe with Santa who reportedly "talked funny."

The Champs-Elysees and Arc.

The next day we returned to the Eiffel Tower and brought the boys to the top.

Up next - Luxembourg Garden. It was created in1612 by Marie de' Medici, the widow of King Henry IV of France, for a new residence she constructed, the Luxembourg Palace. Today the French Senate meets in the Palace. The park, which covers 60 acres, is known for its lawns, tree-lined promenades, flowerbeds, the model sailboats on its circular basin, and for the picturesque Medici Fountain built in 1620.

Oliver and Henry sailing toy sailboats with sticks in the Palace fountain.