Day Four and Five: Bruxelles by Train for a Day

They say France is always a good idea, but Brussels, we've found, is an even better one. That's why we hopped a train out of Paris for a short jaunt in another country. 

James and kids at train station in Paris

James catching zzzs on train to Brussels

Belgium from the train

The train ride was supposed to take 2 hours but there was technical difficulties in other trains along the track. We were stopped for an hour. And then when we arrived there was something going on. Half the platform was taped off. Many police. Camera crew filming in two spots. We never figured out what. We think it was from a threat a few days earlier. Many people don't want to travel the trains to Brussels fearing another terrorist attack.  The news here said they were urging tourists from London and Paris to come to Brussels by dropping fares to 19 euro each way. We hope that works. Fear is felt a bit along the streets with so many police and military present throughout. 

Police and Military Presence Brussels

The train was a great place for each of us to have alone time. James slept, Madeline texted her friends (keeping them up until 3am); Fischer and Nolan enjoyed their WiFi. I read and listened to my ipod (I'm reading The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux written in 1975). My book attracted the attention of the guys in the seats next to me. They are from Belgium returning from vacation in Paris. I attempted basic Dutch with him (dank u; 

Ja; nee, etc.) He said not to worry many avoid Flemish and speak French instead. "Nee, Merci is okay, ja." What I should have done is ask about speaking Engels. 

Sure, they don't speak Engels.

We found that most Belgians do not speak Engels (English). No joke. It goes like this: 

"Parle Engels?" 

"Nee."

"OK. C'est combien?" (How much is it?)

"Ah, 25 euro, come wid me, maybe you like dis one?"

"Oh, nee (nay), just this."

"Et maybe also (pointing) ten euro?"

So, if you want directions, they do not know Engels. They only seem to be rehearsed in selling. Unless you are in the train station, in which case you are attempting to buy three sandwiches and a coke. You say, "C'est combien?" He says, some price you do the understand because it has gone above ten, which is all I can count to (my French teacher would be so disappointed). I say, "En Engels?" He looks at me and says nothing. I say, "En anglais?" He says, "Ah, oui...(and then repeats the price in French and adds even more words)." I hand him 20 euro. He says, "Nee, nee." Gives me back 5 euro from my stack plus change. 

Belgium briefly: 

The winding cobblestone streets that weave in an out of the city from the Grand Palace are unlike any other we've strolled along before (even combining mine and James' travels). We only get to be here for one sleepover which ends up being less than 24 hours since arriving by train, but it will be enough (we say out loud to ourselves), even if it leaves us feeling like we wish we'd stayed longer. 

In the center of Grand Palace Brussels

James and the boys at the International Food Festival Brazil ordered empanada 

Fischer eating Escargot in Brussels at the International Food Festival (ate it in France, loved it, wanted more)

Belgium is still celebrating Christmas while preparing for the New Years eve festivities. It is a concentrated city filled with chocolate shops and souvenir shops with many restaurants. It smells like waffles wherever you go. Paris smells like bread (not as pleasant). Belgium is filled with chocolate pouring down fountains in windows and syrup roasting on waffles being sold out of vans, VW buses and shops. 1 euro for waffle plain (all have some kind of delectable sucre (sugar) but toppings are extra). Waffle plus one topping from a van, 2 euro. Waffle plus chocolate and speculoos (graham cracker spread like peanut butter but no nuts) 5 euro from a shop. 

Monchichi in Brussels

Every hour a live performance is held in the Grand Palace square. You won't see the performer among the tourists, but the sound is so clear and loud, and the lights on all the buildings go along with the rhythm of the song. You can see this happening all throughout the city on the tallest steeple. 

Grand Palace in Brussels

Performers on every corner, people dancing and laughing, young and old. Gorgeous! The feeling is warmer and livelier than France, but the weather is much, much colder. The cobblestones are slippery with freshly frozen ice. Belgians thrive on tourists so they want to make you happy (mostly French tourists). They want to show you how they heal from their wounds only through others who visit them. 

Best Photobomb ever by Fischer as I capture the graphite in Brussels

Lost along the cobblestone in Brussels

The only reservation we had was our hotel (Novotel Grand Palace). We had three things to see: The Music Museum, the Comic Book museum, and the mannequin pis. We only made it to two. We rushed to get to The musee music (remember our train was delayed, and then The McGehee's Abroad got lost looking for the hotel in a city where they Nee Parle Engels). The city has free 2g WiFi which is intermittent for GPS. We got in line at the musee 30 minutes before ticket sales closed. An example of how untrusting the Belgian and French have become: one Portuguese man had accidentally purchased deux (two) tickets and needed to sell one because the musee wouldn't refund his money at the counter where he picked up his tickets. We bought one from him no problem. He was grateful. An hour later we encountered him again at the same instrument, he is a singer on the way to Bolivia for the new year just finishing out his time in Belgium. This place, the building, the instruments were amazing. You just walk around with a headset, punch in codes for each instrument and listen to classical music. Travel tip: Do buy these tickets online. The audio is necessary for the full experience and are included in the ticket price. Also, make it to the 10th floor to see an impeccable view of the city. However, do be careful, the lift will take you to negative un (one), and then to each floor on the way back up. It can be challenging. You will become frustrated, especially as the announcement indicates the musee is closing, it will be okay once the lift bursts open on the tenth floor finally. 

Madeline at Music Musee in Brussels

You are starving, so you eat a waffle from a van. It will be the best food you think you've ever eaten in that moment. You will go and sit on the steps overlooking the city and the cook in the van will see you struggling with the creme freche on your mouth and the chocolate dripping from your chins, and he will leave his compact business and bring you a handful of paper towels even though you didn't mind the food on your face in that moment. You'll always remember his kindness and how much he must have been watching us as we were watching the city. 

The city smells of waffles, Belgium

You think you have energy to keep pushing. Already you've shopped for souvenirs, posed by mannequin pis, and attended the musee music. But, the cold will slow you down and take your energy. Frost is forming everywhere. You want dinner, but Ball and Glory is sold out of food, the markets are packed, you find Brussels Grill and are seated on the second floor no problem. You cannot remember that you should order mussels and frites because you just want to rest. So, you order sopa and salade kreta, and kebobs, and noodles. Only on the way out, when you are stuffed, you will see the big sign out front that says mussels and frites and think: man, we should have ordered that, all well. 

Fischer in New Hat from Brussels

Nolan at the Brussels Grill Belgium

Hotel Novotel is much more modern than the French Hotel Leveque and has more room to stretch out (the French hotel is much more like a closet for one). So, you tuck yourself in and drift off to sleep thinking about how many things you believe you can get done before 11:30am. The comic book musee opens at 10am, and Madeline wants to go back to the music shop for a vinyl, we want to take part in the free hotel breakfast, and we want to walk about. This seems like a reality until you get a knock on your hotel door and the lights are turned on and the maid says, "hallo, bonjour!" You have slept past 10am and now you have missed the free breakfast and you are rushing. You dart out the door, briskly, but carefully walk to waffle shop you saw the day before, realize you must skip the comic book musee but you might be able to get Madeline a vinyl from the shop--it will be closed. You have only time to hurry with your waffle, buy a couple of things and then you are in a taxi going to the train. You walk right onto the train, feeling grateful you didn't miss it. Then, the bell dings, the announcement comes on, the brakes to the train are not passing the safety test, we are delayed. 

Vinyl Shop in Belgium

Waffle Breakfast Last Day in Belgium

In light of all the rushing, you have taken part in the holiday festivals in two countries and found an entirely underestimated country you feel you should return to in the future. And, even though we missed the comic book museum, we played I Spy With My Little Eye and came up with Rin Tin Tin and the Smurfs in various places of the city which was satisfying enough. 

Rin Tin Tin Sighting #1 by Mannequin Pis in Belgium

Rin Tin Tin in Belgium Sighting #2 by the Midi

As I write this, it is New Year's Eve and we are already aware of a possible three terrorist attacks in Berlin, Baghdad, and possibly Helsinki, and so we are hoping for the best as we bring in the new year with the people of the world who are with us in France tonight. Bon annet!

Day Three: Looking for Treasures

12/29/16: Today's schedule included the Louvre and the Conciergerie.

At 8:20am, we were in our taxi using a flashlight to read the address to the alternate entrance to the Louvre. It was surprising just how dark it was so late into the morning here in France.

We drove past the main entrance where the pyramid stands tall and swarms of people shiver in the cold, and instead, went to the 99 Carousel entrance we found in our Frommer's Paris Pocket Traveler book. We were twenty-minutes early and tenth in line, already below ground, far from the freezing crowd that had formed maybe an hour early at the popular entrance.

Travel tip: We read several articles that suggested tourists, like us, should avoid the Louvre altogether, and especially to skip the Mona Lisa. These articles suggested the Mona Lisa would be overcrowded, and hardly visible, and the chaos would be better left off the must-see list. Well, you could skip the Louvre, I guess. I mean, I plan on skipping it the next time we come to France (get what I mean?) Or, you can take the 99 Carousel entrance, which leads you through the mall and to another entrance which is hard to miss considering the iconic pyramids touching.

Make note: Unless you are The McGehee's Abroad, check your coats and backpacks in the Cloakroom near the secret entrance, or, do what we did and just run to the ticket check feeling ecstatic that once again you tricked the system, blew past the crowds and would be one of the first of the day to say Bonjour! to Mona Lisa. If you choose to do this, be warned, you will get turned back to the Cloakroom because no bags are allowed in the gallery. You will then take your family of five and run back downstairs and settle for being the first of 40 or 50 to bid Mona Lisa adieu. One of these two experiences will get you more steps on S Health or Fitbit or whichever fitness tracking device you use; the other will not. Regardless, if you follow our plan (in line at least 20 minutes before opening, using the secret entrance) you will have seen and photographed Mona Lisa without more than a two minute wait by 9:30am. You will see people rushing in past you long after you've gotten the gist of the Louvre. In that case, you will need to fill your time by "Looking for Treasures."

Looking for Treasure in the Louvre: 

1. You're paying your respects to Mona (by now you're on a first name basis). Maybe you're taking selfies or trying to get a pic of your children with her in the background. This is great. Also, try: helping the people around you get their picture so they don't have to take a selfie--engage the crowd. And then, slowly back out of the crowd, who are desperate to get your spot in the front, and watch them consume the void you're trying to leave behind. Pause for a moment, and watch this group of paparazzi formed around this majestic, roped off figure.
   
   
   
2.  You've been around the Louvre, enjoyed the art and sculptures, it's time for a drink from the cafe. Spend a moment watching the crowds rushing in looking as hurried and frantic as you did, and remember, they probably arrived earlier than you, but failed to seek the hidden entrances (there are more than one of these types of entrances). Be happy when you see one family with six children, considering you have brought only half as many young eyes to be overwhelmed by the museum. 
3. Because you missed the popular entrance, try to make your way up and out of the popular entrance. Gasp and how easy it is to leave and how ridiculously long the line is out front. But, then go to the little blocks formed a distance from the pyramid. Stand in a short line, and then get some great perspective photos. 
   

Being done early means finding other things to do in this section of France. James took us on a journey to see a fantastic church named Saint-Eustache. A treasure in and of itself, there are also little treasures outside of it. For one, there is a playground. Note: it is a playground for ages 7-11 only. A French woman lets the children in and then when they are done you pick them up at the Sortie on the opposite side. As if they are deposits and withdrawals. Because you have a fourteen year old with you, sit and people watch with her. Find the giant statue of a head and a hand; take pictures. Give the homeless man on the church steps a coin or two; he will bless you. 

Make your way to The Conciergerie on the island in the midst of the Seine. Eat lunch along the Seine. This is when you will realize, you miss variety. You will attempt to order pizza instead of French food. You will realize, it is still a form of French food. It will not taste Italian or American. It is just French pizza (plain crust--somewhat charred; tomato paste straight from a can--not pizza sauce; cheese, topping, lots of Oregano, and a serving of some kind of spicy oil they put on the table to enhance the lack of flavor otherwise). But, you're in France and everything is magnificent!!! Travel Challenge: Find American things replicated in French.

Realize: your French gets worse the more tired you get through the day. Most everyone here surprises you by wanting to speak English, or because they assume you don't know French; so, when you come upon someone who wants to speak French, all your phrasing is missing. Trying to speak French is regarded as a kind gesture: do the best you can, they aren't concerned with the mistakes.

The Conciergerie is Madeline's choice. A fan of Marie Antoinette, she wanted to see where Marie was kept prisoner before being beheaded. Travel tip: this is a self-guided tour. If you are The McGehee's Abroad you will have followed a path that leads down a set of stairs and at the bottom realize that two of your children are still roaming upstairs, and the guards won't let you go back up. Some very nice pleading is helpful in this situation. (Remember for this attraction: Jump the line by purchasing tickets in advance).

The Conciergerie is interesting but the true treasures we found were the stained glass windows in the Sainte Chapelle; and the Shakespeare & Company bookstore and cafe.

Shakespeare & Company is a must see and do for bibliophile's like me. Everyone else in your party can go to the cafe next door. Shakespeare and Company is located adjacent Notre-Dame on the Left Bank of the Seine. The books are all in English; writers are welcome to stay and write if there are spaces available, and it happens to also be the kilometre zero of the city. There are lines to get in, and walking around is a slow venture. Travel tip: Buy a book here; they will stamp the inside with their logo (bibliophiles go crazy for this ink stamp) and give you a book mark. Go one step further, and buy a tote with the logo and a quote on the back.

Books bought: A Moveable Feast, by Ernest Hemingway; and We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. Madeline picked up a copy of After Alice by Gregory Maguire. 

"The imagination is not a state: it is the human existence itself," William Blake

Tomorrow we go to Belgium for a day, but don't worry, we come back to France for New Year's Eve. Until then, as the French say: (I thought again was inferred by soon, but, hey, it's France).

Day 1 Completed!

The idea of making it to Paris with the family seemed quite far fetched.  We landed in Charles de Gaul in the early afternoon after a continuous 15 hours straight of travel. There was a mixture of excitement, adrenaline and exhaustion.  The cab ride was uneventful with exception of the graffiti that lined the freeways.  We passed several Syrian refugees begging for money that really was impact full. 
Our hotel the Grand Leveque was located on a cute street called The Rue Cler.  A quick shower and we were off to walk the streets.  

Headed to dinner with a view of the Eiffel Tower.  How many times in life can you say that?

We had a mixture of French cuisine.  Patty and I had French Onion soup with a fromage plate, Fischer a Nutella crepe, Madeline a quiche lorraine and Nolan a burger with pom frites (french fries).
A short walk to the Eiffel tower after dinner and we were treated to a night time view that was spectacular. 
On the way how we picked up some dessert from a local bakery.  Passion Fruit cake, a fruit tart and cobbler.  Delicious!!!
Sleep came easy as everyone was was done with a marathon Day 1.

Day Two: Be the First in Line

If you can't be the first, get as close to it as you can. I'll tell you how:

Woke bright and early, ate the continental breakfast (cheese, meat, yogurt) in the hotel, and hailed a taxi (okay, we had the concierge hail us a taxi for cinq (five)). Travel tip: Remember: traveling with a party of five in France takes forward thinking, can't just hold an arm out for a ride and expect a five-person vehicle to show up.

Taxi drivers in France: Think New York, but ex-nay on the running yellow or yellowish lights. There is a cross walk about every half block, sometimes less, and if there is a yellow light or a person on a corner, expect the driver to come to an immediate halt (the fly forward in your seat type of stop). The two taxis we have had to take never tried to make it through a yellow light, ever. There is only two speeds: fast and halt. Not a smooth ride. A good taxi driver recognizes you are from America and then switches his radio station to an American Jazz station (not that we asked, but I guess for comfort?). Very nice!

First stop on our list: The Catacombs. If you don't mind being underground for a lengthy time, and only getting there from a winding staircase that has something like 74 steps, this is a must see!!! Honestly though, as you wind down the staircase you get a little dizzy and can't wait for the end. If you travel with your children, you'll be happy when they shout up, "We are at the bottom now!"

Catacombs Paris, France 2016

Travel tip: Buy your Catacomb tickets online before you travel to Paris. Here's why: if you do not, you will be in a line that wraps around the city block. It's one of those lines you wonder about because parts of it seem nowhere near the attraction. This is not a guided tour unless you upgrade to the audio tour (do the audio tour, it's worth it). It's literally just a walk through the tunnels and then up and out. However, we did encounter a German man at the Eiffel Tower who said in the past they stopped visitors on the way out of the Catacombs to check for stolen bones in bags. We did not have our bags checked at the exit, but at every entrance to every attraction we have gone through bag inspection.

Because we had no line, we were done relatively early in the day so we stopped for "un cafe" at Fourteen Cafe.

James, cappuccino, Florio Cafe (Fourteen Cafe)

In the cafe, I asked the bartender, "Qu sont les toilettes?" Much was said in return, very fast, and undecipherable except for the gesture to the stairs going down. Madeline and I crept, uneasily, down a circular staircase to a pitch black basement. The only thing we could make out four steps from the bottom were two white doors, one small and one tall and narrow. Neither could be the bathroom. Could they? The smell of mildew in the dank basement had us turning and climbing back up; we could hold it. A different bartender came after us as we were saying, "No, no, no." He said much in French and then walked fast down the stairs to the bottom where the light turned on from the left illuminating a nice bathroom. "Ah, merci!" Perhaps if I had understood the first bartender we would have known to walk into the darkness for the light.

I made travel journals for the kids. Inside they have to scratch off a task for each day, like a scavenger hunt. Today they had to obtain a metro ticket. Forcing us to take the metro to the Trocadero.

Metro, Paris

The metro: a lively place of people with and without direction. We met a lovely girl from New Jersey who was so happy to see Americans after spending a week already in France, alone, on holiday from college in New York. She warned us of a flu going around that she spent the first week suffering and is now on antibiotics. Her sister is flying out tomorrow to be with her. Brave girl! It would seem like she would have seen more Americans but we were not near the most touristy area at the time. We put coins in the cup of the accordion player on the metro and then stepped off at Trocadero.

Do this at least once: Get a crepe or a fromage panini from the Les Gourmandises Trocadero on the corner, and a love lock at the opposite corner and then up the steps to eat with the birds, the golden statue lined courtyard, and the Eiffel Tower looming in the distance. Pocket the lock until after you eat.

Trocadero, Paris

Eiffel from Trocadero, Paris

 Remember that "love lock" hold onto it, we're almost to that part.

Take your time getting to the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero. Walk down the steps, enjoy the multinational crowd. Stop by the playground (use the restroom - note: it is co-ed. What are American's afraid of again? You stand in line at the public toilette and an attendant directs you to an open stall with full length doors and walls. And then you wash hands together with the boys and girls, all one room).

Nolan on a spring horse at the park near Eiffel Tower

Make your way toward the carousels at the bottom. Buy a ticket, ride the carousel, attempt to get a perfect picture.

James & Fischer on the Carousel

And then pull that lock out of your pocket. Travel tip: there used to be a Love Lock bridge, but the locks were torn down in 2015 because the combined weight of the locks was destroying the bridge. However, there is a love lock chain near the carousel. Bring a sharpie, we brought a silver one, and write your initials and the date on your lock. Buy the lock with keys.

Madeline holding & photographing the love lock

Fischer hanging our love lock

Travel tip: Keep the key to your lock in your pocket as you proceed to the Eiffel Tower, taking in the sights of the Seine river boats.

Madeline the Seine and the Eiffel Tower

Cross the bridge. Travel tip: take the love lock key out of your pocket make a wish and toss it into the Seine. Do this only after looking both ways for police, who walk in packs of four up and down the bridge citing swindlers who try to get euros off of tourists by playing three-card Monty with cups.

There is no avoiding lines at the Eiffel Tower, however, there are shorter lines. Travel tip: You must buy the tickets to the Sommet online for the day and time you want to reach the top of the Eiffel Tower. Trust me. The Sommet sells out for the day. Only a certain amount of people will get to the very top each day.

Our tickets were for 3pm, so we headed over there at 2pm because of the length of the security line but it still took until sunset to get to the very top (some of it due to potty breaks). Our tickets got us into the shortest line and that was still over 30 minutes. They not only check your bags (held open as you approach the guards), they pat you down, have you lift up your scarf, feel your love handles and then send you onto another line. The first lift line takes time as well, and, yep, your bags and fat are checked again. Then you ride up to the second level (if you take the stairs, it only goes this far). They kick you off the lift, and send you either out to shop or to the Sommet lift, or, if you're The McGehee's Abroad, to take your middle child back down one level (by stairs) to the bathroom and then back into a 45 minute line for a lift that holds even fewer people, where your youngest child is in tears needing to pee and can't wait for the next lift. Don't worry! If your youngest can't figure out he has to use the toilette when the middle child goes, and you wait 45 minutes to get out of the line, the ticket lady will let you wait on the side while one parent walks back down to the first level for the toilette. Then, you get shoved into the lift by multinationals who just can't wait a moment longer to get to the Sommet. Travel tip: be prepared to get crushed up against the window. Always keep your children in front of you. Use strong arms to prevent your younger children from getting crushed by your body weight. Keep your back to the crowd, and remember the warning of pick pockets on the lifts, and keep your travel pouch/belt/or wallet in front of you and under your clothes. Maybe hold your backpack in front of you, unless you have nothing worth stealing in there.

Top of the Eiffel Tower: Walk around the entire top. Don't just look out, look in. Mr. Eiffel had an apartment up there and you can see a portion of the room with wax statues as they've recreated Eiffel and his daughter meeting with Edison.

Travel tip: Buy one glass of Champagne (we had the rose champagne), share it and enjoy. Just try to enjoy the moment even with the crowds and the kids.

Madeline took this picture of our Champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower over the Seine

You took the lift up, and most of the way down. Take the stairs the rest of the way down or you'll miss the ice skating rink and shops on a lower floor. Make your way to the ground, and proceed to the area with tents. During this time of year there is another ice skating course and many types of foods being made in various tents that will make up your dinner, or your evening snack (as Parisians seem to eat late at night).

Cheese and bacon potatoes

Travel Challenge: Can you find a meal in France without cheese? So far we've had cheese with every meal including breakfast.

On our way back to our hotel (The Grand Hotel Leveque on Rue Cler), buy some berries for the room. Frommer's even recommends walking down Rue Cler and buying from the markets. We are lucky enough to enjoy the fruit stands near our hotel.

Madeline's favorite berries (maybe lingon berries, mystery berries for sure, found on Rue Cler near Hotel Leveque, Paris)

It has taken me about three hours to post this due to poor Internet service. Each picture took upward of ten minutes to upload. At one point everyone was awake and loud, now everyone is sleeping and it's dark. Bon Soir! Good night!