Six weeks after our arrival in London, six weeks of settling in, finding jobs, running after the red london buses, six weeks of missing the family and struggling to find time to Skype... we found ourselves ecstatically excited about seeing the faces of my Dad & Mumma coming out of the Heathrow terminal. After the tears, the hugs, the laughs, more hugs and the token stories of the hilarious plane ride we acutely prioritised what needed to happen... cup of teas when we get home!
We jumped on the "tube" and the whole journey home I was imposing as a Londoner myself, darting in and out of the crowds directing mum and dad to the right platform whilst excitedly chatting away with useless facts about our new hometown. They seemed impressed by my skills and knowledge but little did they know, there were many a times that we stood staring at the maps guessing which platform to run to... it's an art, I tell you! With every rooftop in sight that was the home to a chimney (that is every single rooftop in London), Mum in her immense cuteness would say, "Ahhh! I feel like I am in Mary Poppins", and every single time the smile across my face and the warmth in my heart expanded as I now had my beautiful parents within hugging proximity.
We arrived to our humble home in Wandsworth and almost got in the front door before Lynnie pulled out the tourist camera and actually had a passerby take a photo of us all outside the front door. Hilarious! Once we did get inside the door, no sooner did we have the kettle boiling and the sharing of the last 6 weeks began to unravel and fill the room with joy.
It had been planned that we would all rendezvous in Paris and rendezvous we did, with utmost pleasure and awe! Tim and I arrived and were welcomed by the warmly lit Notre Dame, which was framed with quaint bridges overlooking the water reflecting the bright night sky. Despite the late hour of the evening the streets were buzzing with buskers, restaurant and pub diners, and local lovebirds. We found the Parisians, who were waiting to show us around - Lynnette and Phillipe. Mum and dad had arrived in the promise land 3 days before us and had already scouted out the best breakfast spot (which, in my opinion, is the most important thing). So, needless to say, early the next day we marched up our crepe smelling, boutique embellished street to the corner cafe and were served by the most delightful French gentleman and gorgeous French lady. Mum and dad displayed their pleased smiles the whole time as the were thoroughly enjoying the experience for the third day in a row, and they knew how good they had done us by as both Tim and I kept raving about best start to our day. The waiter sung as he swiftly moved up and down the tables of the cafe and the sweet smiling waitress did her best to understand our English.
The morning air was fresh but promised a beautifully sunny day. First stop was the Louvre. With a photographer, teacher, historian and all-knowing dad we all were engulfed by the wonder of the exhibitions at the Louvre. We got lost in the Renaissance art and then I had a mini tour going in the Ancient Egyptian area. Upon leaving the Louvre we noticed the streams of sunshine coming in from the glass roof and simultaneously we all fell in love with the inviting, picturesque scenery that surrounded us as we walked through the gardens towards the Arch de Triumph. What a day! The locals were sunbathing by the fountains and we meandered our way to a gorgeous French restaurant, perfectly situated next to an ice-cream shop - do I need to tell you how we enjoyed our afternoon next? I will anyway, I enjoyed an amazing 2 scoops of ice-cream (coconut and hazelnut) and as I savored both flavours before the wonderfully radiating sun melted it all, we made our way back to our street. On our way through Tim and I decided to pop into the stunning Notre Dame and were yet again astounded by another awe-inspiring architecture masterpiece. No matter how many churches, castles, monuments we see, every time it is still a wonder!
Window shopping wasn't as much fun as I imagined actual shopping would have been, but the shops were still adequately cute enough to provide so much entertainment for us all, despite our lack of funds to make many purchases. Mother did, however, pick up an array of fudges and we indulged in yet another delight that Paris had to offer.
A recount of our Paris trip cannot be done without mentioning the hilarious experience of going to the Eiffel Tower and waiting a good two hours to get into the lift to go up. The line was absolutely huge and it was chaotic to say the least. But when in good company and with the sun deciding to shower its rays upon us once again it couldn't have been anything but a wonderfully memorable experience. Then we had the views to be amazed by. It was all as was expected and more!
To end the amazing two days we hiked to Montmarte to spectate the amazing views of the city and blend into the swarming crowds enjoying in the perfect afternoon. There were amazing musicians, sponatneous dancers and fascinating entertainment surrounding us in all directions. It was all too much to have to leave but we left making plans to return again soon. Although, the experience could never be replaced as it was what it was because of my amazing parents. Thanks for the best time! xx
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