C'est Magnifique!

If Paris would ever have the Hammond family back after our noisy clan invaded it this week, then I know we would visit again in a flash. We have sight seen, shopped and eaten ourselves into oblivion this week and done quite a bit of walking too, much to the girls disgust. A fantastic city break (on trend there, see what I did!) and some lovely family memories to treasure too.  Organised by Mrs Hammond, who the family like to call on such occasions 'German Itinerary lady!', we visited all the main attractions and not a minute of the break was wasted. I have to say we would have been lost without her meticulous planning, even if it can be slightly oppressive and dictatorial! The girls loved it, as at the end of each monument, church or tourist area was a gift shop full of some of the most collectable and at times awful crap and tat you could ever find in the world. They were simply in heaven - collecting Eiffel Tower key rings, commemorative coins, postcards, tickets and guide books. Amy even had them doing scrap books each evening, apart from the atrocious spelling, they really are rather good! Thank you Amy, if it were down to me, we would not have made it past the nearest café and expresso (I have drunk way too much coffee this week). Highlights of the week - Anna street dancing near the Champs-Élysée with some guys from Africa and the States - her pronunciation of this area of Paris will become family legend! Amy and Anna's quest for the perfect Parisian steak and Lucy calling out 'watermelon' in only the way she could when going under each bridge on the Seine boat trip. My highlight was the Eiffel Tower - on the day we went up it was the most beautiful Autumn day, the sky was bright blue and the view of this wonderful city was stunning. Not so sure about the sections of glass floor where you can see hundreds of metres down though! Anna recreating the moment from 'Lost World' and pretending the glass was going to crack gave me the jitters! I think the girls did really enjoy themselves, at first taking some time to settle into such a big place, the likes of which they have never seen and being around so many people. Lucy, especially a little anxious at times about taking trains, things not always going to plan and out of her comfort zone and the comforts of home too. By the end of the week, she was in full Parisian sarcastic flow and winding up her sister. They are both asleep now and delighted not to be sharing a bed, as they have all week. Lucy - as Anna, despite her diminutive stature seemed to need the whole bed and Anna - as Lucy was prone to a bit of French wind throughout the night! 'Bon soir, mes enfants et merci' x