European Adventure Pictures (Finally)

Well, here are long over pictures of Paris, Mont Blanc and London. Since we didn't have our camera. (or we had it, but the battery was dead and that was the one thing we forgot to bring) My mom was kind enough to have her film put to cd for me. So, here are few highlights of the European trip.

This is a side/back view of the Cathedral de Notre Dame. The next two shots are from the bell tower in the front. It is a spectacular place. Our hotel was an easy walk from here just over the bridge in the Latin Quarter. I'm so looking forward to taking Blayne here later this month! Paris is such an incredible city. The next two shots are of the statues around the bell towers. The gargoyles are magnificent--each different and intricately detailed.



This is me full of "joie de vivre" at the foot of the eiffel tower. Sadly, the night time pictures didn't come out too well. I don't think there's any debate about the fact that it is much more beautiful at night. We spent our first night there going to the top of the eiffel tower and Paris is stunning at night. All of the monuments and building are brightly lit, so the city is like Christmas all the time.

So, this is just up from Chamonix France at the Mere de Glace, the longest glacier in Europe. It's so breathtaking to be in the middle of the alps (no disrespect to the Rockies mind you :0).

I wish these pictures could communicate how incredibly beautiful this place really is. Imagine these sorts of peaks being over 200 degrees of your view, then the other part being out across an incredible valley. In the distance you can see the Matter Horn and you're right at the base of Mont Blanc towering at close to 16,000 feet.

Here are some mountaineers heading down to the basin at the foot of the Aguille Midi getting ready to do who knows what sort of fun. People use the cable car to head off to base camp to summit Mont Blanc or to para glide the 9,000 feet back down into Chamonix. Needless to say, I was so wishing that I was heading off with these adventurers. Just thinking about it now, makes me want to go!!!

This is before Blayne got to London (with our camera, so you've already seen a few London shots). My parents and I geeked out at the Sherlock Holmes museum (WHAT FUN!!!) and also at Shakespeare's Globe Theater (not pictured, sorry). Laugh if you want, but my family loves those Sherlock Holmes on A&E with Jeremey Brett, and we had a ball at the museum.

Here's the Houses of Parlaiment and the belltower which houses the famous big ben. We were wandering around at twilight and it was cold in London that weekend. Ireland is a good 10 degrees warmer because of the Gulf Stream. But we managed to enjoy the sites as bundled up as we could get :0)
This parting shot is back here on the Emerald Ilse. I thought this shot came out very nicely, so I just had to share it. The hills are so beautiful here. We've been able to get out a bit and remember that lately. Blayne should be done with his paper tomorrow. YEAHHH!!! Hope you all have a very Happy New Year! Lots of love from Ireland!