We felt special because we got to get on the plane outside.
Layover until we head to Germany!
We made it!
We passed out when we got there and that night we went to the local Christmas market in Wiesbaden.
I really wish we had these in Erie. So amazing.
EVERY DAY after work people would gather around outside and drink hot chocolate (often spiked with bailey's) or hot wine and just relax & have a good time listening to Christmas music, shopping, and mingling!
Bright and early the next morning we headed to the train station for Paris! This is what I love about Europe. So easy to walk everywhere or take public transit!
First thing we did when we got there (after we dropped off our luggage at our hotel), was go on a free tour of Paris!
We walked all over and saw & heard a lot of very cool things! This was my favorite. The "Love Lock" bridge. I wish I would have known so Shaney & I could've got a lock. You put the lock on and throw the key in the river! They do have to cut some off sometimes though so the bridge doesn't get too heavy!
The Louvre!
Birdies!
Paris is one crazy, busy city!
We did not look like tourists at all either . . .
We definitely took a break when we could. The first day we walked over 15 miles around the city!
We couldn't find the Pantheon, so every building we were like "it's the Pantheon!" . . but THIS is the Pantheon. I think.
Eiffel Tower pictures!
The next day we took the metro to Sacre Couer. This is the more "Parisian" part of Paris. Artists, music, etc.Can't believe we forgot to walk by the Moulin Rouge!
Europeans don't seem to eat much. This was the "general" breakfast you could get. Hot chocolate, little glass of OJ, and a croissant. But the croissant was to die for!!! Seriously. If you just go to Paris to get a croissant, it's worth the trip.
They had some awesome artwork there. I really wanted to buy a couple pieces, but I'm cheap.
They also had a lot of cool graffiti everywhere!
Best hot chocolate EVER here. It was pretty much just melted pure chocolate, but oh so good!
City of love! Caught them smooching!
Beautiful night skies!
We went up in a big black building to get this view!
It was windy and cold but an amazing view well worth the money & weather!
The next morning, Shane and I walked to the Eiffel tower from our hotel and went up on it.
It was so high up you could almost start to see the world curving in it's globe shape!
Later on, we took the train to Versailles!
We were told it would take all day to tour the palace, but it only took us a couple hours.
We did end up going out to a local bar which was a lot of fun! We talked with Parisians and had a blast and I may or may not have danced the whole way back to the hotel. . . .Check out Dan & Marissa's blog for more info on our trip!
After we got back from Paris, we got to recoop! Paris was an amazing trip but it was exhausting! So the next couple of days we just hung around Wiesbaden and relaxed.
But have I mentioned how awesome the Christmas markets are?!?!
Yummy potato and cheese bread!
Dan & Marissa took us to Belgium to see lots of chocolate & beer! We got sick off all the free samples we got from the Neuhaus chocolate shop!
After Belgium, we headed to Cologne to check out their Christmas Market.
It was awesome. I really loved Cologne and next time we go to Germany (yeah right), we might have to go for the entire day!
The last day, Shane & I tried to take the train by ourselves to the nearest town, Mainz!
We made it! Yay! It was cute. Not as cute as Wiesbaden.
Took another stroll around Wiesbaden on our last night and had to stop at the Backerbrunnen! Dan & Marissa got us a small replica of this landmark that we have in our living room!
We wrote a big THANK YOU to Dan & Marissa for letting us stay with them and taking us around! It has a lot of the big highlights of our trip.
At the airport so blessed we were able to go on this amazing trip,
but sad we had to head back to reality . . and to work.
Love flying in care bear land!
These crack me up. I'm not sure what was going on and why they are so blurry, but I love them!
Such a great trip!
