We don't have all the professional photos yet, but here are a few that we have received.
October 21, 2008
Few Wedding Photos
We don't have all the professional photos yet, but here are a few that we have received.
October 20, 2008
Last day in Munich
Today, our last day on vacation, we visited the world famous Haufbrabaus beer garden. We got there around 2pm, Dani had a litre of their dark and I had a litre of blonde... Neither one of use really remember much after that.
October 19, 2008
Munich on Sundays...
Well not much to report today as nearly every shop in Munich is closed on Sunday! We did, however; get to enjoy lunch at the Hard Rock Café, which has sort of become a tradition for us. On this trip we’ve visited the café in both Paris and Munich where I also buy one of their coffee mugs. These new mugs will be added to my small collection which only includes Rome at this point since I was lame and didn’t pick one up when we were in Honolulu or Beijing… I’m still kicking myself over those.
Anyway, after lunch we walked about the City Center and marked down all the shops we wanted to visit the next day when they’d be open. Due to everything being closed I only took a handful of photos today, but I hope you enjoy them nonetheless.
Anyway, after lunch we walked about the City Center and marked down all the shops we wanted to visit the next day when they’d be open. Due to everything being closed I only took a handful of photos today, but I hope you enjoy them nonetheless.
October 18, 2008
October 17, 2008
Eagle's Nest
There were only a few premeditated things we planned to do while in Germany, one of them was to visit King Ludwig’s castles and the other was to see the Eagle’s Nest. Today was the Eagle’s Nest. We promptly boarded the tour bus at 8:30am and headed towards the German/Austria border which was just over 2 hours away. The forecast for today showed a 30% change of precipitation so we were keeping our fingers crossed for decent weather. As we made our way past the city limits we were surprised with the beautiful green fields that seemed to roll on forever with the equally majestic Bavarian Alps in the background. The clouds began to part allowing the sun to peek through so we captured a few pictures from the bus.
Our first stop was the museum which was located about half way up the mountain. In the museum we learned that the Eagle’s Nest was a 50th birthday gift given to Hitler. It was designed as a teahouse and was later used by him for diplomatic meetings with other world leaders. The museum was small and every exhibit was explained in German, so without any English translation, we weren’t able to learn as much as we would have liked. Regardless, we enjoyed looking at the old artifacts and walking around the barracks. We still had about an hour and a half before our shuttle bus was going to take us to the summit so we decided to have a quick bite to eat. Dani ordered a Bavarian pretzel, just to give you an idea of the size of this thing I asked her to hold it up to her head while I took a picture, see photos. We finished off our hot chocolates and headed out to wait for the shuttle. While waiting, it began to rain so we were thinking that we might see some snow on the summit.
The shuttle ride to the summit was exciting for me but was shear terror for Dani. The road had many switchbacks which made it seem like we were driving off the cliff when the driver made a sharp turn. Dani immediately regretted snagging the window seat, but I had no problem pushing her towards the window so I could get a better look ;-) Getting off the shuttle we felt the 0 degree celcius air blow right through us so we bundled up as best we could before getting on the lift that would finally take us to the very top.
Finally, we were at the top… well almost. We still had to hike about 100 feet up the slippery steps before we were there. On the peak we experienced a variety climate changes even though we were only there for about an hour. Upon first arriving, the sun was shinning again which gave us a great view of the valleys below, then came the clouds which limited visibility to about 50 feet. Next up, snow… well not heavy snow but small flurries which lasted about 10 minutes. Finally the sun shone again and it was time to head back down the lift to the shuttle.
Even though it was a looooong bus ride and the weather was cold we’re both glad that we decided to take the trip (it was the only day in which we were in Munich that the tour was offered). We’d recommend this trip to anyone who is thinking about visiting the area, the panoramic view are amazing!
Our first stop was the museum which was located about half way up the mountain. In the museum we learned that the Eagle’s Nest was a 50th birthday gift given to Hitler. It was designed as a teahouse and was later used by him for diplomatic meetings with other world leaders. The museum was small and every exhibit was explained in German, so without any English translation, we weren’t able to learn as much as we would have liked. Regardless, we enjoyed looking at the old artifacts and walking around the barracks. We still had about an hour and a half before our shuttle bus was going to take us to the summit so we decided to have a quick bite to eat. Dani ordered a Bavarian pretzel, just to give you an idea of the size of this thing I asked her to hold it up to her head while I took a picture, see photos. We finished off our hot chocolates and headed out to wait for the shuttle. While waiting, it began to rain so we were thinking that we might see some snow on the summit.
The shuttle ride to the summit was exciting for me but was shear terror for Dani. The road had many switchbacks which made it seem like we were driving off the cliff when the driver made a sharp turn. Dani immediately regretted snagging the window seat, but I had no problem pushing her towards the window so I could get a better look ;-) Getting off the shuttle we felt the 0 degree celcius air blow right through us so we bundled up as best we could before getting on the lift that would finally take us to the very top.
Finally, we were at the top… well almost. We still had to hike about 100 feet up the slippery steps before we were there. On the peak we experienced a variety climate changes even though we were only there for about an hour. Upon first arriving, the sun was shinning again which gave us a great view of the valleys below, then came the clouds which limited visibility to about 50 feet. Next up, snow… well not heavy snow but small flurries which lasted about 10 minutes. Finally the sun shone again and it was time to head back down the lift to the shuttle.
Even though it was a looooong bus ride and the weather was cold we’re both glad that we decided to take the trip (it was the only day in which we were in Munich that the tour was offered). We’d recommend this trip to anyone who is thinking about visiting the area, the panoramic view are amazing!
October 16, 2008
Poor Internet in Brugge
First off let me apologize for not posting an update to the blog for the last couple days. We have been in Brugge and the internet there isn’t all that great. I assure everyone we are doing just fine and still having a good time. Having said that, here are a few days worth of posts:
October 15, 2008
Best day in Brugge
Today we awoke to wet streets and a farmers market in the square nearby. We decided to pick up a few sweet breads for breakfast and enjoyed them while sipping on cappucinos and watching the locals pass by. We had made reservations yesterday to take a bike tour around the city and into the countryside and were a little worried at first that we might hit some rain. After breakfast we walked down some side streets, stopping at a bottle shop and choosing several more Belgian beers and chocolates that we would taste later in the day.
After returning to the hotel to bundle up and enjoy some beer, we were off again, this time to meet up with Jos and the other bikers for our tour. When we arrived at the meeting spot there were two other couples who looked to be joining the ride. One couple was on holiday from Germany and the other appeared to be from the States. As most of us were without bikes, we took a short walk to the garage to pick them up. Upon our arrival at the garage the young (American?) couple decided that they would not be joining the tour (the girl didn’t look too thrilled to be biking). They were then afterward referred to as the ‘wimps’. We are not sure if it was the rain or the fact that they could not pay by credit card, which kept them from joining us. Either way, we had a lovely time without them.
Our ride took us to the limits of the city (only minutes from the market square) and our first stop was to the oldest original windmill in Brugge. There are a total of four windmills in all of Brugge, the other three were built in the 1960’s, after WWII when tourism began booming here. Jos began telling us of the history of Brugge and how it has been the battleground for many wars and thus, ruled by many nations throughout history. Our ride took us into the countryside where we rode down a path of poplar trees planted around the city of Damme which provide an aerial view of a star (much like the way the streets are aligned in Paris at L’Arc de Triomphe). After stopping for a coffee, we were back to the city to complete our tour. Matt and I stayed a while to chat with Jos at the garage when we returned. He is a quite interesting fellow and he suggested a restaurant and some beers for us to try while in Brugge.
Wanting to ensure that we go some chocolate and other souvenirs before the shops closed, we ventured through the streets and did some shopping. We stopped at 2 chocolate shops and one confectioners shop where we purchased some cookies and homemade lollipops. A quick trip was needed to drop off our purchases and head out for a nice dinner.
After returning to the hotel to bundle up and enjoy some beer, we were off again, this time to meet up with Jos and the other bikers for our tour. When we arrived at the meeting spot there were two other couples who looked to be joining the ride. One couple was on holiday from Germany and the other appeared to be from the States. As most of us were without bikes, we took a short walk to the garage to pick them up. Upon our arrival at the garage the young (American?) couple decided that they would not be joining the tour (the girl didn’t look too thrilled to be biking). They were then afterward referred to as the ‘wimps’. We are not sure if it was the rain or the fact that they could not pay by credit card, which kept them from joining us. Either way, we had a lovely time without them.
Our ride took us to the limits of the city (only minutes from the market square) and our first stop was to the oldest original windmill in Brugge. There are a total of four windmills in all of Brugge, the other three were built in the 1960’s, after WWII when tourism began booming here. Jos began telling us of the history of Brugge and how it has been the battleground for many wars and thus, ruled by many nations throughout history. Our ride took us into the countryside where we rode down a path of poplar trees planted around the city of Damme which provide an aerial view of a star (much like the way the streets are aligned in Paris at L’Arc de Triomphe). After stopping for a coffee, we were back to the city to complete our tour. Matt and I stayed a while to chat with Jos at the garage when we returned. He is a quite interesting fellow and he suggested a restaurant and some beers for us to try while in Brugge.
Wanting to ensure that we go some chocolate and other souvenirs before the shops closed, we ventured through the streets and did some shopping. We stopped at 2 chocolate shops and one confectioners shop where we purchased some cookies and homemade lollipops. A quick trip was needed to drop off our purchases and head out for a nice dinner.
Taking the suggestion of Jos, we ate at a restaurant favored by the locals. Matt had steak covered in a peppered cream sauce while I ventured out a little and tried the flemish stew (a stew of beef and pork cooked in a dark beer sauce). We were served with a large bowl of frites and both dishes were wonderful. We completed the meal with some vanilla ice cream covered in a homemade eggnog liquer. Yum, Yum! Easily the best meal we’ve had on this entire trip!
October 14, 2008
Goodbye Paris... Hello Brugge!
Monday was our last day in Paris, we spent the morning doing a bit of souvenir shopping, sending postcards and generally just taking it slow. In the afternoon we boarded our train heading towards Brugge (the Venice of the North), and a quick 2 ½ hours later we were there. Near the end of our ride we got to talking with a very nice older Australian couple whom were sitting across from us, Chris & Sue. Apparently the younger of their 2 sons finally moved out of the house to attend Uni and they decided to take a casual 1-2 month trip, no real plan, just seeing where the wind takes them. As they had no plan they also had no reservations, so we offerred to share a taxi with them to see if our hotel had any vacancies, which they did. We said goodnight to them assuming we’d eventually run into them again in the small town.
I should let you know that even before our trip started, Dani and I agreed to try as many different Belgium & Germany beers as possible….. I should also let you know that she is much more of a beer drinker than I, so of course I grimaced at the idea but decided to give it a go. More on this later.
The next morning we were awoken by 11 loud rings of the bell from the nearby belltower. I thought to myself, I wonder why there were 11 rings because it’s surely not 11 o’clock right now… but true enough it was. After all those days on the run in Paris our bodies finally gave in and made us rest. When we finally got going it was around noon. Our first order of business was to take a walk around the city and find some waffles! Dani opted for waffles with cherries and whipped cream while I splurged on strawberries with ice cream ;-) We sat there for a bit and people watched, something we both enjoy. Afterwards we hit the shops and picked up our first 5 bottles of beer and some chocolates. We decided to drop the items off at the hotel before making our way to the boat tour (but not before trying a few beers first). The tour lasted only 30 minutes and was not worth the time or money as we had already seen most the sites on foot that day. The rest of the day was spent seeing the various sites and enjoying some frites (fries) Belgium is apparently the birth place of fries… not France as most Americans think. It’s actually bit of a sore spot as we were told to not ask for ‘French’ Fries in town ;-)
I should let you know that even before our trip started, Dani and I agreed to try as many different Belgium & Germany beers as possible….. I should also let you know that she is much more of a beer drinker than I, so of course I grimaced at the idea but decided to give it a go. More on this later.
The next morning we were awoken by 11 loud rings of the bell from the nearby belltower. I thought to myself, I wonder why there were 11 rings because it’s surely not 11 o’clock right now… but true enough it was. After all those days on the run in Paris our bodies finally gave in and made us rest. When we finally got going it was around noon. Our first order of business was to take a walk around the city and find some waffles! Dani opted for waffles with cherries and whipped cream while I splurged on strawberries with ice cream ;-) We sat there for a bit and people watched, something we both enjoy. Afterwards we hit the shops and picked up our first 5 bottles of beer and some chocolates. We decided to drop the items off at the hotel before making our way to the boat tour (but not before trying a few beers first). The tour lasted only 30 minutes and was not worth the time or money as we had already seen most the sites on foot that day. The rest of the day was spent seeing the various sites and enjoying some frites (fries) Belgium is apparently the birth place of fries… not France as most Americans think. It’s actually bit of a sore spot as we were told to not ask for ‘French’ Fries in town ;-)
With the few beers we purchased and the few beers we had while on the town, our beer count for the day was up to 9. I didn’t mention it before but we also decided to rate each beer based on our own personal taste. I’ll be posting the beers & ratings soon.
October 13, 2008
Itinerary Change
Due to cost/schedule we decided to skip our stop to Heidelberg and spend more time in Brugge.
October 12, 2008
Paris Hop-on Hop-off
Sunday, the day of rest right?! Not quite… The morning began with a change of hotels once again. This time we moved to the new end of the city, near Le Grande Arc. After having spent so much time on foot or metro throughout our stay, we decided to take the ‘hop on, hop off’ bus tour. We figured this would be a leisurely way to enjoy the sights of the city and be able to get off whenever we desired, however; nothing is that simple…
We began our ride near L’Arc de Triomphe and by the time we hit Place de la Concorde (just one stop away) we realized that we were in for more sitting than we had expected. Today in Paris there were several events taking place which brought people in from all over…
This morning, along the Seine River there was a 20K race. That’s right, runners by the thousands (maybe we should have run?!) As we rounded the second stop on the tour, at Le Tour Eiffel, we realized that this was the finish line for the race. Much to our dismay, our hopes of riding to the top were shattered. We got off of the bus at this stop for a few minutes, to walk around and enjoy the excitement. Right before we boarded our next bus, Matt kindly asked a french man if he could photograph his medal and the fench man said “Oui”.
We continued our tour through the city and passed by some beautiful sights, including Hotel des Invalides (Napoleon is buried in a (7) casket located underneath it’s golden dome); Le Pensuer (Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’); Opera Garnier; Moulin Rouge and several other famous Parisien sights. The last stop we got off at was just down the street from Musee D’Orsay where we met up with Shane and Lucia. The history of this museum is very interesting so if you have a moment, google or wiki it. Inside, on the 5th floor, the large clock, found in the background of the generic photo in most frames you buy, is located (especially at Target). We took some additional photos here and I really think Matt enjoyed the sculptures (Gates of Hell especially). It was here where we ate our last crepe and said ‘Au Revoir’ to Shane and Lucia as they will be heading back to the states in the morning :-(
We began our ride near L’Arc de Triomphe and by the time we hit Place de la Concorde (just one stop away) we realized that we were in for more sitting than we had expected. Today in Paris there were several events taking place which brought people in from all over…
This morning, along the Seine River there was a 20K race. That’s right, runners by the thousands (maybe we should have run?!) As we rounded the second stop on the tour, at Le Tour Eiffel, we realized that this was the finish line for the race. Much to our dismay, our hopes of riding to the top were shattered. We got off of the bus at this stop for a few minutes, to walk around and enjoy the excitement. Right before we boarded our next bus, Matt kindly asked a french man if he could photograph his medal and the fench man said “Oui”.
We continued our tour through the city and passed by some beautiful sights, including Hotel des Invalides (Napoleon is buried in a (7) casket located underneath it’s golden dome); Le Pensuer (Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’); Opera Garnier; Moulin Rouge and several other famous Parisien sights. The last stop we got off at was just down the street from Musee D’Orsay where we met up with Shane and Lucia. The history of this museum is very interesting so if you have a moment, google or wiki it. Inside, on the 5th floor, the large clock, found in the background of the generic photo in most frames you buy, is located (especially at Target). We took some additional photos here and I really think Matt enjoyed the sculptures (Gates of Hell especially). It was here where we ate our last crepe and said ‘Au Revoir’ to Shane and Lucia as they will be heading back to the states in the morning :-(
October 11, 2008
Château de Versailles
I know that our initial itinerary said we’d be in London today but we decided to forego that for a trip to the Château de Versailles, and I’m glad we did!! The four of us headed out on the metro towards the southwest most point of the line to catch up with the train. Unluckily for us, the train to Versailles was not operating today… Determined to get there, we walked the streets near the station looking for a taxi large enough to lug our American butts to the château. We finally found a very nice gentleman, driving a hybrid taxi no less, who agreed to take us out of the city.
While walking up to the chateau’s entrance I saw a very unique motorcycle called a Triton, a mix between a Triumph (engine) and a Norton (frame). It wasn’t really interesting to anyone else but I enjoyed the look of the bike and asked the owner if I could snap a few photos (see album). Afterwards, we moved quickly through the ticket line straight into the museum. There was a ton of beautiful artwork and architecture inside sprinkled with a few very odd, very modern, VERY out of place pieces. A modern artist’s work was on exhibition which included a statue of Michael Jackson with Bubbles and huge balloon animals… like I said…very out of place.
Finally making it outside, the part I was looking forward to, we jumped on the tram that took us to the outer parts of the gardens. Our first stop was near some picturesque pathways lined with beautiful trees, we took the opportunity to capture some Canon moments ;-) It was here where we also enjoyed some freshly squeezed OJ made from Versailles oranges… delicious.
The next tram stop put us near Marie-Antoinette’s summer cottages… besides the Abbey at Chaalis, this was my next most favorite place we have visited so far. I put my camera through an intensive work out taking nearly 550 photos of the flowers, animals, people, cottages, etc…For your benefit I only uploaded our favorite pictures. The final tram stop put us near the grand canal where we had a quick bit to eat before jumping on some bikes to take a ride around the grounds. We finished the day off with some gelato (ice cream) and headed back to the city.
While walking up to the chateau’s entrance I saw a very unique motorcycle called a Triton, a mix between a Triumph (engine) and a Norton (frame). It wasn’t really interesting to anyone else but I enjoyed the look of the bike and asked the owner if I could snap a few photos (see album). Afterwards, we moved quickly through the ticket line straight into the museum. There was a ton of beautiful artwork and architecture inside sprinkled with a few very odd, very modern, VERY out of place pieces. A modern artist’s work was on exhibition which included a statue of Michael Jackson with Bubbles and huge balloon animals… like I said…very out of place.
Finally making it outside, the part I was looking forward to, we jumped on the tram that took us to the outer parts of the gardens. Our first stop was near some picturesque pathways lined with beautiful trees, we took the opportunity to capture some Canon moments ;-) It was here where we also enjoyed some freshly squeezed OJ made from Versailles oranges… delicious.
The next tram stop put us near Marie-Antoinette’s summer cottages… besides the Abbey at Chaalis, this was my next most favorite place we have visited so far. I put my camera through an intensive work out taking nearly 550 photos of the flowers, animals, people, cottages, etc…For your benefit I only uploaded our favorite pictures. The final tram stop put us near the grand canal where we had a quick bit to eat before jumping on some bikes to take a ride around the grounds. We finished the day off with some gelato (ice cream) and headed back to the city.
October 10, 2008
Le Louvre
Today, our 4th day in Paris, we spent as most tourists… attempting to see as many sites as we could squeeze in. The day began when Matt and I met up with Shane and Lucia near the pyramids at Le Louvre. We spent a few hours walking through the museum, making sure to stop by some of the more famous works of art that are kept there: La Jaconde (Mona Lisa), Madonna of the Rocks, and Venus de Milo. It was about 1pm when we took off to help Shane and Lucia move to their new hotel. We spent a little time at the shopping mall near their new place and were able to find a few things to bring back home.
It was early evening by the time we got to L’Arc de Triomphe. When we arrived there was a military ceremony taking place so, unable to freely walk around the Arc, we decided to go to the top. After approximately 300 steps and walking through a few rooms (called the museum) we arrived at the top with spectacular views of Paris. After staying for the sunset and to see La Tour Eiffel light up the night sky, we decided to hop back on the metro and visit Notre Dame.
Notre Dame seems to be the place for young people to hang out at night. We saw several people with their bottles of wine and beer and street performers. We even saw a few people running from the local police :0 ) After spending some time watching the local people we took a stroll down Blvd St Michel; had some crepes and finished the evening off with a brief stop into McDonald’s for a Royal with Cheese!
It was early evening by the time we got to L’Arc de Triomphe. When we arrived there was a military ceremony taking place so, unable to freely walk around the Arc, we decided to go to the top. After approximately 300 steps and walking through a few rooms (called the museum) we arrived at the top with spectacular views of Paris. After staying for the sunset and to see La Tour Eiffel light up the night sky, we decided to hop back on the metro and visit Notre Dame.
Notre Dame seems to be the place for young people to hang out at night. We saw several people with their bottles of wine and beer and street performers. We even saw a few people running from the local police :0 ) After spending some time watching the local people we took a stroll down Blvd St Michel; had some crepes and finished the evening off with a brief stop into McDonald’s for a Royal with Cheese!
October 9, 2008
Wedding Day!!
Well, after nearly 10 years together it finally happened… It was one of the most beautiful days of our lives, both figuratively and literally, and after experiencing rain showers the first day and overcast skies the second, the sun shone brightly down upon us today.
Early in the morning Dani went down and bought her third set of make-up (third time’s the charm!) and flowers for the bouquets & boutonnières. Meanwhile, back at the guy’s room, we took our time getting ready and had some fun taking photos, as you’ll see. Promptly at 11:30 our wedding planner Miguel picked Shane and I up and we headed out to the Royal Abbey of Chaalis, about a 40-minute ride from the city. Having some time to kill before the girls arrived, we took the liberty to tour the grounds and capture as many pictures as possible. The grounds consist of the ruins of a 13th century abbey church, Chapel of Saint Mary, rose garden and the Chateau/Museum. I can honestly say this is one of the most amazing places I’ve ever experienced. Back at the girls’ room the photographer was busy taking photos of their preparation. Once ready, they jumped into the limo and headed towards Chaalis nearly an hour late, which Miguel assured me was ‘tradition’ in France (yeah right…).
As we saw the limo pull through the gates everyone got into place for the ceremony to begin. I took my place up near the altar with Miguel (also our officiant) inside of the Chapel. On queue, the cellist and violinist started into a traditional French song while Lucia made her way down the aisle followed by Danielle accompanied by Shane. This was the only point during the ceremony when I almost lost it, but I managed to stay composed while I took her hand and sat down to begin our nuptials. A few words, a few songs, a few ‘I Dos’ and a kiss later we were now standing there for the first time as husband and wife. We took in the moment a second longer before scurrying out of the Chapel to take photos around the grounds.
To our surprise, the four of us received a very personal tour of the Chateau/Museum from the manager of the property, Jean-Marc, who also lives there! We actually were lucky enough to go beyond the red ropes of the museum to enjoy our champagne toast INSIDE the drawing room!! Danielle took some amazing photos laying on the chase sofa originally owned by Nelie Jacquemart, the most recent owner of the Chateau who purchased it in 1902. After the toast we continued our tour and learned the rich history of how the abbey came to be, I could go on and on about all we learned but will save that for a face-to-face conversation. It was time to leave the beautiful abbey and head back towards the city for a few more photos and dinner.
Our first, and very public, stop was on Pont Alexandre III, one of the most elegant bridges in Paris. Crowds gathered as we posed for photos with the Seine and Eiffel Tower at our backs. It was nearing sun down which made for a perfect setting on our perfect day. With the last few photos taken we bid farewell to Dominique (our photographer) and headed towards the Eiffel Tower where dinner reservations awaited us at the famous Jules Verne. We enjoyed the views and food on the second level of the tower while reflecting on the day’s events. 6 courses and nearly 3 hours later we were finished with dinner and headed back down to stroll around the base. We grabbed a quick cappuccino before jumping into a taxi and heading in for the night…
We’ll have plenty more stories & pictures to share once we return home and get the photos from the professional. For now, I hope this summary and the photos we captured will hold you over. I’m still learning to use my new camera so sorry for all the random shots…
Early in the morning Dani went down and bought her third set of make-up (third time’s the charm!) and flowers for the bouquets & boutonnières. Meanwhile, back at the guy’s room, we took our time getting ready and had some fun taking photos, as you’ll see. Promptly at 11:30 our wedding planner Miguel picked Shane and I up and we headed out to the Royal Abbey of Chaalis, about a 40-minute ride from the city. Having some time to kill before the girls arrived, we took the liberty to tour the grounds and capture as many pictures as possible. The grounds consist of the ruins of a 13th century abbey church, Chapel of Saint Mary, rose garden and the Chateau/Museum. I can honestly say this is one of the most amazing places I’ve ever experienced. Back at the girls’ room the photographer was busy taking photos of their preparation. Once ready, they jumped into the limo and headed towards Chaalis nearly an hour late, which Miguel assured me was ‘tradition’ in France (yeah right…).
As we saw the limo pull through the gates everyone got into place for the ceremony to begin. I took my place up near the altar with Miguel (also our officiant) inside of the Chapel. On queue, the cellist and violinist started into a traditional French song while Lucia made her way down the aisle followed by Danielle accompanied by Shane. This was the only point during the ceremony when I almost lost it, but I managed to stay composed while I took her hand and sat down to begin our nuptials. A few words, a few songs, a few ‘I Dos’ and a kiss later we were now standing there for the first time as husband and wife. We took in the moment a second longer before scurrying out of the Chapel to take photos around the grounds.
To our surprise, the four of us received a very personal tour of the Chateau/Museum from the manager of the property, Jean-Marc, who also lives there! We actually were lucky enough to go beyond the red ropes of the museum to enjoy our champagne toast INSIDE the drawing room!! Danielle took some amazing photos laying on the chase sofa originally owned by Nelie Jacquemart, the most recent owner of the Chateau who purchased it in 1902. After the toast we continued our tour and learned the rich history of how the abbey came to be, I could go on and on about all we learned but will save that for a face-to-face conversation. It was time to leave the beautiful abbey and head back towards the city for a few more photos and dinner.
Our first, and very public, stop was on Pont Alexandre III, one of the most elegant bridges in Paris. Crowds gathered as we posed for photos with the Seine and Eiffel Tower at our backs. It was nearing sun down which made for a perfect setting on our perfect day. With the last few photos taken we bid farewell to Dominique (our photographer) and headed towards the Eiffel Tower where dinner reservations awaited us at the famous Jules Verne. We enjoyed the views and food on the second level of the tower while reflecting on the day’s events. 6 courses and nearly 3 hours later we were finished with dinner and headed back down to stroll around the base. We grabbed a quick cappuccino before jumping into a taxi and heading in for the night…
We’ll have plenty more stories & pictures to share once we return home and get the photos from the professional. For now, I hope this summary and the photos we captured will hold you over. I’m still learning to use my new camera so sorry for all the random shots…
Click HERE to see the photos.
A HUGE thanks goes to the following people who made our big day truly memorable:
Miguel Drudis (wedding planner) Golden Star Events
Dominique Cabrelli (photographer) Studio Cabrelli
Jean-Marc Vasseur (head of Chaalis) Royal Abbey
-Matt
A HUGE thanks goes to the following people who made our big day truly memorable:
Miguel Drudis (wedding planner) Golden Star Events
Dominique Cabrelli (photographer) Studio Cabrelli
Jean-Marc Vasseur (head of Chaalis) Royal Abbey
-Matt
October 8, 2008
Only 1 Day Left!!
Today began a little later than expected, rolling out of bed about 9am we were on the metro toward Sacre Coeur at about 10. We exited the metro at what we thought was the closest stop to Sacre Coeur but ended up hiking up about 200 stairs before it came into sight. Once we arrived, we stopped for a short while to take some photos and enjoy the view of the city below. The stained glass windows inside Sacre Coeur are far more beautiful than words can describe. Unfortunately, we were unable to photograph inside the church but I am sure photos can be found on the web. To avoid descending the area on steps, we walked through the artsy area of Montmarte and down its winding streets. Just as we were about to hop back on the metro, we spotted the famous Moulin Rouge and decided to walk a bit further for a better view. Wow, the stores along that street!!! It has got to be the street in Paris with the most Xs on it ;-)
This afternoon Matt and I met with Miguel, our wedding planner. We have been working with him online for months now so it was wonderful to finally meet him in person. After finalizing some details for the wedding day, we met back up with Lucia and Shane and headed out. Our evening began with a trip to Sephora as I was in need of some cosmetics for the wedding. You are probably thinking, “why did you wait til the last minute”, right? Well I didn’t! Actually, I purchased everything I would need for the day almost a month ago and being afraid of my checked-in baggage getting lost, I carried it on the plane with me. Somehow during our flight from Chicago to Paris, the bag of makeup fell out of our carry-on. We didn’t realize what had happened until we checked into the hotel... Yep, a little upset indeed, but it gets better… After visiting Sephora and picking up the things I need for tomorrow, we went to dinner at the Hard Rock café. Matt picked up a mug to bring back with us and I placed my Sephora bag inside. After dinner we decided it was late and that we should head back to the hotel. The bag came along but only for a short while. It was at our last stop that we both realized I was not carrying the Hard Rock bag. Matt believed I had placed my makeup inside my purse and shrugged as though it was not a big deal. Need I say more? We have searched and there is another Sephora around the corner near the florist we will visit in the morning, it opens at 10am, the wedding photographer arrives at noon. Nothing like pushing it til the last minute! ‘Til tomorrow.
Click HERE to see more photos.
-Dani
October 7, 2008
Arriving in Paris...
Wow what an experience!!!! A 12½ hr/ish plane flight and some of the rudest people I have ever had the missfortune to meet to end up in one of the most AMAZING places on the face of the planet!!!!! The people here haven’t looked at us too weird as if we were from another country (which of course we are). The Metro rides were, well how do I put it …..CROWDED and the smell of FUNK encompased the area around the gentleman standing right next to you for the duration of the ride, and of course he wanted the same stop as the rest of our group. Beware of the closing doors as they will not reopen if an appendage is outside of the carriage. The crepes and the coffe spot by the Eifel tower were AMAZING!!!! 3 euro for a cappucino the size of a midgets fist was probly some of the better coffees I have tasted after 2 or 3 sugars. My wife and I both stopped in our tracks to get a glimpse of the Tower lit up at night. Although I have not found anybody to make me a banana bread pastrami and cottage cheese sandwich, the french Pizza deffinately hit the spot! The bed in the Hotel room is extremely comfortable (like slepping on clouds) if you like that sort of thing after walking around Paris weaving in and out of the Frenchies.
Click HERE to see more photos.
-Shane
Metro Pass Photos
We had to take photos for our weekly metro passes, everyone tried looked their best...
October 5, 2008
Half Marathon
For those who may not have known, earlier this year Matt and I ran our first marathon. During the expo we got a sneek peek of all of the different medals we could earn through continuing to run. One of the medals we saw was one that said ’39.3’. We were informed that all we needed to do to earn the medal was to run one full and one half marathon within the same year, we liked the sound of that. Afterall, we were about to run 26.2 miles, what would another 13.1 hurt? We convinced Raul (who also ran the marathon) and Sara to run as well.
Skip to today – race day… This run was supposed to be one of the easier courses with a fairly flat route and cool weather in the forecast. We were certainly dressed for the occasion this time. Today, with our nuptiuals only four days away, we ran as bride and groom. Matt donned a classic tuxedo shirt with black shorts while I wore an all white outfit with a veil connected to my visor. We started the day in corral 7 with an expected finish time of 2hrs and 15min. Upon arriving at our corral, we had a surprise visit by Franz (Matt’s sister’s father-in-law). We spoke with him for a few minutes about our upcoming visit to Germany, where he was born and raised, and he suggested a few places for us to check out. Next, we got situated in our corral and ready for the race. We coupled off from the start of the run and rarely saw Raul and Sara along the way. Around mile 3 we looked off to the right and saw a sign with our names on it. When we read passed “Matt and Dani” and noticed “Paris or Bust” we new it must be Syl (Matt’s co-worker). There she was on the sideline, cheering us on. We ran over for a hug and words of encouragement and then it was back to the course, only 10 more miles to go. The day turned out a bit hotter than either of us expected so we just took our time, took it easy and enjoyed the run. We weren't about to push ourselves too hard with our vacation starting the very next day ;-) Although today’s run was harder than we had expected, we had a lot of fun and received a ton of congradulatory words. We ended up finishing in just over 2hrs and 30min, Raul and Sara in 2hrs and 15min and Franz finished in a blazing fast 1hr 55min!! Rock ON!
September 30, 2008
eCard from Matt's Work
Click the picture above or HERE to see the full eCard (opens new window, may take a few moments to load).
Thanks to everyone at work for the wonderful gift and awesome eCard! Dani and I were both blown away with everyone’s comments and thoughtfullness. An extra special thanks goes to Barbara and Sylvia for putting it all together and adding that special touch. Although it doesn’t come across in the web version, the eCard originally had music playing. Somehow the two of them researched and guessed the exact song that will be playing at our ceremony and incorporated it into the card, needless to say we LOVED it. What song you ask? ‘Thank You’ by Led Zeppelin!
-Matt
September 27, 2008
Bridal Shower
What a shower it was; very Parisian and very sexy. Croissants (butter and chocolate), cheese and a french salad were tasty delights that filled our tummies. What shower would be complete without some fun filled activities? Around the room were 12 french words/phrases with a wedding theme which guests were asked to guess the translation. The hardest of them all was ‘jarretiere’ which is french for garter. Jessica seemed to be the master of this game, with 7 words/phrases translated correctly. Next the guests were broken into two groups and asked to create a veil out of foil and tissue paper. Oh, what veils were created!! I was able to choose which I liked the best and decided upon the ‘Lord of the Rings’ Elfin type veil that Kathryn was wearing. Lastly, each guest was asked to bring a pair of panties that represented their own personal style. These were placed into the hat box upon their arrival and I was asked to match each pair with their respective purchasers. Wow, what ‘shock and awe’ moment when I realized who had brought what! For those of you who are reading this and were in attendance, thank you. I had so much fun and it was wonderful to be able to share this time with people who are important in my life. To Nicole, thank you for traveling to put this on and simply for being the best friend a girl could ask for!
