27 April 2011

Jardin du Luxembourg, Part Deux


Spending Sunday afternoon at the Jardin du Luxembourg wasn't enough. And we didn't have Baby X with us. The boys wanted to go back, and they wanted to share the experience with her. So we had to do it again... even though we only had one day left ... noooooooooooo...

Riding the Métro with four kids is an experience, to say the least. You never know how it's going to fill up...

grab the stroller and the kid standing on the seat...

look how it fills up...

there are signs requesting that you stand when things get crowded... the seats flip up and allow more space...

and then it's packed.

But the ride doesn't last forever...

Finally, you get off the train and go above ground...

And walking the tree-lined paths through the park is joyous...

a visual delight for art lovers...

as well as tree lovers!

Though it was a Monday, in the perfect weather there were so many people sitting in the park's chairs, relaxing and enjoying the beauty.

Or playing a game of boules.


We headed to the playground. Remember how I said that French playgrounds are cooler? I showed you a bit of that in Part Un... here's some more... yes, this is that same playground. It is huge and wildly popular... and you have to pay to get in :(  but it is totally worth it.

This time, the older kids decided to try the awesome swing contraption!
You can see Big G in the yellow shirt seated on the swing's seat. The rope is attached to a wheel on a track. You leap off a platform, jump onto the swing and whip around the oval overhead track.
Awesome!

Some of the ropes have the "button" lower and you can stand on it... like Baby X in the turquoise shirt is doing in the above picture.

Q-Man is finishing up the ride, almost back at the platform after whizzing around the track.
They were in heaven :)

I tried to find a better shot of the rope Eiffel Tower climbing structure...

Here Q-Man sits atop the train's smoke stack... this train had three 'cars' and was very popular.

The sand pit was incredible.
That tower-ish thing in the foreground had ropes and pulleys with buckets attached for hauling things up and down. 


The 'big kid' area was huge... my kids were all over the place and it was hard to get pictures of them in the tunnels, on the slides, or going up the ladders.

Then Miss C did a face plant ...
and it was time to go!

As we headed back to the house, we took in all the street art... it is everywhere and in so many forms...

Fountains...

Mosaic wall art...

Colorful window displays of swimsuits!
No matter where you look, creativity abounds.

Even the warning signs are more interesting than ours.


Up next...

Père Lachaise Cemetery. I think that'll be our final stop.

I know, this is getting to be like that slideshow your neighbor shares with you... never-ending... ever...


15 comments:

  1. That tree lover picture is incredible! Wow, such a pretty place!!!!

    I'm loving the slideshow! :)

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  2. I remember our couple weeks i different European Countries- they do have cooler signs...LOL

    a very nice playground. Was Baby X impressed with the Jardin?

    I took our 3 boys on the Metro in Washington DC a few times. when they were all under 7- NOT FUN! C about lost is fingers. G about got left on the platform when he suddenly REFUSED to get on with the rest of us and the doors about closed.... and many other fun experiences...

    http://kabersblog.blogspot.com

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  3. That playground is AMAZING. I don't know how you got the kids to leave!

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  4. This was my most favorite place to hang out and read when I lived in Paris. Amazing, especially on a spring day.

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  5. Wow! The park looks amazing. My kids would freak out if I took them there!!

    Nancy

    http://thatsoundslikecrazy.blogspot.com

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  6. ok, i want to be where you are! it looks incredible and i am now jealous. great. :)
    thanks for stopping by my blog. yours is fab and i'm excited to follow you!

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  7. Looks like a wonderful time.I'm a little jealous,my girls are yet to walk on foreign soil.My husband is working for a company now that has loads of international interests so hopefully he can rack up some miles and we can go over to Europe with him on occasion:) loved the photos!Beautiful family

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  8. Wow, that IS a cool playground!

    Maggi

    Your thing never lets me put my comments on! Says I have an illegal URL

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  9. OMG I LOVE this! Thank you so much for posting on my blog so I could find you!!! It is my dream some day to go to Paris, Spike has promised to take me on our honeymoon someday, and I am like a kid in a candy store reading all these posts!!! It looks like you had an amazing trip!

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  10. I feel like you've taken me to France with you.

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  11. Very cool! Their playgrounds do look better than ours. I'd love to play on one. :)

    I'm following you back. Thanks so much for visiting and following A Helicopter Mom.

    Mickey :)

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  12. Wow - what an amazing playground!! How did you ever get everyone to leave?

    Following you back!

    Jess
    (the other)Quinsmomma.blogspot.com

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  13. It's really amazing how I can see my own city/country through your eyes, and even discover new places !! :)
    I'll take some notes for next time we go visit...so much to do to with the girls, to teach them about their own country !
    Thanks :)

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  14. WHY can't we have playgrounds like that?? wow!

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