Paris, July 11, 2007

Flying to and from Paris without spending some time to do the town would have been sinful. So, we cranked it up a notch one more time to take in the Seine, the Metro, Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur, the pigeons (even one missing a foot!), Place des Vosges, a stop by Jardin du Luxemburg, the Louvre and the Orsay museums (unfortunately both closed at the time we were there), the Conciergerie and Arc de Triomphe. A definite highlight for all of us was seeing and being on the Eiffel Tower during the early nighttime hours, truly a most impressive sight and experience. This was by far the biggest city of our three-month odyssey, allowing Martin to apply his French ‘skills’ one more time, and he did negotiate most transactions purely in French. It also offered all of us grand lasting impressions, not an easy thing to accomplish after all the sights, sounds, family and friends, castles, churches and museums, landscapes and cityscapes, hospitality and generosity we have experienced since mid-April. 93 days and 14768 kilometers (about 9600 miles) later, we’re now ready to go home, all enriched from what we have accomplished, cherishing many incredible memories. It is impossible to fully know and express how this once in a lifetime adventure has and will continue to shape each of us and our family as a whole. This was a wonderful time. We’re so fortunate and ever so thankful to have had this incredible opportunity!