Florida Coalcracker Chronicles: Christmas In Paris With The Family

Monday, January 06, 2020

Christmas In Paris With The Family

Jan 1st morning - before flight home

After 6 months in China - we needed a rescue. We were homesick - all dressed up and nowhere to go. We had a vision of a long Christmas break alone in a country that barely recognizes Christmas. Mimi brought us a small Christmas tree - but that was not enough. Lulu the Christmas worshiper needed a family and a Christmas spirit fix.

With her last class on Dec 18th - Lulu was free for a break. She checked online and found a round trip from Peking to Paris for $800. In 10 hours we could be in Paris with the kids. Keith and family live there - we just had to get Drew and family to come.

Paris weather was in the 50s - not really warm - but much better than the teens and wind in China. Our flight was 10 hours - all in the day time - 8 hours of it was over Russia. It was a smooth flight on Air France - with two meals and plenty of movies. We each brought two bags - one for clothes and one for presents.

Keith has a beautiful apartment with the Eiffel Tower and Park out his back door. He works for IEA in the Australian Embassy - and the kids get to play in the tower park every day. We stayed in the apartment until Drew arrived - then they stayed there - and we got a hotel room down the street - Avenue de la Bourdonnais.

We all enjoyed the Paris sights - Mount Marte - Eiffel Tower - Champs Elyse - Louvre - Euro Disneyland - Pantheon - Arch of Triumph - Seine River - Notre Dame Cathedral - and the tomb of Napoleon. We got to watch FSU sporting events together.

On New Years - we counted the clock down at the Eiffel Tower light show. The next day Drew and family had to fly home. We moved back in with Keith and all. For one shining week - the Everhart 10 were together - we will always have Paris.