Paris

   When we made our plans for the Summer Rome Program this year, knowing that it could well be the last year of the program, we decided to fly into Rome but out of Paris--so that we could make a visit to Paris and show our children France.  Since going from Rome to Paris seemed something like going from Oklahoma to Idaho, it felt smart to take that one chance to give our kids, and ourselves, such a great gift.  As it turned out, it was a little bigger of a deal than going from Oklahoma to Idaho--and going anywhere with 5 kids and lots of bags is a big deal in an of itself!--but it was well worth it and the trip of a lifetime!
     We took an overnight train from Rome to Paris.   There was an arrest of a man just 2 berths down from us at the border for not having his documents!  Very intriguing!
     We canceled our hotel reservation --the cheapest we could find was still quite expensive--for an apartment you could rent by the week.  The apartment was just like the apartments Ron and I had in the Bronx for grad school--they even smelled the same.  It was quite a savings--but at the expense of having no phone, no internet, no concierge, no help getting things like taxis to the airport or shampoo.  But the apartment was literally next to a metro station, and so we had excellent transport into town, and it had a kitchen, and so we saved a bundle on making lots of meals for ourselves.  If i had to do it over again, I would do the same, except get international phone service on cell phones so as to be able to use them.
     What fun it was--gaie Paris!