Paris Disneyland. I would recommend only one change to the place. The name should be called "Hemorraghing Euros-land". I bought a box of popcorn, not a large one at all, and it cost 5 Euros. That's over seven dollars! You learn fast to just pay quickly and be on your way. In fact, it's great that they communicate the cost in French and if you're smart you'll just always present the largest bill you have in your wallet so that you are assured to cover the cost and you know you'll get some change. Then you don't have to listen to the price and do the invariable currency conversion in your head to know the dent that anything will put in your wallet.

To be completely fair we had an awesome day at Disneyalnd today. Soph laughed and played and just had a great time. Dad did too. The park is very similar to those in California and Florida but with one notable exception. They don't serve those barbaric Turkey legs here. What a relief! The park itself is better, in my mind, than those in the US. The details in the buildings are great and the landscape is wonderfully grown in. I think it helped that the weather was absolutely perfect today. It was about 76 degrees and sunny with a very light breeze. It couldn't have been better.

I've vowed this year to write less and just post more pictures. I'll post some now from our departure to Europe, plus yesterdays travels out to Fountainbleau and Chartres and some from today at Disneyland.



Where's Sophie?


The Ballroom at Fountainbleau


Playing in the Queen's bedroom


The royal chapel at Fountainbleau


The palace




Magnificent Fountainbleau. These palaces make it a no-brainer that there'd be a revolution. They're so opulent. We're glad history has preserved them for us to see.






Hiking the steps to Chartres cathedral


Having a rest, that was a lot of steps!







Climbing the 300 steps to the top of the tower. Little miss Sophie climbed about 100 of them yelling her abc's. Then she suddenly turned to me and said, "Daddy keydo" (carry me).


I loaded Soph on my back for the ride down. I didn't want her taking a tumble since if she did we wouldn't catch up to her till the bottom. She hung on tight. Good for her, bad for me. I was only getting half the oxygen I needed. Amazing I didn't pass out and both of us went tumbling down. The view from the top of the cathedral was amazing and was worth every bit of the effort.




Resting after that arduous journey up the tower steps






Someone was sooo excited for this moment!


Soph's checkin' out the map, scouting her first ride.



Waited a bloody hour in line for Dumbo of all rides. But the smile makes it worth it!


Cruisin the hood.


This just might be the first time in her life she actually wore a hat for more than 10 seconds.


Cute girls of mine!


Mickey and Minnie are just coming around the bend during the parade. Soph's little face just lit up and she started waving frantically.







Love's from a Goofy. She saw Goof and said, "I want to see the other guys!". Thankfully more were right there.


Tigger was a bit on the frisky side.


Snogging Pluto



Fun on the roller coaster. This was the only ride she knew she wanted to do before we got there.





Hunting Zurg's ? at the Buzz Lightyear ride. I took Soph on this later in the day too and all she did was spin the little car around and around in circles the length of the entire ride.

I nearly vomited.

She giggled the whole time.



This is a picture of the picture they take of you as you cascade down in the little boat ride. Check out the little girl in the middle of the front row. No hands! and I didn't tell her to do it! You go girl!





Bone swa Paris Disneyland! Trey bien avec la fromage et le Mickey und Minnie!!!

Later everyone! We're off to see another grand Chateaux (sp?) tomorrow before hitting the freeway to Switzerland in the early afternoon. We'll post more soon.

Chris, Anneka and Sophie