We won!!! sort of....

So we went to the home show a couple of weeks ago to get idea for finishing the basement, but other then running into an old high school friend it wasn't that cool. I did however enter us in a drawing to win a play house for the backyard(backyard isn't finished but hey... it can be a prairie house with lots o' dirt and schtuff).

About a week after the home show we receive a call from the company that sponsored the give away. Now this wasn't to inform us that we had won the play house (although we were still entered in the drawing) but to let us know that our names had been pulled out for a vacation opportunity (different types of cruises to choose from), after being informed multiple times that it was not a time share, Matt tells them that he'll have to chat with me and could he please call back.

The next day he calls back and gets me, again assuring me that it is not a time share, but a discount travel agency. I set up a time for us to go to the 45 min one on one "presentation" so we can get our 7 night cruise, and 3 day 2 night getaway that was also thrown in there.

Here is an excerp of our conversation:

Guy on Phone ( here after referred to as G): We have a 3 night cruise that includes shore excursions or a 7 night cruise that does not, which would you prefer?

Me ( here after referred to as M): Well since my husband is in a wheelchair the 7 night cruise would work better and then we can pay for the excursions that are wheelchair accessible.

G: The 3 night cruise tends to be our most popular one are you sure I can't talk you into that one?

M: Well, we've looked into cruises before and finding shore excursions that are completely wheelchair accessible for my husband is a bit difficult, so we'll go with the 7 night cruise, because I know the ship is accessible.

G: Ok well let me throw in a 3 day 2 night getaway to Park City as well, in case you aren't able to get off the boat.

So, I assumed that it was clear that Matt is in a wheelchair. But as the saying goes you know what happens when you assume.....


Fast forward to the Saturday in which we are to go to the one on one presentation. That the guy is traveling about 30 miles to come in and meet with us( this was said many times to which I commented, so are we). We drop wee one off to play with her cousin, and head on our way. We have made the deal that if they ask for a credit card we are saying no thanks and getting some ice cream on the way back to get wee one.

As we approach the building Matt begins to notice something....where is the ramp?

We park the car and get out. I head up the stairs into the waiting area and ask the receptionist

" Where is your ramp?"

"I'm not sure, I don't usually work at this location, let me ask."

Big boss man comes out

"Can I help you?"

" Yes, my husband and I have and appointment at 1:30 ( it's 1:20 by the way, yea for being early!) and I need to know where your ramp is so that he can come in"

Now this is where I wish I had a camera to capture the look of fear mixed with oh @*%& that came across this mans face when he looked out the door and saw Matt.

Big boss man then explains that since they only have about 2 people who need wheelchair access to the building in a year that they aren't required to have one (I'm calling BS on this one) and asks if I informed G( his name has been removed out of shear kindness) that my husband is in a chair. Well yes I did, even though ADA doesn't require me to ( the last part was said in my head, again by shear kindness)

Big boss man then tells receptionist man to give us an over night getaway, then asks how far we've come from, after hearing how far, he ups it to a 3 day 2 night getaway. Then heads into his office to call G.

Receptionist man makes a last ditch effort to get us to sign up, but quickly backs down when I tell him that we aren't interested in joining a vacation club at this time, and continues frantically filling out the voucher to get me quickly out the door.

I leave the building (about 3 min after arriving), and tell Matt:" We are done and we have a little getaway to plan."

That's right folk, it appears that we do have a price for not suing you because of wheelchair in accessibility, and that price is a 3 day 2 night getaway ( although we do accept cash as well, small unmarked bills only)

Day 7- The elevator is out...click, and you don't know what an Oreo is?

Our last day in Paris....

My uncle was quite impressed with all that we had done and seen while in Paris, and agreed that we had done well, only one thing left to do. Go see the Arch d'Triumph and take a stroll down the Champs d'lysee.

By this time we had mastered how to get to the accessible metro stop, and even how to read which stops are "accessible" with great joy we discovered that the stop just below the Arch is accessible, so we purchased our tickets and went on our way.

Once we arrived at the station we began looking for the elevator, knowing what the French word for elevator looks like it was a lot easier then the beginning of our week. We find the series of elevators that slowly get us up to street level. The button on the last one doesn't seem to work. We press the button to get customer service to see if there is another elevator.

Bonjour, parlez-vous englaise? ( Hello do you speak English?)

Oui (yes)

The elevator doesn't seem to be working

The elevator is broken ...click(the customer service agent hangs up before we can ask more questions)

We push the button again

Bonjour, is there...

The elevator is broken... click

Ahh French customer service

So we head back down the series of elevators and go back a stop. This is when we realize that the previous stop is a lot further away and downhill then we thought it was.

After a long walk, during which I was positive my legs were going to fall off we finally made it!!!

I hadn't expected the stone work to be as intricate as it is. The artistry of the past never ceases to amaze me.

We then take a stroll down the Champs d'lysee (which thankfully is down hill to our apartment) and enjoy some last minute people watching. Seeing a McDonald's we have to stop so Matt can get a Royale with cheese(10 points will be awarded to anyone who can name the movie).

Upon entering the McDonalds I see an advertisement for an oreo mcflurry, as there is only one type of mcflurry that exists in my world ( that being an oreo one) I am thrilled and try to order one. However the cashier looks dumbfounded when I ask for an oreo mcflurry. Apparently they have never heard of oreos before ( that is explains some of the crankiness) and I settle for a kit kat one. I'm not sure what on earth they did to the kit kats!!!!

After finishing our stroll we packed up a bit before meeting my uncle for dinner. He was very excited to learn that we loved seafood and took us to enjoy some mussels. They came in this bucket, and they were steamed with cream and garlic, excuse me while I wipe my mouth as it waters from this yummalicous memory. If you are ever in Paris you must, must, must try a bucket of these tasty morsels.

Day 6 The travel Gods decided to thrwart our plans...

After researching and researching we found out that the only ways (short of renting a car) to get us to Versailles and the D-Day beaches were closed for renovations, so we added another thing to the list should we ever make a trip back.

Utterly exhausted, apparently international travel will do that to you, we blocked out the sun and slept in.

Excited to find out that one of Matt's favorite painting was at the Musee D'Orssay we decided to go and see it in person and ended up spending the day there. It was by far our favorite museum, mostly because we had studied a great deal of the artists and paintings in our art history class. Now someone should have mentioned in art history class that Van Gogh painted 2 Starry Nights

This one, which is in New York, and the one we thought we were going to see

and this one, which is in Paris

Both are quite nice, we have a print of the one in New York, and I think we should get a print of the one in Paris to complete the set.

The size of some of the canvases just amazed us, they wouldn't fit on any walls in our home because they are just too big. One painting that really surprised me was this one:

I thought it would be closer to an 11x14 size, but it was huge!

We stopped by a souvenir shop on the way home to pick up the last few items we had promised people, and after dropping off our bags we decided to head out for dinner.

We couldn't decide what to eat, so we kept walking and we walked right into a christian rally. We had a hilarious ( at least to us) conversation with a young women from Minnesota who was thrilled that we spoke English. She was also thrilled when we told her we were Christians, but then she got really confused and started stammering when we told her we were LDS.

We ended up eating at a restaurant called " Le deux Maggots" doesn't look good in English but the food was very yummy.

Day 5- Rodin, Petite Palace and the Eiffel Tower

We started the day at Rodin's house (that is now a museum) and got to see one of my favorite sculptures, I think it would go loverly in our backyard...once we finish it that is.

On the advice of my uncle we headed over to the Petite Palace. Now as per usual on our vacations we have to have at least one instance where someone isn't quite sure what to do/say to Matt. I had to go find someone to let us in the wheelchair accessible entrance, and was impressed that my French was good enough for them to understand what I needed. Once inside the usher proceeded to show me how to use the lifts, and kept trying to get me to push the buttons instead of Matt. We got to see a few Monet's and there was a painter there who had his stuff all set up and was painting a copy of one of the paintings.

After a quick bite to eat we went to see the Eiffel Tower. Now there are 3 levels that you can visit on the tower. The first one you can walk up to, the second one you have to take an inclinator ( a diagonal elevator) and then the 3rd one you take an elevator from the 2nd level.

It took some franglish and hand gestures but we were finally able to purchase our tickets and get to the elevators. Being terrified of heights I opted to go to the 2nd level. We got on the inclinator and I was not aware that it stopped at the 1st level to pick people up. When it stopped I tried to convince the operator that I was supposed to get off at that level, fearing that he would take us all the way up to the top.

This is a view of the bottom of the top level from the middle level

The apartment we rented is over there somewhere

And if we kept going in this direction we'd eventually get home

Day 4- The Louvre take 2

We took a leisurely approach to our 4th day in Paris.

Because we get in free to the Museums we decided to go back to the Louvre and do another wing. FYI you are not going to see everything in the Louvre unless you spend at least a week there, get on line and pick out the things that you must see go to those and then enjoy the things you see on the way!

We learned that the Louvre is built inside a castle and some of the footings are still there.

I could have stayed in the basement all day. Paris doesn't believe in air conditioning, apparently it is hot for 2 weeks out of the year... we were there for one of those weeks.

We got to see this pyramid, which is not under this one(like I thought it was)

After the Louvre we took a walk down the gardens and attempted to visit Les Petite Palace but it was about to close so we put it on the plans for the next day.

We ordered sushi from a place just down from our apartment, put on Gladiator(one of the few English DVD's there) opened the balcony doors and prayed for a breeze to cool the place off before bed.

Day 3- Bastille Day

So we were in New York for the 4th of July and we ended up being in Paris for Bastille Day (their version of the 4th of July)

Going through Les Invalides and seeing WWII from a different perspective.

Getting stuck behind the gates at Les Invalides while the military has their parade. And Matt getting excited about all the helicopters.

We met my Uncle, who lives in Paris, and his friends for dinner. Dinner's in Paris are the event of the evening and take hours. Unlike here where we go to dinner before the event.

Seeing fireworks being shot off of the Eiffel Tower

Day-2 Disneyland Paris

After Crystal speaks Franglish with a metro worker we figure out how to get into the "accessible" station

Upon arriving at Disneyland, we learn that we must go stand in a separate line to purchase our tickets. An hour later we make it to the window where Matt is asked for his invalid card. Seeing as the US has the whole ADA don't want to discriminate so we don't make you have a special card stating that you are an invalid ( Thanks Frenchies!) we explain that we have a Dr's note and Matt's drivers license which according to the website is all we need.

15 min later Matt receives his 1/2 price ticket and Crystal gets in for free( I know the forbidden word of Disney)

Almost 2 hours late our friend is panicked that our train from Paris has jumped the tracks and we are laying in a hospital somewhere. Relieved to see each other we embrace and find some food.

The coolness that is Disneyland (in Anaheim) has not translated to the EuroDisney...but it's still cool.

A 4 course French meal served by Cinderella's mice (the princess dinner/lunch is a must for all with wee one of the female variety) Check out how fancy the dessert was :