The science museum

We decided to walk to the science museum. It was so cold and foggy! The museum has a fairly sedate entrance but wow.....what a collection. We were there for about six hours but only saw a fraction of the exhibits. We focused on maritime history, power, physics, pharmacy and of course, the music collection.

Here is Caitlyn getting to fly the plane....it was a very bumpy flight!

Here is a Theremin. It was invented in 1919 by a russian muscian. A current runs through it and you can control pitch and volume. It has quite an eerie sound so has been used as background music for many a horror film.

Just a few saxophones

The pharmacy exhibit was very interactive and informative. We have the giant pineapple in queensland but they have the giant pills! :)

Food!

The food in Germany has definitely given Paris a run for its money. The gingerbread, sausages and bread from the Christmas markets were absolutely to die for.

Mmmmm.... Giant gingerbread cookie. :P

German sausages!

Bread things with ham and cheese on the top. Mmmm....

Watch Out!

Between all our sight-seeing, Chris and Courtney still had time to fit in a snowball fight.

Hahaha, I think Courtney won.

Around the Town

Yesterday we went on a tour of the city. We got to sit right at the front on the second level of the double decker bus. The view was amazing!

The Royal Palace, which was built by the king for his queen after she gave birth to a baby boy.

A little snow covered house.

One of Munich's universities.

The church next to the christmas markets.

Bye Bye Amsterdam.

We've left Amsterdam and have now arrived in Germany!

Last night.

On our last night in Amsterdam, we went on a Canal Tour of the city. Everything was really beautiful and we had the entire boat to ourselves!

The boat arrived right outside our hotel.

Another view of the boat.


Chris enjoying the comfortable seats.

Some beatiful scenery from around the city.

Hehehehe...

We did encounter a few funny things in Amsterdam. One of them being this dessert we found at a little Dutch restaurant.

In Town

After we visited the cheese factory, we walked around a small town just outside of Amsterdam called Edam. It was very cute and very picturesque.

Chris, Courtney and I in Edam.

Mmmm Cheese and Windmills.

After we visited the clog factory, we headed over to the cheese factory. There was LOTS of cheese. Really, LOTS of cheese. After that we visited some off the windmills in the surrounding area.

Us stading infront of where they store the cheese.

Some of the differentt types of cheeses they make at this particular factory.

One of the large windmills that is used to grind grain.

Another windmill.

Clog Factory

Yesterday we took a tour of Amsterdam and visited several very cute places. Our first stop was the clog making factory. Although, Courtney begged for a pair of clogs we eventually talked some sense into her.
Chris had found his 'glass slipper'.

They say clogs are supposed to be a little loose. :s

Clogs in ALL shapes and sizes.

Getting to the hotel.

Our first few hours in amsterdam were breathtaking. Mainly because we had to walk with all our luggage to the hotel, but the city was very picturesque. The thin but tall buildings frame the beautiful cannals and really make the cold temperatures worth it.

Courtney and one of the cannals.

Us outside the train station with all our luggage.

The Train

A few days ago we boarded the RER Train and said 'au revoir' to Paris. :(

But in a few hours we said Hellloooo Amsterdam!

Me on the train, with my ipod and mini diet coke.

Chris catching up on some reading.

Courtney and her apple juice.

Euro Disney

Here we are in Euro Disney.....the happiest place in the world.....also one of the coldest! However, frost and snow would not stop people from coming to this magical place so the lines were still long! They had Xmas decorations out and carols being played through out the park.

We are on main street which looks much the same as Disney in California except the writing is in French! You can see the Fantasy land castle in the background.

Of course, no trip to Disney would be complete without going to "It's a small world". The colours and dolls were spectacular. Australia had a doll that looked eerily like Steve Irwin.....crikey!

My little princess had to pose next to Belle's rose!

The Christmas spirit was everywhere.....lots of xmas trees and it was probably the coldest day we have had.....I had to go and buy another polartec shirt....I must have had about 5 layers on!

Look at poor Chris.....he was so cold!

Of course, at Disney land there are badges to collect. Courtney collected the Disney baby set while Chris and Caitlyn traded with the Disney staff to find some rarer badges.

Yum!........Fairy Floss

The tea cups.....I went on with Courtney who was trying to spin so fast to make me dizzy but little did she know that I am a master spinner from way back....nice try Courtney!

We finished off the day with a trip on the Disney Train....a steam engine. Well one more day in Paris...we will try and get to the modern art museum and then we will be off to Amsterdam!

Catacombs

The next day we ventured into the Catacombs! There is a sign on the door that says "Stop, this is the Empire of Death!" The creation of this macrabe art began in 1786 when the cemetry of the innocents had to be moved from Les Halles as disease was spreading from this burial ground. The city had all these underground caverns created from the harvesting of stone to build the city so the priests consecrated the area and the corpses and skeletons were hauled in carts accompanied by chanting priests to these underground quarries.

At first, the bones were just thrown in as a jumble but then an architect decided to arrange them neatly. They are grouped according to the year they were moved. To enter the catacombs you have to go down this old spiral stair case about 90 steps or so. It is dark and eerie!

The walls are lined by millions of bones.....skulls, femurs and arm bones. In one place, the skulls are arranged in the shape of a heart! They are just stacked tightly...no mortar.

There are mock tombs of individuals that contributed to the making of the catacombs. The public began to make trips down these dark tunnels from 1789 onwards. Napoleon even brought his son down here. Graffiti lines the walls and dates back to the late 1700's! Shows that people haven't really changed all that much in a couple of hundred years!

Arc de Triomphe

t Here we are ready for our shopping experience......find the Arc de Triomphe and you find the famous street...Champs Elysess which is lined by all the known shops....Guerlain, United Colours of Beneton, Armani, Gap....it goes on and on! We are standing outside the entrance of our charming little apartment block.

Here is Caitlyn holding on tight to her newly acquired purchase of a lovely black jacket. They kept moaning that all of us looked like tourists because we were wearing our brightly coloured ski jackets but in the center of Paris, everyone else was wearing their fashionable work jackets in brown or black. Both Caitlyn and Chris were happy with their purchases so that they blended in with the latte drinking 'in crowd'.

As well as shops there are little cafe/bistros decorated up for Xmas. When it is so cold outside, you are ready for the rich food they serve.....Fois Gras, Beef with bearnaise sauce and twice cooked duck breast...yum!

Oh and if you look down the street you will see the famous Arc de Triomphe. Napoleon promised his soldiers after the battle of Austerlitz in 1805 that they would go home beneath triumphal arches so this is dedicated to them. It was completed in 1835 and is the home of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from WW1. An eternal flame burns here to commemorate all French Soldiers who have died in the wars.