scorbs

…and so tired!  Nothing like suffering through jetlag on your first day back at work. 

The trip was amazing.  I loved (loved) Paris.

Anyways, so many highlights – I can’t wait to share the photos!

The Louvre at Night, taken with my iPhone

I ended the trip with some much needed time on the beach. 

My last day in Paris, I went to Cafe de Flore to channel Sartre, soak in the atmosphere, and write in my journal.  I was especially excited when I ended up sitting next to a certain well-known New Yorker staff writer!

notre dame, from the seine

along the seine

karen, photographer (and sometimes shopper)

big head

rainstorm in paris

rainstorm in paris

rainstorm in paris

rainstorm in paris

dancing along the seine

I wasn’t originally going to take night photos of the Louvre.  But walking through on the way to the Metro, the “golden hour” lighting was too good to pass up.  I ended up staying for dinner, and more photography of the Louvre Pyramid. 

I was mixed on whether to hunt down the “Mona Lisa” inside of Louvre – I had heard the crowds take all the joy out of it  But once inside the museum, it’s kinda hard to resist such a famous painting.

Especially with all the "This Way to the Mona Lisa" signs.

The Louvre allows people to take pictures inside. Which I love. But it definitely seemed like most folks were just PhotoOp-ing, and not really looking at it.

Anyways, I really liked the “Mona Lisa”. Photos of it don’t do it justice. Some paintings just feel alive, have a bit of soul to them.

And yes, I took the requisite tourist photo. 

What can I say – the Louvre is a beautiful museum.

michelangelo’s dying slave.  stunning.

I arrived in Paris on Bastille Day.  Unfortunately, it meant that I missed the morning parade (and the Balls the night before). But I did get to see the Champ de Mars fireworks!

(click to see large size)

My last day in London, I took the train to Cambridge…

The weather was all over the place… cloudy, rainy, sunny.  It made for some fun photography in this picturesque town.

My friend lives right next to King’s Cross Station.  So, I was super excited to fake a Harry Potter “Platform 9 ¾” Kodak moment.

To my very pleasant surprise, King’s Cross Station actually HAS a platform 9 ¾!

OMG OMG OMG!!! 

Attempting to push my cart through….

Attempting running leap!  Nope, not a wizard.