today's bike ride

Today we rode about 20 km. Felt like we were in the middle of nowhere even though we could still hear the traffic. Not too hot, only one bloody knee and made it home in 4 hours.

A picturesque bridge....

Some horses pulling a thingy....It was whipping around the hay freshly cut from the fields surrounding the horse track. We weren't the only weirdos taking pictures.

No flat tires!

Refueling....

Introducing.....

The Crocodile Kids !

 Squid Man, Jelly Fish and Sea Urchin were dazzling. They had the audience on the edge of their seats. Original lyrics, outrageous costumes and amazing motivation. They spent a few afternoons in the studio before being satisfied with the final project. It was a real treat. (and if the videos I took wouldn't take a millon years to download I'd share all their songs with you.)

All around town

 The kids are (for the most part) all smiles. The hunger and heat hasn't yet set in.

 The kids are still (for the most part) all smiles after NOT getting to do the labyrinth or mini golf due to the rain.

 The boys looking nice and refreshed. Note the faux firs tee shirt. Always representing.

One of my absolute favorite pictures of the whole trip. Nick and Seb sharing the seat for

 the nintendo game at the hotel in Paris.

The beach

 Seb sporting his "how embarrassing, I cannot believe you are taking our picture Mom" look. This was the kids getting ready to go fishing for treasures at low tide. Also meant free play time for the adults as well. Although we all got caught in a downpour at the end, it was worth it.

 Clowning around at the beach makes for hungry kids.

 I had to get one shot of undercover policeman Stephane sporting the mustache.

 LOVE Sara's face!

 Mark enjoying our beer break and goofing off with the Austin Mini. Jolly good form mate!

Chenedouit

 Calling up the weather man to check how long until we get rained on. Of course he was wrong, because we did in fact get rained on.

 The three monkeys taking a break during our walk.

Farmer Seb slacking off from all the work with a good book.

Ahh Paris....

 Future Christmas Card? Looking good in front of the Eiffel Tower.

 Stephane making some new friends in the subway.

 Those subway rides.....

 Having fun at the park in the Jardin des Tuileries near the Louvre.

Sebastian measuring something ?

Even though the last time Sebastian went on one of these spinny things he threw up, the draw was just too strong. And this time he kept all of his cookies.

Enjoying a chocolate eclair before catching the train home. It was really, really well deserved after all of the walking we did. 

Natural History Museum

Sebastian and I spent the day in Paris bumming around. This museum was worth the visit. The building was built in 1889, if I am not mistaken, and was the perfect home to skeletons, fossils, organs in jars, and Sebastian's personal favorite the animal oddities. (The preserved organs by the way just grossed him out. It was after all only 10 in the morning.)

 Groovy collection of bird skeletons.

 Seb's favorite's. Above the large fish and below the two headed duck.

 Whale skeletons above and not sure what type of dinosaur this was below, but Seb sure liked it.

 Sizing himself up.