DK Eyewitness Travel Gives You a Walk in Paris {& a Book Giveaway 7/24/14}

Photographs and text reproduced by permission of DK, a division of Penguin Random House from Paris guide book. ©2014 by DK. All rights reserved.

*Disclosure: We received a copy of the Paris Guidebook in order to make an accurate review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

Today is Bastille Day, so the perfect day to celebrate all things Parisian! Last year, my family traveled to Paris for the first time and were entirely enchanted by the city--so much so that we hope to return in the next couple of years. Lucky for me, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides reached out to me to introduce their new, revved-up travel guides to you and one of them is for Paris! Ooh la la!

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We'll Always Have Paris: A Mother/Daughter Adventure {And Book Giveaway 5/11/14}

Paris from the Eiffer Tower

**Disclosure: I received a complimentary book for the purpose of this review. No compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

There is nothing in the world like climbing the Eiffel Tour. Looking down at Paris is definitely an exhilarating moment that is frozen in time. Last year, my husband and I took our daughter to Paris to fulfill an important wish on our family bucket list. After a series of health issues for my husband and myself as well as others close to us, we decided to seize the moment and take our opportunity to go to Paris without regret. In truth though, our personal travel story actually began long before visiting Paris. When my daughter was born, my husband and I were determined to not let her hamper our travel aspirations. So, we have embarked on many adventures near and far with the little one in toe and have not looked back. Together, we will always have Paris........

When I received the opportunity to read Jennifer Coburn's We'll Always Have Paris: A Mother/Daughter Adventure, I jumped at the chance. While reading, I immediately felt a bond with Jennifer and discovered we are truly kindred spirits.  Jennifer in some ways was haunted by her father passing away from cancer at a young age and thought that she in turn would pass away way too soon. Her loss inspired her to go on some grand adventures with her daughter, making memories that would last--just in case. My own father passed away early in my daughter's life--when she was one. These losses can truly be a source of motivation. I almost lost my grandfather to a heart attack when I was in my early twenties. While he was recovering from bypass surgery, he advised me to travel for myself--scale those mountains that I had planned to for so long. The words of my grandfather stuck with me. I mean, here is this guy who just had five bypasses (yes, five) and he is telling me to travel! My husband took a little nudging, but we began traveling in whichever direction was available to us at the time. We did not stop when our family became 3.

Fact: Jennifer Coburn is a USA Today best selling author of six novels and contributor to four literary anthologies. This is her first memoir.

Throughout the book, Jennifer adeptly weaves the story of her remembrances of her father into the travelogue of her adventures with her daughter. Jennifer is able to embrace her relationship with her father while strengthening her relationship with her daughter through creating special moments. In some ways, her book is melodic and flows naturally during the course of her life. During the book, both Jennifer and her daughter, Katie, grow. I really loved seeing each relationship unfold and evolve.

We'll Always Have Paris--A Book We Can All Relate To

We'll Always Have Paris is a book we can all relate to. The book celebrates the joys of life and discoveries, the little stumbling blocks we find here and there, the tragedy and realization of mortality that we all must face and the spirit to find our way through and survive. The overall message encourages us to seize the moment yet savor the time we are with those we love. Towards the end of the book, Jennifer becomes less concerned with checking the items off of her list and has really settled more in to enjoying time with her daughter.

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The Pantheon in Paris: a Solemn and Peaceful Experience

Image via Wiki Commons

While in Paris, we knew that going to the catacombs with our 8-year-old daughter would be out of the question. Now, she has fully embraced the fate of Marie Antoinette as well as some of the wives of King Henry VIII. But, we felt that the catacombs would be a little too much. However, we did find that the Panthéon in Paris gave us a bit of the catacomb experience without elements that would frighten la petite fille.

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Musée De Cluny: Step into the Middle Ages in Paris

The Musée de Cluny or le Musée national du Moyen Âge(Middle Ages) is absolutely one of my favorite museums in all of Paris. The art and building itself will have you stepping back into time. Just thinking about Cluny makes me smile wistfully.

The museum was the home of abbots during the Middle Ages. I love the layers of history that museums in Paris have! The building itself is amazing to walk around. We enjoyed the courtyard area. Since the museum is not as frequented as other museums in Paris, it is so peaceful.

A truly interesting aspect of the museum is that the structure was built on top of Roman baths. Being able to see remains of these baths was pretty impressive. There is just something about them being so casually available right there on a street in Paris.

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Magic at Disneyland Paris

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

As I go through our photos of Paris, I find it difficult to choose where to start when discussing our trip. We packed a lot into five days! {I am such a travel pro!} After some reflection, it seems easiest to start with our last day in Paris which entailed a trip to Disneyland Paris. Since we were traveling with an 8-year-old, it seemed like the perfect way to reward her for being great on the trip while still seeing something totally unique. We definitely had fun at Disneyland Paris but a few things did have us scratching our heads.

Disneyland Paris is about 45 minutes from the heart of Paris and is located in the surrounding countryside. We opted to stay in a nearby hotel the evening before and after to make it a little easier on our daughter. In hindsight, I may not have chosen this option. The hotel we stayed at, the Dream Castle, was  nice. However, I would have much rather ended our last evening in Paris.

We had transportation from our hotel to Disneyland, which was nice and hassle free. We quickly learned that there is an RER train station adjacent to the park. So, if you want to take the train to and/or from Paris, definitely check the schedule out for the Marne-La-Vallee-Chessy station.

We learned quickly that there is a little miscommunication in regards to opening times for the park and rides. We ended up waiting more than we thought based upon published times to enter the park. When we finally entered, rides were not open for another 30 minutes. But, the weather was great and the park is beautiful, so everything turned out fine!

Bienvenue a Disney!

We loved all of the rides at Disneyland Paris. We found some of our old favorites like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion as well as new ones like Le Pays de Conte de Fees. In true Disney form, just walking around the park is a magical experience.

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What I learned while visiting Paris

Paris has always been on my list of dream destinations. With my daughter taking French, I really wanted to be the one to take her to Paris. My husband and I decided that this year would be the year--we would go to Paris to fulfill a dream. We were a little apprehensive about going at first. My husband and I are usually fans of diamonds in the rough, cities that are up and coming, not cities that everyone seems to visit. We were worried that Paris would be a little too much for us. To our delight, we loved it. Absolutely loved it!

As with any trip, we learned a few things along the way:

You will not be able to see everything. Paris is a city--a big city. If you truly want to enjoy your visit, try not to pack your schedule too tightly. We tried to keep our schedule flexible.

You will miss Paris. Paris is such a beautiful city. When I left, I definitely had culture shock. What do you mean I don't have a boulangerie right across the street? Also, since I had spent so much time on researching for this trip, I felt an immediate let down when I returned home. I actually have time to myself. Instead of feeling relaxed, I feel like I am missing something.

Spend time just absorbing your surroundings. Eat at a cafe. Take a boat ride on the Seine. Sit and enjoy a gelato. Do this without frantically snapping pictures. It is truly an amazing feeling when you feel part of the city, not just a tourist. Photography is actually prohibited in some of the sites. To me, this was liberating in a way. You really spend more time enjoying when you aren't trying to get the perfect shot.

You may be surprised by the things that you like. Climbing the Eiffel Tower is the tourist thing to do. Of course, we had to. However, if you would have asked me a couple of months ago if I was excited about visiting the Eiffel Tower, I would have said no. We actually loved our visit to the Eiffel Tower. We ate lunch on the first floor and climbed to the second floor to take in an amazing view. What a wonderful afternoon!

The museum gift shops are definitely worth a visit. We actually found some unique souvenirs to bring back with us at the museum gift shops. If you are tight on time and would rather take in museums than shopping, a stop in a museum gift shop may be the perfect way to still bring something home.

Watch out for the pickpockets. No, we did not get picked. We took precautions with our valuables before traveling. However, we were approached by a couple of scam artists asking us if we "spoke English." Basically, this is a scam to steal money. You will see signs warning you about pickpockets at the major tourist sites. Definitely, protect yourself. This is not to say that we ever felt scared. You just need to be cautious.

Beware of scooters. Scooters zoomed by us while walking on the sidewalk a couple of times. I was not expecting that!

Learn some French phrases. This was not an issue for us since my daughter and I both speak French. However, French is the language of France and knowing some key phrases shows your respect. People will definitely be more willing to help you if you start with basic French. A "Bonjour!" will get you a long way. Plus, it was priceless to see the French light up when you speak to them in French. Your effort will be appreciated.

You will walk and walk and walk and love it! We walked all over and had a great time! My daughter actually did a wonderful job of keeping up with us without too many issues. There is so much to see and do, you do not even notice how much you have walked.

You will miss Paris. Yes, this warrants a second mention. Paris is so unique. When you hear mention of Paris, you will find yourself wistfully recalling your trip--and wanting to return!

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