Tram

We rode the tram while in Paris.

It took us to all the tourist sights and saved us from having to navigate Paris.

The Catacombs

The Catacombs were my choice of what to do in Paris.  Not sure what that says about me.

We had a go down 130 stairs and walk about a kilometer through narrow tunnels to get to the catacombs.

The catacombs were built in the late 1700's due to overflowing cemeteries.  Hundreds of years worth of dead were brought under Paris to take care of the problem.

Alina and I found it fascinating, McKayla just thought is was creepy.

dudeldorf Christmas market

Christmas market in Dudeldorf.  The girls loved the name of this little village.

Alina was so excited to see Brother Bowen that she did not leave his side the whole weekend.

There were a lot of booths selling wood work.  I bought a beautiful nativity that this man made.

Christmas Market in Trier

There were street performers all over and the girls loved all of them.

Porta Nigra, the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps.

There were so many little booths selling a wide assortment of Christmas items.

Most Christmas markets have a collectors cup that changes every year.  We drank a lot of Kinder Punch so we could get a cup at each market.

Christmas markets are in the center of town, which is also where the church is located.  I loved the old churches in this area.

Alina thought this was so neat and insisted I take a picture.

The stone carving in this church was amazing.

Bern Kastel Christmas Market

I fell in love with this area.  It is a picturesque German village with the cutest buildings.

This building is turned into an advent calendar each year.  Every night they uncover a new window with something in it.

The girls thought this was fun.

On the bridge overlooking the Mosel River.

Christmas Market in Speyer

The last Christmas market we did was in Speyer and it was one of my favorites.

This shop sold hand carved nativities, they were beautiful.

Ky and the girls in front of the clock tower we had to go through to get to the market.

What would a Christmas market be without a neat old building?

Or two?

Or how about three?  And that is why it was one of my favorites.

American Cemetery in Luxembourg

On Sunday we went to the American Cemetery in Luxembourg. 

Over 5000 Americans are buried here, most died at the battle of the bulge.  This wall has the names of soldiers who's bodies were never found.  There were three more walls just like this one.

General George Patton is buried at this cemetery.

The grave of an unknown American soldier.