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Juste Claudia | Ups and Downs in France

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Family Reunion in Europe

By Juste Claudia #Family Trip, #Florence, #France, #Italy, #Perugia, #Rome, #Winter 2017
A couple taking a photo in front of the Trevi Fountain at night.
Fontaine de Trevi, Night walk in Rome.

Family Reunion in Europe: 19 Relatives, 1 Tour Bus

My whole family descended on me from Singapore and Australia for a big family reunion in Europe. Indeed, the whole family came: my parents, my siblings, their own families, and a cousin and his family, 19 people in all. They chartered a tour bus, accompanied by two tour guides from Singapore, and spent two weeks visiting Paris and several cities in Italy. Silviu and I joined them on some of their Parisian jaunts. Then we met them in Rome and continued to Perugia and Florence. Finally, we left them on the last leg of their tour: Venice and Milan.

Paris With the Whole Clan

The Venus de Milo and Winged Victory of Samothrace statues in the Louvre.
Statues in the Louvre. On the left, Venus de Milo (Aphrodite of Milos), the Greek goddess of love and beauty, named after the island of Milos, where it was discovered. On the right, Winged Victory of Samothrace, a marble Hellenistic sculpture of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.
The upside-down glass pyramid (La Pyramide Inversée) inside the Louvre in Paris.
With my family in Paris, Silviu and I decided to take the opportunity to be tourists. Voilà, the Louvre! However, the last time I visited was about 17 years ago. Here is the 30-tonne, upside-down Pyramid of the Louvre (La Pyramide Inversée).
A selfie in front of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel at the Louvre under a blue winter sky.
A selfie is a must under the rare blue winter sky in Paris, so here we are in front of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel at the Louvre.
A family reunion photo in front of the Louvre in Paris.
Of course, a family photo in front of the Louvre.
A family reunion group photo at Mum's birthday celebration at the Buddha-Bar Hotel in Paris.
Mum's birthday celebration at Buddha-Bar Hotel, Paris. We were given a private room with a cosy ambiance. However, the menu was pricey. Although the service was good, the food was not really to our taste.
A family reunion photo on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre, Paris.
In Montmartre, the two brothers-in-law also posed for a photo.
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, decorated with a Christmas tree.
Afterwards, Notre Dame Cathedral was one of the stops on the scenic walk from the Louvre to our lunch at Place des Victoires.

Ciao, Italy: Rome, Perugia and Florence

A collage of the family reunion Christmas dinner in Florence, with siblings, nieces, and nephews.
Top left (clockwise): Christmas dinner in Florence, with four of the five nieces and nephews. Bottom right: sisters and in-laws, and siblings and spouses.

Pasta, Prosciutto and Chin-Chin

The Italy leg totalled seven days, and my digestive system was put into full gear. My five senses, especially my sight, palate and smell, were seriously pampered in this short period. In fact, every day brought three full meals of pasta, prosciutto, fish, Italian cheeses (stracciatella di bufala, parmigiano, pecorino, etc.), different styles of tiramisu, and continuous rounds of chin-chin with Italian wines.

A plate of coccoli, prosciutto, and stracchino cheese, a lunch dish in Florence.
Food picture (I): one of my faves! For our first lunch in Florence, we had coccoli, prosciutto and stracchino cheese. In other words, fried dough, ham and creamy, stringy buffalo cheese.
A collage of Roman food: tripe, charcoal bread, and bruschetta.
Food picture (II): our first meal in Rome. At the top, tripe (rubbery, strong odour!). At the bottom, charcoal bread (left) and bruschetta (right).

One Kilo Heavier, Back on the Road

Consequently, all that calorie intake, without an equivalent or greater output, meant that I returned four days ago with an extra 1 kg around my waist. Since the family reunion, I have been running three days in a row, despite the relentless rain and wind in this part of the world, plus a one-hour indoor interval session on the bike on my recovery day.

A couple standing in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome during the family reunion tour.
Trevi Fountain. Indeed, it was a late-night walk in Rome, the capital of Italy, on the first night of our Italian tour.
A collage of a late-night walk in Rome, including the illuminated Spanish Steps at Christmas.
Indeed, our late-night walk in Rome continues, and the Spanish Steps come next.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The tower is fallllling....Leaning Tower in Pisa.
A collage of Castello di Monterone in Perugia, including its towers, courtyard, and pool.
First time staying in a real castle, Castello di Monterone, Perugia. Fortunately, no Draculas, no vampires, just my prince and my family.
A collage of an evening stroll in Perugia, including old stone archways and street art.
Finally, an evening stroll in Perugia.

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