Paris was lovely

The three days I had with the family in Paris seem like a haven of sanity and joy in the midst of festive madness and cold, cold weather. The sun shone with wintry freshness, the rain restrained itself to an overnight drizzle which had no effect on our sightseeing.

The Christmas market lining the Champs Elysee was stunning, atmospheric and joyful, as were the lights that hung in abundance from the trees.

The Eiffel tower was a joy during the day and even better at night - with a great light show.

Using a water bus was a great way to get around - and save tired feet. My favourite area was the Latin Quarter with lovely shops, bistros and bustle. We visited the Louvre, of course - I would need a whole day and fresh feet to really get the most from that, so I will just have to go again!

We only managed to see Notre Dame and Saint Chapel from outside, so there's a reason for another visit.

What a privilege it was to be there and to share with Rob and Tamsin in their excitement. Rob spent a lot of time analysing lighting designs and layout at the Eiffel Tower and the Loure - which I teased him for a lot, but am secretly bowled over by his knowledge. Tamsin seemed to love everything apart from her aching feet (she is a lot like me!).

We came back for a gentle New Year. I won't spoil this happy blog with some of the work stuff that has arisen since then - that's for another blog on another day!

Thanks to Sandy and Rob for wonderful photography!