The Logbook

Travels of the Rennhack family
Rennhack.net
← All entries

⭐ Milestone 9/7/2002 – 9/20/2002

First International 'Bucket List' Trip

▶ Play this trip
Kathy's new ring after I proposed at Versailles
Kathy's new ring after I proposed at Versailles
16places
Michael, Kathywho went

Firsts: first time in France

Pompidou Centre (Modern Art), Science and Industry Museum, Louvre Museum, Orsay Museum, Orangery Museum (Impressionist), Monet Museum, Picasso Museum, Rodin Museum, Arch of Triumph, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Eiffel Tower, Flame of Liberty, Sacré-Cœur, Notre-Dame, Monceau Park, Moulin Rouge, Arc de Victory, Luxembourg Garden, Tuileries Garden, Seine River Cruise · Disneyland Paris · Palace of Versailles, Got Engaged

Day by day

Getting thereDay 1Saturday, September 7, 2002

DTW → Charles de Gaulle Airport

  • Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) · United States

DTW → Charles de Gaulle Airport

Iceland's volcanic landscape from the plane window
Iceland's volcanic landscape from the plane window

By Michael

This was the most important trip of my life. It was my first international trip (not counting driving to Windsor when I was 18). It was my first paid vacation. It was my first time in Paris, and I did not speak the language, but I was not going to let that stop me. But it terrified me; I had no idea how I was going to communicate with the Parisians. And I brought my girlfriend, whom I planned to propose to while in Paris (at Versailles). She made sure this was our first trip to Disneyland Paris. So many firsts.

Kathy and I flew from Detroit to Charles de Gaulle Airport, passing over Iceland on the way.

Day 2Sunday, September 8, 2002

Paris · Notre-Dame · Sainte-Chapelle

By Michael

We landed in Paris, and spent the day on the Île de la Cité: Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle.

Photo: Notre-Dame, Paris, day 2
Paris and the Eiffel Tower from Notre-Dame
Paris and the Eiffel Tower from Notre-Dame
A gargoyle looking out from Notre-Dame
A gargoyle looking out from Notre-Dame
Photo: Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, day 2

Day 3Monday, September 9, 2002

Disneyland Paris

By Michael

We spent the day at Disneyland Paris.

Photo: Disneyland Paris, day 3
Michael tried pulling the sword from the stone at Disneyland Paris
Michael tried pulling the sword from the stone at Disneyland Paris
The hedge maze we wandered at Disneyland Paris
The hedge maze we wandered at Disneyland Paris
Kathy with a Jiminy Cricket cutout at Disneyland Paris
Kathy with a Jiminy Cricket cutout at Disneyland Paris
Our ride on Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris
Our ride on Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris

Day 4Tuesday, September 10, 2002

Arc de Triomphe

By Michael

We visited the Arc de Triomphe and walked down the Champs-Élysées, past Place de la Concorde and the Flame of Liberty.

Photo: Arc de Triomphe, Paris, day 4
The Arc de Triomphe lit up over Paris at night
The Arc de Triomphe lit up over Paris at night
Walking down the Champs-Elysees toward the Arc de Triomphe
Walking down the Champs-Elysees toward the Arc de Triomphe
A 0.75 euro hamburger sign on Avenue de Wagram
A 0.75 euro hamburger sign on Avenue de Wagram
A golden statue near the Arc de Triomphe
A golden statue near the Arc de Triomphe
A golden statue with a trumpet near the Arc de Triomphe
A golden statue with a trumpet near the Arc de Triomphe
A bronze statue on a Paris bridge
A bronze statue on a Paris bridge
The Flame of Liberty monument
The Flame of Liberty monument
Farmland checkerboard seen from the plane window
Farmland checkerboard seen from the plane window
The colonnade at Parc Monceau
The colonnade at Parc Monceau
The Obelisk at Place de la Concorde
The Obelisk at Place de la Concorde
A fountain at Place de la Concorde
A fountain at Place de la Concorde
La Defense skyline at sunset
La Defense skyline at sunset

Day 5Wednesday, September 11, 2002

Cité des Sciences

By Michael

On the one-year anniversary of 9/11, Kathy wanted to be as far from the Eiffel Tower as we could get, just in case.

We spent the day at Cité des Sciences, in La Villette.

A space exhibit at Cite des Sciences
A space exhibit at Cite des Sciences
Photo: Cité des Sciences, Paris, day 5

Day 6Thursday, September 12, 2002

Musée d'Orsay · Eiffel Tower · Musée Rodin

By Michael

We visited Musée d'Orsay, the Eiffel Tower and Musée Rodin.

Photo: Musée d'Orsay, Paris, day 6
A sculpture bust at Musee d'Orsay
A sculpture bust at Musee d'Orsay
Bronze figures holding up a globe at Orsay
Bronze figures holding up a globe at Orsay
A marble eagle sculpture at Musee d'Orsay
A marble eagle sculpture at Musee d'Orsay
A Roman feast painting at Musee d'Orsay
A Roman feast painting at Musee d'Orsay
A painting of an artist's studio at Orsay
A painting of an artist's studio at Orsay
The white bear sculpture at Musee d'Orsay
The white bear sculpture at Musee d'Orsay
A garden painting at Musee d'Orsay
A garden painting at Musee d'Orsay
Whistler's Mother at Musee d'Orsay
Whistler's Mother at Musee d'Orsay
Sacre-Coeur and a Ferris wheel over Paris
Sacre-Coeur and a Ferris wheel over Paris
Inside the grand hall of Musee d'Orsay
Inside the grand hall of Musee d'Orsay
The Eiffel Tower at dusk
The Eiffel Tower at dusk
The Eiffel Tower glittering at night
The Eiffel Tower glittering at night
The Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero gardens
The Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero gardens
Kathy in front of the Eiffel Tower
Kathy in front of the Eiffel Tower
Looking straight up the Eiffel Tower
Looking straight up the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower from the Champ de Mars
The Eiffel Tower from the Champ de Mars
Looking straight up under the Eiffel Tower at night
Looking straight up under the Eiffel Tower at night
Under the Eiffel Tower's ironwork at night
Under the Eiffel Tower's ironwork at night
The Eiffel Tower's lattice lit up at night
The Eiffel Tower's lattice lit up at night
The Eiffel Tower lit up at night
The Eiffel Tower lit up at night
The Eiffel Tower glowing at night
The Eiffel Tower glowing at night
The Statue of Liberty replica on the Seine
The Statue of Liberty replica on the Seine
The Eiffel Tower behind the Statue of Liberty replica
The Eiffel Tower behind the Statue of Liberty replica
The Eiffel Tower over the Statue of Liberty replica
The Eiffel Tower over the Statue of Liberty replica
The Eiffel Tower's beacon sweeping the night sky
The Eiffel Tower's beacon sweeping the night sky
The fountains at Trocadero
The fountains at Trocadero
Michael under the Eiffel Tower
Michael under the Eiffel Tower
Michael at the Eiffel Tower
Michael at the Eiffel Tower
Photo: Musée Rodin, Paris, day 6
A close look at Rodin's hands sculpture
A close look at Rodin's hands sculpture
A fountain sculpture in the Rodin Museum garden
A fountain sculpture in the Rodin Museum garden
The Thinker at the Musee Rodin
The Thinker at the Musee Rodin

Day 7Friday, September 13, 2002

Versailles

By Michael

We spent the day at Versailles, where I proposed to Kathy, and she said yes.

The gardens spreading out at Versailles
The gardens spreading out at Versailles
Looking down the Grand Canal at Versailles
Looking down the Grand Canal at Versailles
A gilded statue in the Versailles gardens
A gilded statue in the Versailles gardens
Kathy on our rowboat on the canal at Versailles
Kathy on our rowboat on the canal at Versailles
The Palace of Versailles across the canal
The Palace of Versailles across the canal
A marble statue in the Versailles gardens
A marble statue in the Versailles gardens
Resting on the lawn at Versailles
Resting on the lawn at Versailles
Rowboats crossing the canal at Versailles
Rowboats crossing the canal at Versailles
Entwined marble figures in the Versailles gardens
Entwined marble figures in the Versailles gardens
A fountain statue facing the Versailles palace
A fountain statue facing the Versailles palace
The Orangerie gardens at Versailles
The Orangerie gardens at Versailles
Michael on our rowboat on the canal at Versailles
Michael on our rowboat on the canal at Versailles

Day 9Sunday, September 15, 2002

Louvre

By Michael

We spent the day at the Louvre.

Photo: Louvre, Paris, day 9
The Champs-Elysees from above, looking toward the Louvre
The Champs-Elysees from above, looking toward the Louvre
The Arc du Carrousel lit up at night
The Arc du Carrousel lit up at night
The Cupid and Psyche painting that caught our eye at the Louvre
The Cupid and Psyche painting that caught our eye at the Louvre
Ancient stone reliefs we stopped to see at the Louvre
Ancient stone reliefs we stopped to see at the Louvre
A Roman mosaic of Neptune at the Louvre
A Roman mosaic of Neptune at the Louvre
A mythological ceiling painting inside the Louvre
A mythological ceiling painting inside the Louvre
Gilded ceiling cherubs above us at the Louvre
Gilded ceiling cherubs above us at the Louvre
The Venus de Milo at the Louvre
The Venus de Milo at the Louvre
The Diana statue and her deer at the Louvre
The Diana statue and her deer at the Louvre
The Three Graces sculpture at the Louvre
The Three Graces sculpture at the Louvre
A Renaissance painting that stopped us at the Louvre
A Renaissance painting that stopped us at the Louvre
Wandering the sculpture gallery at the Louvre
Wandering the sculpture gallery at the Louvre
The crowd around the Mona Lisa
The crowd around the Mona Lisa
A battle scene painting at the Louvre
A battle scene painting at the Louvre
A cavalry officer painting at the Louvre
A cavalry officer painting at the Louvre
The red gallery's gilded ceiling at the Louvre
The red gallery's gilded ceiling at the Louvre

Day 11Tuesday, September 17, 2002

Musée Picasso · Centre Pompidou

By Michael

We visited Musée Picasso and Centre Pompidou.

Photo: Musée Picasso, Paris, day 11
A painting that caught our eye at the Musee Picasso
A painting that caught our eye at the Musee Picasso
An abstract painting at Centre Pompidou
An abstract painting at Centre Pompidou
A modern sculpture at Centre Pompidou
A modern sculpture at Centre Pompidou
An orange abstract painting at Centre Pompidou
An orange abstract painting at Centre Pompidou

Home againDay 14Friday, September 20, 2002

Charles de Gaulle Airport → DTW

  • Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris · France
  • Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) · United States

Charles de Gaulle Airport → DTW

By Michael

Kathy and I flew from Charles de Gaulle Airport back to Detroit.

Other trips to these places

12-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona (with Venice)6/24/2013 – 7/9/2013 · FranceDisneyLand Paris, London, Stonehenge8/17/2015 – 8/27/2015 · France