All posts by meanderingfamily

We're taking the scenic route. We're a family. We love spending time together. We like slow food and slow travel. We enjoy learning about and exploring other cultures and destinations. We balance our thirst for adventure with a strong appreciation for the luxury of being homebodies. Through research, smart planning and budgeting we find ways to do some pretty cool stuff. Together we are meandering along the circuitous path of life and discovering its many joys along the way.
All of Our Travels, France

Paris is One Big Playground

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Paris is an ideal destination for a family vacation. To the French, family is sacred and they adore children. Families spend a lot of time out and about together, both nuclear and extended families. This is in large part because Parisian apartments are small by most American standards, unless you live in Manhattan, and they don’t have yards.

This limited ‘living space’ means that Parisians spend a lot of time enjoying the city’s countless parks, gardens and green spaces. They act as a type of second living room for the locals. When you are planning a trip to Paris, be sure to factor in time to relax and unwind while you enjoy the natural (and architected) beauty of these places. We find that picnic lunches, picnic dinners, or evening strolls are an inexpensive and enjoyable way to pass the time.

If you have kids in tow, then I recommend making time for a visit to one of Paris’ many playgrounds. Most neighborhoods have at least a small playground, but there are a few that are worth seeking out and they can be found not too far from the major attractions. It makes for a wonderful reward for the little ones after a long day of museum viewing or a much needed play and lunch break in between attractions. Here are some suggestions with nearby major attractions noted.

Conveniently Located Paris Playgrounds

1) Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, 1e, M: Concorde, Tuileries

CC courtesy of MJ MacKinnon/Alex Smith
CC courtesy of MJ MacKinnon/Alex Smith

A large playground with multiple exits mostly composed of an enormous rope-and wood climbing structure starts with an 8-foot, almost entirely vertical ladder without open rungs. There’s a metal merry go-ground, lily-pad like jumping platforms, a slide, rope hammocks, and more. Nearby Attractions: Louvre, Tuileries Gardens, Place de Concorde

2) Jardin du Luxembourg, 6e, M: Odeon, Saint Suplice, Mabillon

photo sourced at Travelpod.com
CC courtesy of Travelpod.com

The garden itself is beautiful and vast with plenty to keep the kids busy. They can sail boats in the central pond, ride ponies, and run on the park’s winding trails. Most of the grass is off limits (Pelouse Interdite). The playground has an intricate system of climbing structures and slides. There’s only one exit. There is a cost of 2.60 euros for kids over 18 months, 1.60 euros for adults. Nearby Attractions: Luxembourg Gardens, Saint-Sulpice Church, Cluny Museum, Montparnasse Tower, Montparnasse Cemetery.

3) Jardin des Enfant aux Halles, Forum des Halles, 1e, M: Les Halles

CC courtesy Mairie de Paris
CC courtesy Mairie de Paris

This is a fantastic adventure playground for 7- to 11-year-olds with great tunnels and slides. The children are supervised by professional child-carers, so you can have a bit of a break yourself. Kids are limited to 1 hour and there is a 100-kid capacity. You must place your name on a list to reserve a time, but there is no entry fee. Nearby Attractions: Louvre, Pompidou, Rue Montrorgueil, Musée des Arts et Métiers.

4) Parc du Champ de Mars, Quai Branly – Avenue de la Motte Picquet, 7e, M: École Militaire

CC courtesy of Wikimedia
CC courtesy of Wikimedia

The Champs de Mars has a small playground perfectly situated close to the Eiffel Tower with an elaborate climbing structure, slide and sandbox. Here you find a carousel, puppet theater, pony rides, basketball and music. Nearby Attractions: Eiffel Tower, Trocadéro,  Napoleon’s tomb at Les Invalides.

5) Suzanne Buisson public garden, 7 Bis Rue Girardon, 18e, M: Lamarck Caulaincourt or Abbesses

CC courtesy of Wikimedia
CC courtesy of Wikimedia

Hidden at the top of the Montmartre hill, this public garden has a very nice petanque area. It offers peace and quiet as there are very few people walking by. An area terraced in 1951 in art deco style it has a statue of St Denis in the centre of the garden, a children’s playground and fresh open space and benches to be still for a Montmartre moment. Nearby Attractions: Montmartre, Sacré-Coeur,  Musee de Montmartre, Place du Tertre

All of Our Travels, France

Picnicking Around Paris

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We enjoy the luxury of being homebodies abroad. Our preference is to find a comfortable vacation rental in our chosen destination and then live like a local. Sure we enjoy visiting the top sights, but we also enjoy taking part in the simple pleasures of daily life in a foreign country. 8113450_ButteChaumont4

Over the years we’ve been lucky enough to take two separate one-month-long vacations in Paris. One of our goals was to spend many leisurely afternoons picnicking in public parks throughout the entire city.

8113641_Tuilleries6

Paris has a LOT of parks and gardens. We’ve been able to visit 23 of them. There are several that are on listed in most guidebooks, such as Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin du Luxembourg, Parc du Champ de Mars, but many of there were farther afield and less traveled. Here is a list organized by Arrondissement.

Our Favorite Paris Parks

  • Jardin du Palais Royal, 38 rue du Montpensier, 1e, M: Louvre,  Place Vendôme
  • Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, 1e, M: Concorde, Tuileries
  • Jardin des Halles, Forum des Halles, 1e, M: Les Halles
  • Place des Vosges, Place des Vosges, 4e, M: Chemin Vert
  • Jardin des Plantes, 57 Rue Cuvier, 5e, M: Austerlitz, Censier Daubenton
  • Jardin Tino-Rossi, 8 Quai Saint-Bernard, 5e, M: Jussieu‎, Quai de la Rapée
  • Jardin du Luxembourg, Jardin du Luxembourg, 6e, M:  Odeon, Saint Sulpice, Mabillon
  • Parc du Champ de Mars, Quai Branly – Avenue de la Motte Picquet, 7e, M: École Militaire
  • Parc Esplanade des Invalides, Avenue du Maréchal Gallieni, 7e, M: Invalides
  • Parc Monceau, Boulevard de Courcelles, 8e, M: Monceau
  • Parc de Belleville, 47 rue des Couronnes, 11e, M: Couronnes, Pyrénées
  • Parc de Bercy, 41 rue Paul Belmondo, 12e, M: Bercy
  • Bois de Vincennes, Bois de Vincennes, 12e, M: Porte Dorée
  • Parc Floral, Esplanade du château de Vincennes – Route de la Pyramide, 12e, M: Château de Vincennes
  • Parc Montsouris, 2 rue Gazan, 14e, M: Porte d’Orléans
  • Parc André Citroën, 2 rue Cauchy, 15e, M: Balard
  • Parc de Bagatelle, 42 route de Sèvres à Neuilly, 16e, M: Pont de Neuilly, Ranelagh
  • Bois de Boulogne, Bois de Boulogne. 16e, M: Porte Maillot
  • Jardin d’Acclimatation, Bois de Boulogne. 16e, M: Les Sablons
  • Jardins du Trocadéro, Place du Trocadéro, 16e, M: Trocadéro
  • Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Rue Manin, 19e, M: Buttes-Chaumont
  • Parc de la Villette, 211 avenue Jean Jaurès, 19e, M: Porte de Pantin
Place des Vosges
Jardin des Tuileries
Jardin Tino-Rossi
Jardins du Trocadéro
Parc Montsouris
Parc Floral
Parc Monceau
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
Jardin des Plantes
Jardin du Luxembourg
Jardin du Palais Royal
Jardin des Halles
Bois de Boulogne
Parc de Bercy
Parc de Belleville
Parc André Citroën
Bois de Vincennes
Parc de Bagatelle
All of Our Travels, Italy

Pompeii: An Intimate Walk Through History

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We visited Pompeii for the first time about a decade ago and to this day it remains one of the most surreal and awe-inspiring travel experiences that I’ve ever had. It felt like a waking dream to wander freely though a town that was inhabited nearly 2000 years before. As I entered the homes and businesses of people long dead and saw the remains of their daily lives frozen in time, I felt oddly connected to them and thankful to be immersed in the experience. Pompeii is a precious window into the past and a remarkably preserved one at that.8124454_PompeiiFresco6

When Pompeii was destroyed by a volcano in August of 79 A.D., it was a resort town inhabited by wealthy Romans who were known for lavish spending on their homes. The evidence of this decadence can still be seen. As you explore the town you will happen upon colorful frescos, fountains, mosaic floors, courtyard gardens, and even indoor plumbing. 8124447_PompeiiGarden4

You can visit Pompeii’s restaurants, bakeries, public baths, amphitheater, and even brothels. There is still graffiti writing on the walls. It’s both fascinating and a bit unsettling to be granted such an intimate view of the city and it’s inhabitants.

All of Our Travels, United States

Swinging My Hips to Calypso in December

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It’s a cold December day here in Portland, Oregon. There is even a little snow on the ground, which isn’t unheard of, but fairly uncommon. Christmas is only weeks away and as many prepare for the holidays I’m sure Christmas music plays in the background.

In contrast, I’m not quite ready for the cold and I haven’t yet begun the transition into winter. I will shortly, I love the holidays, but today I dream of warm weather and tropical drinks. I can’t help but hear the Caribbean’s siren song. It reminds me of an infectious calypso album that’s a perfect accompaniment for my daydreaming.

Back in May I heard a review of Kobo Town’s second album, Jumbie in the Jukebox on NPR.  It was one of those albums you hear and immediately love. A unexpected gem. I encourage you to listen to the song previews on iTunes. I’ll be surprised if you don’t want to buy it for yourself.

What the Critics Think

Kobo Town brings Neil Young’s angst and Jerry Dammers’s instincts to traditional calypso themes. His upcoming Cumbancha release is a pithy combination of social commentary, dubwise soca, and calypsonian wit. –The Village Voice

He’s a powerful singer and an impressive multi-instrumentalist, playing guitars, bass and percussion, and he’s helped by producer Ivan Duran, best known for his work with Garifuna singer Andy Palacio. There are echoes of soca, dancehall, ska and reggae here, along with sturdy brass work, and the lyrics are suitably intriguing. He praises calypso as a news medium, covers topics ranging from the death penalty to tourists who take photos of Caribbean poverty, and ends with an apocalyptic calypso with echoes of TS Eliot. Impressively original. –The Guardian (UK)

The music of the Toronto band can drift between classic Caribbean pop styles and even verge on hip-hop, but the singer’s perspective remains sharply focused, wry and witty. Jumbie in the Jukebox is a seductive invitation to musical time travel and one that’s hard to resist. –NPR’s All Things Considered

All of Our Travels, France

How D’Artangan Swept Me Off My Feet and All The Way to France

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“I do not say there is no character as well-drawn in Shakespeare [as D’Artagnan]. I do say there is none that I love so wholly.”
—Robert Louis Stevenson

Many years ago I bought myself a copy of The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. I chose it from the shelves of Powell’s Bookstore primarily because of the description on the back. I remember the word “swashbuckling” jumping out at me. I was a little skeptical, but my curiosity was piqued and I thought it was worth a try.

To be honest, I found the first couple chapters a bit boring, but I kept reading and before long things started to get interesting, riveting even. It was the perfect blend of adventure, intrigue, history, romance, comedy and setting. It was, well, swashbuckling. I was hooked.

I soon learned that The Three Musketeers was actually part of a series called The d’Artagnan Romances and that it was originally published in 1844 as a serial in a Parisian magazine. I went about tracking down the full series and I read them all voraciously. I looked forward to reading on my commute, at lunch, and before bed every day. Many nights I stayed up far too late reading “just one more chapter”, and then “just one more”.

Since it was written as a serial, just about every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. I was so enthralled by the characters, the places, and events that I simply had to see it all for myself. Here are just a few places you can visit on your own Musketeer Themed Tour of Paris.

Lodgings Noted in the Books

Other Musketeer Sights in and around Paris

Get the Books

Different publishers compile the serials in different ways, so I recommend sticking with the same publisher for the entire series to ensure that your reading experience has the proper continuity and flow. Another thing to note is that these books were originally written in French, so some translations are better than others. I personally enjoy the Oxford World’s Classics editions.

    1. The Three Musketeers (Oxford World’s Classics)
    2. Twenty Years After (Oxford World’s Classics)
    3. The Vicomte de Bragelonne (Oxford World’s Classics)
    4. Louise de la Vallière (Oxford World’s Classics)
    5. The Man in the Iron Mask (Oxford World’s Classics)

Fun Ways to Introduce Kids to The Three Musketeers

    1. Classics Illustrated Deluxe #6: The Three Musketeers (Classics Illustrated Deluxe Graphic Novels)
    2. The Three Musketeers (Illustrated Classics)
    3. The Last Musketeer
    4. The Last Musketeer #2: Traitor’s Chase
    5. The Last Musketeer #3: Double Cross
All of Our Travels, Mexico

The Afterlife and Human Sacrifice

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I came across a brief article today on the Past Horizons website noting that archaeologists at the site of Tehuacan in Puebla, Mexico believe they’ve identified a mid-fourteenth century shrine to the Aztec god Mictlantecuhtli (pron. Mict-lan-te-cuht-li) or ‘Lord of the Land of the Dead’.

Just last night I wrote a post about hosting my first Dia de los Muertos celebration, so I’d already been thinking about Mexico’s deeply rooted views that life and death are fundamentally interconnected. Continue reading The Afterlife and Human Sacrifice →

All of Our Travels, Mexico

Hosting Our First (Mostly) Authentic Dia de los Muertos Celebration

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For Mexicans, death is as natural as life itself. It’s seen as an inevitable part of the natural cycle. Birth leads into life, and life leads to death. The worlds of the living and the dead are deeply intertwined, two parts of a whole.

Pre-Hispanic cultures believed that when someone died they went to Mictlán (Place of Death) where they more or less continued their existence. For example, if someone was a baker in life, then they were also a baker in death. This is why you see skeletons (calaveras) decorated to represent different personalities from all walks of life. They aren’t meant to be scary. Instead, they represent the playfulness of the Dead, as they mimic the Living. Continue reading Hosting Our First (Mostly) Authentic Dia de los Muertos Celebration →

All of Our Travels, Travel Planning

When You Can’t Be There In Person, Travel Virtually

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I love travel and my bucket list of destinations and experiences is a million miles long. Unfortunately, these days, I don’t get to do as much traveling as I’d like. Whether it be money, time, work, or family obligations, something often prevents me from indulging my whim to set off into the wild blue yonder to explore new (and familiar) destinations.

For me, a lot of the joy of traveling is in the research, the planning, the daydreaming, and the anticipation. It’s fair to say that I am always actively planning a trip, generally several. It might be for an imminent departure, but it’s often for “someday” trips.

I spend many hours every week (OK, every day) researching, collecting, organizing, prioritizing, budgeting, and mapping out itineraries. It is not uncommon for me to put together scenic walking routes by virtually strolling through towns using the Street View in GoogleMaps. For me, the details are important. In short, I’m obsessed. But, I love it.

This doesn’t mean that when we travel we follow some strict schedule like robots or that we are simply checking off a list along the way. It means that by the time we actually arrive at our destination, it’s familiar. It gives us the confidence to be spontaneous, it helps us make the most of our time, and it ensures that our experience will be perfectly suited to us and our interests. I basically build my own custom guidebook and suggested itinerary. Once we’re there, we play it by ear. We stick to the plan or we veer from it as each day unfolds. Most importantly, we never have the dreaded “What do you want to do?” “I don’t know, what do you want to do?” conversation.

If you’d like help crafting a custom itinerary just for you, then check out we’re happy to be of service. Learn more here.

All of Our Travels, Mexico

Some Common Misconceptions About Mexico

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Mexico Isn’t Safe for Tourists
Mexico is roughly the size of Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Germany combined. There are indeed a handful of places experiencing violence related to drug wars and visitors should avoid those, but the vast majority of Mexico is safe and friendly. Continue reading Some Common Misconceptions About Mexico →

All of Our Travels, Mexico

Unexpectedly Enchanting Mexico

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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it’s not always love at first sight. For me, it wasn’t.  In fact, I’d sort of dismissed Mexico as a desirable travel destination for most of my life. I mean, I guess I like the beach as much as the next guy, but if I’m going to rough it in Latin America, then why not go somewhere more exotic, more beautiful, somewhere less… boring? I like history and culture and gourmet food. After all, isn’t the beach pretty much all Mexico has to offer? Continue reading Unexpectedly Enchanting Mexico →