Venice ~ 30th ~ Proposal

So, its been a huge month for us.

I turned 30! which is a big deal. I had mixed feelings about it, but ok now.

On my birthday, I was one spoilt girl. James had to work but came home with this beautiful French patisserie cake, it was delicious. Here is us, I have got to say I'm already looking older. It's true what they say, It's all down hill here. The lines on my face, lumps on my body, however I AM GOING TO EMBRACE IT! sigh..

So we booked my birthday trip away for Venice a long time ago and then a couple of weeks before we were meant to go it was flooding. I started to look at changing flights for a different destination but had my heart set for Venice. So our hotel had a camera of St Mark's square so I watched it night and day. It all seemed fine so off we went. At the airport I am.

1.5hrs on the plane, 1 hour on a boat. We make it to Venizia, Italia. It is hands down AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL AND ROMANTIC. It has definitely made me want to go back to Italy and explore. The vibe you get is very down to earth and the people are very inviting. All the little alley ways that you walk on, the fact that they have no cars only boats. Just hands down gorgeous. 

St Mark's square.

It wouldn't be a trip without a photo in front of the Hard Rock Cafe.

Pulled up to the Casino in style, boat. I'm on a boat! Oh and I don't know if you can see but there is a red carpet too.

There are love locks in Venice too..too romantic.

Birthday dinner at a 3 star Michelin restaurant. Before and after. 

Went to the Dali exposition was pretty good.

Two souls as one.

Finally on a gondola, was so excited and then James's proposed. It was the sweetest thing. Had no idea I would turn 30 and be in Venice let alone be getting engaged. It was completely overwhelming.

As for the wedding, let's take 1 step at a time. We are enjoying this new stage of our relationship. So happy!

Paris Life thus far - 31 October 2012

Hello family and friends...

It has been awhile since I have blogged. Well it feels like awhile but I just checked and its been a month. We settled into a routine when Sienna started school. We have been going to parks often for play dates after school and  we also spent a lot of time at the bookstore. Its an english bookstore so we can pick up books that help you learn french, it also has toys and food from all over the world that you can't get at the supermarket; such as Vegemite. 

I'm still studying french. I have a class once a week and a ton of homework. Its an all women group all who have kids and each with their own stories as to why/how they ended up in Paris. I just love hearing about everyone's life adventures. My teacher is awesome and reminds me of Amelie.

I'm also reading a book called "Almost French" by Sarah Turnbull. She is an Australian girl from Sydney who came to Paris for the weekend and ended up staying 8 years on. I love reading about the places she goes and the hurdles she has had to face with the french. Also, she is living not far from where I am, so she mentions streets that I walk down daily which is pretty cool.

We went to have a drink at a cafe called " Les Deux Magots" some of you may know it or heard of it. It's famous because writers such as Ernest Hemingway used to go there for coffee etc also artists such as Pablo Picasso.

Cheers everyone'

Homeless people reside in these tents. Just randomly on the side of the footpath.

On our way to Montparnasse Cemetery to see Eugene Ionesco's grave, he is a French playwriter and he wrote the play 'Rhinoceros'. When James was a school teacher he directed that play so it's a very special day.

Then we went up Tour Montparnasse to see this amazing view of Paris. It is a building that goes up 56 levels and the roof top has a 360 degree view of Paris.

Sienna and I went with our very good friends on a hot air balloon. Which we got another amazing view of Paris. It is at Parc Andre Citreon.

Sienna's first day of school, she was so excited to catch the bus. Stil 2 months into school, she still gets excited everyday we get on the bus.

and now the school is on holidays so the fun begins. We went to a workshop the first day at a Museum for kids. Sienna got to paint and make 3D glasses.

Today we went to the Theatre du Marais and watched a show called Jackie and the Giants. It was alot of fun and very interactive. They spoke in english so it was great because Sienna could really get into it. 

and of course Sienna being so not shy and extremely loud, she was called up on stage. Here is a video footage.

http://youtu.be/t3vmghE06uk

Well I hope you all enjoy my blogs as I enjoy writing them. I hope you feel like you are on an adventure with us. Missing everyone back home alot, all my friends and family and also my work colleagues. If you get a chance I would love to hear about what is going on in your life. I miss my chats with my office girls as that was my daily fix. 

My email is liliana.is@hotmail.com or facebook me. 

So my next blog will be in November, which is my Birthday month. It will be awesome! Stay tuned!

Love Liliana 

Xo

Versailles Gardens

Versailles Gardens

Another gorgeous weekend in Paris, France so we set off for Versailles which took 30 min on the fast train.

We had already been to the Castle in Versailles, which is where the royals of France lived but at the time the gardens where closed.

These are the amazing gardens:

Here's us:

 Sienna showering James with kisses. Love these two so much!!

Going on the boat, Sienna super excited in her life vest.

We're just chillin while James does all the work.

James was such a great rower, and so good looking. How did I get so lucky!

Ok, Sienna you can have a go...

Give me a go... Ok! this is really hard. I will just go back to taking in the magnificent view.

Sienna going solo.

Walking thru Marie Antoinette's Castle and gardens.

Finally a photo all together. Love my little family!

More adventures to come peeps...

See you soon

Liliana Matos

Amboise - Loire Valley France

Amboise - Loire Valley

Weekend trip - 1.5 hours on fast train from Paris

Just got back from our lovely weekend away.

What an adventure...

It's friday afternoon and I had everything packed for us to leave as soon as James finished work. We get to the train all ready to go and Sienna is like " Im hungry". Of course you are child, you always are. So I reached into my bag to find that the cut up carrots and apples weren't in there. I had forgotten them! So we only had little cakes and water for snacks. Great I thought, all that work in preparing a healthy snack for her and I left it at home.

We then arrive in this gorgeous town and there are no cars to rent and the Taxis aren't working... great! So there is 5 people who own Taxis and they work on their own time. Finally, we got thru to one and got to the hotel. Only about an hour later. We would have walked but the hotel was 40 min away up a hill. Then, we get to the hotel the best in town - Novotel Amboise and they are full for dinner...Not one table. Ok! and there was no point in trying for a taxi as that was useless last time and we were starving. So we walked up and down hills for 30 min to get to the city centre. James carried Sienna all the way there and back, poor thing.

So that was day 1, then Saturday, day 2, we got up early had breakfast and thought ok lets just walk to the city as we had walked the night before. Getting ready for the day and I realise I had forgotten my make-up, great I thought! Our first trip with a proper camera and no make-up. So I had to get over that or as James suggested we will just go to the Pharmacy and buy some. Sienna said the frog took my make-up, no idea why she thought that, but we rolled with it. So finally we are out the door.

Plan for the day:

Chateau d'Amboise

Leonardo Da Vince house

We get to the Chateau d'Amboise and I'm so exited its so beautiful and I tell James to get the camera and take some pics. Only to find out that I forgot to put the battery in it after it was charged. Seriously!! Im such a scatterbrain! I try to do too many things at once and Im the worst packer! 

We had to laugh and that was the end of our bad luck. Three things!

I ended up taking some pics with my phone.

Chateau d'Amboise

Leonardo Da Vinci's Tomb 

The view of the city

Solar System on wheels

 Sienna was highly disappointed she didn't see any princess in the castles. 

Leonardo Da Vinci 

last residence

Sienna a little tired

Leonardo's girlfriends room

Leonardo's bedroom

Here are some interesting facts I learnt about Leonardo Da Vinci, not only was he famous for Mona Lisa

He invented about 40 machines, that were later produced by IBM using the materials of the time.

Car

Tank

Paddle boat

He also created 3D.

We then walked around the gardens for hours, they were just amazing.

It was such a beautiful day, we had the best time.

We then went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner, we made reservations this time ;-).

The End