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Museum & Lunch When Don's sister visited in early November, we had lunch and visited the Houston Museum of Fine Arts.  We dined near the museum, at a cafe table that reminded me of Paris... which was exciting since Don and I (just days before) booked a spontaneous trip to Paris Art Near Home With Jane, we practiced being traveling tourists at the museum.    We walked some miles seeing numerous exhibits at the museum! Museums & Galleries The very next day we were off to Austin where we joined family and played tourist a little bit more.   Weather was lousy, but the Thinkery Museum for kiddos was a blast! More Art Jane and I enjoyed touring some studios and galleries.  "Austin's Studio Tour" festival, gave us a chance to meet artists in their own studios. Best Entertainment Besides galleries and museums, there was time for Charlie's last soccer match.  And there was time to hang out at the house. Coloring, puzzling and hamming it up a bit! ❤️ Paris By November 22nd, Don and I were suddenly in Paris! Our last visit was 24 years ago.  It was a last minute decision, since we had no holiday plans and flight costs were low! Fouquet's We had Thanksgiving dinner at Fouquet's, just like we did in 1999.  Years ago, Don and the kids studied the brass plates on the walkway, looking for the names of famous visitors. This time, I posed on the red carpet. Things looked a lot more decorated! Eating Through Paris We ate a lot. Food and drink always tastes better in lovely settings, like Fouquet's and Musee d'Orsay and Hotel Bristol. We ate inside quaint cafes and at a tiny outside table in Montmarte, watching the artists, paint and sell. Walking Through Paris Although we Uber-ed a couple times, we mostly walked. And walked and walked. That's how you burn off all the French food! Museum Time We only had 4 days in Paris, so we chose Musee d'Orsay over the Louvre. We loved seeing the classics, like Degas' Little Dancer. But we also love the grand building itself and the stunning views from windows! Strasbourg, France I'd barely heard of Strasbourg, until the day after we decided to go to Paris.  I woke up and peeked at Instagram and saw a mind-blowing reel, showing magical images of the old city's annual Christmas Markets. We booked 2 nights in the storybook town, on the border of Germany. Night Market There are numerous Christmas Markets in Old Strasbourg, all just steps from our hotel. At night we bundled and joined the crowds. Ate pretzels and German sausage and hot wine, as we wandered. Exploring In the early morning, it was easier to see the old village without crowds. I meandered and found us some wonderful restaurants... we returned and ate some memorable meals! Zurich A quick trip to Paris had been the plan. But when we realized we could fly out of Zurich, we added 2 nights. We had one full day with sunshine, in Zurich. Food & Drink Adventures While wandering, we did come across some fun dining options. Our lunch at the ritzy Baur au Lac Hotel, was heavenly. Walking back from lunch, we discovered the Conelli Circus, floating over the water. The circus was almost over, but we were welcomed into the bar and enjoyed coffee. A perfect dinner of Swiss Fondu in our hotel, on our last night! Old Zurich The best part of Zurich was the sweet old town area. We stayed in a centuries old, hotel. Hotel Adler was just steps away from quaint shops and churches and lovely old fountains. On the morning before departing, the snow began to fall and we made it to the airport before big traffic issues. Christmas in November! We flew home on the last day of November, feeling like the Christmas holidays were in full swing!
 All 3 cities surprised us with festive decor! We finished up the month happy... and cold! Ready for some Texas warmth!
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