They Put the French in Fries and Toast

Bonjour!

We made it to Paris after an early morning flight with Vueling (much better than Ryanair). The first lesson we learned is that when you hear the buzz noise while getting on the metro get out of the way! Angela happened to get caught in the doors with her backpack while the other two had to wait for the next train and meet her at the next metro stop. Leaving Spain we were confident in our abilities to understand the transportation system but upon arriving in France we realized that the language barriers would bring a new set of difficulties to our travels. The day we arrived in Paris was the hottest day here and that combined with lack of sleep made for a non productive day, however, we mustered up some energy and decided to shop at the famous Bon Marche and walk around the city. We quickly realized that we wouldn't be doing much shopping in Paris because of the outlandish prices. Traveling on the metro when it is 95 degrees outside is miserable to say the least especially when people squeeze themselves onto the train regardless of how much room is actually left.

After an unsuccessful shopping trip we headed back towards where we were staying and stumbled upon a street market with fresh produce, pastries, seafood etc. Bon appetite! After dinner we headed to the Eiffel Tower which was an amazing sight! We timed it perfectly so we were there during sunset and then as it got dark the tower lit up. We only went to the second level but it was breathtaking and provided a 360 degree view of Paris. The Eiffel Tower has been one of our favorite sights thus far. Still fatigued from our early flight we headed back and were ready for a good nights sleep. They say that New York City is the city that never sleeps, but we would like to argue that it is Paris. Cars, ambulances, motorcycles, people playing soccer in the streets, and the sound of thunder and lightning do not make for a good nights sleep.

The next day we woke and the thunder and lightning and lack of sleep made for another lazy day. We managed to get our train tickets for our next stop which is London. The rest of our day consisted of eating Cheeseburgers at a sidewalk café and going to see Shrek in 3D.

On Sunday we checked in to our hotel and we were finally rested enough to do some major sight seeing. We headed to the Louvre where we saw Mona Lisa, the Code of Hamurabi, and many other famous works of art. It was packed because the first Sunday of the month is free. Following our trip to the museum we walked all around Paris including down the famous boulevard Champs Elysees. At the end of Champs Elysees we saw the beautiful Arc de Triomph. A long day of sight seeing and walking led to a siesta and then some dinner. We found a great pizzeria just around the corner from our hotel. It was time to call it a night because the next day would be our last day in Paris and we had a lot more to see.

It is last day here and it has been a great day. Our free breakfast at the hotel started us off on the right foot. Our first stop was the beautiful Jardin Luxembourg (Luxembourg garden). When we arrived there was a youth symphony which was perfect to sit under the trees, relax, and listen to them play. We walked around the garden and took a lot of pictures and saw the house of parliament.

We then ventured down the street to Sainte Chapelle. Unfortunately it was being renovated, however, we were still able to see the intricately painted stained glass and two levels of the church. From Sainte Chapelle we went next door the Conciergerie which is a palace and prison where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned. The next stop was the famous Notre Dame Cathedral. The detail of the exterior and interior of the cathedral made it easy to believe that it took 200 years to build. After Notre Dame we decided to find a place with WiFi and we are sitting here now enjoying and early dinner before we head to see the opera house and possibly Moulin Rouge. We catch a train tomorrow morning at 10:15 and then we are off to London!

We are excited to arrive in London and stay with some friends from Oregon and be in a country where everyone speaks English. Now it is time for some Gelato…Bye for now!

Angela, Melissa & Christian