Paris

We did actually make it to Paris.  Decided against driving and took the train from a neighboring village/town.  Got there in the dark with the other commuters and took the train ride into Paris which was actually shorter time than driving.  From the train station, you go down a level and get on the metro.  Very convenient.

We went to the Louvre first.  Didn't go in as you could spend days just there but we did go into the courtyard.  That place is massive.  I can't even imagine what it looks like inside.  I wouldn't even know where to start, there is so much. 

Headed to Notre Dame next, walking along the river.  Came to the place where all the locks are left.  There are signs telling you not to leave locks.  Seems the weight of all those locks is threatening the integrity of the fence.  Interesting, though.  And no, we did not leave our own lock.





Notre Dame is very big and very beautiful, just like all of the cathedrals we saw all over Europe.  I could just imagine Quasimoto running around the top.





We tried to get to Saint Chapelle next, which is known for its' 12th century stained glass windows, but got there 6 minutes after they closed for lunch (1:00 - 2:15 PM).  Didn't want to wait the hour or more until they got back so moved on to the Pantheon.





Eiffel Tower was next.  Doug went to the top, I didn't, and it took him almost 2 hrs to get his turn up and down.  The first elevator wasn't bad as it stops at a large section at the base.  Since the top is so much smaller, the line for that elevator wound all around the base and took all the time.  It got colder while he was up there and, since I didn't know his status, I was watching the crowd for his return when he was still waiting for the elevator.  Finally got a text that he was just on his way to the top when I was starting to feel I might have missed him.  I spent my time watching the people and the troops patrolling the area with assault rifles.  Heard lots of American English but never approached anyone to ask where they were from.

Our last stop was the Arc de Triomphe.  It is true about the traffic.  Just one big area around the Arc that has twelve streets coming into it.  Cars come in, move to where they need to be, and then exit.  I don't know how they know what they are doing.  You really have to be watchful.

The Arc is very impressive.  Everything we saw in Europe was impressive, with very few exceptions.  Huge, elaborate, just awesome.  I keep repeating myself but I don't know what else to say about them.  We've all seen pictures but things are even better up close and personal.

It would have been nice to have stayed long enough to see the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe lit up for the night but we still had the train ride back so we didn't stay for that.  We ate at an open-air restaurant by the Arc and then headed back to the train station on the metro.  Then had the train ride back to our car and the drive back to our timeshare.  Was a fast, superficial brush through Paris but at least we made it.