Paris!

So many things to say about this very short trip to Paris. I shall let the photos tell some of the stories for me, but suffice it to say that the trip was a success. We took the train, the Eurostar, under the Chunnel---I was so excited about this part of it, and it was so uneventful! I actually missed it. We had gone through some short tunnels as we left London, so when we went through the actual Chunnel, I had no idea. I paid attention on the way back, and it lasted less than 20 minutes.

It took three metro lines to get to our hotel, and it was a teeny hotel, with the teeniest lift on the planet. Two people could barely fit, let alone with luggage (see pics below, or attempts at pics; you couldn't really fit a camera in that thing). Nevertheless, we opted to stay on the seventh floor, and it had a beautiful view. Best of all, it was around the corner from the Eiffel Tower.

We walked along the Seine that first night, taking in some sights, when the clouds started to turn very black. I suggested we find a cafe before the skies opened up. Arthur thought there was still blue sky to be seen, the storm might pass, but as we felt the first sprinkles, we ran for the closest cafe, and the deluge began. It was unbelievable. We were so lucky to escape it. But as luck would have it, the cafe was extremely expensive. It was worth it to escape that rain (and the food and wine were excellent), but really, that many Euros???! What is the exchange rate again? I'm afraid to check my bank account.

Speaking of food, oh, my, God. We, all of us, instantly noticed the difference: the bread, the cheese, the wine, the coffee. Everything is better in France! After over a week of British food, we were all in awe of French food. We weren't sure we could go back to British fare.

Our seventh-floor rooms in this tiny hotel.

The view

Ummm... Alex, yes, that's seven stories up.

The impossibly small elevator (lift!) in our hotel -- the mirror in the back tries to make it look bigger, but it is miniscule.

this is the entire square footage: 3 x 1.5

Heading out to see the sights, and the first, just around the corner from our hotel, is...

The Eiffel Tower. (As it came in to view for the first time, Anna asked, "Are you sure that's the right one?" She was expecting something different? Bigger? Brighter?

Carousel ride at the base of the Eiffel Tower.

Walking along the Seine. See the black clouds gathering in the background?

Here's the downpour!

We started at the outside seating at our emergency shelter, but had to move inside. It really came down!

Next day: taking the stairs up to the second floor to catch the lift the rest of the way (much shorter line this way!)

The Paris police were conducting some sort of maneuvers on the tower that day.

View from the top.

Anna pointed out the Taj Mahal! (It's actually the Sacre Coeur, in Montmatre.)

More police maneuvers...

and rescues?

Notre Dame.

Alex lit a candle for Cate.

Can you see the gargoyles sticking out from the side of the cathedral -- Alex wants one for his room

Anna dragged us to many, many souvenir stores

The Louvre.

The mob scene in front of the Mona Lisa. It was just ridiculous. The painting is fenced off from the public and under special protective glass, and this mob of people take their pictures in front of it. Silly.

Eiffel Tower by night...

...before it started to rain again.