July 23

 7/23 - Paris

Our first entire day in Paris began with a simple, but filling free hostel breakfast.  Then it was off to a free 3 1/2 hour walking tour.  We learned a lot about the history of Paris and saw many of the sites, including Notre Dame, the Fontaine St. Michel, Sainte-Chappelle, the Louvre, Place de la Concorde, the Arc de Triomphe, the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, government buildings, and Napoleon's tomb.  

Fontaine St. Michel

 

The Pont Neuf (The New Bridge), which is actually the oldest bridge in Paris...

One of the government buildings.

In Paris (and in Prague), lovers have a tradition of putting a lock on the bridges and throwing the key into the water to symbolize their unending love.  It's too bad the city cleans off a section of the bridge every so often...

 

In the Louvre, there are certain windows with orange circles on them.  In case of a fire, these windows signify the rooms that have the most precious works of art that need to be saved first.

The Louvre!

 

 

The Seine

Place de la Concorde.  The site of many executions during the French Revolution...

Napoleon's tomb

Grand Palais

Our tour guide said they may be looking for a body in the Seine...

 

 

 

 

When it ended we found a grocery store, bought lunch food (at the greatest grocery store, Carrefour, and picnicked right under the Eiffel Tower.  We also had some bread and cheese from our hostel breakfast! There we almost witnessed a crime when 3 very aggressive pickpockets tried to steal from people about 5 feet away from us.  

Afterwards, we sat on the Trocadero steps and looked at the Eiffel Tower from behind.  

 

 

Photobombing at the Eiffel Tower!

 Then we hiked down to the Arc de Triomphe where we watched traffic go around the circle.  Although it looks very dangerous, we did not witness an accident. (There are nine lanes in the circle around the arc). 

We did, however, make it to the actual arc, and were very impressed.  

 

Photobombing from the arc.

By this point, we were very tired and went back to the hostel to cook spaghetti.  While making dinner, Karen befriended a girl named Stacey who was from Pittsburg and traveling indefinitely by herself!  After dinner we had great conversations with Stacey and Bo (he was Australian and traveling for 7 months).  To me, this is what hosteling should be like, meeting great new people and just talking.

Below you will find our obligatory "photoshoot with the Eiffle Tower" pictures from this day!

Fail, fellow tourist! Fail!