July 25

7/25 - Paris

 

 

This morning started off with the hostel breakfast too!  (P.S. we have also been packing our lunches at breakfast.)  However, before leaving to head into the center of the city we stopped at an internet cafe where we booked places to stay for the rest of our trip, checked e-mails, and went on Facebook.  After this we were ready to see the catacombs... Sadly when we arrived the line was far too long, and who really wants to pay to see a bunch of dead bodies anyway?  So we walked until we found nice gardens.  However, Karen had to use the bathroom so we went across the street into a cafe/bar.  Not only did we use the bathrooms for free, Karen also found a French comic book for Brian!  Then it was back to the garden to sit with our feet in a fountain and eat lunch.  Once we finished lunch we walked through Luxemburg Gardens, which were beautiful and really cool to see.  Then we set off on foot (again!) to Notre Dame where we walked around the whole cathedral.  

 

Maryanne enjoying the walk around Notre Dame...

 

 

 

And after another long walk we found ourselves at the Paris Opera House!  

 

 

 

 

 

The building is astounding, and while we did not pay to go inside, Karen did buy honey that was made on the roof for Brian!  After taking in the opera we made our way into the Louvre which is open later on Wednesdays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went to buy tickets and even after lying and saying we had studied in the EU we still would have had to pay 10 euro.  Because we really only wanted to see the Mona Lisa, and possibly the Venus de Milo, we did not think this was a worthwhile spending of money.  So we sat in the lobby of the Louvre and enjoyed the gift shop.  When that was over we walked to the Eiffel Tower. 

 

 The line to ride up on the elevator was still absurdly long so we took the stairs.  The steps were not that bad, they saved us money, and it was cool to see everything get tinier as we climbed up.  

 

 

 

We spent a little time on the 1st and 2nd level before taking an elevator to the top.  While the top was very crowded, we loved getting to see the Paris monuments from way up high!  

 

 

 

 

 

We actually waited at the top level and watched the sun set.  It was stunning, and everyone cheered when it went all the way down.  

We then worked our way back down.  On the 1st platform we sat down and drank a glass of wine each, which we had smuggled in!  

 

This was lovely!  We even got to see the lights sparkle again.  

Then it was back to the hostel for sleep.