Paris Day 1

4/1/12

We got into Paris late last night - the flight from Rome was only 2 hours and we had a gorgeous view of the Alps with the sun setting over them from the plane.  We took an hour long shuttle from the airport followed by a 10 minute taxi ride to the bar around the corner from our apartment where the bartender gave us the key.  We were soooo tired by the time we got to the apartment!  We walked in and it took us only a minute or two to realize that the guy we rented this from actually lives here!  It's as if he went away for the weekend so we could stay here.  And, he definitely didn't clean for the occasion!  The place is filthy, so we aren't too thrilled to say the least.  Part of the rental fee was a special "cleaning fee."  He obviously didn't collect it from the last people who stayed here because it wasn't clean!

We took the metro to Champs-Elysees which is a ritzy shopping area.  From there we walked around and made it to the Arc de Triomphe, where we saw the eternal flame of the unknown soldier and many other war memorials.  Then we went to the Eiffel Tower, which is much, much larger in real life!  It's huge!  We were going to go at least to the 2nd level, but long lines, empty tummy's and small bladders won out, so we took the metro back to our apartment which is where we are now, waiting until 7:30 for the restaurants to open.  Apparently restaurants close then reopen at dinner time.

Paris is very pretty.  The museum buildings are gorgeous and very ornate.  The river Seine is beautiful.  I'm not sure what we're doing tomorrow.  Gab wants to see the Mona Lisa.  Tim wants to see Notre Dame.  I want to sleep in.
:)