Paris day 2
We got a very late start on Tuesday. We were up for a couple of hours in the middle of the night, finally getting back to sleep about 5am. I slept until 12:15, CG until almost 1pm. We didn't head out of the house until almost 4 in the afternoon. But it was fine, we needed that sleep!
We found the Metro entrance and headed down. Got some help from folks and bought our tickets and hopped on the 1 to the Hotel de Ville stop. Emerged from the station and there was some huge shindig going on--dancing, merchant booths, loud music, it was a hoot! We wandered around then found our way to Notre Dame.
Words cannot describe the beauty. Really. All the photos make it look like it's all alone, but it's surrounded by other buildings. Oh, and the people! So crowded! We got into line to go in (the line moved regularly, there was no fee to enter). I had to stop at the doors to take pictures of the ironwork for friends, and then we went inside. I was honestly blown away by it. So beautiful--and humbling. Signs everywhere stating "Silezio!" But of course there was this constant murmur of voices. It.Was.Gorgeous. And I want to go back. Probably on Thursday. :)
We wandered through, then headed off to find dinner. We found a delicious Greek restaurant on a little winding pedestrian-only road. Some of the best Greek food we've ever had. Of course, you may be asking "Really Karoline? Greek food in Paris?" I answer--why not? It wasn't crowded, great service, and delicious food. :)
We then stopped at a shop so I could get a new scarf and some earrings. I love scarfs and where better to get a new one then in Paris? Then we wandered off to find St. Chappelle which was sadly closed by the time we got there. We wandered around it and the Conciergerie and then headed off the island, slowly working our way back to the apartment. We hit Rue de Rivoli--it was like Madison Ave. Gap, Sephora, Foot Locker, McDonalds, Starbucks....I told CG "let's get off of this road, we can find this stuff at home!" We did, but after we stopped at a cute little store to get Rowan a shirt (she wanted a "real shirt from Paris, mom, not some dinky tourist shirt please.") I think she is going to love it. And of course, I'll have to try and find her some others. :) (side note: no clue what we're going to get for Ben. I'm hoping inspiration will strike.)
So we wandered. We stopped at a drug store to get CG some saline for his nose--his sinuses are acting up. Then we found a cafe--Cafe Indiana. We stopped and had dessert. CG had a hot chocolate and apple pie, while I had cafe creme and strawberry cheesecake ice cream. All while taking in the people walking by.
Then back to the metro and back to our apartment--stopped for dinner fixings on the way. Which we didn't eat. We just weren't that hungry so we just had fresh strawberries, bread, and brie.
Now it's 9:30 am here---CG is off to work soon and I'm off to see the catacombs and a few cemeteries. We'll meet up for dinner with the gentleman he's meeting today. I've turned my phone on (but please don't call or text!) so I can be reached in case of emergency (like the text about Ben being sick again). I'm hoping the charges aren't too horrible, but it's really the only way to communicate effectively.
Oh! We did resolve the wireless connection in the apartment problem. I downloaded a Virtual Router onto my computer (something you can do if you are running Windows 7). That has turned my computer into a wireless hot spot. Yay to free solutions to problems!
We found the Metro entrance and headed down. Got some help from folks and bought our tickets and hopped on the 1 to the Hotel de Ville stop. Emerged from the station and there was some huge shindig going on--dancing, merchant booths, loud music, it was a hoot! We wandered around then found our way to Notre Dame.
Words cannot describe the beauty. Really. All the photos make it look like it's all alone, but it's surrounded by other buildings. Oh, and the people! So crowded! We got into line to go in (the line moved regularly, there was no fee to enter). I had to stop at the doors to take pictures of the ironwork for friends, and then we went inside. I was honestly blown away by it. So beautiful--and humbling. Signs everywhere stating "Silezio!" But of course there was this constant murmur of voices. It.Was.Gorgeous. And I want to go back. Probably on Thursday. :)
We wandered through, then headed off to find dinner. We found a delicious Greek restaurant on a little winding pedestrian-only road. Some of the best Greek food we've ever had. Of course, you may be asking "Really Karoline? Greek food in Paris?" I answer--why not? It wasn't crowded, great service, and delicious food. :)
We then stopped at a shop so I could get a new scarf and some earrings. I love scarfs and where better to get a new one then in Paris? Then we wandered off to find St. Chappelle which was sadly closed by the time we got there. We wandered around it and the Conciergerie and then headed off the island, slowly working our way back to the apartment. We hit Rue de Rivoli--it was like Madison Ave. Gap, Sephora, Foot Locker, McDonalds, Starbucks....I told CG "let's get off of this road, we can find this stuff at home!" We did, but after we stopped at a cute little store to get Rowan a shirt (she wanted a "real shirt from Paris, mom, not some dinky tourist shirt please.") I think she is going to love it. And of course, I'll have to try and find her some others. :) (side note: no clue what we're going to get for Ben. I'm hoping inspiration will strike.)
So we wandered. We stopped at a drug store to get CG some saline for his nose--his sinuses are acting up. Then we found a cafe--Cafe Indiana. We stopped and had dessert. CG had a hot chocolate and apple pie, while I had cafe creme and strawberry cheesecake ice cream. All while taking in the people walking by.
Then back to the metro and back to our apartment--stopped for dinner fixings on the way. Which we didn't eat. We just weren't that hungry so we just had fresh strawberries, bread, and brie.
Now it's 9:30 am here---CG is off to work soon and I'm off to see the catacombs and a few cemeteries. We'll meet up for dinner with the gentleman he's meeting today. I've turned my phone on (but please don't call or text!) so I can be reached in case of emergency (like the text about Ben being sick again). I'm hoping the charges aren't too horrible, but it's really the only way to communicate effectively.
Oh! We did resolve the wireless connection in the apartment problem. I downloaded a Virtual Router onto my computer (something you can do if you are running Windows 7). That has turned my computer into a wireless hot spot. Yay to free solutions to problems!