Day 3 Friday April 13 Paris

Well today started out early and ended late. I left the hotel at 8:00 am this morning to get to the Eiffel Tower early so I would not be at the end of some horrendous line like we encountered the other day. So I felt like a Walmart shopper trying to beat the crowds to get a free big screen TV. Even though the tower does not open until 9:30 I am dutifully in line at 8:30 and still somewhat back in the pack. Nevertheless, I waited and actually was able to purchase my ticket by 9:50. Not bad! By the way the elevator that was out of service two days ago was still broken. Then it was off to the top. Wow! With a crystal clear day I could see forever. The view from the top of the tower is spectacular. The Seine snakes through the city and passes right by the base as it heads west. One can only imagine what the people thought back in 1889 when it opened. Experiencing a vista that grand must have been breathtaking. I have seen similar sights but only from the window seat of an airplane. I was prepared to feel some swaying while on top but Gustav Eiffel provide a solid platform that didn't seem to move at all. It was well worth the time and effort I had invested in the adventure.

Once back on earth I preceded along the banks of the Seine until I got to the grand garden of "des Tuileries". From there it was a straight shot to the Louvre and then back to the hotel to meet up with Chris.

We decided that a boat trip on the Seine would be a nice excursion so we hopped on board for a round trip plus one stop where we jumped off to visit the l'Orangerie Museum which houses a number of famous impressionist artists works. Picasso, Cesanne, Renoir, Modigliani, and Matese to name a few. We then strolled up the Champs Elysees where we sat and had some dinner before returning to the boat we had taken earlier in the day to see the city lights come on from the water as we motored along. Then back to the hotel by about 9:30. It was a long day but a good one.

Chris - I had no desire to stand in line again to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower, if it had been fast I would have loved it. Having been on the top of higher buildings, I decided to spend my time exploring things Paul wouldn't want to do....Shopping. High end shopping. Not that I wanted to buy anything, I just love to wander and window shop. My destination was Stella McCartney's store near the Royal Palace. I specifically chose her because she's notable, caters to the chic and has some outlandish stuff. I saw the dress that LeAnn Rimes wore to the ACM's 2 weeks ago, that I hated, and it cost $3500 (hopefully I can attach the picture). Blouses were $800 and up and sunglasses were $500 and up. It was sure fun to browse through a lot of the top designer's stores. I also saw Herme's Macaroon store...now that's high end! I loved wandering and finding farmer's markets, trinket shops and even running through a grocery store to see what's different from ours. Fortified by a stop at my bakery for macaroons and some French bread, I had a blast. Paul told you we went to the l'Orangerie Museum, which I wanted to go to because it has a number of Monet's Water Lilies paintings, 8 panels that take up the entire walls in two rooms. The rooms were designed specifically for these masterpieces they are round, white with big skylights almost the size of the room, covered with a thin fabric to create interesting lighting to the rooms. I found the paintings and atmosphere very impressive. Tonight, as Paul mentioned, we were back on the water circling the city until we could watch this magical city light up. I love water, so you know it's always a great day when I'm on the water!

Tomorrow more exploring in the morning and meeting Linda's daughter, Jessica, for the afternoon and dinner. Hopefully her French boyfriend, David, can join us for dinner. Can't wait to see Jessica!!