Paris day 2. September 22nd (yes yes I'm behind on my blogging!)

Today we had a full day planned of sight seeing which included navigating Paris mass transit! Luckily Tony is an excellent navigator, I would be lost without him (in more ways than one!) Our experiences with transit up to this point had demonstrated that before each stop a lovely voice comes over the loud speaker and tells you the name of the upcoming stop, and along the way there are warnings, such "Mind the gap!" before each stop in London, which means watch out for that dangerous gap between the train and the platform as you disembark the train, as well as information about the next stop being the last one to get off at for a connection to such and such place. I was nervous in Paris because I was expecting all of this "voice over" information to be in French. Surprisingly, to me at least, many of these instructions and warnings were also spoken in English. In fact it was rare to encounter a person in France who didn't also speak English. Many times when I would ask, "excusez-moi? Parlez-vous anglais?" I would get back, "Just a little bit" but then they would speak incredibly great English! I kept thinking, what do they mean "a little bit?! That person just spoke perfect English, full, grammatically correct sentences and all!" This is when I realized that if THAT is what the French describe as "a little bit of English" than what I knew of French was nano particle size....dang I had been feeling SO accomplished with my newfound French skills.

Seeing how many French people speak fluent English really revealed just how much emphasis we do not put on speaking other languages in our country. Unfortunate really, as it is very very rewarding to be able to communicate with someone in their language, when you are in their country, and people are incredibly appreciative of an attempt at least.

Anyways, after hopping off the metro we began the day with a typical parisian breakfast at a little brasserie in the Latin Quarter area of Paris. Breakfast in French is "petit dejeuner" which is pronounced like "puh tee day zhuh nay". This little cafe had a sign at the window offering petit dejeuner for €8.50 spoken "eight euro fifty". So we ambled inside and suddenly I realized I could not remember how to ask where to sit or if its okay to sit here etc. Luckily sign language really does work. I looked at the gentleman behind the counter, we greeted each other with bonjour and then I pointed around to the tables with a questioning look on my face and he said, "Sit anywhere". Yah! We understand each other! After reviewing the menu we saw that breakfast would consist of; bread, a croissant, choice of juice, and choice of hot drink.

In my best French I attempted to order with words that would become very familiar to me over the course of our time in Paris, "je voidrais ceci" which means "I would like this" and then I'd just point to what I wanted. Simplistic, but it worked. What came out to us was a full baguette each, a large croissant, orange juice, and cappuccinos. We were carb loaded and ready to see Paris!

We started off the sight seeing using the Rick Steve's "Historic Paris Walk" which is outlined in detail in his France book. The walk begins at Notre Dame, which is really beautiful and there was a service going on since it was Sunday morning. We got some video of this and some of the beautiful stained glass but are having trouble uploading videos. After the inside of Notre Dame we walked a long the outside which is just as, if not more, spectacular than the inside. Good 'ole Rick Steve's is sure to include great historic tidbits and highlights small features that are interesting but would have gone unnoticed to the naked eye if not mentioned.

After Notre Dame we went to the Paris Deportation Memorial. In this small memorial there is a long hallway that is barred off, intentionally, and on either side of the wall there are over 200,000 crystals lit up in memory of the over 200,000 French people deported to Nazi concentration camps during the holocaust. At the end of the hall there is a glowing light called "the flame of eternal hope". Inscribed above the doorways in the antechamber are the names of all the Nazi concentration camps, and as you leave the memorial there is an engraving, in French, that states, "forgive but never forget". It was quite a moving experience and very sad at the same time.

Next we moved on to a little island called Ile Saint-Louis which doesn't really feel like an island at all but technically, I guess, is. We walked around some shops and had, what we both agree, is the best ice cream we've ever tasted. Of course I didn't take note of the name of the place....sorry!

After this we headed back towards Notre Dame and walked along the Seine. At that time the bells of Notre Dame started chiming and it was just such an amazing moment standing a long the beautiful river, looking upon the beautiful Notre Dame and listening to the beautiful bells....amazing! We also got some video of this.

After this we moved on to a walk around the Latin Quarter. Tons of great shops and restaurants here and I met a little kitty cat friend! A cute grey little kitty walked out from underneath a van and looked a bit bewildered as he gazed into the busy street. I called to him but he didn't look so in true Lisa fashion I approached him so we could become best friends. He let me pet him a bit which made me very happy, but then he started to run out into the street so I had to grab him and toss him back under the van....Tony was trying to get a picture of me and the kitty cuddling but he got the shot right as i was attempting to save the cats life so it ended up looking like I was just yanking a poor cats tail. :(

We stopped at a fondue restaurant and had a yummy lunch and a very funny waiter. When I told him I wanted to try and order in French he said, essentially, I should do it in English first because my French might be so bad that he messes up my order! Ha! As if! :)

We headed to the Louvre next but probably should have called it a day because by this time our feet hurt SO bad! Approaching the Louvre I really got an idea of just how massive that place is! If any of you have ever been to the Louvre you know what I'm talking about. It is huge! Tony got a great video that really demonstrates the magnitude of this beautiful building. He also got some great pictures of the millions of tourists all striking the same pose....you know the one....where they hold up their fingers in a pincer like fashion as if the glass pyramid in front of the Louvre is being suspended by their fingers.

As soon as we got inside the Louvre we decided to hit the highlights first then meander around. I wasn't gonna miss Mona or de Milo! We stopped at Venus de Milo first. What an incredible sculpture! Did you know they estimate her to be created somewhere between 130 and 100 BC!?! No wonder her arms are missing! Girlfriend looks good for her age! :)

Next we moved on to find the Mona Lisa. It was really cool seeing the Mona Lisa. However, she was much smaller than I expected. Also, as I was standing in front of her, after walking through many rooms of magnificent art to get to her, I found myself wondering what it was that made this painting.....well, so special. I know that sounds terrible! I mean, it's the MONA LISA!

Tourists were clamoring all over themselves to get to the front to take pictures. iPhones and iPads were hoisted above heads, held high in the air by anxious tourist hands, trying to get amazing pictures and videos, so that each person can say, "Yes I was there, in front of her, see? I have a video!"

ML is encased in plexiglass with guards flanking each side of her, as well as a semi circle wooden railing extending out from her so that people don't get too close....or just close period. The railing allows you to get as close as about ten feet in front of her in front and maybe five or six feet on the sides, no further. I slithered my way up to the front, hoping I wouldn't have to use my big girl voice and big girl elbows as I did when I was in front of the Rosetta Stone in London, .....i.e. shouting "You can get a better picture if you just let me get out!" to a bunch of tourists who were so eager to get to the front they forgot that they have to let others MOVE AWAY from the display in order to get to the front, and body checking a very persistent man with a camera who refused to stand aside so I could walk away from the Rosetta Stone. (Sorry dude you asked for it.)

Anyways back to Paris.....Luckily (for those other tourists) I didn't end up having to use my Kung Fu skills at the Mona Lisa after all. :) After Mona Lisa we wandered through some of the galleries seeing beautiful works of art, especially pieces painted during the Italian Renaissance. The Louvre was crowded with SO many people. It was incredible and annoying at the same time. Both Tony and I were getting cranky at this point and decided to leave the Louvre.

After the Louvre, we walked over to the Champs Élysées, grabbed a drink, then headed out to a couple of shops for a little bit. But after so much walking, and so much people dodging we were pooped and decided to head back to our hotel and get ourselves prepared for an early rise for our next day of sight seeing. We had plans to go to the Palace of Versailles early the next morning, Monday, to beat the crowds. Before bedtime, as we were reviewing the information in the Rick Steves guidebook we learned that Versailles consisted of three things; the Gardens, the actual Palace, and Marie Antoinettes Cottages....and we also learned that all of these things, except for the gardens, were CLOSED ON MONDAYS! Major bummer. But, as the French saying goes, c'est la vie (that's life!) So we decided to just roll with it and planned to just wander Paris and eat instead, and such was the end of day deux in Paris!

I'll fill you in on day three (9/23) of Paris soon! I'm so sorry I'm behind! There is so much to see that it's hard for me to stop and write!

However a preview; Today, (9/25) was our first full day on the Amalfi Coast of Italy and it is crazy beautiful. To recite myself today as I was absolutely breath taken while gazing at the coastline and hillsides, "If heaven doesn't look like this, I'll be disappointed." This is without a doubt the most magnificent place I have ever seen. And I got to stop by a long awaited visit to the hotel Le Sirenuse in Positano....anyone who's seen the mid 90's movie "Only You" with Marissa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. may know what I'm talking about. That movie, seen in my early teen years, was the impetus for my desire to visit Italy. If you haven't watched it, DO!

Arrivederci for now! More to come!