Bonjour!

After spending all of yesterday researching, planning, booking hostels and making train reservations for the next two weeks of the trip, we got an early start this morning for a day of sightseeing in Paris. Once again the weather cooperated nicely. Starting with the Cathedrale de Notre Dame, we walked to the Musee du Louvre, one of France's (if not the world's) finest museums where the highlight, of course, was Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, our primary reason for visiting the Louvre since neither Steph or I are big museum people.

We then walked to the Arc de Triomphe (shown in the picture), a highlight after watching a number of televised Tour de France bike races. The annual race ends at this arch, which is located at the center of the world's largest traffic roundabouts. Hopefully one day my family and I will return to this place to see the Tour de France in person (hint hint). Over a dozen boulevards spin off from the rounadabout, looking like the spokes of a wheel if viewed from overhead. The traffic moving around the roundabout looked like one giant mess of cars weaving in and out. I was almost certain we would witness an accident if we stood there long enough. A bicyclist with a deathwish even joined in on the chaos.

Last but not least we admired the Eiffel Tower from the ground and then admired the view after climbing many steps up. While snapping picture after picture we thought of all the houses in the world that have the same picture in a photo album or framed on a wall as about 5.8 million visit the tower each year.

For not being much of a city girl, Paris was a lovely city full of architecture and people that did not live up to their stereotype of arrogance. Most everyone we encountered was very friendly and helpful. We were sad to leave but excited for the next step in our journey. Bring on the French Alps!