In Seine

Fell  asleep at around 10pm and then we were both up at 1:30am.  Hey, the Pats are playing the Dolphins! We were able to stream the game on our trusty netbook.  I made it to just past half time and G got through the whole 3rd quarter, when he knew they were on their way to victory for sure.  It was pretty neat being able to see it live.

Back up at around 8am and first order of business was to get yet another room.  I won't go into details but that room was marginally functional.  The bed was great but after that nothing worked.  Luckily, they transferred us to the same side of the building and this room feels like a suite compared to the other one.  Needed to kill time so they could make up the new room, so we headed out to breakfast.  Lots of bread, wrapped up the left over croissants for tomorrow.   On the way back, I decided it was time for a hair cut.  One of the problems with these long trips is that my hair turns into a mop!  So I now have a Paris do - very short - should hold me till I get home.  Not as short as the Fiji cut but close.

Quickly changed rooms and we were off  to explore Paris!  We charted a walking plan through the back streets down to Notre Dame, going through the Luxemburg Gardens and stopping for a photo-op at the palace.  The Pantheon was also in our path.  Arrived at the left bank with Notre Dame towering across the river.  Walked around and decided it was as good a time as any for a Jerry B. tribute in the Seine.  Across the way, we saw the Hotel de Ville looming.  This houses the administration.  Took a stroll around there to see what we could see.  Turned out there is a big shopping mall right there.  Shopping is crazy in this town.

While the rest of the tourists are crowding the many, many churches, we found yet another Jewish History Museum.  It was a great presentation of not only French Jews but all European and Russian Jews.  This also tied in with our printing museum, see the first Torahs printed.  Our Picasso experience talked of many of the artists that were in France at the time of the war - Chagall being one.  Most of them settled in the area where we are staying, Montparnasse.  All of these museums and exhibits have been off the beaten path with not so many tourists and certainly no lines.  It is rather refreshing.  However, tomorrow we take on the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower!

It was after 4 by the time we got out and decided to get back.  Being on the other side of the city, thought it would be best to use our transport card instead of walking.  Both pairs of feet were pretty beat.  Actually found a bus that took us straight to the hotel.  Much more civilized than the Metro plus you get to see stuff.  The bus left us off at the Gare Montparnasse, which is a huge train station.  Looked around in there hoping to get some information on how to get to the airport on Friday, but it was after 5 and info was closed.  Stopped off at the supermarket for the makings of breakfast in our room - so we don't have to keep spending mega euros just for bread and coffee.  All we need now is a spoon!  Probably "pick" one or two up at dinner tonight.

Time to shower and head for the streets but first we called Geoff's dad since today is his birthday.  Another great tool from the netbook.  Our dinner decision making is getting a bit better.  Tonight it only took us about an hour to pick a spot that looked like what we wanted.  What we wanted was escargot.  Wound up a place just down the street.  We dined inside instead of with the smokers who sit outside at the little cafe tables on the street.  They were even playing French music.  We shared an order of fabulous snails with a wonderful goat cheese salad. After dinner we headed down through our little theater district for some gelato so that we could keep the spoons for breakfast.

Back at the ranch all tucked in, I turn on the computer and Richard B. is skyping me from Venice.  He is one of the folks joining us in Vienna for the next leg of our journey.  While I was on skype, I noticed Linda, my friend in Switzerland, was on - so I skyped her and we chatted for a bit about Paris and Italy. She had just gotten back from Sicily.  Going to turn in now, hoping to have lunch at the Eiffel Tower for Deidre's birthday!

Next time ... More Paris