Our last full day to explore Paris. We start with our pastries and milk and start our planned walks. On and off the metro all day, going to the specific neighborhoods we wanted to see. Even though the metro saves tons of time getting around, my butt cheeks and calves are sore from all the 1,000s of stairs and walking, he he!
We visit the oldest known Parisian, outdoor farmers market, Rue Mouffetard, and surrounding area, La Cite island and Notre Dam, Tuilleres neighborhood and Royal Palace gardens by the Louvre, then back to Mouffetard St. for lunch. We had noticed a typical, quaint little street filled with cafes earlier in the morning and decided to come back here for lunch. We ate at a corner café, we both ordered the 10E Plat du jour which includes a starter, main meal, and dessert. I ordered French onion soup, beef bourgignon with green beans and salad, and crème brulee. Terry ordered avocado salad, sea bass, rice, green beans and chocolate mousse – excellent meal and filling – just what we needed for a full day of walking.
Rue Mouffetard farmers market
Notre Dam
Back on the metro to Place du Concord, the beginning of the Champs Elylese and the large oblelisk that the Tour de France riders circle around at the end of the race. We walk the entire length of the Champs all the way to the Arc de Triomphe. The French space industry was holding some sort of convention with displays of space vehicles and equipment, making the Champs crowded and unsightly.
Arc de Triomphe. See all the little people at the very top?
We metro over to the Trocadero district, across the river from Tour Eiffel. It was different seeing the Eiffel Tower from the back side, having never seen it like that before. The European Union star circle logo is plastered on this side – not sure if I like it. I asked two different gentleman to take our photos, they were both happy to.
We cross the river and make the pilgrimage walk under the tower and all around it, taking photo after photo. It always amazes me to actually be standing in the shadow of the Tour Eiffel. We walk back to our hotel, I turn to see the tower one last time, as the sun goes down and the lights come on. We turn a corner and the buildings hide it from view.
It has been a looong couple of walking days, I feel like we walked all of Paris, but we loved every minute. Back to the hotel and one last walk along our Rue Cler neighborhood.
The rest of today's photos
Time for the grim task of organizing everything for the pack home. We watch some depressing CNN news of our stock market woes, hearing the European CNN blame the US for all their financial problems, snowballing out of control. We just feel like we are not getting all the correct info hearing it from the European CNN spin.
As we pack, listening to news, we ponder why of our 4 European trips, 2 have had major bad things happen at home while we were away. The first, 9-11 on our 2001 trip to England, Scotland, Wales and Paris and now this, the bail out and stock crash.
Maybe, we shouldn't travel anymore? NO WAY, not happenin'.
We'll just let the world crumble around us as we travel along our merry way . . . ha ha.
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