Paris Weekend

So I typed this all and it got deleted...round 2!

So we got to Paris after taking the Eurostar at about 10 pm. From there we checked into our hotel after figuring out the complicated Paris metro system.  Our hotel was really nice!  We then went out wandering for a few hours.  We walked 2 minutes outside our hotel and saw the massive eiffel tower!  We were so close to it!  We then walked down the champs ellise!  It was great that Lee had been there before because he kindof knew where some things were.  He was great with directions!

First night in Paris.  Down the Champs Elisse looking at the Arc de Triumph  

Arc De Triumph in Paris!

 The next day, Friday, we woke up early and had our nice hotel breakfast and then went to the Louve.  We walked around the nice artwork and I found where the parts of the museums I wanted to see. We then went to the Egyptian art part because Lee likes all that stuff.  He was such a trooper with me and my art museums.  He asked me questions about the art and was really interested in it.  He wanted me to explain stuff to him which was really nice.  After that we had to take the classic pictures of the pyramid and touching the top of it.  It took a while to get it right but here are the results below!  Friday was a summer day, people were wearing shorts and it was so pretty!  We had such great weather Friday we were so lucky!

Lady painting in the Louve

Lee outside the Louve

Me outside the Louve

 We were on our way to climb the eiffel tower and go up to the top but there was a long line.  After watiging about an hour to take the lift up we were at the front of the line.  Lee, who is very scared of heights, was starting to get scared, and I didnt tell him then but i was freaking out too.  He had us go all the way to the top ( there are 3 platforms) and then we were going to work our way down so it was less anticipation to the tip top of the tower.  We got to the top of the eiffel tower and he was pretty scared but did so well and even went to the edge of the top to take a picture with me!  We walked around that level then started working our way down to the next level.  We took alot of nice pictures of the setting and then kept working our way down.  Once we got to the bottom he was so relieved, and I was too!  It was nice to be back on the ground!

eiffel tower in the background

at the top of the eiffel tower

halfway back down the eiffel tower

looking up at the top of the tower

 After that, we did not have too much time left because I booked a boat cruise for 6 30 so we had to go back and change and check in by 5 45.  We had just enough time to go to Notre Dame.  We walked around the left bank some, which is known for some art and then went in the Notre Dame.  It was so nice inside and was great to see the inside of it!

in front of notre dame 

inside notre dame 

 From there we went to the boat cruise!  The inside of it was so nice and we had a 3 course dinner with a bottle of wine!  It was so nice to see the Siene and be on it and then see the sites from there!  We enjoyed a nice dinner and some wine and there was great music on the boat.

our boat cruise

lee enjoying his wine on the cruise

on the cruise, near the eiffel tower

statue of liberty and eiffel tower, great view!

us after dinner

 After that it was about 8 pm so we figured we would do what the locals do and perch on a platform near the eiffel tower and relax and enjoy the view.  It was such a nice night so it was perfect to relax after a long day!  We were exhausted by this point, we did a ton Friday!  It was an amazing day!

a massive building that lights up...and sparkles

 Saturday!  We woke up and had another wonderful hotel breakfast.  Obviously I was still craving another chocolate croissant ( they only gave us 2 at breakfast, one for me and one for him) so I got one off the street!  It was amazing!  We went to the Musse de l'Orangerie.  It was really cool to see all the Monet work and there was a Debussey exhibit going on then.  I played some of his work and had no idea he was an artist so that was cool to see!  We spent some time in that museaum and then went on to the next thing.

the best chocolate croissant ever!

 Our next stop was the stairs of the Arc de Triumph.  We went up the stairs and got to the top after our legs were really tired!  The view was really cool because you could see the Eiffel tower too.  At the top there is a panoramic site view so it points out where everything is! we really liked looking at that and finding everything

climbing up the stairs of the arc de triumph 

view from the top of the arc de triumph 

WW1 memorial at the bottom of the arch de triumph 

 After that we went to the Sacre-Core ( part of the Montemarte village).  This is another famous church.  There were so many stairs to get to the church but from all the food I had been eating I needed the exercise!

me in front of sacre-core ( montemarte village) 

 The area around that is pretty artistic so there was a square of all artists doing and selling their work.  We had a nice look at all of it but none of it was the art I wanted to buy.  I wanted a paris-y scene but done nicely, these were all fine artists.

montemarte village, so many artists 

After having a delicious lunch in this area we figured we should walk to the MOulin Rouge.  Luckily it was only about a 10 minute walk because it was not impressive.  Just a windmill, pretty boring!    

moulin rouge

St Patricks Day

After wandering around shops around there and stuff we headed back to the left bank to look at the street artists and also to go to the Latin Quarter.  I found a beautiful painting and then we stumbled across this bridge.  I had heard about them in Paris and Italy but had no idea where there were.  It is a bridge where you "lock in your love" to the bridge with a padlock.  This bridge was so full of the locks.  Lee and I felt obliged to do it!  So we bought a lock from the street vendors and wrote on it and then locked it onto the bridge!  It was really cool!

The lock bridge, where people "lock their love onto it"

we made one!

its in paris locked there

 Saturday, was not as nice day, so we decided to warm up and have a nice hot chocolate.  It was a nice way to take a break for a few minutes!  Everyone in Paris seemed to just relax with a nice drink about half way through the day.

afternoon hot chocolate!

 From there we walked around the Latin Quarter and wandered around the Left Bank some more.  It is such a cool area we loved it!

 When it got to dinner time ( also St Patricks day) we found this nice restaurant but we had just had a crepe right before so we were not too hungry.  We got duck meat fondue and split it. This was the first time Lee had had fondue so it was really fun!  It was so delicious!

Lee's first fondue, dinner our last night in Paris

 From there we found an Irish pub, it was only apporpriate seeing as it was St Patty day, and hung out there for a bit!  It got to be late and we were exausted form our day so we headed back to our hotel!

St Paricks day evening!

Sunday morning we had our hotel breakfast and then checked out of the hotel.  Our train was at 10 15 so we didnt have time in the morning but we had gotten pretty much everything done so we were happy about that!   We got back to London with enough time to go grocery shopping and do my work!  

My weekend was amazing!!  Paris was awesome! 

Onto Stratford, Bath and Stonehenge on Thursday!