Wow, we packed way more into today then we expected. Also unexpected was the rain that we encountered. And by rain I mean, your shoes and feet are sopping wet, the entire front of your pants are soaked, and you are trying to feel happy as you are in an incredible city. We have realized the value of the umbrella and are creating our rules as to the etiquette of 'how to use your umbrella in public' I don't think anyone seems to know this. But we made the best of the day and found both the romance and light where we could. AHHHH I love this city!! Have I mentioned that? It is absolutely incredible. There is a certain elegance that this city has, that is unlike any other I have ever experienced. Mind you this would have been the city that I would have liked no rain, and some of the great weather we have usually had. We hope it doesn't last long, but at least for Paris it looks like it will be what we should expect for the next few days.
We had a full day today. We got up and made our to the train station, which we are already fairly comfortable with. Our hotel, I mentioned the district location, but it is a few streets away from the Moulin Rouge. Which was rather a anti-climatic place as it is absolutely nothing like the movie, at all. The area we are in is actually quite safe despite being that close, even though we aren't sure exactly about the moulin rouge. Anyway we made our way toward the Lourve, where we found a great place to eat lunch.
I have absolutely no idea how they make lunch last so long as they are so prompt with bringing absolutely everything to you. Your beverages, your food, everything. It is pretty insane how fast they serve you. I am sure you could eat anywhere in under an hour if you wanted to. Having said that we were greatful as we were ready to eat and we're glad to have our stomachs full as fast as they could be.
The Louvre is a GIGANTIC place. You really can't see everything in a day, but we did the best we could, and figured out the things that we wanted to see the most. Here is a tip if you ever travel to the Louvre. They have multiple entrances. The main one by the pyramid actually isn't a ticket booth but a security and bag check. THANKFULLY Luke knew this and found us a way in so that we didn't have to wait outside in the rain, the line moved quickly inside for security and we had our tickets in no time. So if you ever go don't be fooled find the carousel entrances, they are definitely worth it. Poor mass amount of people that were waiting out there in the rain.
There is honestly so much to Louvre and if you decided to take pictures of everything you would be there for so incredibly long. We decide usually that we want to take pictures of the major things, otherwise we want to just walk around and observe and experience. We definitely do not want to miss anything because we are taking pictures. There is so much to see it is so incredible. It used to be a palace for the king which it crazy as we are unsure how they even found their way around their own house. I guess that is why they had servants, to carry them when they are too tired to walk to where they need to be.
They herd people into see the Mona Lisa, it is not super crazy, but definitely something that you have to see. So many pool crowd around to see the Mona Lisa, when there are so many pictures around everywhere. We made it fairly close but a few people still in front of us. Luke has better pictures then I do, and straight on from where we were standing, but you can see the hoards of people. Also they kings crown and queens crown and her jewels are in the collage above, It is incredible. You honestly think they are fake but someone actually wore them and they are all real diamonds and jewels and definitely expensive.
They have two different metro signs here, not sure if either of them have significance or mean anything different, but they are cool looking. Also, we have noticed that don't care at all about the police here. When they are driving they don't move out of the way for them, and drive right beside them. It is so bizarre. Today we saw a police officer banging on his window trying to get the attention of the person in the car beside them that was turning right along side them.
Today we were using our unbrellas frequently. We definitely got our money's worth out out of them. Shield from rain, pigeons, people you don't want to talk to, it's great really. Although we started the day out and got almost completely soaked by the time we were done the Louvre, we were mostly dry, our feet were what was the most wet by then. I must say though you really take for granted being dry, and warm and not walking out in the torrential down our. Although the most of the day after the Louvre it was sprinkling with the occasional heavier rain, but first thing was horrible. I couldn't help but laugh because if it was raining that hard at home there is no way I would have gone walking out in the rain, unless I was going to go jumping in puddles of course. But here we were as wet as we could be for rain, and I mean that there was a drastic difference from the front of our pants to the back, from our sopping wet jackets to our kind of dry underneath cloths. Hilarious. But honestly all of the buildings here just have so much elegance to them, I love this place. And that makes indexing in the rain worth it.
We found the Arc, and the beautiful Eiffel Tower. We also found the Disney store and I got a picture with the Eiffel Tower in it, cause I am super cool. The Eiffel Tower is the kind of place that you imagine to be smaller then it is. But it is a grandiose tower that is much larger then you imagine it to be. And it is stunning! I am totally a light person. At Christmas we always go to Zoo lights and driving around the neighbourhoods with hot chocolate looking at the lights because I LOVE lights. I don't know what it is but that are beautiful to me. This is a magical city as it lights up at night. We ate diner around the corner from the Eiffel Tower and made it out to see it sparkle. Every hour, on the hour, for five minutes the Eiffel Tower sparkles and glistens. It is amazing. It is truly something that could never be captured on a camera with accuracy.
I know that Luke is definitely not falling as in love with this city as I am, even though I know he is trying and I know that he is enjoying himself, which is what matters the most.
We also made it to the Moulin Rouge this evening as I mentioned we are close by, but it was still something to see, especially because I love the movie.
We took a lot in today and are processing it as we speak but it was great day, seeing many things and trying to absorb as much as we could. The city is incredible and we are definitely finding the people so far to be nice, especially the waiters they do the best they can with English an so far seems to accommodate my allergies well. We have many places book marked to eat or have a pastry at. But the place the we had lunch at we ended up buying a loaf of bread at which was delicious as we had it for a midnight snack, and probably breakfast in the morning.
Also we saw what looked like a homeless man being escorted out of the Louvre today by the police which was the first time we had seen this. Also we did see military by the Eiffel Tower but I think a total of three military which didn't seem to damper the mood at all, which was nice, and it also got rid of the people constantly asking you if you wanted to buy their merchandise.
We fully understand that they are being cautious due to what has happened both I their own city and in Belgium, but it is crazy what stores they search you bag in. Disney store, McDonald's, and many others. We went into the McDonald's on the champs élysées and they had a bistro with many more fancy pastries, cheese cake, pies and many other things, as well as they also had the self ordering machines that west hills has as their only ordering machine, and in that you can put you want alerts for allergens, and it will pop up saying allergen when you select something that contains a certain thing, which is sweet. We didn't order anything, but it was a two floor looking over the street with big windows.
We had a very long day but it was a great one. We look forward to tomorrow and what it has to hold as we are a little more situated with the eh city and where everything is. Hopefully it won't be so wet, but if even it is we will make the best out of it.
And so the adventure continues...
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