My European Vacation - Day Three - Champs Elysees

It is 9:30 PM and M has gone to bed. I have never seen this kid go to bed so early in a LONG time. Of course despite her confidence that she would wake up at noon this morning, she was awake at 7:30 AM. When you go to bed at 8 PM - what do you expect!!!!!

I have to admit that I am tired too - it is a lot of walking around and probably still the effects of the flight.
Back on our bikes and down town to catch the ON/OFF bus again. We had a two day pass and planned to make the maximum use of it. We took two different lines (blue and orange) this morning with interesting sites, but we did not get off anywhere. However it has really helped to orientate us in the city so it has been most useful.

Tourists here are worse than cattle. Apparently the blue bus hadn't come for a bit (they are supposed to come every 10 minutes or so) and when the blue bus arrived - the people just piled on through the rear doors barely allowing the people who wanted to get off - get off. It was a sad sight to say the least. The bus was crowded and we decided to wait until the next one which was a wise choice as it was much less crowded.

Here is M on the ON/OFF bus.

M on the ON/OFF bus. Notre Dame square is in the background.

Oh yes and first thing this morning, I found a new memory card for the camera so I was set for the day. Anyway on the first line we (M) spotted her favourite restaurant. Remember from the previous out west trip - what was that?????  Oh yes - Subway of course. Well once we got off the bus, it was lunch time and we decided to make our way to Subway. Why not!!!!!   So we had a bit of a walk - well 10 minutes and voila - there was Subway. I mean I am getting us around here like there is no tomorrow. No wrong turns yet!!!!

M in front of Subway

We took our lunch and ate it in the Jardin de Luxembourg. It was very hot in the restaurant and much more pleasant in the garden.

M enjoying her Subway lunch in the park

We should have ventured a little further so we could have had this view for lunch

Jardin du Luxembourg - you can just see the tip of the Eiffel Tower  on the right.

Then we hit the WC (cost .40 E) - at least they loos are clean so you don't mind to pay. And I think I have figured out why it takes women so long to use a public washroom. The men (NOTHING in their hands - just run in - do their business and rush out again). The women - have to take a lot of stuff into a tiny stall  - then figure out what to do with it all - then they have to get half undressed - do their business - then get dressed and assemble all their stuff. Honestly - the lines for the women's bathrooms are always long!!!!!!!

M is getting good at figuring out stuff as well and we had agreed (her idea) to get bikes and ride to Champs Elysees. No problem. When we came to a number of streets - she decided which one looked more likely to have bikes on it and she was right!!!!!   As we were unlocking our bikes - a lady asked us if we were taking one bike or two. At first I thought - hmmmm - is she really concerned for our safety???   No - it was just that both her and someone else wanted to return bikes and there was only ONE spot open (where M had taken her bike). When I released my bike - she was able to get her bike locked up. I mean this system is just the slickest in the world. I would NOT own a car if I lived here!!!!!

We haven't got pictures of the bikes yet - but we will. Then we rode to Champs Elysees. I mean - head for the river - turn left and VOILA!!!!!!   It was great once we hit the bike lane - then it was easy. Oh yes - did I mention that the bike lane is also the BUS lane and the TAXIS lane. Yes - a tad unnerving, but we have managed just fine and it works very well when you are going in the right direction!!!!!!

Then we zipped along the edge of Place de la Concorde (past the gendarmie at the US consulate where I didn't stop in the right place and was motioned forward by the gendarmie!!!!)   Then we hit the Champs Elysees. I HAD to ride part of it in honour of the Tour de France. So we went about half way up. Then we saw the bike station on our left and hopped over there and locked up the bikes. OK - so everyone can probably tell that we are tourists on the bikes as we DO NOT zip around like idiots -we tend to walk some of the intersections!!!!!

Next a leisurely stroll up the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triumphe. This thing is HUGE!!!!!   The question of the day was HOW DOES ONE CROSS THE many lines of traffic to get there. There must be an underground tunnel, but NOT well marked. We risked life and limb (along with many others and ran for it!!!!)

M at the Arc de Triumphe

We decided to NOT wait in line to climb to the top of this monument. Just too many lines for everything. But we DID find the underground tunnel to get safely back to the street.

M in the tunnel to get from Arc de Triumphe to the street

A lesiurely (how can fighting the human traffic be leisurely!!!) stroll down Champs Elysees. I mean there were so many people it was INSANE. 

M on the Champs Elysees - well the sidewalk part

Yes - you say - there are not a lot of people here. You are right - this is next to the park, NOT the stores. The stores were INSANE. You would have thought people had never seen a store before. The Disney store was NUTS. We went in just for a peek. M did pick up some stuff at H&M which were very reasonably priced. Of course - there is the big face - I want MORE!!!!!   But we still have 10 days here - can't spend everything all at once!!!!

We think we were very clever in that we realized that the yellow line of the ON/OFF bus was right by our hotel. And we could catch the yellow bus very close near the Place de la Concorde which is at the bottom of Champs Elysees. So we meandered over to the bus stop. On the way - we found this store for Marian.

What are those goodies??????

Why - it is a store devoted (I think) to just selling macaroons!!!!  We didn't buy any - they were quite pricey and we  have seen others!!!

OK - NETBOOKS suck when you are trying to do stuff. 

Then we hopped on board the yellow bus (no crowds of rude tourists at this stop) and then the bus took us pretty much to our hotel. Not even a five minute walk!!!!   How is that for getting around. Oh yes - not before we passed the Sex Shops and the Moulin Rouge!!!!!  It is very hard to get pictures if you are NOT on the right side of the bus - then all your photos has someone's head in them!!!!!   Will have to do some serious editing on those ones. 

We hadn't really had much time to explore around our hotel, but it is very near Place Republique which is a HUGE square (OK - rectangle) with MANY MANY streets all running into the square. We found a small grocery store and picked up some provisions. I wanted some fruit!!!!  All those croissants and breads are killing me!!!!

We also found a small cafe that we could have dinner - so after hitting the hotel and dropping our stuff off - we headed back to the cafe. Remember all the chairs face outward in the cafe so we had a great time just people watching. We have decided that this area (while still touristy) is not huge like some of the areas and that is just perfect. No one trying to sell us stuff and not a single miniature Eiffel Tower in sight!!!!  While we were people watching we came up with more observations about Paris - here are our insights:

1. The split between people who own bikes and those who take the public bikes is about 50/50 - hey why would you own your own bike when these ones are taken care of for you - no parking the bike - no worries about it getting stolen. (Can you tell I like the bikes??)

2. The number of scooters and motorcycles (well we had a discussion about what were scooters, what were motorbikes and were those other tiny things - mopeds or mini-bikes?????? - anyway the number of them is insane!!!!

3. Almost all the vans are TAXIS

4. I think we have seen ONE SUV the entire time

5. Paris drivers are incredibly PATIENT - you hardly hear a horn honk and TRUST ME - there are MANY TIMES when back home - we would have laid on the horn.

6. NO ONE respects the traffic signals - OK - so the cars do, but bikes and people do NOT!!!

7. People ride their bikes/scooters/motorcycles in whatever. We seen a lady - very chicly dressed with beautiful high heels on her scooter or was that a motorcycle?????

8. You could do a FABULOUS book - just of the doors into the courtyards here (or maybe the windows or the grills on the windows). Each one seems to be different - the doors anyway and even the windows - so many different styles. They are fascinating!!!!   I took lots of pictures - I will try to post another day.

9. NO BUGS - I love this part - we sleep with the window wide open and no screens. Of course - then we have the noise of the street which usually lets up around 11 and starts again at 6 AM. I must remember to close the window - or else get up at 6 and close it. 

10. Eating in a restaurant is very expensive, - I mean - we saw a double cheeseburger for 22 E tonight. No - we did NOT order that!!!!!

Well there you have it - we have set out a plan for the rest of our vacation - we did that over dinner and now have to find the reservations and timings to make it all happen. At least we have good internet where we are so that should not be a problem. 

I see it is 10:30 PM and time for bed!!!!!!   

Oh yes - as I mentioned yesterday - the quilt store I went to was closed. Well Marian looked up another one for me and it is three metro stops (or a short walk away!!!!). M is going to have a good sleep in and I am going to investigate!!!!

Have a great day!!!!!!

Ciao!!!! (Bonjour!!)