My European vacation - Day two - The Eiffel Tower!

I forgot to tell you about our sleep last night. I lay on my bed last night and dozed, then dozed some more and finally decided I needed to get changed for bed and get under the covers. After reading a bit - I was out around 11:30. Only to be WOKEN up at 1:30 by the damn phone ringing!!!!!!    Someone - the front desk????   is saying "I have your camera or was it phone?" and I can't even remember whether it was in French or English. I hear all kinds of commotion in the background then the person asks "aren't you from Brasil?". No Canada - and I hung up. I was ticked off because then I thought I would not be able to go back to sleep, but that was no problem. I was fast asleep soon enough.

After a leisurely start to the day - we got up at 8 AM, we got ready and decided to bike down to Notre Dame first and then grab a croissant there. No more of these carb laden breakfasts for us - too expensive and more than what we need.

The bike station is just around the corner from the hotel and with M's help got the machine to spit out two temporary memberships and then released two bikes - we stuffed our stuff in the basket and we were off. A word of advice to anyone who is thinking of using the bike system - well it is loads of fun, and not that bad at all. However we could not adjust the height of one of the seats and it was pretty high. So I felt like an idiot riding the thing, but we managed just fine. Honestly from our hotel - we go down ONE street and we have arrived. No turning - NOTHING!!!!!   (A word of caution - bikes don't have to worry about ONE WAY STREETS) A tad harrowing considering the width of the street and with traffic parked on one side - there is not really a lot of room for a bike and a car. But we managed no problems. Found a place to dump the bikes off and we were off for the day. The nice thing - these bike stations are EVERYWHERE and it should't be a big deal to get to the other places we want to go - again - one street basically in a different direction and we are there!!!!!   Paris is pretty easy to get around - we haven't gotten lost yet!!!!!

We grabbed a croissant from one of the MANY small cafes and sat in the square at Notre Dame and ate while we watched the crowds in the square. Hey where do all these people come from????????  And certainly NOT a lot of english to be heard.

Then we were off to find the on/off bus station which was a five minute walk from Notre Dame - hey did you notice that Notre Dame is our HOME BASE. Well it sure sounds like it!!!!    Anyway - we went for the TWO DAY option on the on/off bus and I am sure glad that we did that. We saw many many of the famous sites of  Paris today - the Louvre, Arc de Triumph, Champs Elysees, the Eiffel Tower, the Opera House - well the list goes on and on. We had decided that we would stop at the Eiffel Tower and spent the greater part of the day there.

Upon arriving, there is a SEA of people under the tower. Where to begin to make sense of what is the line to get in and what isn't. Well we ended up in one line and from there we started our strategy. Aha - there is a line for reservations -  but how does one get a reservation? So while M waited in the line, I went and asked (and you know - my French is coming in pretty handy - we haven't had any issues getting anything  at all and most people would speak English if we did) - anyway - reservations are made ONLINE and MUST be booked at least TWO WEEKS in advance. Marian - did you hear that???????   TWO WEEKS in advance at a minimum. Well at least for this time of year.

Back to tell M about that story. I mean we are in a line (a two hour wait to buy a ticket) and we don't even know how much it costs or anything. OK - we should have checked, but this adventure is more fun. Then I walk around while M waits in the line to see what other options there are because there are lines everywhere or so it seems. Groups - doesn't apply to us, but WAIT A MINUTE - there is a MUCH shorter line if we walk up the tower. WHY NOT!!!!!!   Back to the original line - get M and we get in the line to buy tickets to walk up. Well now there are two lines here - one to buy tickets and then a line for those with tickets. We have met a young Canadian couple at this point and we decide to split our resources - M and the husband go in the line where you have tickets and the wife and myself stay in the line to buy tickets. Their line was MUCH shorter than ours and somehow (I won't ask details) they ended up in the "TO purchase tickets" line but way ahead of us. So we joined them and shortly we were walking up the stairs. But not before our bags were searched and we went through a X-ray machine!!!

The walk was amazing and we took some pictures. First off - the entire tower is amazing - the base of it is HUGE. I mean you can't imagine (unless you have been there) the scope of that base. We walked to the first floor and had a peek around. Great view and the walk - it was nothing. Then we decided to walk to the second level as well. Again that was no big deal - I know you are wondering about knees - well Advil is a wonderful thing. I felt like a spring chicken - well almost.

And instead of paying 13 E to use the elevator, we paid 5 E to walk up. Saved money and got some exercise. After walking around the second level, we decided to bite the bullet and go all the way up!!!  Had a bit of a wait while we purchased a ticket and then qued up to take the elevator (no stairs) to the top. WOW - I am not a keen one for heights, but the elevator was gentle and slow and I even took pictures on the way up. The view - it is spectacular. I mean - it is gorgeous and of course if you really want - you can have a glass of champagne (for a price) at the top. Hey - I'm too old for that so I just went to the loo instead!!!!   You know how it is when you get older - and someone told me this - when you are older, NEVER pass up the opportunity to go to the washroom!!!!  And now I can brag that I took a pee at the top of the Eiffel Tower!!!

After our look around and trying to take a picture of the two of us (by ourselves) we qued up to take the elevator down. Back to level two and then took the slanted elevator down to level one where we decided to have lunch. Although it was about 2 at this point so it was a late lunch. We ate in one of the restaurants there - but I wouldn't recommend it. Although the food was good - it was pricey and I didn't think it was a good value (yes miss cheap skates here!!!!). I think we have learned that the sit down meals here are way more pricey than they need to be and you can have just as good a meal grabbing something on the go  - like at the cafeteria also on the first level at Eiffel Tower. Well live and learn - at least we can say we ate in the Eiffel Tower. Don't forget I have miss fussy eater with me so it is NOT worth our while to sit down.

Rather than wait for the elevator down, we decided to take the stairs again and before I could stop M - she is off down the set of stairs that we came up, DESPITE the fact that there was a BIG flashing DO NOT ENTER sign. Of course - because these people are coming up and we are going down. Let's just hope they let us out at the bottom and DO NOT make us come back up. When we got to the bottom - the guy was going to do just that, but some girls ahead of us (why do the girls NOT pay attention) managed to get the security guard to let them out and we followed. After taking some more pictures of the Tower, we walked across the Seine and took pictures of the beautiful fountain and then went in search of the bus stop.

We took the remainder of the tour, but I really wanted a nap. I was tired and wanted to put my feet up, but that was not an option - the bus was full. When we at last arrived at the Notre Dame stop - I was revived a bit and we decided to so a little shopping along the VERY TOURIST part of town with all the tourist stuff they throw at you. M picked up a couple of things and then since the quilt store (YES THERE IS A QUILT STORE IN PARIS) was very close by - we walked to the quilt store. M kept saying DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING????   AN address would be nice - HEY I told her - I have it under control and yes I led us RIGHT to the quilt store. I mean - I am in my element. Must be all that geocaching that has honed my tracking skills. Anyway we arrived at the quilt store to find that it is closed. Well not closed, but they are closed - on vacation (as are a number of other places). Want to know the dates it is closed - oh yeah - the entire time we are here!!!!!    CRAP CRAP CRAP - that means a certain someone has to come back and get me something when she comes here!!!!   It is not far from Notre Dame!!!!!

Then M was tired and wanted to come back to the hotel. We had a discussion about being on vacation and being tired and all that. I mean the evening was gorgeous. Anyway we settled on getting some take out (hot dogs on a baguette with swiss cheese!!!!!) which we ate - again in Notre Dame square - do you see a pattern here??????   Then we got our bikes and biked back. I LOVE LOVE LOVE those bikes. They are so cool and every where you go - there are lots of people riding them - locals and tourist alike. I don't know who rides them more, but I bet the locals outnumber the tourists. I mean you really can't ride one and NOT smile - they are that cool.

We planned our day for tomorrow while eating our dinner and it should be relatively relaxing - NOT!!!!!   Poor M cannot keep up with me. You would think that youth would be way faster than age, but that is NOT the case here. Although I have to say that the couple of times I had to get up from sitting for an extended period of time- my knees creaked to attention and then needed a bit of oiling before they would do anything. I feel like a cripple!!!!!!

We have extended our stay at this particular hotel for an extra day. It is very centrally located for us to get anywhere and we have the bikes so why not. Now we are relaxing - M has fallen asleep - I told her not to miss that night of sleep, but she says she just had a hard day - up too early!!!!!   Good grief!!!!

Throughout the day we have made some observations about Paris. Here are our top 10
1. They SMOKE A LOT here and is it just the locals?????
2. It is a very clean city - there are garbage bins everywhere and people use them
3. There are TOILETTES everywhere. I mean the French know how to treat their visitors!!!!!   Of course there are lineups, but at least there are TOILETTES
4. Even though lots of people smoke, there are few butts around!
5. There are a LOT of police around and sometimes you see four or five in the same police car. I mean why do they need so many in one spot and there are LOADS of police cars around
6. There are ARMED army guys everywhere with GUNS - machine guns that are probably loaded and they go in packs of three. At least it keeps anything from happening!!!!!
7. While there are a lot of bicycles - they are vastly outnumbered by the amount of scooters and motorcycles. WOW - every size, and colour you can imagine. Including pink ones, one with roofs and lap covers. Oh yes - the French love their comfort!!!!
8. There are cafes everywhere and the chairs all face outward!!!!   No it would not do to have your back face the street - no you MUST face the street so you can watch the people!!!!
9. People ride their bikes wearing just about anything and everything. High heels, suits, short skirts, dresses, you name it. Even saw one person on their cell phone.
10. People DO NOT text here like back home. Perhaps because most people are from another country and do not want to pay roaming charges, but phones are NOT as prevalent as back home and you know what - that is GOOD. I think M is going through withdrawal which is why she is so tired!!!!!!


Well - at first I thought I had forgotten the battery for my small camera, then I found it. Now however I have realized that I forgot to bring extra memory card for the big camera. And I filled the stupid card today. However I had my small camera with me and M had her big one, so we still got pictures. Tomorrow - I will try to find a new memory card.

Yes - we are having so much fun - well M has to pick up the pace a bit, but overall we are having fun. Got to work on that food thing of hers or we will be eating burgers and hotdogs on baguettes all week!!!!!  I want a beer at a cafe watching the people!!!!   I might have to just go by myself!!!!  

No geocaching tonight - it is now dark and I have to say that I am tired myself.

I will try to get pictures loaded in the morning, but for now you just get the story.


Have a great day!!!!


Ciao (bonjour!!!!)