Just another day in Paris

The day started great as I slept in and Sherrie went for a run and picked up breakfast! After a lazy morning we headed out and started our tourism with the Arc de Triomphe.  It is an amazing building with stunning statues but somehow the best part is being at the center of the city with it expanding out in every direction.  After that we headed to the l'Orangerie which is filled with works from many impressionist artists like Monet, Renoir, and Cezanne...not to mention a few by Picasso and Mattisse.   So, inspired by those masters,  we headed to a display of new artists whose studios are all in the same building...a much different venue for sure, but fun and interesting as well. The forcasted rain showed up and we headed underground to the metro for our commute home. We have finally discovered the exit that pops us up on the same side of the street as our flat! Crossing the street can be the hardest part of the trip. 

Eiffel Tower and The Louvre

On our first full day in Paris we managed to sleep in until 10, visit the Eiffel Tower,  the Louvre,  and a museum filled with plaster casts of many famous French buildings called Cite de l'Architecture & du Patrimoine.  During all that we stopped for crepes at a roadside vendor,  rode the metro and helped a woman find her way to the Eiffel Tower while she was on layover going to South Africa.  We strolled along the Seine at midnight and got a nice photo of Ecole des Beaux-Arts lit up at night. The Louvre was not too crowded and we managed front row viewing of the Mona Lisa and many other major pieces like the Venus de Milo and The Raft of Medusa. We also took a "detour" through the glitzy gilt apartments of Napoleon III, to see how the other half lives. The weather was perfect in the low 70s, although it did get a bit hazy in the afternoon.  A great time was had all the way around!

First night in Paris

Our first night in Paris started off with a wonderful dinner at a little place down the street from us. The food was great, the wait staff were very friendly and we had nice chats with 3 other couples. After dinner we walked along the Seine down to the Louvre and took some photos with the buildings all lit up.  By that time it was midnight and time to wander back to the flat for the night. 

Arrived in Paris

We arrived in Paris safe and sound. Sherrie met me in the airport and we navigated the train system to the AirBnB apartment that will be our home for the next few days.  Here is a pic from our window at the church across the street for which this part of Paris is named.

and we are off...

After a wonderful wedding and a 3 month delay to gather our wits about us, Sherrie and I are heading off on our honeymoon.  We'll use this blog to post pictures and progress.