04-14 Ah, Paris in Springtime

As an added bonus to our Disney Group's escapades in the Parks they also arranged an optional tour of Paris by bus. Even though we plan on exploring Paris for a week next month we decided to stay with our friends and share the experience.

Almost 2/3 of the group decided to make the voyage to the city of lights on this Saturday. We were picked up in front of our hotel and when we got to this huge city of Paris we amazingly drove within a block of our Paris apartment that we will be renting next month.

Our first stop was a 38 story skyscraper (who thought up that name? - it fits) in the Montparnasse area. It overlooked the entire city of Paris with a 360 degree view. It was a bit foggy so our pictures aren't the best but I took some video later in the hour that we were up there when the sun was starting to come out.

Our tour continued on for a look up the Champs-Elysees toward the Arc de Triomphe. It is a gorgeous, much photographed view. Later we would drive on it and I would wonder how the Tour de France bikers ever manage the speeds they do on those nasty cobblestones on that street.

We stopped on the river for a one hour boat ride on the Seine down past Notre Dame Cathedral and then around the back side of the island back to our starting port. Once again this was an area that Karen and I will become very familiar with since Notre Dame is only blocks from our upcoming Paris apartment. The Cathedral is very ornate. We'll get closer another time. The Eiffel Tower also stood beckoning us to return and climb her stairs.

We drove down the Champs for a lunch stop in a very busy area of the street. And what to our wondering eyes should appear but a DISNEY STORE! The mother lode of Paris. Karen did end up purchasing something here - a mug with the Eiffel Tower on it. We DID have time for both shopping and eating here although we had to walk fast to get back on the bus at our appointed time.

We drove through old parts of town to the base of an old shopping district. We all got out and wandered up the extremely busy narrow street with stores on each side and racks of merchandise in the street. At the end of the street was this massive church with stairs AND a funicular leading up to it. Most of our group took the funicular. Karen and I like to walk and we planned on taking it down if we wanted.

There were people everywhere on the hill that led up to the church. When we had reached our destination we decided to enter the church to see the beauty that lies within. It WAS very nice but they didn't allow pictures and the fathers would shush those that made noise. Ah, just like so many years ago.

Everyone ambled back into the bus after wading back down the hill through the gantlet of stores and we headed back to the resort. Any day is great day in Paris but we shared it with friends and that was a lot of fun.