Arrival in Paris, Thursday April 4

We survived the flight with a bit of sleep. We were very well fed, and both agreed that the highlight was the soup, go figure. Watched some movies, put the eyeshades on and tried to sleep. We both think we slept a little, but certainly not enough to feel well rested.

We arrived at CDG at 630am, it was still dark and SNOWING. Yes, white stuff was falling out of the sky. Really?? It is April 4th and it looks like Christmas. There was no one in passport control or customs, so were out in minutes and into the taxi and the Paris traffic. By the time we got to the hotel an hour later, we were both a bit queasy from the ride. Luckily, our room was available, so we took advantage and enjoyed some much needed sleep.

Our hotel Hotel de Toureville is two blocks from the Eiffel Tower and rue Cler, a great little pedestrian street with lots of cafes and food shops. It is my favorite area of Paris.

At noon, we were up and while not at full strength, certainly good enough to begin seeing some sights. First we went over to rue Cler for some lunch where we choose the crepe cafe, which also had some greek food. I had a crepe (of course!) with cheese, mushrooms and ham, while Ken enjoyed a moussaka type dish. The server said in Greece it is called the "shoe" because of its shape. Kinda weird, but it was good!

Then we headed to Sacre Couer via the Metro (subway). It is the most cost efficient and easiest way to get around Paris. Sacre Couer is up on a hill overlooking Paris, and is my favorite church (versus Notre Dame) as it seems more light and colorful. Luckily, the weather had turned cloudy but not snowing or raining. Because of the clouds the view of Paris was not clear. After going through the church, we went to the artists area on Montmartre, just a few clocks away. While very touristy, it is also fun to see the artists painting and do some people watching. We did that at a cafe, while enjoying cafe au laits. Across from our table was an artist whose paintings were landscapes instead of the expected Parisian scenes. We decided to check into the pricing and Ken ended up buying one from Pascal, the artist. It is a beautiful watercolor of spring in the Loire Valley.

Getting back to the metro required going down several flights of stairs both from Montmartre and in the metro station. From there, it was on to Boulevard Haussman, where Galleries Lafayette is located for some shopping. Not surprisingly, we spent the entire time in the Gourmand floor...where you can find any type of food imaginable. We got some cool salt (yes salt), chocolate and a couple of pastries as a snack. At this point, the rain had begun so we headed back to the hotel for a rest before heading out for the evening.

For the evening we walked up the Champs Elysee to see the Arc de Triomphe, the monument dedicated to those who have fought in wars. This is where there is an eternal flame in honor of those who have died. Then, onto the Eiffel Tower and dinner. Luckily we arrived at the Champs du Mars (where the Tower is located) in time for it to sparkle. Every hour on the hour it turns sparkly for about 10 minutes, which makes it even more magical.

For dinner, we went to Cafe Constant one of the hot tables in town. Christian Constant, the chef has 3 restaurants near the Tower and all have received critical acclaim. I wasn't sure we could get in, but luckily it was only a 20 minute wait for a table. We enjoyed a bottle of red wine from the Loire Valley until we got seated at a VERY small table within inches the table next to us. However, the server and the food were excellent, which meant for a great meal.

It is now 1130p...which means it is time for sleep!!