Thank you for your comments and emails about my trip. It is fun to hear from y'all.
This is a great tour bus with 4 dif routes and the ability to get on and off as well as switch routes. Thurs., about 4, after walking around the city, I hopped on board a L'Open bus at the Place de la Concorde in front of the Hotel Crillon facing the Obelisque. I paid for 2 days - much cheaper - and they gave me an extra day because it was so late. They stop at 6 pm which is great for seeing some of the lights. I really had not seen much of Paris since my travel had been on the zippy Metro. They give you earplugs to plug in at your seat and dial up your language to hear the running commentary. Fun! Easy!
As I got on a lady from New Zealand also boarded. Of course, we went up on top in the freezing weather - probably low single digits °C! My new gloves might have been freezing.. Best pics are up there. So, we saw the Champs - Elysees, Arch de Triumph, Eiffel Tower, etc. I had planned to also get a ticket for the dinner cruise that night to see the lights. Now, she had been traveling for 4 weeks with a friend staying in London and snowboarding in Austria! On impulse she flew to Paris for about 24 hours. She wanted to see the lights also, so we went together. You can just imagine me huffing and puffing up and down steps as we took 2 Metros to the Bateux docks to get there on time! She was in shape! On the ship it was great to have someone to chat with in English. She made pleasant company of the cruise.
Wow! What great food! 3 courses. I don't have the menu with me. Will get back to you on that. But, it included éclairs and creme brulée in the appetizers!
Fri. and today I walked 20 min. from my hotel to a L'Open Bus stop in front of the Hotel des Invalides - a beautiful structure with 12 huge cannons in front. Yesterday I went around the south part of Paris hopping off to eat at La Coupole which was a must according to Barbara. Some books said it was a tourist trap. Not so! It is huge like the old Clifton's Cafeteria with art covering the walls and ceiling and full of Parisians! All having a delightful time. As is typical, crowded together. I had a perfect Cosmopolitan at 2 in the afternoon! Then crabmeat on avocado slices with a bitter salad. Perfect blend. Salmon en Papel followed served on vermicelli and vegies. Of course, I had to have Crepe Suzettes after I saw them flamed for the lady next to me! Could not have been better.
I hopped back on L'Open to travel around Notre Dame and hopped off in Saint Michel to look for one of Joan's stores. Well, I lost the street. Found an awesome chocolate store tho. When I did find Joan's book's store it had changed hands 8 months ago! I got to wander thru lots of narrow fun streets tho.
By now I had to go to the bathroom and there were none I could see. I knew I couldn't make it back to my hotel in time with 2 Metro changes and a 3 block walk... So, I had to stop in a Bistro for a drink. It was REALLY cold by now! I passed a Tourist Store with thermometers showing 3°C!!! Is that low 30's? My new gloves were not warm enuf!!! That's because they are blue!!! It is dark out now. I came out of an alley to find a cute place right on Place St. Michel. Someone knew English. I ordered an Irish Coffee and went right to the bathrooms downstairs. Great choice! Cute waiter!
Today, I hopped on the L'Open bus before and after the exhibit getting to see the rest of the areas along the Seine, passed last night's bistro - great spot, Montparnasse, Saint-Germain, Montmarte Grands Blvds ending at the Gare de Nord Train Station. Awesome! I think the fast train from London comes in here. Busy place! From there I Metrod to a health food cafe, the Hard Rock Cafe, and home. The low today was 6.5°C. Probably warmed up because of the rain. Hard to ride up top the bus in the rain... They say it might snow Monday! Can't wait! Claudette
Au revoir, Claudette
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