Doin' it in Paris

I can't really tell you about all of our many Parisian adventures - we're just too busy living it up in this gorgeous place.

What I will say is:

Notre Dame is more breathtaking inside than I could have imagined. I literally gasped when we walked inside. It didn't hurt that Sunday mass was being said and a choir of angels was singing.

The ONLY way to see Paris by night is on a Segway. If you don't know what that is, google it and then imagine zipping around the streets of night time Paris past all the major buildings and monuments. Suddenly we were the tourist attraction.

At night the Eiffel Tower is lit up a deep blue with the stars of the EU flag on the front and every hour, on the hour, about 5000 lights sparkle and shimmer on every bit of it. It sounds a bit tacky. It isn't. It's freakin' beautiful.

Mark and I have not met one single rude French person. Everyone we have come in contact with in any way has been absolutely charming!

That's not even close to all I have to say, just all I have to say for now.

Bon Soir mes Amis we are off to dine.

The 39,000 steps

Oh. My. Gah!

This city is rainy and gloomy. About 13C. The sky is sending us a fine mist.

I don't think I have been anywhere as beautiful as Paris. Honestly, descriptions do not do this place justice.

It is a quiet Sunday morning here. Looking out of our hotel window it is obvious that the city does not wake up early on this day of rest. Yesterday however was a busy busy day both for Paris and for us.

Our hotel is about 500 metres from the Arc de Triomphe and that was the first place we sauntered past. I had no idea that there is a viewing platform on the roof. SO, we bought a ticket and up the stairs we went. No, no, no, not a good idea. You fly all night, arrive in France, forget to have a snack because it is, after all, about 4 in the morning according to your stomach, and then climb 300 or so steps up the Arc. Lactic acid legs. You can't exactly feel sorry for us though can you? Yesterday I stood on the Arc de Triophe and looked out over the rooftops of Paris.

Then you decide that the Eiffel Tower looks like it isn't all that far away. Yay you, you have Markus with you. A man possessed of the singular most finely tuned sense of direction. Not, however, when he is jetlagged , hungry, tired, and it's raining. The radar was way off and we ended up taking an hour and a half detour to get back home. No matter, we saw so much of this overwhelming city on that walk. Sore feat but a soaring mind.

More later on how we got into a fight with 6 French women and a taxi driver. Seriously, punches were almost thrown. Ah the passion of Paris.

And the complete lack of cabs at 2AM.

So our itinerary is set-ish

We do have a list of things we will see and do in Paris for certain. But do you have any recommendations?

I figure if some of you adventurous souls have been to The City of Lights you might have some insights.

Sure, there is all the regular stuff ('regular stuff' how absurd a thing to say in relation to Paris) but we want some insider info.

Dinner with a courtesan, a polar bear swim in the Seine, frog legs for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner.

Any other thoughts?

Paris! France that is!

A little more than 48 hours and we will be en route (that's French for on route) to Paris! Visions of fromage (that's French for cheese), and vin (that's French for wine), and baguette (that's French for baguette) dance in my dreams.

I am unimaginably excited but am trying not to show it. I intend to spend my six days in Paris acting as if I have seen such romantic splendor before - on a daily basis in fact - since I figure that a distant interest in all things Paris will have the French scrambling to impress me.

Or else I'll just act like some star-struck fool who has never been to Paris before.

Any bets?

Plans are Afoot

Back to Japan in Autumn.

Denmark and Scotland in the summer of 2009.