Monday, June 8, 2009

We're still waking up way too early; guess it will take a while to adjust to this time zone. We are 9 hours ahead of California. Maybe by the time we go back.

We went searching for coffee prior to 7 a.m., but it's not to be had in Paris, evidently, unless you knock on someone's door! In fact, except for the green men (refuse workers) emptying the green trash barrels into their green truck, and using their green brooms to sweep the streets, there is no one around. Sorry I didn't have my camera with me to take a green picture; the battery was recharging in the room. Guess they take being "green" literally here.

At 6:50 a.m, a sympathetic cafe owner seated us for petit dejeuner (breakfast) of coffee, omelette with yummy emmenthaler cheese, croissant, bread and orange juice. Everything was excellent, but there is no bottomless coffee cup here. One cup. But that's ok, gives us an excuse to walk straight to the nearest boulangerie (bakery) and buy more pastry to go with another cup of coffee. So that's what we did! Sometimes a cup of coffee is the size of an espresso, but it has all the caffeine of several cups, so it works!

After that long walk and large breakfast(s), we napped for a short time, then took the autobus (bus) to the Eiffel Tower. Or should I say to near the Eiffel Tower. We got off too soon, so walked several blocks to find it. Huge crowds and long lines for tickets at 10:30 a.m., so we decided just looking at it was enough for us. Did I mention it was raining?

We had a luncheon cruise reservation on Bateaux Parisiennes near the Eiffel, glass walled boats with elegant seating for cruising the Seine for two hours while enjoying a sumptuous meal: nuts, bread, wine, salad, bellini, salmon, vegetables, apricot tart with sorbet, and coffee. We saw several sights, including the Louvre and Notre Dame, a zillion bridges, and houseboats! It was a lovely time, and here are photos to prove it. Rained the whole time, but we were dry (at least outside). Not so much inside.

Caught the bus back to the hotel, stopped at yet another boulangerie for pastries for tomorrow's breakfast (hey, you never know when there may be a pain du chocolat shortage) and napped again. Does it sound like we are really getting anything done? Well, this is vacation after all. Tomorrow when we meet up with the tour group, the real work begins!