We took our showers and notice a large puddle of water seeping under the bathroom wall into the bedroom area. Uh-oh.
We went out in search of food and randomly picked one of the many cafes...
Do I look as tired as I felt? Guy looks better:
By now, I feel more confident with my French and am getting a little better. Which is good and bad. Good because we have run into some people who know NO English (like the cleaning lady who did not know what a wash cloth was...apparently they are called carre pour le visage - square for the face - and they are optional in a hotel room...). Bad because people assume I am fluent and rattle on so quickly my head spins. But I have had a few encounters where I needed no English to get us through!
Ahh, another seemingly beautiful day...we decide to go to Notre Dame. It is so amazing to see it up close. The detail is incredible. No wonder it took several hundred years to complete. Here is me, being awed....
I know you are wondering, why don't they have more pictures of the two of them together? Well, it is not as easy as it seems. There are so many people there that the odds of getting English or French speakers is 50/50, and the odds go down at these "touristy places". So, we try to find nice looking people who look like they want their picture taken together. But when I ask (and act out) if they would like me to take their picture so they can both be in it, I think they must think I am saying "Would you like me to take your camera and run very fast away from you so you will never see it again?" This would explain why they always shake their head and walk away rapidly.....
So - here is Guy - by himself:
If you have never seen Notre Dame - the detail is amazing. I have tried to capture it, but pictures never do it justice...
The inside was just as awesome. The stained glass was so intricate.
On a break, Guy and I bought this model and put it together. We did such a good job, they asked us if they could keep it and put it on display. We said "sure".
Ooooo, look! Flying buttresses!!! A buttress is a support -- usually brick or stone -- built against a wall to support or reinforce it. A flying buttress is a free-standing buttress attached to the main structure by an arch or a half-arch.
I made Guy try a french crepe..he was hesitant, but ended up eating almost all of it!
As we left the grounds of Notre Dame (after eating the crepe), we saw a playground. Well, I love playgrounds as much as the next person and....
Next, we head off to find the Louvre and Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart)...
2 comments:
Lori/Guy,
You are doing a great job with the daily updates. Nice photos too, although you really need some more pics together so pester those fellow tourists to take your picture.
I'm glad the weather has gotten better, although between Paris and then London, be sure not to have too high expectations.
Don't get too turned off by the snobbery in Paris. It's part of the scene so take it all in stride, laugh at it, and don't be afraid to be a snob yourself. When in Rome...
It is great you guys finally made it to Europe. I do hope you enjoy your remaining time and Paris and I fully expect that you both will love London in comparison. Paris takes time to gain a comfort level while London you will love immediately.
Before you leave Paris, make sure to go to Musee d'Orsay for some great impressionist paintings and of course the Louvre to see some of the most famous paintings.
I'm looking forward to your visit to Brussels, although you can expect another messy city. For some reason, these French-speaking cities are not so well kept-up. Don't think the rest of Europe is like that because other places are much better. That is why we will visit Flemish-speaking Belgium one day to show you a different atmosphere.
A bientot et bonne chance,
Ryan
ps: amazing work on the Notre Dame scale model...it took me 6 months to build mine not 20 minutes....
since they have crepes, wonder if they have any flower tortias. mmmm yummmy!!!
B
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