Three Days in Paris, Continued

The next morning we got up and walked to Notre Dame...not far from our neighborhood.  I think we ended up walking many miles a day, but it was all so beautiful that we really didn't notice until night time.  The walk to Notre Dame meant meandering down towards the Seine and crossing to that little island.

This is from my Instagram feed

I remembered some about Notre Dame from nearly 40 years ago, but not much.  It was beautiful and huge.  We decided not to get in the long lines to go up as we would see many other Paris views from above in the next few days.

The cathedral was as beautiful as I remembered and I really enjoyed looking around, taking photos, and being there.  Mariana and I both talked about how although we are both not particularly religious, we love being in Catholic churches...maybe it's the quiet or maybe it's the art, but I do like them.  It is hard though not to think about how much money was spent on these things when wars were raging and people were sick and starving..

After we left, we headed for some lunch in a cafe...love how everyone eats outside all the time...it's warm enough here.  Walking through neighborhoods is the best way to feel a city.

Purple cafe chairs-the perfect touch

The Beginning of my study of Paris doors

We walked through the Marais on our way to find out rental car.  They had told Luis that they were not open on weekends so we would need to get a car we would not need until Sunday on Friday...they had no car, but were open on Saturday so we would have to go back..it was good to see it though because it was obvious we would have to store some of Nana's stuff...which we later did at Gare du Nord-easy to do.

That night we met Mariana for dinner in her neighborhood-across the city from her school...she now things it was a good thing as they were all forced to get out and about and really got to know the city.  We had a good dinner and then Mariana went out with her friends on the last night.  She suggested we go to Champs Elysees to walk to the Arc de Triomphe..What she neglected to tell us was that it was a long walk down to the monument but we walked super fast-glad I have been speed walking-and made it before sunset...We bought tickets and headed up to the top...lovely views of Paris from up there.  I love how it gets dark at 10 pm...it makes for long sightseeing days and we were able to get a lot in during daylight hours.

Looking down the Champs Elysees from above in beautiful twilight.  

So you can really see that thing  from all over Paris.  Love twilight.

Way off in the distance is Sacre Couer and we went there the next day.

This is taken looking down the opposite side from the Champs Elysee-just as the sun was setting close to 10 pm

Taken looking down the stairwell from the top of the Arc de Triomphe.  We took the Metro home and collapsed.  However, out night was not over.  There was a party across the courtyard until 4 am and then one of  the residents must have gone out because he came home at 5 am  fighting with his girlfriend-screaming at each other..we could only shut the windows and sweat...It will go on our review of the place.  Luis says that is typical of weekends in Peru and no one complains...(it happened the next night too-different apartment, live music, no fighting, but a long and rousing chorous of Happy Birthday in several languages.  The neighborhood was great and the atmosphere very Parisian I am sure, but my sister's foam earplugs were no match for partying Parisians.