Saturday10th March-Eiffel Tower

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Bob and I trek out for Starbucks Coffee (dont much like the local stuff) and pastries for breakfast. Then we are off on the Metro to the Eiffel Tower. Guess what, it's very large.
We decide that being the very fit and energetic group that we are we will walk up the first two levels before taking the lift to the top. Made it OK, legs just a little shaky. Views are a_mazing. Paris just goes on and on and on. So many beautiful old buildings. Disappointing that you can actually lean out at the top and get the full effect of being so high (despite Justins discovery that you can squeeze your head out between the wire mesh that stops you from jumping off).

Lunch back on the second level, then we descend on wobbly legs. Wander across the Seine to check out the Trocadero. Great displays of roller blading and soccer skills. Throughout the day we are accosted by beggars and street people with cardboard signs. A popular ploy employed by young Eastern European women is to ask you whether you speak English. If you say yes, they will hand you a postcard with a story about how they are penniless immigrants, their father is dead, their mother is ill, they dont have money for medicine, etc. etc. etc.

After the Trocadero we take the metro to the Arc de Triomphe. What a crazy place? HUGE roundabout where 5 roads meet, hundreds of cars screaming around, no lanes, cutting in front of each other, stopping in the middle, beeping, gesticulating. Can't believe we never actually witnessed a crash (apparently there is one every 12 minutes).

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Comments

[kymmie]

the arc de triomphe always reminds me of "european vacation" where they keep driving around and around and cant get off it.