First Day in the City of Lights

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Our first day in Paris, we arrived exhausted at 6.40am local time (very obscene) as you are desperate for a shower and change of clothes before setting out exploring. Luckily our hotel thought they might have a room for us by about 10am, so we headed out to explore close to the hotel. Mark and another friend had referred us to the Hotel Du Pantheon, which is a fantastic hotel overlooking the Pantheon (photos below), and we have a lovely french provincial furnished room and an amazing view of the Pantheon.

Quick surprisingly we have experienced a lack of gypsies that we remember from our first trip to Italy. There are many tourists with bags just asking for a hand to slip in and remove valuables, but there just haven't seemed to be the same concerns as Italy.

Mark, you were also right about the baguettes. We have had french stick with brunch, late lunch (more like happy hour with a snack, and now with dinner.

We explored the Pantheon, and I wished Cecilia could have experienced the amazing mural paintings with me. The are about 130 years old and the tour guide didn't think they had been restored. The architecture in these churches is astounding, there are lots of pictures but they just don't show the grand size of the buildings, sculptures and murals.

We visited the Notre Dame also today but didn't venture inside as the line was long and the Paris Pass didn't seem to jump the queue as it does in some areas.

We managed to get lost trying to find our way back to the hotel after a stroll through the Latin Quarter. I was saying to John this reminded me of Lygon St in Melbourne with the hundreds of restaurants all spruking for your business. We couldn't resist a stop for moules (mussels) and a beer in a little side alley. The restaurant across from where we were sitting was called Restaurante Bella Stella, so I had to get a photo with John in front of the sign for Bella.

John fell asleep in about 5 minutes when we came home for a shower before venturing out to dinner, so I managed to download my photos before dragging him back awake and out to dinner at 8.30 with the local Parisians. We weren't quite up to making much of a night of it though.

For a laugh I have also attached a photo of my 'Cankles', from the flight. I have never experience swollen feet until today!! Having my shoes on squeezed all the fluid up to my ankles - which became like 3 chins!

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Photos

Close up of mural in the Pantheon
over 130 years old

Day 1 Paris-4167
These crazy Europeans, we can't work out how they get their cars out at the end of the day.

Comments

[Bella and sophia]

Hi !!!!!
Hi Love the photos and ur cankles and obviously the Bella Stella We knew you couldn't help yourselves with the mussels We just had delicious dinner and got home from swimming Love you lots Bella and Bazza Have fun!!!!!!!

[Marcus]

Your photos bring back so many memories. they get the cars in by leaving the hand break off and shunting the car in front and behind, check the bumpers out! If you get to the Louvre head for Napoleons Quarters and work your way back (my tip). Keep up the good work with the blogs.

[Raelee Bruce]

Hi John and Cheryl Mark kindly emailed your Blog link. Have a wonderful time will look forward to following your fantastic trip Love the photos Cheryl .Take care Love Raelee xx

[Cecilia Castro]

Enjoy it my Gorgeous friend
I got tears in my eyes when I saw my name in your journal. Thanks Cheryl…I would have loved to view all those amazing artworks with you. At the moment I am studding Gustave Courbet, a French activist full of political views just like me. Go and look at his paintings in the Musée d\'Orsay. You will find a lot of the Impressionist paintings there too…specially Vincent van Gogh. Don’t forget to go to the Louve and look at the Mona Lisa. Then go for some retail therapy at Lafayette. The Galeries Lafayette is a French department store. Explore and enjoy. Cecilia

[johnandcheryl]

Cecilia, how disappointing I am to you, I could hardly walk by the time we got to the Louvre, and hobbled around. I loved the Degas's the most, and the pre-raphealites are always my favs, but sorry I don't remember the Corbet paintings. Was very disappointed to find that the Louvre was closed on a Tuesday, so I missed the Mona Lisa also! I have thought of you lots when looking at the art and sculptures. Cheryl