Baguettes and Bicycles

Who knew I would like Paris?  I certainly didn't.  It's too big I thought - too noisy, too many people, too much pollution and way too touristy.  But we have only been here for four hours and I am already very taken with it.  There must be something in the air here - besides the smog and giant pigeons.

There are cliches everywhere.  Girls with long flowing hair riding bicycles with baguettes in their baskets.  People sharing a cigarette and a bottle of wine at the river Seine's edge. And older couples dancing in pairs on the promenade at night.  At times, it all seems like a little bit too much, but then again, this is the city of romance...and wine, baguettes and cigarettes.

Guy and his guitar.

Couples dancing.  Just because.

We arrived at the train station ready to face yet another navigational challenge.  Of course, we were mildly lost at first but eventually found our way to the Latin quarter where our quaint little apartment rental awaited.  Unfortunately, the staff member that was to greet us at the front door at 3:00 pm was not awaiting us, as was expected.  So we waited half an hour on the street until a young woman came to check us in.  She walked us into an older apartment building and led us up the wooden spiral staircase to a green door.  She slipped the key into the lock and pushed open the door with a gasp.  Somebody was still in OUR room!  She closed the door and looked frantically at the door to the right. "Maybe it is supposed to be this one?"

After a few phone calls and some apologizing we ended up in the apartment next door.  While it is located directly above a small Irish pub, it is also almost twice the size of the original apartment and we don't have to pay extra for it.  So in the end, we totally won.

Pretty cute - the apartment ain't bad either.

We then grabbed some groceries and wine and headed towards the centre of the city for a stroll along the river.  Beautiful gardens filled with people drinking wine and playing guitar lined the edges of the busy Seine.  In the distance we heard church bells and followed the sound to the one and only Notre Dame.  Very impressive piece of architecture, if I do say so myself.  The sun set on the front of the church, indicating it was time to head off.  On the walk back we came across the "love lock" bridge, covered top to bottom in locks of every size and colour.  Not having one with us, we just used white-out to cover another couple's names and scratched in ours with my eye liner.  OK, not really.  If we can find a lock to buy we'll be sure to stick it up there!

Of all the locks along the bridge, Jim picks out the only Oilers one and gives me a high-five.

Tonight we're dining in so we can cook a healthy meal for once.  Even though I am walking up to eighteen kilometers a day I still feel like a jiggly bowl of jelly has made a home of my belly.  I just want some roasted veggies damnit!