Paris Day 1: An Americans in Paris

Our first trip to France, Mandy and I fly from Newark Liberty to Charles De Gaulle and land around 7am.  Flight is understaffed because so many United employees are stuck in Houston because of the flooding, but the service is very good despite.  We take the Habitrail people moving tubes at CDG to baggage where smiling attendants offer complimentary croissants to the travel weary morning masses.  Cab to Hotel Duquesne Eiffel, a charming old boutique in the 4^th arrondissement.  We change and leave our bags with the front desk, tired but excited to hit the town.   First stop, Arc de Triomphe.  One of the most visited sites in France in the middle of one of the busiest streets in France, view from the top gives panoramic perspective of the city.  We watch in amazement as the cars negotiate from the dozen feeder roads into the circle around the Arc and fight their way back out.

 

Make our way down the Champs Elysees and stop for a savory crepe from a cart.  The goat cheese and sea salt add a nice bite to the ham and egg.  We leave the shopping district and pass between the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, two of the most beautiful museums you will ever see and stop for pictures of the stunning Pont Alexandre II bridge.  The bridge alone would qualify as one of the most spectacular museums in most cities with its gold leaf and bronze statues.  We walk along the Seine to the Orsay Museum, the world’s largest Impressionist collection built in a massive historic train station.  I am awestruck by the statuary, and Mandy is taken by the Monets and Reniors and Degases. 

Exhausted, we head back to the hotel and check in.  The room is exactly as advertised (if not better) with an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower from our bed.  The top floor corner room is compact with two sets of double doors leading out to the wrap around balcony.  Quick nap and shower and off to the most visited, most photographed tourist site on the planet.  

As we get in line for the elevator a thunder shower rolls in.  Hmmmm, we’re in the world’s largest lightning rod during a lightning storm.  What could possible go wrong?   We walk back to the hotel, stopping at a café for light dinner.  Local cheese, cured meats and red wine, at a sidewalk table, of course.  Back at our hotel, we catch the 9pm twinkling of the tower from bed.