Travel

Well, we arrived at 9:00 am Paris time. We were pretty tired, as we didn't sleep much on the plane. Charles De Galle airport was a breeze to get through and then Griffin helped us navigate the area to find the train to Paris. The only glitch on the way to the apartment was when we exited the RER. We had all our luggage, typical tourist look, and when Todd went to exit the turnstile the doors shut on him and he was stuck on the other side of his luggage. A man tried to help us by sticking his ticket through, but it didn't work and his ticket had been used, so now he was stuck too. There weren't any workers around to help us, but eventually a man with a pass helped the original man take our luggage around the side. It was pretty funny and our inability to communicate was evident during that exchange.

We checked into our apartment at about 11:30. It is tiny, but loaded with character and in a great location. The city sounds float up to us and really make you feel like your a part of the city. We are right above a cafe and the sound of chatter makes for a peaceful background. We went out for lunch after settling in. We had a tasty mozzarella and tomato baquette, creme brulee, and raspberry tart (I have the feeling that our gastronomical events will make it to every blog!). Then we came home and napped for a few hours before rallying for a late afternoon stroll. We picked up some food for dinner and walked down by the Seine and Ile de St. Louis. Griffin had an incredibly tasty mango gelato, it tasted like you were eating a cold mango, and we saw Notre Dame in the distance.

We've seen a lot of dogs in Paris. It is strange, but adds to the feel that people actually live here. Griffin has been our translator and it is a huge help. She hasn't really had a problem; the biggest challenge is just overcoming some shyness. We are ready to explore Notre Dame and perhaps the Picasso Musee tomorrow. We will see.