September 5, 2022 - End of Day

We actually all slept through the night and seemed pretty well adjusted this morning, amazingly enough. Avi and Georgia went out for a morning walk, of course. When they returned, we all headed out for the day. First stop of course was breakfast. We found a wonderful place that was simple and delicious. I'm not loving the coffee here though. Can't compare to Italy. After breakfast, we found the metro and headed to Historic Paris to do the Rick Steves walk. This turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. The main attraction was the Notre Dame and it was closed for renovation due to a fire. It was difficult to see the outside very well and the inside was closed completely. Avi was really disappointed as he had his heart set on seeing Notre Dame. Time for reframe and readjust. We walked around a bit more. It was beautiful but underwhelming for sure. We decided to head for the Eiffel Tower, although it was a long walk. David was nursing plantar fasciitis but he was a trooper. The walk along the River Seine was beautiful but hot. As we neared the Eiffel Tower, we crossed a beautiful bridge that had gold covered statutes on the top of the bridge. With the Eiffel Tower in the background, the views were beautiful. We decided to stop for lunch before entering the Eiffel Tower grounds. I had a salad that was delicious. David and Avi both had burgers which ended up not being a good idea for David. After lunch, we headed to the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is over 1100 feet tall and it is absolutely awesome. We headed inside and got in line for tickets. We were almost through the line when David's burger proved too much for his stomach and he had to head out to find a bathroom. The ticket kiosk attendant would not let me buy a ticket for him as you had to be present to purchase. Avi, Georgia and I bought our tickets and headed up but they told us we would not be able to go all the way to the top. More reframing and readjusting. Apparently, the top was closed for any additional tickets holders. Some people who bought tickets previously were able to go to the top but we couldn't. It still was beautiful at the lower stop. But all the people, the smells, the obstructed views.....just a little less than wonderful for me. After our views, it was time to head home. We had to make a metro transfer on the way home and we are getting better at navigating the metro. Georgia was a big help. Came back and rested a bit and then headed out for dinner. Once again, such rich food. Not sure about French food so far. We'll see what tomorrow holds. 

Paris is noisy, crowded and the city of all cities. I need another night of rest to determine what I really feel about this place. We are going to the Louvre tomorrow and have a crepe making class in the afternoon. Should be a fun day.

Even when it isn't perfect, I'm so happy to be here and have the opportunity to experience another country and culture.