Trip 4

So, for our fourth and final trip, we set off for Paris! This time we decided to go to just one place and to spend four nights there. And so, as I already have mentioned, that place was Paris, and it was a lovely time, and we wish you could have all come along. As it was, none of you were able to, and so now, here I am lying and typing this, so that it was almost as if you had been. I hope you enjoy these words and pictures and can't wait until one day soon we see you again! Above is the city of Paris as seen from the highest point that we found, the tip top of the Sacre-Coeur. All the sites are there, the Tower, the arc, the Dame, the Louvre, all of it right there before your eyes, now you never have to go, and if you already have gone, you don't have to go again!!! I promise the picture is as good as if you were there. . . . . . .
Sorry, I shouldn't have promised like that, for it was a lie, and for that, again, I'm sorry, I was merely trying to make you all feel better about not having been. Really, I'm sorry. . . . . . . .
Now onto the blogging!!!!

Our first day we didn't take the picture-camera out with us, so the picture above will have to wait for a moment. So, after having gone straight to the hotel, without getting lost, except for maybe one wrong turn, we set off to find the Eiffel Tower. Along the way we stopped and got some wine, some cheese, and a baguette, as is customary, so we could have a nice little picnic at the grassy null by L' Eiffel Tower. By the way, Paris is BIG. It took us a couple of hours to get to L' Tower from our hotel and the picnic was then well appreciated. We sat in front of the Palais de Chaillot for what some would say was a long time, roughly 6 hours, and each hour was as good as the one before. Alli told me that she had read somewhere that the tower would light up and the lights would dance at 9. So, we sat and we sat and laid and then sat some more. The weather was perfectly cool and it was about this time, after the sitting and laying that Alli was introduced to her second love. I went to get a coke, I always have to have a coke, or some kind of fluid, I guess it doesn't really matter what it is, but I hate the idea of paying for water, so there you have it, I went to get a coke. When I returned I had a coke for me and a crepe for my love, not just a crepe, but a crepe with nutella, and I haven't seen much of Alli since. She spends all her time with the nutella, cooking crepes, splattering it, devouring them. It's maddening, but back to the story. So, the clock struck 9 and nothing happened. I gave Alli one of those, I can't believe you were wrong about this, I just sat here for 5 hours, kinda looks, and then we decided to stay until 10 to see what the book was talking about. And, well, it was worth the wait. I was kinda like, "Eh, that's L' Eiffel Tower?" and Alli was all like "Ya", before we saw it, but after I was like, "That's dope!" You can see what it does here. Dope, huh? After that we walked home and that was the end of day 1!

That leads us into the picture above. Finally! It's Notre Dame, and might I say, a rather frightening looking Dame. But it wasn't really that scary at all. In fact, it was rather pleasant. We sat and people watched as we once again snacked on wine, cheese, and bread. While we were there, there were beggars that would come up to you and ask, "Do you speak English?" If you say yes they put there hands in your pockets and try to take all of your money. Its like an open invitation if you answer. Luckily, once again Alli had read ahead and we knew about their little game before we ever stepped foot in Frenchieland. We had no problems with them and they got to go bug other people!

Hey! Here we are at that thing from that one Tom Hanks movie. "Alli, what's that place called again? Oh, that's right, L' Louvre!" I knew she would know. She knows all about that artsy stuff.

Smarty!

Here are a few examples of what we saw in L' Louvre. This guy was in extreme pain. I don't know why but I bet it had something to do with this next guy.

Snake! This guy is gonna make you pay for what you did to that other guy!

This little guy was my favorite. I guess I like Bob Marley. Alli didn't really have a favorite, but enjoyed seeing the pieces that she had studied for her minor in art.

What, what? Venus de Milo in the house. Where your arms go boo?

Alli has been keeping an extensive journal about our journeys, so maybe one day she will share them with you. I think this is her entry about the Louvre. Looks exciting!

Here's how we get around. This bag has been great. Thanks to all who need be thanked. You know who you are. It has places for the wine, bread, both my cameras, maps, and a whole lot of other goodies that have kept us happy whilst traveling. Thank you again.

La Seine. Wow! Alli is an incredible photog. Really captured the sadness of this sad, sad, pathetic man. I think he really wanted to get on that boat.

This was the modern art museum we passed every day on our walk from the hotel. If you didnt' think the Eiffel Tower was dope, you gotta think this is.

We would have liked to have gone in. But sadly, this place costs an arm and a leg. Literally, the tickets were over 200 USD and I saw some guy selling his arm on Ebay for like 250.

We just really love these stained glass pics.

This is my favorite depiction of the Christ. I love the Christ Pantocrator because of the blessing he is making using his index finger, middle finger, and thumb, symbolizing the trinity. Doesn't get much better than that. I think that this is also the symbol that one day the "Hippies" would turn into their symbol. Peace, man.

Here is Alli with another crepe. She sure does love those little guys. I can't deny that I enjoy them also, but, well, that pic says it all.

Oh, by the way, after the Louvre, the pics have been of Day 4 of our little trip. I, once again, didn't take the camera along a I missed our day. Basically, we walked all day, and saw as much of the city as we possibly could. We saw the open air market which we had heard a lot about, and we also saw the pantheon. Back to day 4. The pic above is of the stairway to the top of the Sacre-Coeur. It was a long hike up it in that skinny little stairwell, but once we got to the top. . . .

The view was magnific!

She's just so darned cute.

Beard! I now know how long it takes me to grow a beard. I usually forget how long I've been growing it, but this time it is impossible! Cuz I got married! To Alli! And I won't forget it!

See L' Eiffel in between us? Neat huh? Got it on the first shot!

Whoa! Looks pretty confusing down there.

Walking down the spiraling spiral of a staircase. I try to put as many pictures in as possible of my beautiful bride and I hope all you blog readers out there don't mind. One sec, I gotta look at this pic a little longer. Okay, on with the blogging!

More of us and Eiffey. After seeing our last pic with her, and knowing that we got her in one pic, you might think this shot was easy. But, to our dismay, it took us like six tries to get it. Point of the story is never give up! That woulda been the easy way out, but we buckled down, focused, and you better believe we got that shot!

Another Pieta. This was below the Sacre-Coeur, and this time we could actually get close to it and enjoy it. I like art close up, just like with Mike's Pieta earlier, and, I forgot to mention, the Mona Lisa. You can't get anywhere close to the thing, and there are all these people trying to get in good position to take a picture of it, and when they do, they flash it, and I guarantee, end up getting terrible glare, and all they managed to do was waste the time of somebody who could have actually got something out of it, and make it so they could not enjoy it. Sorry about the rant. Bitter. Why would you want a picture of a painting anyways? Just so you can say you got one? I don't understand what you could possibly add to a painting. A sculpture, yes, I can see, as you could probably see. They can catch light and this light can create something even more interesting. But what about a painting? It's flat. Somebody explain this to me. What a weird rant. Sorry, back to blogging!

This old cardinal just seemed like a kind soul.

We've been riding those things like crazy. So much in fact, we actually made a semi-friend, and rode in the same compartment with him twice; just by chance.

The Arc.

The Champs.

The Champs sign!!!!!!!

This was our last walk home to the hotel, we attempted to go to a restaurant we looked up online, but it was closed since it was Sunday and all. This is Alli now, Barry couldn't quite finish! So we went to the restaurant right by our hotel that we had eaten at before and enjoyed. This time though, only one woman was working and she did not speak any English. Even though there was a sign on the window, and we had seen people pay with credit card...she wouldn't accept. This being the end of our trips we were down to our last few Euros and were short by dessert! She made Barry go down the block and go to an ATM, which costs $5 just to withdraw...while I sat and waited by myself frustrated...we must have overstayed our welcome in Paris At least our dessert was yummy!!! So, bye bye to Paris, hello home-sweet-Prague! That's where we are now and still have a few more adventures left here, but we will save that for later...
Na Videnou!