15 miles...on foot

We hit ALL the stops today. Serious tourists is what we were. First thing in the morning we walked from our apartment to the Louvre which took a whole 10 minutes. For some reason i get a little emotional when seeing huge monuments or pieces of art that you have only read about or seen in books. No actual tears were shed but the same thing happened to me in Italy...it is just so overwhelming, especially while walking into the atrium and seeing that huge glass pyramid. Jesse was too busy getting harassed by a gypsy with a gold ring on the outer edges of the Louvre to see my emotional breakthrough but by his reaction i knew he was loving it as much as i was. You really can not believe how massive this museum is. We got lost again and again but i was glad to see my favorite Florentine paintings. And the Mona Lisa and Victory of Samothrace - of coarse! After the Louvre we walked to Arc de Triomphe - Napoleon's triumphant structure that pays respect to all French soldiers. We climbed to the top where you can see the most unbelievable view of the city (and the polluted, hazy sky of Paris as well). Next onto the Eiffle Tower, which was exactly as expected....
Lots of little stops were made in between, usually to pick up a bagette or other tasty treats, consequently having to make a horrible attempt at the French language.
* note the park above. it was only 60 degrees today and many Parisians were out bronzing their skin. i loved the men in their speedos trying to tan both the back and fronts of their bodies in a public park...