Walking, walking, walking

Today was overcast and we started it at the Eiffel Tower walking thru the grounds, watching crowds of Rugby fans parading in uniform before a big match. Didn't even attempt a climb or ascent. Weather and lines were foreboding. The French Open tennis tournament also starts today.





Climbed aboard city bus 69 which wends its way past most important sites and dropped us at the Pere Lachaisse cemetery. Strolled thru the incredible funerary displays from ancient and modern times in this hilly enclave. Found the final resting spot for Jim Morrison of the Doors who died in Paris, and that of Oscar Wilde, which is covered in lipstick kisses from fans and visitors.


Then we took the metro to the Place de La Concorde where Napoleon had a huge obelisk from Luxor floated from Egypt and installed. We strolled up the Champs Elysees ( an oh my gosh huge boulevard) to the Arch de Triomphe and Tomb of the Unknown stopping midway up at Laduree, world renowned tearoom and bakery, for some nowhere but Paris pastry/ cookie/ filled thing called a Macaron, and for tea.



Finally we took a 2 hour walking tour with chris of CityFreeTour and 15 others thru the artistic area called Montmatre, and home to the famous nightclub, Moulin Rouge (Red Windmill) and quite steep streets ending at the Basillica and a grand view of Paris far below .



Then the Metro again, crammed with most of the citizens of Paris on our train. Finally stopping for a very fine bowl of Pho, Vietnamese soup, before heading home to our Pink Hotel nest. A fine day.

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