The days are overlapping

That palace is HUGE - and all that glass! Keith & Phil at a garden that overlooked the Eifel Tower.





















This is the boat that we took on the cruise around the city - it's fascinating how they manage to maneuver these things! Here is a picture of us our first day (or 2nd day - hard to tell since I had to wear the shirt 2 days in a row)...the cathedral behind us is Notre Dame. Always a line...we never did make it in there (or to the top of the Eiffel Tower).


I ran out of time yesterday and was not able to post everything we did on our 2nd day in Paris. So let me finish the recap of the 10th of July - and then share what we did today.

We walked a lot. We saw some amazing palaces (not sure that is the right word). As we were walking the grounds of one estate, we saw a sign for an exhibit of Rene Lalique's early work (1890-1912). We couldn't resist seeing his work and all commented on how we wished Pete & Doug were here - as they are not only admierer's but collectors of his later works. We saw some of the most amazing broaches, pins, combs, necklaces, and art. It was neat to see the jewelry, which was so detailed. Pete - there was one piece that was Bees on a hive and the hive was some fancy stone. Very cool. There was some pretty goth looking stuff. Bats with jewel encrusted talons and eyes - on a hair comb. Um, lady, you have bats in your hair.

Today, the 11th, we went to the Louvre - Keith & Phil knew how to get us tickets that allowed us to "jump" ahead of the line - and you should have seen all the people. It was so crowded. The building is amazing...and it's huge! We went to see the Mona Lisa - "no photos please" and yet, there was a mob of about 200 people in this roped off area snapping photos of the famous painting. We saw it, but honestly - when there are that many people trying to see it with you - you can't get close and "soak it up" - it's like a cattle call. Off to the Winged Victory of Samonthrace, very cool. We walked thru some halls with 30 or 40 foot high ceilings - and paintings that were so real - some were bigger than any wall in our house (I don't think you can get a frame for those at Hobby Lobby). I was impressed with the painting of the coronation of Napolean and his wife. Louis XV crown was quite impressive. as was all of his "cups" - It's hard to believe that these intricite pieces of art were done so long ago. But not hard to believe why so many french royalty were killed - the opulence and decadence was - well, it gave me goosebumps to see all that gilding and glitz. Keith is a fan of the Egyption's work - so we did a spin through that section - looking at the sarcophagus' after we spotted the Venus de Milo.

The Louvre alone could have taken up weeks of our vacation - but we could only see the highlights. We went to the northern part of the city - Montmartre, where all the Parisens (I saw that I spelled it wrong before) - set up their eisles and paint. We saw the very gothic church at the top of Paris and took a few pictures overlooking the city. Such an amazing city, with amazing archetecture.

This evening Keith & Phil took us to dinner at Kong - a restaraunt some of you Sex and the City fans will know from the finale. It is a glass domed restaurant/bar overlooking the city - and quite chichi! All the wait staff was picture perfect -but since the 15% service fee is already included in teh prices - they have no reason to "try" to earn a tip. This is not exclusive to Kong, but this place seemed to have extra helpings of attitude....it started with drinks at the bar in teh basement - lots of smoke and happy hour folk - when I grabbed the first cosmopolitan from teh bar to had to Jeff my hand jerked away upon feeling the burning sensation one often feels when their glass is too closed to an open flame. Mmmmmm, burnt hair. Glad it wasn't a 151 rum garnished drink - or I would have gone up in smoke when I spilled the drink everywhere. As it was, I only got the cranky lady next to me and, truth be told, she deserved it. But that's another story about a lady that tried to take my spot and jump ahead of the line. If she tasted the cosmo she would have loved it - it was fantastic.

We had to wait 20-25 minutes to get "greeted" at the table by the waiter. Ok - greeted isn't the word. "noticed" is more like it - his eyes averted our table every time he walked past us. What is that all about? We all kept our patience...Keith had mentioned earlier that when the tip is already included - if the service is bad, just start dropping things. Make em work for the tip they are getting :) I looked at my napkin, and the carpet below - he's got 5 minutes to say bonjour and bring me some evian - natural (I don't need the gas). The manager must have sensed danger - asking for our drink order and appetizers. The waiter came around - and asked us for our entree' and brought our bottle of wine that was QUITE lovely but he spilled jeff's cocktail while trying to open the wine and made me spill my drink on my pants! Hmmmph~! I was ticked off - he beat me to the punch. I was supposed to start dropping things! Cleary he'd gone to teh same school as keith. This is war. ok, actually after that - things seemed to get better (even though they got S-M-O-K-E-Y too). I think I might buy stock in those american tobacco companies - they are doing a great business over here.

After dessert (Lime tart and a molten chocolate souflee) - we had some 40 weight oil/aka decaf espresso. Now, I was not sure this was a good idea - what if he doesn't give us decaf? I'll be up all night! I decided to take the risk with Keith & Jeff and we all tried to choke down this sludge that was biofuel, for sure.

As Phil RAN down the street to catch the Eiffel Tower twinkle - I hobbled my way to the river Seine. I had to wear real shoes to dinner, and my blisters were reminding me how I was paying the price for a pair of shoes that WERE CLEARLY NOT COOL ENOUGH FOR THIS AMOUNT OF PAIN! We got tot eh bridge - and teh Eiffel Tower was glitzing like diamonds - it was gorgeous! I guess they do this on the hour at night - and it was quite the site.

Well - here it is Midnight and that decaf is still keeping me up (or was it the chocolate souflee that is making it hard to sleep).

Tomorrow we have to check out of our hotel, and head off to coppenhagen - we have a wake up call for 6:30 - UGH, that's am. I'm not sure who's idea that was - but they probably didn't have chocolate souflee and "decaf" at dinner like me. I have 6 hours to recover from all this excercise today and to let my blister(s) heal. We're on this UNHEARD of airline - and their weight limit is not the same as what we're used to in teh states. something like 22lbs for carryon and 30 for checked. Well, my shoes weight 1/2 that! We have to pay something like 8 Euros per kilo, over that limit (1kilo=2.2 lbs) - which is quite ridiculous.

So we travel tomorrow, EARLY - and will need to check into a new hotel and see the sites...but right now, I am just wanting to relax. This vacation stuff is hard work! I haven't walked so muhc since we lived in NYC. My body isn't used to moving more than 10 feet at the house.

The weather is perfect - well, other than the torrential rains that come and go, and the unseasonable cool weather. Turns out this is not normal for it to be raining like this and cool. But the rain has been short lived and TOLERABLE. We have umbrellas and haven't been afraid tot ote them around. In fact we had them wtih us all day adn it didnt rain once. It was beautiful and about 70F, I am guessing maybe 75F. Tomorrow in Coppenhagen it's supposed to be in the low low 60s-50s. and RAIN RAIN RAIN. For those of you who know me well, you know I prefer to be cool than hot. So if I'm not on our boat with a can of sunscreen - then I want to be cool - I'm perfectly content to wear light sweathers and a , gasp, Jacket?!

Ok - That's it - sorry it's not nearly as witty as the first post. I am running on fumes here and you can't force funny.

Michael & (Jeff)