Arrived at Paris' familiar and bustling Gare du Nord about ten minutes ahead of schedule. Carol purchased tickets for tomorrow's adventure to Normandy while I stood near the tracks watching a few pickpockets size up individuals in the crowd (including yours truly). Having been near-victimized in this city on two different occasions, we have learned to become vigilant.

Then down to the River Seine and my favorite edifice on this planet, the grand Notre Dame. Again, we took a fast tour inside (free), then out to Isle St. Louis where we parked ourselves at a café for a cold beer and some excellent people watching. It has become warm but not uncomfortable.

We walked around Isle St. Louis and Carol, not to be outdone, bought a nice bracelet.

Then we bought Batobus (river bus) tickets for later. At the Batobus Notre Dame stop we listened to a young fellow playing some beautiful classical guitar.

Then past Notre Dame to Rue D' Arcole where we had Kronenburgs in the shade under the awning of Aux Tours D' Notre Dame and spent an hour people-watching. We have seen/encountered very few Americans since arriving in Europe . We see/hear mostly Italian, German, British, French and Russian.

We jumped on the Batobus (after Carol set a record 7 visits to the toilette within 1.5 hours) and sailed up/down the Seine playing tourists. We jumped off at La Tour Eiffel. It is a spectacularly gorgeous last day in April and it seems that all of Paris is outside enjoying the sunshine. We sat on the grass on Champs du Mars behind La Tour and Carol played with some young children. This city is eternally alive and vibrant. There is a pulse we feel each time we visit. And each time we visit, it is as if we have never left, and we like it that way.

The Champs du Mars has a lazy, carefree air, and all around us lovers embrace, kids play, dogs chase balls – life goes on.

The Batobus took us back down the river and we jumped off at St. Germaine de Pres and freshened up at the Crystal Hotel. Bruno, as usual, was a wealth of information and made several suggestions regarding dinner. We decided to walk across the narrow Rue St. Benoit to Le Petite Zinc, where we ordered the Grand Royale Seafood Platter for two, and ½ bottle of crisp white wine. Dinner consisted of several types of oysters, clams, mussels, snails, shrimp, crabs and some things we just guessed at but were delicious.

Apres dinner we strolled towards Boul' Mich and found a lively café and sat and savored red wine and chocolate mousse (great combination) and enjoyed some stellar people-watching at 9:30 pm. Very, very smoky.

Called son Ryan – great to talk to him as usual – then decided to stroll up St. Germaine des Pres to the hotel in order to sleep, wake, pack and catch the 10:30 train to Normandy.

It is now 10:30 pm, and Paris is thriving and pulsating. Every street in our neighborhood is packed with Saturday night revelers. The cafes are overflowing. Everything is so alive. But we need sleep so back to the hotel we go. Along the way, very close to the Church of St. Germaine des Pres, we spy a wonderful display of art for sale. The messages most definitely caught our attention – “life is short - enjoy it ”. For years Carol has been begging me to cut back on my work hours (average about 12-15 hours per day, ) and so we bought a colorful piece called “Le Monde est Beau” – “The World is Beautiful.” This sums up in one short sentence our own personal philosophy. The artist, a very charming Indian named Yaseen Khan, spoke to us for a while. His peaceful grace and vibrant energy were contagious and we enjoyed talking to him. We feel honored to own one of his works of art. We wish him the best.

No air conditioning at the Crystal Hotel, so we had no choice but to throw open the windows. Delightful air cooled us, but brought with it the familiar late-night Paris street buzz. Not really a problem for us, and we drifted off dreaming of the magic of the City of Light to the strains of a would-be Edith Piaf somewhere nearby.

Pedometer reading for today - 7.5 miles

Next Day