Heights

This morning Tom and I got to wake up late and go to the Louvre. This was enjoying the Louvre while running a four minute mile – the highlights of the Louvre in one hour – we saw, in no particular order, Venus de Milo, the Monna (notice the French spelling) Lisa, several statues, several paintings by Michelangelo, Raphael, Da Vinci and a ton of Greek and Roman statues none of which we know what they are but will have to sort out later by the picture. Then after the Louvre we went to the bathroom which was closed so we had to go to this exclusive pay toilet which cost 1 Euro for guys and 1.5 Euro for girls. We went into the bathroom to be greeted by three GUYS who would run into your stall and spray some flowery disinfectant on your toilet seat and then they would stand there and wait until you came out and then run to disinfect the sink area with the same flowery smelling liquid. It was very VERY strange.  Then we walked up and down a billion steps to the water taxi which we took to the base of the Eiffel Tower and then we went up the Eiffel Tower to the first floor where we had a lovely lunch of chicken in a wonderful sauce with these amazing cheesy potatoes. Then we had opera cake which is basically mousse and coffee cake and a vanilla sauce. It was delicious but so rich I could only eat about half. Then I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and went up to the second floor and then to the very very TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER. We got up to the top (Tom and I got separated and so I was up on the top floor by myself) and then up to the top observation deck and I started to freak out. Fortunately my friends from the trip were there and they were able to calm me down until I found Tom and then I was okay. But it was VERY high and VERY hot and VERY crowded. And I came pretty close to a melt down. Tom was able to take a picture of some guys who were OUTSIDE THE EIFFEL TOWER PAINTING. That may have freaked me out more than anything. Then we came back to the hotel and took a nap and then we went to La Duree for dinner and oh my goodness the food was exquisite. Tom and I had a shrimp scampi brioche thing that was amazing and then we had sea bass that was also amazing and then dessert – oh my goodness the dessert was so good – Tom had a Napoleon with pastry that was so crispy that each sheet was like glass you tap it and it fell apart. I had a vanilla cream pastry that had the Napoleon pastry on the bottom and cream and cream puffs on the top with cream that was dream like. The food was outstanding. Then Tom and I came back to the hotel and we had to say goodbye to our most of our fellow travelers. That was really sad. Tomorrow we are off to Disneyland Paris with three of our friends – for friends they are now. So until tomorrow bon soir and sleep well!