"You're not in Europe until you hear police sirens every ten mins"

On our first day in Paris we had a later than usual morning, leaving around 10am. We found a open air produce market a block from our hotel where I bought some fruit for a small breakfast and a snack for later.

Trevor decided we should head to Notre Dame first and from there we chose to walk down the Seine river in order to see as much of Paris as we could (although what you see of Paris on the Metro is also interesting).

Notre Dame was beautiful and not too crowded with tourists but definitely not a place that was sparse with people. We kept getting hassled by a duo of "Romanian" women asking for money to return home..... "Non, laissez-moi tranquille!" For breakfast we bought one ham and cheese and one blueberry crepe from a street vendor (delicious!) and ate them in a park behind the Notre Dame as we listened to the bells toll the hour.

After walking around the church we meandered through the surrounding side streets for a bit before heading down the Seine towards the Eiffel Tower.

The walk must have taken an hour and a half at the very least but I can't be sure as I was not paying attention to the time and we paused a few times. Along the way we stopped at the Louvre, Musee d'orsay, Plaisis royale, and many other historic landmarks. Dotted all along the Seine are small foldable/collapsable market stalls, many of which sell books, art, postcards, and trinkets.

Finally after many teasing peaks of the top of the Eiffel Tower through trees and behind buildings we were able to see the tower in its entirety. Built as part of the 1889 World's Fair the tower is certainly a unique structure in Paris. Trevor found the men selling trinkets to be quite frustrating as there were so many of them selling exactly the same thing in a small area.

After walking under and around the tower we headed across the Seine and down the Avenue de New York towards the Arc de Triomphe. We popped into a tabac in order for Trevor to buy a pack of cigarettes, somewhere along the way, anticipating the fact that most tabacs close early at 6 p.m.. Trevor has continued to buy Paul Mall here in Europe despite the many never before seen brands available for purchase.

At the Arc de Triumphe we found that Portugal had won their game in the World Cup 7-0 as the roundabout surrounding the Arc and the Champs Elysee was full of people waving Portuguese flags, spilling into the streets, and flying flags out car windows as they drove by. It was a noisy scene, chaotic at times when large groups would jump into the street and bring traffic to a stop.

We rested our feet at a cafe on the Champs Elysee and whetted our tongues with a glass of wine (Trevor) and an espresso (me) before taking the metro back to our hotel to change shoes. On the way we made a small lunch out of a baguette and Edam cheese.

Heading out again we walked towards the nearby Sacre Coeur Basilica. To reach the basilica we had to climb a few hills and quite a few steps but the view at the top was well worth the price. Outside le Sacre Coeur we were disappointed to see not only loud amateur street musicians but also men selling beer and coca-cola.

Inside, however, the beauty of the church is indescribable. While we didn't have enough money to pay to light a candle we did sit and say some prayers at the main alter after visiting each saints alter. Supposedly the crypt below the church contains a piece of Christ's heart, but the crypt was closed today, much to Trevor's dismay.

From there we walked aimlessly through the narrow, twisting streets of the Montmarte area surrounding the Sacre Coeur (on top of the hill), finding lovely, small sweet shops selling macaroons, glaces (ice cream), and various art souvenirs. We ate dinner at a small sidewalk cafe, having a Salad St. Luce (salad with cucumber, beets, goat cheese, and tomato) and Ravioles au fromage (cheese raviolis in an amazing tomato cheese sauce) while splitting half a bottle of white wine.

After dinner we wandered down the hill, listening to live music from cafes and bars on many different streets while slowly making our way to Rue de Clingy to see the Moulin Rouge lit up at night. Walking past all the sex shops and clubs back to our hotel where we are now having a cup of tea and ending the night (at 12: 20 am) watching French TV.