Day 2: Louvres and Eiffels and Arcs, oh my!

After the Fleas, we headed out for some good old-fashioned tourist sightseeing...

I was just in love with the street signs...I took a lot of pictures...

We were heading for the Arc de Triomphe...which just happened to take us through this entrance to the courtyard of the Louvre..

..which, btw, I had no idea used to be the King's palace, until Louis XIV moved his court to Versailles. Serves me right for not paying attention. Also btw, this was as close as I got to going to the Louvre...7 days in Paris is tragically brief, and all kinds of things got dropped from the schedule, though we would tried harder to make it in here if we knew we were going to run out of time so fast!

Arrival..

Ascendance..

A view worth that monumental flight of stairs. Staring down The Avenue des Champs-Élysées, which is where we came up. I guess it was worth saying I have been there, but honestly, it was not my favorite part of Paris. I mean, there was a Gap. I did not come to France to shop at the Gap. I way, way preferred the little winding, cobbled side streets, with all the buildings and cobblestones and walls and character older than my whole country. THAT was interesting..

This view, otoh..yepp, I am in *Paris*..

Staring down Rue Jean Mermoz, according to Google. Was just damn cool, was all I cared..

I loved this view...the Sacre Couer in Montmarte, visible way off in the distance, through the rain..Did I mention the rain? It rained from the second day through the second to last day. I liked it, though...I came armed with a sturdy umbrella that fit in my bag, a warm jacket, and boots..I was ready to handle anything, and it sure added to the experience! :p 

To warm up from the rain and freezing wind on top of the Arc, we headed to Angelina's Tea Room, across from the Jardin de Tuileries, famous for their hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was pretty damn good...what passed for vegetarian options for lunch was so not. Won't be doing that again. Yuck.

 

Even their amazing looking sweets lined up in the case were off limits to us, being filled with eggs and glazed with gelatin. Oh, well, they LOOKED pretty freaking awesome!