without even trying…. don’t use the Metro! According to my trusty pedometer, we covered 30,642 steps today – which is approximately 15 miles! The day started with a quick trip to the boulangerie across the street for fresh bread and pastries – YUM! Then walking shoes on and umbrellas in hand, we’re off to explore Paris! We wandered past our local landmark (the Eiffel Tower), up past the Trocadero and over to the Arc de Triomphe. Concerned about the ominous looking clouds overhead, we decided not to pay the 8 euro to get to the top in case we got poured on but instead opted to wander casually down the Champs Elysees and browse through stores we could never afford to even think about shopping in. Then it was time for lunch – can’t climb all those steps to the top of the arc on an empty stomach!
So we’re off down a side street to find a non-touristy cafe (which turns out to be harder than we thought!) and coincidentally wind up on a street which seems to have nothing but motorcycle shops on it…. curious! We eventually found a lovely brasserie where Gillian had her first encounter with a French hot dog (in a baguette and covered in melted cheese!) and I confirmed that the French do not ever make omelets well done! But a nice beaujolais (at least I think that’s what kind of wine the nice non-English speaking waiter bullied us into!) made it all worthwhile!
Thus fortified, we headed back to the arch to arrive at the ticket window behind not one but two tour bus loads of people. Needless to say, we weren’t pleased with this development so off we head back toward the flat and to a small market area we found too late yesterday afternoon. We bought some crepes from a stand (one strawberry jam, one Nutella) and did some shopping. We picked up some fruit and vegetables and a roast chicken and headed home for some serious strategizing and a “home” cooked meal in Paris!
But Frank still had the wandering bug so we headed out after dinner for yet another walk around the 15eme and picked up some sorbet to congratulate ourselves on making through a full day.
The Cannon Family's travel blog 
