Bienvenue à Paris

Wow! That was a LONG day of travelling! We woke up in Menlo Park at 3:30 A.M. PST on August 31 and did not arrive at CDG until 9:40 A.M. Paris time on September 1. We had intended to carry on all of our bags, but the United clerk at SFO deemed one of our four bags too large and demanded that we check it. So after customs, waiting for our bag, and the train ride in, we didn't arrive at our apartment in Paris until around 11:30 Paris time.

(We look tired on the train, huh?)

(Our first steps on the Champs-Élysées)

Even factoring in the nine-hour time change, that is a LOT of travelling.

We love our little place in Paris though. It is two blocks off the Champs-Élysées halfway between the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre. It is a small studio, but it is in a quaint old building and it has everything we need.


We also have a great view out our window.



(If you squint you can see the Eiffel Tower...haha)

And we love the location. So after a quick breather in the apartment, we headed out on the town.

(A shot from the courtyard of our apartment)
First stop, the closest bakery we could find for a fresh loaf of french bread!


Then we walked up the Champs-Élysées towards the Arc de Triomphe.


Even though I had seen it before, it is amazing how big it is in person and you kind of forget until you are standing under it.




We climbed the steps...


...and went up to the top and took in the views of Paris. It really is so beautiful!


(Darcy looking at Le Sacré-Cœur)




After enjoying the views for some time, we went back down to the Champs-Élysées.


We made our way to a sidewalk cafe to take in our first French meal.

We were practically walking zombies at this point. Darcy had not been able to sleep on the plane at all, and I only got two hours of sleep because Darcy was lonely and bored...haha. So we were both about to pass out when we sat down for our late lunch around 3. After eating, we resolved to break the number one rule of preventing jet-lag and we went back to our place and went to sleep (around 5). 14 hours later (We NEEDED it, ok!!) we are up and ready to roll!!

More fun adventures today....