I louvre Paris.

Props to my dad on that. Anyway, as Nate dozes off after an eventful evening, thought I'd share some of Paris with you curious readers.

First off, sleeping in a bed=heaven. I will never take you for granted again oh sacred box spring. It is also really great wandering around Paris-a city Nate spent 4 months and I spent 5 days in. We know the touristy things already and don't feel that gnawing pressure to have seen it all. Instead we are just eating,walking,cycling,park-ing our way about town. We have been eating some great falafel and lebanese food since the Marais is the jewish quarter. But I must say, the best food in France is by far the bread, the cheese, and the butter-simple things really. I love waking up and prancing off to get my morning baguette down the street, smiling at the boulanger as I proudly flaunt the french phrase I have mastered, "Une baguette s'il vous plait!"

Yesterday we rode down canal st. Martin through the cute neighborhood to Boulangerie Veronique-supposedly the best bakery in Paris. Tucked in the 19th quarter, this place is small but has a wood fire oven in plain view (one of 4 bakeries in france with that kind of stove). Not to mention all organic ingredients and yeast that she starts herself. We enjoyed our baked goods at the nearby parc de butte chaumont which has a great view of the city. After this picnic feast we ambitiously rode our bikes (carried up stairs really) to Sacre Coeur.. That beautiful church that is very elevated and has an astonishing view of Paris.

We've been moonlight museuming at the D'orsay and Louvre so as to get a discount and less crowded viewing. This has allowed us to see some nice parts of paris at night too, and they really know how to light things up. The Eiffel tower flashes with lights one the hour for 5 mins, and the louvre area looks beautiful with the pyramid and feris wheel in back. And the Seine, oh the Seine! Lovely walks along its banks at night revealed that it is very popular to picnic there at night (every meter!).

Other fun things - morning markets, cycling round town, luxembourg gardens, and a lazy afternoon at Paris beach (they make the bank of the Seine like a beach in August)

Oh, and we even got to see them disassemble it tonight-a highlight for sure ;)

More pictures to come when we get to an internet café..

L

(pictured: Lucy and notre dame, Nate with eiffel, free back massages on rue moufftard, picnics, nightime louvre)