Allen's Review of Thursday in Paris

We had a great day today. We packed it in.

Ellen had a photography lesson and walking tour this morning. She said she had a great time and learned a few new tricks and I think enjoyed getting a break from us too. She's posted some new photos on the blog so check it out.

I had the kids this morning. We had breakfast here in the apartment and then walked (about 9 blocks) to Luxembourg Gardens (beautiful park and formal gardens west of here). I had to explain to the kids several times that the French don't walk on the grass and they thought that was stupid. Me too. Anyway, there was a great playground with about 300 kids all speaking different languages. I think I heard German, French, Italian, some African languages, Indian, etc.. and of course our kids were screaming English. Hope made friends with a little French girl named Julie and they played together nicely for a long time. Connor tagged along too. It was very cute and they gave high fives and hugged when it was time to go.

We had planed to walk to the Notre Dame and meet Ellen but the kids were so tired, we bailed out and called her to meet us half way. We walked to the apartment and bribed the kids to take naps so that we could stay up late tonight and see the Eiffel Tower at night. We all took long naps and had dinner in our little neighborhood (Place Monge). The kids ate bread (that's it really) and Ellen and I had a real meal. Hope and Connor briefly talked to two girls from Holland at the table next to ours.

After dinner we walked to the Metro and took the underground to the Eiffel Tower. I'll have to say, it was beautiful and striking in the night sky.

We had to stop our progress briefly to stand in line at a public toilet for little Miss Hope Holloway. Yes. I said public toilet. Imagine a phone booth on the side of the street. You push a button and the door opens to reveal a toilet .... that is not really a toilet. I mean its a little like an anatomical trough sort of with no seat and its really disgusting and I think I gagged a little while helping Hope. No paper. No soap. Nothing to flush. But, it was one step up from peeing in the street. I think.

By 10pm we did manage to catch the lift to the observation deck in the tower. The City was beautiful and its really evident how big Paris really is from that vantage point. The kids of course loved it, but our stay was short lived (it was windy and cool).

By 10:45 we were of course hunting another potty. And you know what? They close the public toilets at 10:30. We walked all around the Eiffel Tower neighborhood looking for a place to pee. I mean what is it with the French and their toilets? If there is one thing I have learned on this trip it is that the French are in desperate need of relief. If I were a plumber in this city, my family would starve to death. There has to be 400 - 500 people to one toilet in this City. You know where Hope and Connor peed? In the bushes beneath the Eiffel Tower. It was classic! And Ellen is a trooper. She just hoped the fence to the garden beneath the tower and took care of pee pee business. AND while Connor was peeing, the Eiffel Tower put on an amazing strobe light show. It was like magic.

OK, enough potty talk. After, the kids ate some cotton candy and we made our way pack to the Metro Station for a ride home.

It was a late night, but the kids had a blast and Ellen and I did too! It was a day to remember.

Tomorrow is a new day! We might take a river boat trip on the Seine. Probably another nap!