I love Paris in the Springtime

We got up early and after a nice breki of bread and tea we headed out to Norte Dame we walked along the Seine and finally came upon it, was beautiful to see. The Statues and carvings were so beautiful. It was already getting crowded we took some pics and then spotted a Public Toilet and went to use it however it was not open until 10 am and it was about 20 to so we looked around some more and decided to get in a line for the toilet. 10 am came and went and no sign of someone to open it the line certainly was growing now people waiting and impatiently looking at their watched. At 10.15 we gave up as we were wondering if anyone would ever come to open up what it if was their day off? So we went in search of another toilet. We couldn't find any and someone suggested that we should go in a cafe order coffee and then use the Ladies. Sure drink coffee need to pee even more so I spotted a sign for a hotel so we went to find it. We finally did and walked in like we belonged there look around and saw a sign for a toilet so we opened the door and what a mess it was dirty and no toilet seat but beggars can't be choosers in desperate situations. Note to Self: Walking tour of Clean Paris toilets.



































Back to ND where it was really getting crowded. We went  
inside and looked around it was beautiful the thing that
struck me was the free admission like Sacre Coeur, yet London charges a hefty admission to St Paul's and Westminster Abbey, thankfully I had been there years ago when admission was free and a donation requested. The stain glass windows were superb We then came out and started walking around snapping photos of the Gargoyles which were all the Cathedral, there seemed to be hundreds of then I put on my zoom lens in an effort to capture the ones up high. We spotted another public toilet which was actually open and decided to put it to use as you never know if it your last chance.

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After that we decided to walk along the Seine and also find the left bank, someone gave us directions. We saw a Cafe that had some yummy looking Baguettes in the window so we decided to go in and have one for lunch and I also wanted to listen to Cafe On the Left Bank. The man there was asking why I didn't know any French, and did asked where we were from and when I said I was from the US he started jumping up and down yelling Obama. We ate I sang we left.










After that we continued along the Seine I so wanted to take a book trip but it was so darn cold so I settled at looking at the boats. We ran across a cute little dogie that was going for a ride in a carrier and asked if we could take a snap. We then continued along the Seine back to see the The Champs-Elysées during the day. My jaw was drooping as we walked with all the imposing building and statues. We walked by the Louvre and took a snap of the Pyramid I had no idea the Louvre was so big I was amazed of course the lines were a million miles long so I agreed the idea of getting in line to go in as it would have definitely taken the rest of the day.
We then ran across some garden? Not sure all of a sudden there were all these statues all over the place and I was snapping away and started singing I Love Paris in the spring time by now vowing I would come back again in the Spring someday. The next thing I knew one of the statues was wearing a Santa Hat and a bit later noticed people putting jackets on some of the statues. I guess Hugh couldn't take it any longer as suddenly the little pervert was climbing on the statues, I took some photos of this as proof.

We were soon back Champs-Elysées and it certainly was different during the day and all the Christmas stuff was being removed we walked to Arc de Triomphe,  the traffic there was unreal it was interesting to stand and watch we had to go through an underground pass to get over to it took pics and looked around a bit but way too crowded to go up into it especially as we had to back to train station by 6 to catch the train back to London. We went headed back to hostel and stopped to buy some dinner for the train I got another Baguettes this time a cheese one and then picked up our belongings and headed back to the train and London.

Notre Dame

beautiful windows work of art