Day Two- Paris, France

We started Day Two, Sunday, off with a nice breakfast buffet at our hotel. We filled our stomachs before heading into the heart of Paris. The Louvre was our target, but that changed when we arrived and found a line that must have been close to a mile long (it was the first Sunday of the month which meant free admission). We ditched that idea and headed over to Notre Dame. Better Idea. Short line there and Mass. Two for One :). 

Front of Notre Dame (Judah thought it smaller in person/ still quite grand in scale)

    

Mass convened while the tourists filed through the Cathedral.

 Some amazing stained glass

We waited in a short (20 minute) line for access to the top of the Cathedral. Okay, so let's be honest. Judah and Dave waited in line. Keslie and I just had to purchase a scarf- to fit in with the Parisians- and my first authentic crepe with a hefty helping of nutella. YUM! Back to Notre Dame: We climbed the stairs, paid euros, climbed, climbed, and climbed more stairs, and then hung out with the really cool gargoyles.

 And saw views like this.....

 and got pictures like this......

and this...... (sporting our aforementioned newly purchased scarves)

and this..... (check out the really cool gargoyle in this one)

 After the really cool adventure on top of Notre Dame we decided to brave the Louvre line and headed back. It was worth it! We saw these Police officers floating around on roller blades, ate lunch, and made it into the pyramid, in around an hour's wait!

The Louvre

Not bad waiting when you are with fun people to hang out with!

If the size of Notre Dame was unimpressive, then the Louvre had to be anything but! It was incredibly massive! I felt like we saw SO much and yet looking at the map afterwards, realized we only saw a mere fraction of what they had to offer. My most memorable site was the Mona Lisa. Only due to the fact that there was a small mob in front of her. She is located in a room probably 5 times the size of my house (herself only being about 2 feet by 2 feet). Anyway, Keslie and I got caught up in the charade (quite wisely I might add), we found ourselves face to face with said Mona soon enough! I also found myself rubbing, quite literally, my backside with another tourist (who will forever remain faceless as I feared turning around). Memory that will be hard to forget.....

Was getting dark by the time we left the Louvre, but still had momentum and the Eiffel Tower was calling. We bypassed the LONG elevator line, paid to hike the stairs and started up yet again (42 floors I believe). It was fun. Really it was. We did all make it up the 600 steps, then waited a few minutes to pay to get on the elevator to the very top. On the hour, every hour, the tower sparkles. We were there for two. That was fun :). 

 It was election day in France. Time for Sarkozy to be out.... hopefully a sign of the times for us. Lots of partying to be had in Paris that night and it showed everywhere.