Paris

We travelled from Amsterdam to Paris yesterday by train and it was a wonderfully easy journey. It took about three hours and we were in the first class cabin so the seats were big and comfortable and we ate a nice lunch and drank some nice wine. The train takes about the same time as plane to travel to Paris if you take into account all the security measures and boarding procedures plus the train drops you off in the centre of Paris.
We arrive at Hotel, the Citidines, which is really nice with free expressor and Internet and the space, is modern and large about 2.30pm. Normally at most hotels the check in time is 2pm but they said we had to wait because the room is not ready. Well by 3.30pm we were still not in the room. Trudi had asked them about 3pm when will the room be ready and had got the cold shoulder and we will call when ready routine. So at 3.30pm I went up to the counter and asked again but this time I explained to them with my most intimidating and serious face that my wife was a diabetic (which she is not) that I unless they make the room available soon their beautiful lobby was going to be used as a shooting gallery for her insulin injections. Needless to say we were in our room by 3.35pm.
We took the opportunity of the long days here in Europe to see what was close to our hotel and found the Notre Dam Cathedral. Trudi has planned well as we are close to many attractions and our hotel is on the Seine River with many cafes and restaurants. Tonight we had dinner at a Canadian pub and had BBQ ribs washed down with large glasses of apple cider.
Today we got up early to take a tour of the Louvre Museum and it was a thrilling experience especially seeing the Mona Lisa by Da Vinci in person. It is amazing; the buzz in the room was electric.
After the museum we caught a cab to Montemarte an area in Paris where artist gather to paint and draw portraits of tourist. Trudi had Taylor and Dillon’s likeness commissioned by an artist who has a style inspired by Da Vinci’s drawings and so we keep the Da Vinci theme going. It was a jam-packed day as we also saw the Moulin Rouge from the outside and had lunch at a nice roadside café.
As if the day was not busy enough we then caught a cab to the Eiffel Tower and Dillon, Taylor and Myself ventured to the very top and saw an incredible view of the city. Trudi waited on the ground because of her anxieties but still got anxious because it took two hours for us to reach the top and then come down again.
We finished the night with a lovely meal of steak at the café of Paris.
Today we have a little sleep in and are going to see Picasso’s gallery and Champ de Ley see and maybe a bit of shopping.