Viva La France!!!

What an amazing trip!!! I left for Paris right after work on Friday and got into my favorite city in the world (except of course for Stillwater, OK) at about 8:30 and hopped into a cab. You have to ride in a cab in Paris-nothing like putting your life on the line in the city of lights. I got to my little bitty 2** hotel that has never heard of air conditioning. I dropped my bags and headed out for a crepe...and a walk around. Saturday I got up and stopped at a Cafe and had breakfast (are you beginning to sense a theme to my trips....). I felt very chic sitting at outside at a French Cafe having breakfast. I ordered an omelet and the waitress looked very confused so I guess one does not have omelets for breakfast in Paris! I then starting strolling through Paris. I hopped on the hop on/hop off taxi boat and took it to the Latin Quarter. I came across an open air market which sold everything from bras and underwear to live fish. I then went to the Cluny museum which had amazing tapestries and stained glass windows in a fantastic old building. I then walked over to Notre Dame and then over to Ile St. Louis and walked down the main drag there. Of course I had to stop for the best gelato I have ever had (I was so enamored I forgot to take a picture!!). I then hopped back on the boat and headed to the Louvre but the line was to long to go in so I just wandered....and started to recon where I was going to watch the race. I found an English bookstore and browsed for a while. I then wandered up the Champs de Elysses. As I was crossing the "street" I held up my camera and tried to get a good shot of the Arc De Truimphe. It's not easy trying to get a pictures as you are dodging scooters, cars and busses! But I am willing to sacrifice for the sake of my blog. I then sauntered back towards my hotel and found myself.....at a Cafe for dinner. So I stopped for a salad and a glass of wine. I stopped myself at dessert (mainly because sitting next to me on the seat were pastries from Laudree.) I had to have a lemon tart and an eclair. I had sauntered quite a bit and felt they were well deserved!
When planning for the trip I made a rookie mistake and planned on coming home on Sunday. I won't make that mistake next year. Since I was leaving I decided to take a cab over to the train station and drop off my bag. I couldn't get a taxi to take me anywhere near the Champs de Elysee and it was only 10:00 in the morning so I finally just said take me as close as possible. I ended up near the Louvre and it was impossible to get around! They were already blocking off different streets. I finally took the back way and ended up at "my spot" I had decided I wanted to be on the "uphill" side of the CdE (Champs de Elysee) because the bikers would be going slower as they past me! I bought lunch and 2 bottles of water (no bathrooms=no wine) and scoped out my spot. I wanted to be on right against the railing. It made for fantastic people watching!!! I plopped down and ate my lunch, read my book and watched people. I ended up between a very happy group of Norwegians and on the other side some Dutch folks. The riders were scheduled to arrive at about 3:45...but before the riders arrived there was the strangest parade I had ever seen. All of the sponsers of the Tour had cars and 18 wheelers, some of the cars were made up into strange floats. Then they would swerve up and down the street honking!!!! It was the loudest parade I have ever seen-since when are 18 wheelers parade floats? I was wearing an OSU ball cap and sure enough I ran into an OSU person. She graduated a couple of years ago and is working in an architect firm. It is amazing how much you can find in common with another Cowgirl! The riders finally arrived at about 4:45. It was so exciting!! They just whoosh by. The yellow jersey rides with his team in the front and then all of the team cars drive by. Every time the Dutch car would drive by the Dutch couple and I would yell "Hup Hup Holland!" Everyone goes crazy as they ride by and then they go around the Arc De Truimph and then down the other side of the CdE. We all laughed because you wait for about 5 hours for 20 seconds of whooping and cheering, then you wait again while they circle around and another exciting 20 seconds!!! Since I hadn't plan well I had to leave after the 6th round!! I never dreamed they would be so late. But it was so much fun to see them drive by, see all of the cars with all of the bikes, tv cameras etc. drive by. I will try to go again next year, after they finish the race the riders come out and sign autographs etc!!

Well I had better start cleaning up. I am actually having company this week (I made the plans because I knew it would make me get organized!

Au Revoir