TILT: (Tue) Off to Paris ...

A day of work -- waking up early to try to start getting on Euro time -- and then to the airport. Taxi, dog in the kennel, two bags packed, the wife and I trundle off. We packed lite -- hard to believe, for me especially. Doesn't look like the weather will be too hot, so only one pair of shorts -- wouldn't be good to be caught out in shorts in Paris, would it? Ugly americaine!

Anyway, arrive the next morning very early, suss out the train RER+Metro into the city and ... voila: we're in Paris. Who would have thought?

The METRO trains are great -- not too far between stations and running very regularly. Always another train each 5 minutes or less. Better than the DC metro -- quieter, more like hopping on a street car than a train. Some of the tunnels are long and some train changes require a bit too much transfer walking, but overall I thought this was a metro you could really live with. You get the express pass and you just go when you want. I was able to wander all around the city with impunity. Really comfortable.






Then, the sights of Paris!

The cafes with views of the churches (l'eglise) -- such as this one of St. Germain des Pres from Les Deux Magots (a famous cafe for the Americans in Paris back in the day -- Hemmingway was there I heard, but I didn't see him).





The Seine with tourist boats was also pretty running through the town. Unlike DC, the city is actually built to exploit the river and let you see it, with many bridges and river walk areas. DC almost seems to ignore it's river will sitting beside it.