Au revoir Paris

July 20th, 2015

Our final day in Paris was a little sad, as we loved the city and also realized that we only have a week before we have to go back to reality. That is, before we start our next adventure in August. Anyway, we started our day early at the Eiffel Tower. Luckily we got tickets beforehand and didn't have to wait in the massive line, and we were one of the first people up there. It was a windy morning but the views were good except you didn't get to the look at the Eiffel Tower while you were on it...Oh the irony...

We then headed out to Giverny to see the Monet home and gardens. We took the train out and found a café across from the station renting bikes so we excitedly rented them, thinking about the scenic ride we would take through the country. Of course, the second we were handed the bikes it started to rain, pretty hard. The café worker grabbed a towel and wiped off the seats before walking back inside. We decided we would put on our raincoats and took off. That is after Anna remembered how to ride a bike and stopped screaming every time a car sped by her. The rain cleared up pretty soon after and it ended up being a pretty beautiful bike ride. By this point, we were less distracted by the weather and began to realize just how uncomfortable these bikes were. It was not quite the enjoyable morning bike ride we had in mind. Nonetheless, the scenery was beautiful for the 3 miles ride and was worth the ride, mostly. We arrived at the Monet Gardens and walked through the home where Monet lived before seeing the stunning gardens. We found the iconic lily pond and enjoyed the few quiet moments we could. It was completely packed with tourists, which made it a little less idyllic. We grabbed a couple well deserved beers and ice creams before beginning the treacherous bike ride back to the train station.

For our final dinner, we found a small restaurant in the neighborhood we are staying, Mouffetard. Of course we had to compare the escargot of our previous meal so we ordered that, scallops, steak, and crème brûlée with a cheese plate for dessert. This was our first cheese plate in Paris, so we were both pretty excited. We had another fantastic server and were very pleased with our final meal here.

Once it was dark, we headed to the Moulin Rouge to see it lit up at night and explore this area a bit. We then made our way to Pont Alexander III, a very ornate bridge with gold statues at each corner and street lamps all along. Chuck enjoyed more night photography while Anna enjoyed more people watching.

After a week in Paris, we are exhausted but also in love with the city! We decided if/when we come back we will take a much more laid back approach and just enjoy the atmosphere of the City of Light.

Au revoir and see you in London!