Let me tell you about this so called "French paradox" you know the one that finds Americans in awe and wonderment about how the French can eat all this butter and fat and somehow stay so thin. Firstly the food is expensive, even at the cheap places, so nobody's really eating that much anyway. Secondly, a goodly number of them smoke, an appetite suppresant. But most key is the walking all over the place, and the steps.
There are stairways everywhere and there are very few lifts. So you end up walking and marching, carrying bags up 5 flights of stairs several times a day(a good reason not to forget your umrella or scarf) The paradox is how many of them can hit these stairs with groceries in one hand after a glass or two of wine and cigarette hanging from there mouth and live to talk about it or more accurately philophise about it. Sunday, Flea Markets, Crowds, and Paris
Anyway we have continued to push on trying to see the sights, relax, entertain Skye and get a workout all the while. We had read that the weekends, Sunday in paticular are tourist packed, both foreigners and French. We had also read that the Montmarte area is paticullarly crowded with tourists. So early that morning, 9 for us. We headed out to the flea market, which was a bit out of the way and interesting for about 1/5th of the time it took to get there. Apparently flea markets are quite similar around the world, some over-priced authentic antique dealers, some possible bargains
on the fringe of the antique section, surrounded by seemingly miles of cheap crap, the only apparrent difference from here and the states and Mexico City being the teams and names on the sports apparell.Then off to Montmarte. The books were right: it was insanely crowded. Nevermind, off we headed to Sacre-Coeur, an amazing church at the top of Montmarte. The funicular was broken, more steps. The best view is from the top of the church. For some reason to get to the top, they make you descend to the crypt and then climb all the way back up. So more steps. I never knew that all of my work in the back yard was preparing me for my Paris vacation. Again I must say the climb was well worth it. The views of Paris gorgeous. Now when we left the church and went to get food at a take-away tourist joint, that was another story. Cindy and a very pushy Italian women almost went to blows, (not really, Cindy is much too "Southern" and ladylike for that, but she was quite upset). So a quick lunch of crappy sandwiches, also overpriced, a brief fight for space and serenity with a flock of pigeons at the park and we were off to the Moulin Rouge. After getting our bearings and marching through Paris' trashy red-light district (making Times square look tame and prudish) we stepped on the sidewalk on the block of the Moulin
Rouge and Cindy was ready to leave. I wanted to at least see the windmill regardless of how sad it was and it was sad indeed, so we were off again to Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe.
We exited the metro in front of the huge Arc, Cindy, who was a bit pressed to find and acquire some tour bus tickets, said, "Ok there it is let's go". As we walked a bit down the street, I had to press her to slow down, which we did. We also bought tickets to see Versailles and then a two-day tour bus package and a then a 6 day musuem pass, which included Versailles.
Anyway after a bit of stress, typical travel nonsense and lots of hemming and hawing we ended up at a fountain with Skye sailing a little toy boat, having a great time with a stick to push the boat out, a simple clunky, yet beautiful in its own way sail boat and the wind. Sometimes, really most of the time its the simple things that make the most sense.
The Bus Tour
We had purchased a two-day on and off double decker bus tour. Now unfortunately for us the weather was a bit cold, in the low to mid sixties, windy and rainy. Oh well. And we had purchased it for Monday and Tuesday, most muesuems in Paris are closed on Monday or Tuesday, some schedule juggling, to say the least. That all being said, a double decker bus is a great way to see the 
city, you're up above the people and the cars, you're not driving, you can get off at stops and hop back on at your leisure. It's really a good system. We first hit the Arc de Triomphe and saw it properly this time. Marching up the tight spiral stairs to the top. Yes more stairs. But again amazing views of Paris and again well worth the effort. Then let's see we saw Napolean's tomb, some churches, umm let me think, I think some more churches more musuems. No really there is just too much to go into too much detail. More bus, even colder and wetter.
So Tuesday finds us on the bus again but with even more wind and rain. But I must say that clouds and rain make for more dramatic photos, don't you think? Today we hit the Institut Du Monde Arabe, which was amazing and beautiful, very clean very modern. 
I can not clearly explain the wall of appetures that open depending on the light on the day, so take a minute or so and click on the link it is very interesting. Inside they didn't have many pieces but they were so beautifully displayed. Needless to say it brought my mind back to where we're at politically in our US of A, and made me not so proud and quite upset with our current government. I'm not keen on Islam, granted I don't know enough, but it feels too against women for my comfort. I find Islamic art to be exquisite.
I don't like judging or being judged. And I think closing down communication is the most disasterous think one can do, as an individual, or a culture, a religion or a country. I couldn't help but think of these things and as diplomatically, gently and sensitively try to explain a bit to Skye. After the Arab adventure we went to the Natural History Musuem which was closed, not such good juggling. Then toured another garden. The number and beauty of the gardens is absolutely incredible. It has given me some ideas. We squezzed a bit more out of our bus passes, ended up chasing one for several city blocks and ended up not catching it. Seeing the sad and pathetic Moulin Rouge again, from the bus top this time. And finally, finally making it up the Tour Eiffel. We opted for the shorter line, the one where you climb up some 702 steps to the lower platform, where you can then take the lift up the remainder of the way(Unfortunately you can't climb all the way to the top). We ended up getting to the first platforms just as it was getting dark, around 10:20. We finally made it to the top by around 11pm. Paris is exquisite by night. There is a reason it is called the city of lights and being at the top of the Eiffel Tower at night makes it more than apparrent. We were back down, making our way home and through the Metro well after midnight. Good thing we didn't get started until after noon.
