On Sunday morning, we left for Paris at 7:30 in the morning. Why? To eat brunch at Breakfast in America. They serve American breakfasts with free refills of orange juice and coffee on Sundays. Here's their website: http://www.breakfast-in-america.com/index.htm?http://www.breakfast-in-america.com/investors.html. They have two locations in Paris, one located in the Marais district. So after a breakfast of sausages, eggs over easy, toast and pancakes, we went for a walk around the Marais.
Place de la Bastille. The Bastille prison used to be here, but it was destroyed during the French Revolution. Behind me is July Column and the glass building is the Opera de la Bastille. The Paris Opera is housed here.
Seine River. You can see the two massive columns of Notre-Dame behind me. It was 65 degrees outside, so the pathway along the Seine was filled with tons of Parisians running, biking, walking and rollerblading. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the first wonderfully warm and sunny day of the year.
Church of St-Gervais-St-Protais. Named after two Roman Soldiers in the first century. Alex is holding a back of groceries from a store called Thanksgiving. This store sells American groceries, including Vlasic kosher dill pickles, Betty Crocker cake mix, Betty Crocker frosting, Crystal Light, baking powder and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. VERY expensive, but cheaper than shipping from the US.
Centre Pompidou. It houses the Modern Art Museum. Very colorful. If you look all the way down the street, you can see Notre-Dame. It's the column-like shadow in the background.
For lunch, Alex made reservations at the Jules Verne, a restaurant located on the second platform of the Eiffel Tower. The view was spectacular and the food and wine were excellent. We highly recommend eating here, especially if you want to go up the Eiffel Tower but do not want to wait in the long lines.
After lunch. Notice all the people waiting in line to buy tickets to walk up the stairs of the Tower. If you want to go up an elevator instead of walking up the stairs, there is another line, just as long, on the other end of the Tower.
View from under the Eiffel Tower. This thing is huge. And handpainted.
Place Vendome. Very fancy shopping and expensive jewelry stores: Cartier, Bulgari, Van Cleef and Arpels.
Opera National de Paris Garnier. Opened in 1875, it is now home to the Paris Opera Ballet.
