Sunday...in Paris...

We emerged from United's Made-in-the-USA cocoon and stepped wearily onto French soil. Well, French soil covered by Charles de Gaul's sixties-era Terminal 1. It would seem that a surge of flights arrived just as we did, causing an extra-long line at Passport Control. French efficiency at its best!

All troubles were soon washed away as we were greeted by Victor--our friendly driver into the city. A 30-minute, traffic-free drive later, Victor crossed the Seine--halfway--to enter Isle Saint Louis. This tiny island sits in the center of the city alongside the Isle de la Cite, which houses Notre Dame Cathedral.

Unlike our previous European itineraries, this trip will be based in one place, so we decided to rent a cozy apartment to get a sense of Parisian life. We're at 52 Rue Saint Louis, Paris if you want to Google Earth us. The apartment's most dramatic distinguishing feature is its painted wood-beam ceiling. (Our thanks to Brooks for this fantastic recommendation.)

We shut our eyes for an hour, freshened up, and headed out to find lunch. The low-40s air was nippy, but no complaints...not a cloud in the sky. (From what we hear, that will change.) Today, lunch was in honor of our friend Chris and our brief visit in June: croque monsieurs from a cafe next to Notre Dame. After lunch we walked and walked with no particular destination in mind: we strolled out to the Pont Neuf and along the Seine, wandered through the Marais, people-watched at the Palais Royal and Centre Pompidou, and daydreamed in the Tuileries gardens by the pond with little boats sailing across.

We decided to return to a familiar restaurant in the Marais for dinner. Afterwards, the walk back to the apartment was chilly, and the starless sky foretold the end of our one-day sunny day streak. Nevertheless, we are hitting bed satisfied and exhausted.