Day 1: Driving Around

After the Eiffel Tower, we kinda decided that since it was SOOOOO crowded in Paris that day, we would just drive around to a few of the sites (since the girls didn't care all that much in them) and just take a few pictures.


1. Arc DeTriomphe...the arc that symbolizes and pays respect to the soldiers who fought in during the Napoleonic Wars. They have a memorial for the "Unknown Soldier" with a fire burning and everything. It's pretty cool. They say that this was the place Napoleon marched through when returning from a famous battle. It's at the very end of a 2 kilometer stretch of one of the most famous streets in Europe, and possibly the world, called Champs Elysees...a very posh road of high end shops and a Palais (or palace) at the other end.



2. Champs Elysees- So, as I explained about this famous strip, we didn't walk along it, much to my shopaholic daughters' chagrin. We did drive down it and point out lots of fun stores. The girls were in awe, and of all places, they wanted to go to the Disney store. They were convinced they had different things, more French things, than America. Probably they're right. But I still didn't want to stop. It was so crowded.



3. Moulin Rouge-We secretly drove passed this. I didn't get to see it the last time, so it was one that I really wanted to at least "drive by". I was told that it wasn't in a very good part of town, so doing a "drive by" was fun too. And for those of you who know my obsession with the movie, will know why I needed to go. :) We didn't really tell the girls what we were doing. They were doing other stuff in the back seat...probably reading the map, or playing their DS, or reading Harry Potter.

My thoughts? Way different area that what I envisioned. I thought I was going to be driving down this dingy, dirty, stinky side alley where the Moulin Rouge was nestled amongst run down buildings. Not so. It is on a busy street amongst many people coming and going, just going about doing business, shopping at the stores nearby, and attending the theater down the street. And is it still a "brothel"? Or a modern day version of it? The website is really cool, doesn't mention anything of the sort and makes it sound like it's more of a Vegas show now. Anyway, it exceeded my expectionations, nonetheless, so it was a good diversion.

Can you see the reflection of my hand in the picture? :)

Next Stop: The LOUVRE!!!!