Our last two days in Paris were filled with an assortment of emotions. We were able to visit our last two sites on our list beginning with the Musee Du Louvre. This museum is filled with so many astonishing pieces that honestly after two hours we were done. It was simply too much for one day and many pieces of art were glanced at without being fully appreciated. It was not only packed with people but also camaras. Luckily, we did get a picture of the Mona Lisa- with the help of a security guard and a friendly smile, he was able to manuever the crowds of people (10 feet wide and 5 feet deep) that were completely blocking the picture.

After a walk through the Jardin des Tuileries which consisted of two fountains, a dirt pathway and some bushes, we continued along the Avenue des Champs Elysees. This street was filled with stores like Louis Vuitton, a massive Cartier, and Tiffany & Co. People were well dressed and rushing from one place to another. We have noticed that Perisians do not eat or drink on the run. It isn?t like in North America where people are running around with starbucks coffee in one hand and cellphone in the other. Perisians take the time to sit in the Cafe with their friends and enjoy their 4€ miniture expresso.

The walk ended with the Arc de Triomphe which was difficult to capture that special kodak moment when it was completely surrounded with security personel. By this point in our travels we were equally feeling the burn in our legs and feet (let me just emphasize how much pain we felt with each step) and so we jumped on the metro, calling it a day- little did we know the advanture that lay ahead.

We figured we got over confident with our ability to navigate and utilize the Paris transit system and instead of the metro ended up on the train. An hour and a half later we were still not home, so we decided to get off the train closest to home and walk, as we seemed to be going in circles. With the assistance of a security guard and two Perisans we were able to get out of the station (you wouldn,t think getting out of the train station would be difficult- oh but it is!). Map in hand, we walked in the direction of the hostel, and very quickly noticed that we did not belong. There were hundreds of East Indians and North Africans crowding the streets. We passed people selling roasted corn on the cob out of a grocery cart, Salvation Army with a mobile soup kitchen feeding the homeless by the hundreds (we even witnessed men in business suits standing in line), and an area of women and children recieving food handouts like bags of apples. There was also a child of 7 years, holding onto a garbage can coughing up blood. Definitely a different world than the one we had seen earlier that day. Forgetting the pain in our muscles, clutching our purses, and doing our best to ignore the stench of body odour, urine, and garbage.
We arrived home in a somber mood and we're thankful that it was daylight, as we're sure at night it would have been a different story to tell.

The next day we woke at 5 am and got to the Chateau de Versailles, proud of ourselves that we were first in line with priority passes. Once in, with headsets on, we spent three hours on a guided tour of the beautiful tour of the beautiful castle. To think that the queen had no privacy (giving birth to an audience) and the beds and chairs looked as if they were pmade for midgets. The outside gardens were like a giant manicured forest consisting of statues, flowers, palm trees, hedges trimmed in all different styles, and fountains.

Back in central Paris we went to the beautiful Musee d'Orsay which highlighted the works of Von Gogh, Monet, and Renoir. This is also where Jill needed a sit down and accidently sat right on "art" (understandablly as the platform for the art looked exactly like the surrounding benches). The day ended with one last walk along the seine back to the hostel.

We are now safely in Portugal and have happily left France behind.

Sending our love to everyone, we miss you tons!

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