Paris!

We spent the morning meeting up with friends in Sant Quentin and running a few errands. Along the way we ran into a rider who mentioned there was a good cycling website with a route in to Paris. We had been trying to get info about taking the train into Paris with our bikes without much luck so this option intrigued us.

We scoped it out, Rick downloaded the route onto his GPS, we packed our overnight packs and took off. It turned out to be a pleasant ride, lots of bike paths and bike lanes, only about 15 miles. The route went right through Versailles but we were running late so just looked as we rode by. Maybe on the way back? Before we knew it, there was the Arc de Triomphe. Even though it was around 6 pm on a weekday, it didn't look that bad, so we took the plunge and did what I would never want to do in a car: rode our bikes around the round-about and onto the Champs Elysees! Look ma, just like the Tour de France!

About half way down to the Place de Concord, we opted to get away from the noise and traffic, though, and headed back behind the Jardin du Tuileries, tothe Place Vendome and our hotel, the Renaissance Marriott, which I highly recommend! Only a couple of blocks off the Champs Elysees, it is very quiet and of course beautiful.

Having had only a chocolate croissant and an espresso so far (Rick had a coke) we were both beyond hungry. Across from the hotel was a lovely Irish bar, that beckoned us in. The waitress was Haitian by way of Michigan, the barkeep from Edinburgh and the piano-player was from Gallway. A patron at the end of

the bar was from Dublin but was currently living in Manhattan, teaching theater arts and acting when he can. The piano player claimed to have been thrown out of several countries for his political views and his journalism. He only writes for the President of Ireland now. He has no internet but sends his stories in by fax... Okay....

We finished our drinks and followed the waitress' advice for dinner (Cafe Flottes, French Onion soup and the duck) and topped it off

with a stroll through the Jardin, past the Louvre, and along the Seine. I am surely dreaming....