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2003-05-30 - Paris Day 5 Today was an early start to catch the Eurostar to Paris. I tried to stay awake to see the Chunnel, but I couldn’t. I do not really believe you can see the point where you are under water like everyone was really expecting. After reaching Paris, we met up with our bus and took a quick break around the Opera House. Some of the group went to the perfume museum and to eat. Mom, Megan, and I made a quick hit to Mango and Zara. We only had a short period of time to browse, but never underestimate the power of a motivated female shopper! We began our bus tour of Paris with our local guide. We hit the main points, passing along the Eiffel Tower, in front of the Louvre, and made a couple of main stops at the Hotel des Invalides and at the Arc de Triomphe. Following our tour, we took our bags to the hotel, which was surprisingly under construction. There was a make-shift stairwell going up to the 2nd floor, where the lobby had been temporarily placed. Dinner was around the corner at Costal Café. We ate some sort of dish containing beef tips and mashed potatoes and had a sugar crepe for dessert. Mom, Megan and I had had the same dessert shortly before hand at the photo spot for the Eiffel Tower, but we still welcomed a crepe coming in out direction! Following dinner we all went on a boat tour of the Seine River. It was really beautiful since the sun was in the process of setting and you could still see all of the sights in the light of day. Going early meant missing the traditional “mooning” of the local teenage boys on the river banks. Every other boat ride I have been on during one of these trips that has happened. You could still see couples along the bank eating a picnic dinner. Following the boat tour, mom and I walked back towards the hotel and stopped by several of the souvenir carts. We went by the Shell station to get some cokes before returning to the hotel. We tried to find an Internet café on the way back so that I could see if Alex had emailed me, but Internet cafes proved to be hard to find in Paris! The concierge was nice enough at the hotel to let me call her briefly on the house phone and she confirmed she is coming on the first train the morning! 61, Quai de Grenelle Paris, France Phone: 011-33-1-40 58 20 00
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