Paris comes alive

Yesterday the weather finally took a turn for the better. The city really came alive with images of Parisen life holding true. Everywhere we looked there were couples, young and old, sharing in intimate moments. Public spaces were overrun with locals laying in the grass, sitting on bridges and covering the banks of the Seine. We decided to log some tourist hours at the Musee d'Orsee, which as a converted train station has a great design. The museum holds within its collection most world renown impressionist paintings -- at least for those who learned about art from movies, like us. Afterwards we swung by the Notre Dame cathedral originally built in 1163. After bumping into people of every nationality we decided to act like locals and take to the banks of the Seine. A quick stop at a cheese shop, bakery, wine shop and variety store (apparently inquiring at the wine shop if they sold plastic cups was funny to the proprietor) we were off to be locals. Sitting on the banks behind the Notre Dame provided great views up and down the river, of ile de la Cite and the back of Notre Dame. A bottle, wedge and baguette later we hotel bound for a nap but not before obversing what seemed like half of Paris laying on the grass in the Louver and Tuilleries garden. As our short nap ended (around 11pm) we took the streets again covering the Champs Elysee. This grand boulevard is truly a sight to be seen. The sidewalk would make any road back home seem narrow. Littered with shops, cafes and just about everything else, including car manufacturers concept stores, it invites the imagery of old Paris in all its grandeur. At the end stands of one Napoleon's commissioned works, the Arc de Triomphe. Situated in the middle of a crazy round a bout is a massive commemorative arc to fallen soldiers. After a late dinner around 1am we decided to head back and rest up for tackling the tourist grand-daddy of them all, the Louvre.