After a six hour plane ride and very little sleep, we arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris at 8:45 in the morning, although it felt like 3:00 am to us. We boarded the bus that took us to our hotel where we dropped off our bags. Immediately, we set off to the sites of "Gai Paris." The sun was shining and the weather was warm as we walked to Notre Dame Cathedral. The visit was brief, as we knew we would come again on the bus tour the next day. Next we saw Saint Chapelle--the jewel of gothic architecture. When the sun hit the stained-glass windows, it looked like a prism! 

After a big lunch at a sidewalk cafe, we browsed at the local sidewalk vendors (Bouquinistes) before heading to the Louvre. There we spent two hours admiring famous works of art like the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. We went back to the hotel to change clothes and rest for a few minutes before going to a tiny family-owned restaurant called Le Coq Agile. The boat ride (a Bateau Mouche) down the Seine River after dinner was spectacular. The city's famous landmarks were visible from the boat. The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre were lit up beautifully. After a 36 hour day and plenty of running around, we returned to the hotel and were asleep within minutes, looking forward to a brand new day in Paris!