Enchanting Paris

Friday night: we flew out to Paris, caught a cab to our hotel, and went to bed. I fell in love with French all over again.
Saturday: We got up and went to find the Metro station. We tried to use the ticket machines, but they were confusing and the employees ended up opening the ticket counter just for us. They helped us get all the passes we need for our stay in Paris. I don't know why French people have such a bad reputation in the States. Every single French person we encountered was really helpful, friendly, and nice. They were much warmer than the Sevillans. People in France actually smile at you on the street. What?
Anyway at the train/metro station I had a warm chocolate croissant and it was heaven. Then we got on a train and headed for the Louvre, stopping to buy baguettes on the way. Mmm. At the Louvre, I got a wheelchair for free so I wouldn't have to walk around and mess up my feet more. (It occurs to me that some of you aren't aware that I have feet problems. I do.) So with the wheelchair, we got in line to buy tickets. A guard pulled us out and said that people with wheelchairs don't have to wait in line. So we got to cut the line and then they said that I and Jackie (who was pushing me at this point) got in for free. What? We ended up splitting the cost of the other 3 girls and I got into the Louvre for 5 euros. Then we went around the Louvre seeing such sights as the Mona Lisa; Venus de Milo; the Napoleon III apartments; Renaissance, Roman, Egyptian, and Greek art. One of the cool things for me was to see the Renaissance art and then be able to go see the Greek art that Renaissance artists imitated.
We might have had a little too much fun at some points with the wheelchair and several photos (which are posted on photobucket). In the Egyptian room, the 30+ year old attendant/ guard told me I was "very pretty" and he "wished to be my boyfriend" and it was very weird and finally we got out of there. This is while we had been acting like 10 year olds taking our pictures.
After the Louvre we had lunch/dinner at about 4:30. We did some shopping and went back to the hotel and went to bed.
Sunday: We got up and went to morning prayer and a Mass in Notre Dame. Notre Dame is beautiful, but it was my 3rd cathedral in a month and after awhile, they all start to look the same. (Don't tell Carmen I said that.) Afterwards, we waited in line for an hour and a half to climb the bell towers. I bought a beret and a crepe along the way. The bell towers were very cool and worth the long cold wait. Afterwards we headed to the Eiffel Tower. We got off the metro and were walking down a street looking at the little cars when all of a sudden we looked up and it was right there! We laughed and took pictures and walked over. I waited on a bench because my feet were hurting while the other chicas bought tickets. We took the elevator to the top and then back to the 2nd floor. We then took the stairs from the second floor to the first floor and stopped at the cafe and got hot chocolate. It was cold. Afterwards we took more pictures in front of it and went out to eat a real dinner. I had a sandwich and chocolate mousse.
Monday: Marisa, Erika, and Stephanie went to Disneyland Paris. Jackie and I went to Versailles, knowing that the actual chateau was closed but figuring we could walk around the gardens and see the outside. It rained steadily the entire day. We tried to go to the Impressionist museum (Musee d'Orsay) but it was closed Mondays too. I was disappointed about that, but I guess I will have to go back.
We got to Versailles and since it was raining, there was no one around. All the leaves were changing color and the rain at this point was more like mist. It was totally still and peaceful. This was probably my favorite day, even though it involved walking around for an hour. There were white swans and rowboats and miles and miles (or kilometers and kilometers) of trails to explore. It was wonderful. We were wet, cold, our shoes were dirty, my hair (which I had spiral curled that morning) was hanging in defeated hairsprayed strands, but we were so happy. And it was free.
Afterwards we went back into Paris and ate pastries in the subway and went to find the Sainte-Chapelle. It's a beautiful little chapel with, according to my art professor Carmen "the most precious gothic art ever." It was, Everything was decorated and painted and it had huge windows.
Jackie and I were tired of being wet and cold, so we went back early, had a baguette fight in the room, and then I took a hot bath for like an hour. So good. We can't take baths in Seville. Not enough hot water, no plug for the tub.
Tuesday: We got up, checked out, ate pastries, enjoyed the sun for the first time since Seville, and caught a plane to Venice, Italy.