Paris, Part Deux

The Eiffel Tower was the rage of the day.  If there was any thought that perhaps I should have gone up, one look at the pictures from the top and I knew I had made the right decision.  Well, that, plus when I asked if it swayed at the top, and was told, "Oh, not too much!", I KNEW this girl had made the right decision.  I don't mind high.  I just don't like exposed-to-the-elements-at-death-defying-heights-while-in-motion kind of high.  So yes, in fact, I (Dianne) was the one who didn't make it to the top, and I couldn't be more grateful. :)

Good night!!!  I would have passed out COLD had I been up there with them to take this shot.  This just in:  Caleb just informed me as I am blogging that at this level he STUCK HIS HEAD BETWEEN THE BARS to get a better view!!  God knew by giving me my boys that my prayer life would be strengthened. :)

Good buddies...

Back on the ground, these types of pictures are much more to my liking than the we-could-plummet-over-the-rail-at-any-moment sort.

For dinner we ate at this typical French bistro, which came highly recommended to us by Cremo, a new French friend we met en route .  It was kind of a mix between a diner, a pub, and a nice restaurant.  Well, we discovered early on that the French have a different kind of WC set-up than most Americans are accustomed to...there is a single door thru which EVERYONE enters into a type of foyer with sink(s), with several adjacent doors leading into individual compartments.  It was sort of like being a contestant on the Price is Right, only you had to pay to choose your door.  And, take this tip with you, Don't choose Door #1!  (They should tell us this in travel books.)  It is the broom closet!

So, I must digress just a moment and tell this story about the Vintzels...I have been asked if the Vintzels are European, as they certainly have that cool look, don't they?! ;)... right down to the dress code...blacks/grays/dark...So, I must answer and tell a quick story before continuing.  The Vintzels, in fact, live in Jackson...BUT James has a Greek heritage, so I think European style runs deep in his blood.  The fact is, they always look sharp--I mean, we spent a week with them 24/7, and they ALWAYS looked this good.  Amazing.  So, upon first meeting them, we couldn't remember their names, and so we referred to them as, "the 'hip' couple", and we both knew exactly about whom we were speaking.  So, we're thankful to now call the hip couple good friends, and can only wonder how they referred to US before they knew OUR names.

 

So, Easter Sunday 2010 will always be remembered as the year we went to the Easter Service at Notre Dame.  Somewhere in all our excitement, we had forgotten that the entire service would be in French.  All five kids fell asleep.  And, for the record, James did NOT read Scripture, but had they asked him,  we know he would have done a fine job. :)

Still Notre Dame, from the side...

...and from the back.  OK, so here's a great tid-bit.  Yvonne told me as I was snapping this picture, that the last time she and James were here, they walked along a narrow path on the ridge of the rooftop up on the right between the delicate cross (far right) and the massive steeple coming from the middle.  Aaaaaagh!!!  The things they let people do in Paris!!

After our morning at Notre Dame, we had one worn out little girl...