Paris...can you ever get enough?

We arrived in Paris at our hotel on Sunday evening after a chaotic drive through the center of Paris.  I can't believe Pete can maintain his calm demeanor as I see cars coming from all directions.  We even drove right through the mother of all roundabouts - the Arc de Triomphe.  There are 10 streets that dump into that roundabout.  After settling in to a teeny tiny hotel room, did I say tiny already?  We set off to the Latin Quarter to get Parisienne bistro food. 

After walking over the Seine, we found a bistro that served us a classic "menu" meal of 3 courses:  Salad, Poulet (chicken) with Pommes Frites (french fries), and of course, Chocolate Mousse.  The Latin Quarter (Left Bank) is named for the students and professors who spoke Latin on the streets nearby at the University of Paris (Sorbonne).  The heart of the Latin Quarter is the boulevard St. Michel.  Students call it Boul Mich.

Monday morning after Pete left for meetings, I grabbed my guidebook and explored St. Michel, stopping in many fun shoe stores.  I must have been in 100 shoe stores and bought none!  The Sorbonne is located just off St. Michel and it's impressive to see the place where so many intellectuals in scarves and berets came and went.  On to the Pantheon and the Luxembourg gardens, where I enjoyed a perfect day for people watching.

Pete joined me for dinner with his local salesman, Alain.  He took us to one of his favorite restaurants that features food from his boyhood home in Southwestern France.  The food and wine was fabulous.  It was another great day and a half in Paris. 

On a typical street in the Latin Quarter

Nighttime in Latin Quarter

Artsy photo by Mon Pierre

On the Seine at dusk

Walkway to the Sorbonne

The Pantheon

Luxembourg Gardens in full bloom

Notre Dame along the Seine

Waiter whipping up the signature cheesy potatoes from our favorite restaurant

Amore Paris!

.... and on to Giverny and Monet's Garden.  Au Revoir!