Paris, Paris, Paris on July 11th

After breakfast, we headed to Paris...it was about a 2.5 hour ride. 

I LOVE hearing the delegates as they get their first glipses of the Eiffel Tower!  They were able to see it long before we got close to it...and there were probably 187 photos taken of it from the coach. 

First glimpses of the Arc de Triomphe!

Inside Notre Dame!

This is the Arc de Triomphe again....sorry it's out of order :)

Our first stop (after lunch) was Notre Dame.  What an incredible place!  We encouraged all of them to go through, but it wasn't required.  They were able to explore this part of Paris in their groups of 5.  Notre Dame, was started in 1163 A.D.  We had told the group that no one could be a minute late...otherwise, we wouldn't be able to make the Eiffel Tower (we had a reservation for the elevator)... I think everyone was early...

Notre Dame!

This is the design on the doors leading into Notre Dame

Views of Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower...

You can see Notre Dame in the center...

The Louvre...see the glass pyramid?

Off we went to meet the coach for our drive to the Eiffel Tower.  Most of us walked up to the second level - instead of taking the elevator.  That would be 669 steps to that level.  From there, there is no choice but to ride the elevator to the very top.  We were standing in the queue (translation:  line) for the elevator to the very top...and we watched the rain heading toward us...and then it drenched us.  We just stood there since there was no where else to go, and I don't think anyone was willing to sacrifice going up to the top for a bit lot of rain! 

Some of us, saw and/or heard a guy propose to his girlfriend at the very top!  How romantic!  After roaming around the top and taking pictures...and spotting landmarks...we headed down.  Again, the elevator had to be taken from the very top to the second level...and then most of us walked down instead of taking the elevator.  It's so cool to walk down...to see Paris' buildings get larger as we get closer to the bottom. 

We drove to a differenr part of Paris and went to dinner at Flan's....

We were full and content after our day in Paris....

It is the end of day 13!