Day 1

     We arrived in Paris after a 7 hour flight, and then from the airport we rode for about 3 hours on a bus to our hotel. None of us slept very much, but we were too excited to worry about that. Our hotel, we found out, was within walking distance of Notre Dame. SO COOL. That was our first stop after we had breakfast in a small cafe right next to the hotel.
     The cafe was a small problem; we were encumbered by the large bills of 50, 50, an 100 we had been given to use for food, and ten customers using the large bills was too much for the small cafe to handle. We all got breakfast, though, through some tricky maneuvering. I had pain au chocolat, which is a pastry made of bread with chocolate baked into the bread. It's the best.
     From the cafe, we went to Notre Dame. We walked though the inside, oohed and ahhed, took pictures, and exited. The most unbelievable thing about this cathedral is the vibrant colors of the stained glass windows. C'est magnifique!
     After that, we planned to take a boat tour around the Seine, but we had a few hours before the next tour was available, so we explored the area around Notre Dame. I ended up finding a gelato store, and it was delectable.
     Once the allotted time had passed, we got on the boat and started the tour. We started with Notre Dame and ended with the Eiffel Tower. We saw all of the big sites in Paris, but I don't think many of us can tell you much about it because, at that point, we had all been awake for far too long and were nodding off on the boat. Needless to say, our next stop after the tour was the hotel for a nice, long nap before the late dinner of Parisians. (They eat at about 9:00 pm)
     We rediscovered one of the restaurants near Notre Dame and we ate there for the night. The best deal I've seen is a three course meal for 10 euros. Dining in Paris is a completely different experience from anywhere in the United States. Having been a waitress, I know it's almost all about turnover and getting as many customers in and out as quickly as possible. But in Paris, eating is an experience to be savored, and it is treated accordingly. There's always bread with the first two courses, and there is absolutely no rush. It's a wonderful experience. I don't think we've eaten anywhere in under half an hour yet; even if we just sit down for a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. That was a great way to end the first night here. With our stomachs full, we promptly fell in bed.