For those of you who have been following this blog and wondering, "when is a travel blog about Africa going to start talking about traveling in Africa?" I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I am writing this at about 12:34 GMT (or Western European Time) in Rabat, Morocco; finally on the continent of Africa. The bad news is that this post still has nothing to do with Africa. Tune in later to hear all about getting here and getting settled.
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| "Later 'Murica" |
No good world traveler passes up an opportunity to visit the City of Lights, and since our flight to Rabat included a 13-hour layover in Roisy-Charles De Gaulle International in Paris, neither did we. Of course, most people prefer the spring, summer (or even fall) rather than winter, but we take what we can get. Instead of stripey shirts and berets it was down jackets and skull caps for some of us. Our trip, as it happened, allowed me to see a very good friend of mine stationed in Brittany who made the trip all way to see us.
Our adventure begins with navigating the busy streets of CDG international. After a moment of decompression, a chocolate croissant, and a couple coffees later, we found the train that took us downtown where we met our guide/friends at the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. Situated on the Ile de la Cité, smack dab in the middle of Sein River, this attraction draws quite a crowd that forms a never-ending snake of massing humanity enjoying the neo-gothis architecture, weaving around tiny chaplets, lighting candles, and of course taking selfies.
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| Outside Notre Dame |
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| #butfirstacathedralselfie |
Following our appetite and our lack of imagination, we took a bus ride to the l'Avenue des Champs Elysée where we stopped at.....where else.....McDonalds for a quick bite to eat. Only, of course, after complaining that they don't have Quarter-pounders with Cheese on the menu (name that movie..)
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| No Quarter Pounder, but they did serve beer in McDonalds. Eleven in the morning was, however, just a tad bit early. |
Across the traffic circle from "MacDo," we continued to l'Arc de Triomphe, which was commissioned by Napoleon for apparently winning a lot of battles or something. Either way, after climbing what seemed like thousands of spiral stair cases, it does allow for some great views of the Eifel Tower and down the Champs Elysée.
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| Probably should have worn a jacket |
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| Looking thrilled at the top of the Arch, tower in the background |
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| View down the Champs |
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| View from under the Arch |
Lastly, we couldn't leave Paris without stopping at la Tour Eifel. First we had to get the kid a crepe. It would be France without crepes (or the handful of birds that seem to threaten violence if they also didn't get a piece.
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| Give me the nutella banana crepe and nobody gets hurt |
After relaxing along the river in view of the tower. We walked under it (sorry, didn't go up, didn't care that much) and along the Champs de Mars to the French War College or l'Ecole Militaire. What makes this place interesting is all of bullet holes that can be seen along the front of building caused when French forces refused to peacefully surrender the building to Germany during WWII.
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| Under the tower. Cold (but happy) family |
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| Obviously I was going to get a picture under the cavalry sign |
After having a light lunch at a nearby café, it was time to head back on the train to the airport and onward to Rabat. We may have been running on 0 hours of sleep over the last 24 hours or so, but were glad to meet our friends and see the City of Love even if it was in near freezing temperatures.
Next stop, Rabat.
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