This was a very different start to Paris compared to our other visits. Typically, our flight would land around 7AM and we would end up at our hotel around 8:30 or 9:00AM. We’d got to the hotel, check in, leave our bags and since our room is typically not ready, head out for breakfast and a short, slow paced stroll. In the past we were usually in our room by 11:00AM and we’d rest for a couple hours before heading back out.

Today however the room wasn’t ready until closer to two o’clock, which ‘forced’ us to stay out a bit longer than normal on our first day. Being ‘forced’ to hit the streets in Paris isn’t a bad thing at all, but on the heels of a 14 hour flight that didn’t even leave until 11PM made it for an especially long day at work and long flight followed by a longer than usual morning. We were tired. We finally turned the handle to our room at 1:30PM, unpacked our bags and went down for what we thought would be a 2-3 hour nap. Well, it turned into a 4+ hour nap instead.

So what would we do in those few hours before we go into our room, it seems just about everything. There are a few staples for any trip we make to Paris: 1) get a ham and cheese baguette 2) walk through the Jardin du Luxembourg 3) walk up and down Rue de Renne  4) eat a little more 5) find a farmer’s market 6) pick up a little something for our students back home and 7) eat some gelato.

Check, we accomplished every item on the list and then some. All of that was done in 4 hours and just over 7 miles of walking.  I think that’s why our 2-3 hour initial nap turned into a 4 hour one instead.  Day 1…perfect.

Our balcony over looking the Pantheon.

A very good sandwich.

Brownies at Bagels and Brownies

Bagels and Brownies: they were closed last time we were here over Christmas. We were happy to see that they were open again.

Café in the park ready for customers

Back home in the park

Beautiful baguettes in the garbage? Only in Paris.