Lovely...Just.So.Lovely!

I had already fallen in love and the plane had not even landed!

It was 7:45 AM and we were just making our approach into
 Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France.

Oh the beauty of the countryside of France!

 Luscious....absolutely the most beautiful green fields with small towns and villages scattered here and there!

I was truly in love with this gorgeous land already!

 

I had not really expected it to be this lovely!

My sweet traveling buddy and I settled in our room and it was only a little after 9 AM....

and off we went!

Let The Adventure Begin!!

 

 

Of course, first we checked to see where the nearest Starbuck's was...

we must get a little pep, since we had flown all night! :) 

 

Perfect, only a block or so from our hotel.

 

 

As we sat there enjoying our first cup of coffee in PARIS...my friend commented that now we just needed to find the nearest Metro.

 

 I had been noticing people getting in an elevator just across from us and wondered where it was taking them.

 Just then she laughed and said there it is!

 

 Right across from where we were sitting...how about that!

 

 

 

And here we are...first time coming up from the Metro...onto the beautiful streets of Paris!!

 

Are you ready for Nana's Adventure??

 

 Sure hope you enjoy Day One!

 

Oh...the lovely streets of Paris...

 

 

 

 

 

I will always remember how beautiful all the buildings and streets were...

 

 

 

 

All of the buildings have these elegant rounded corners.

 

 In June of 1853 Emperor Napoleon III, commissioned Baron Haussmann to begin the great renovation of remolding the city of Paris into a geometric grid.

 The beautiful re-design transformed Parisian life.

 

 The rounded corners are his design!

 

I am a very geometric person...no wonder I loved the way Paris was laid out! :)

 

 

 

I thought the name of this little cafe was appropriate...

Jet Lag!!!

 

 Since we had flown all night...and the night before! :)

 But no jet lag for us...we were on a great Adventure for sure!

 

This was the busiest street that we ever strolled down...I loved it!

 

 Loved the fresh produce, the beautiful flowers...and lots of gorgeous scarves.

 We tried to find it again, but never did!

 

 

 

 

And here we have another lovely cafe...one on every street at least!

 

 The French truly do know how to relax and enjoy one another's company...with a little cup of coffee, of course! :)

 

 I loved that!

 

 

 

 

We were in search of Notre Dame...

Irita assured me that this was not nearly as large as Notre Dame!

 

 It was amazing to me!

 

  Loved those buttress's that I later found out kept the walls of the great cathedrals from caving in. Mind boggling that they could engineer all of that 1500 years ago...

and we think we are pretty smart now a days! :)

 

 

 

This is St. Eustache Cathedral...built in the 1500's

 

.

 

 

I told her even if I had to go home that night I was thrilled to see this beautiful old cathedral!

 I had no idea what I was about to see in the next few days! :)

 

 

 

I was overwhelmed...

and kept having to take a picture every 10 steps...

my sweet friend was very patient to wait for me!

 

On we strolled....

 

Loved the street signs ....

 

 

 

As we approached The Louvre...

we were walking under these beautiful archways covering the sidewalks.

 

 

 Because in Paris...it does rain! :)

 

 

 

 

I noticed this stately gentleman walking across the street from us and it so reminded me of the wonderful book that my sweet friend Cindy had suggested I read before my adventure...

 

The Greater Journey!

 

 A fabulous read...

and enjoyed reading about a gentleman who would walk to The Louvre everyday and then stroll thru The Tuileries Gardens!

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we went thru the entrance to The Louvre...
it was so beautiful!

I know I am sure using the word, Beautiful a lot...
it truly was all so Beautiful!!

 

 

 

 

Was in awe of the architecture!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then...

you walk out into the courtyard of this old, old palace that is now such a famous museum!

 

 

 

 

 

And how about the entrance to The Tuileries Gardens...

 

The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel!

(Carrousel=military drill)

 

 

 

It was commissioned in 1806 to commemorate Napoléon's military victories

 of the previous years.

Taking 2 years to be built.

 

 

 

 

How about those pink marble columns?

 

 Amazing!!

 

And then we strolled into

The Tuileries Gardens!!

 

 Oh...so beautiful!!

 

 

 

 

These gorgeous flowers are re-planted every month!

 

 Always a color scheme!!

 

 I was in love again!!

And then I heard Irita say to me, "There she is"!

And I said, "Who"?

And she pointed ahead...it was my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower! :) 

 

And that my friends is your first day in Paris! :)

 

Hope you enjoy "Nana's Adventure"!!!

 

 

~~~