Bonjour From Paris

Bonjour from Paris, dear friends!  We have survived our first very jet-lagged day in the City of Lights.  I got about 1 hour of sleep right when our plane left for Paris and then didn't sleep the rest of the trip.  We landed in France at 9:30AM, and luckily my adrenaline kept me on my feet (for a bit).

After checking into our hotel, we went looking for lunch.  We happened upon one of the spots on our must-see list - Angelina's Tea House - just a few blocks from where we are staying.

We settled into our seats on the second floor of this beautiful cafe - John with his "chef's salad" (crudites) and me with my "Angelina's club sandwich" (crust-less toasted white bread with turkey, melted cheese, and hard boiled eggs).  I also devoured some of the best fries I've ever had in my life.  I think I will get along with the French fries in France.

Angelina's is most famous for its hot chocolate.  Whipped cream comes on the side (unsweetened) and I topped my thicker-than-a-milkshake hot chocolate with plenty.  It was essentially like drinking a chocolate bar - in the best way imaginable.  I highly recommend the experience.

For dinner the concierge booked us a tabled at Goumard - a Michelin-starred seafood restaurant a few blocks from the hotel.  John had lobster and herb ricotta-topped squid pasta while I had the John Dory with roasted root vegetables.  We were both too full for dessert, so we decided to take a walk instead.

We had no idea what a treat we would be in for as we managed to stumble upon many of Paris's most beautiful sights for the first time this trip - lit up in all their beauty.

We walked along the Seine, which was heavily trafficked with boat dinner cruises.

Each view was more beautiful than the last.

I couldn't stop taking pictures of Paris aglow.

Of course I also had a snap a picture of the King Charles Spaniel puppy we saw with his daddy outside the Louvre.

For a city as big as Paris, there weren't many people walking around.  John and I got to enjoy the views by ourselves.

We were, of course, serenaded with plenty of Carmen Sandiego-esque police sirens though.  Even the sirens are charming in Paris.

An evening preview of all the sights was a perfect way to spend our first night in Paris.   I can't wait to get out early tomorrow morning to experience more of the city.