So Much for Our Recovery Day

Yeah! With the web interface I can change the publish date. 

We were up at a reasonable time today but did some research and worked on the blog but didn't actually publish much as I noted in my update post. Casualty number two, I can't find my Up charger. Amazon prime to the rescue. I get the front desk person to help me since I have to order from Amazon.fr. 

We finally got moving and missed a lot of the sunshine as the forecast was for afternoon rain. We walked to a nearby market. It was much like a farmers market back home. The fruits and produce looked great but they didn't have any prepared food. Aparna wanted to stop at a cafe and sit in the sun. However everything by the market was full.

We walked towards Bastille and almost stopped at one cafe but kept going. We walked on an elevated promenade for awhile so no food choices there. As we made our way to the Bastille Mounument we discovered a lot of food choices but very expensive.

Aparna was really getting hungry as we haven't eaten all day. I convinced her to hop on the metro towards Notre Dame and we'd get food near the station where we transfer. I pop out my stay.com which I've been really happy with. There is a restaurant nearby that I flagged. It's a rotisserie. We get there and it appears they have a bistro and a restaurant. The app marketed the restaurant so we go there. 

I get the mixed plate with beef, lamb and ham.

Aparna gets escargot and we share. 

This was a bigger meal than I intended and takes longer too. Since the weather is supposed to turn in the afternoon we head to Montmarte instead of the Notre Dame. As we exit the metro, it's raining. I convince Aparna to stay since it's not a heavy rain and we get a cheap umbrella for 5 euros. Turns out we really don't need the umbrella as it just rains on and off. Plus it flips inside out at the slightest breeze. I guess that's better than breaking.

We decide not to walk up and take the small tram since its included in our metro pass. 

We wander around and decide to climb the dome of the sacred heart. It says it's 300 steps. In our heads that's not too bad. It's a very tight spiral staircase for the most part. You can't pass anyone when they stop and it's a bit claustrophobic. 

I'm not sure this photo tells the real story. It's looking up at the bottom of the stairs. 

I feel the breeze and I think we are there but it's just a walkway across the roof to more stairs. We pause for awhile as there are people ahead of us. We finally get moving again and stuck in the next spiral stairwell as someone has stopped to catch their breath. We finally get to the top and it's worth it despite the clouds.

As we descend, we end up outside again to walk along the roof. WTF, more stairs up?  We cross over a roof peak and back into another spiral staircase. I wonder how many people fall down these?  We decide to visit the church since we are here. It's impressive but in a different way than the stuff we saw in Asia. Tourists are so rude here. They ask that you don't take pictures and be quiet since people are praying. Yet there people go with their phones and cameras. I constantly hear "shh" as the crowd walking around the outside of the parish gets loud. 

We head to the Notre Dame.

It's raining again so the umbrella comes in handy. 

You are allowed to take pictures just no flash. 

Pano gets distorted when you are too close. 

Walked to bridges but the weather isn't great. I can see how this would be nice in the summer. 

It's around 5:45 and we are done and a little hungry. I see a wine bar on my stay.com app that is a short train ride away so we head out.

You can see the second umbrella purchase of the trip. 

I believe it is run by an English family. They don't serve food for another hour and the table is reversed at 8:00 pm. An Asian couple sits next to us. As the place fills up I think "Why are there so many white people here. Oh yeah, I'm not in Asia anymore."  Like most European service its leisurely. I think since we didn't order food right at 7, they assume we are not eating. I really want to order at least an appetizer but by the time we get someone's attention we need to get our bill. Maybe we can get some food at the boulangerie near our hotel and have a quiet night in. 

We head back to the hotel only to find the boulangerie closed. We head across the street to a fruit stand and buy some bananas for the morning. We look around at the food selection but it reminds me of a 7-11. That is if 7-11s carried Brie.

I was starving at this point. Alcohol and no food are not a good combination for me. I'm starving but I'm also really tired and cranky now. I would almost rather go to sleep than head out. Aparna needs to eat so we head out to a close pizza place. It's very small with maybe seating for ten. I'm not sure there is a table available so we go to a less crowded restaurant steps away. Maybe going to a relatively empty restaurant is a bad idea. I really wanted to sit down so here we are. As we wait for our food we see people walking by with pizza from the other place. Maybe we should have gotten it to go from the other place. 

Bacon and mushroom pizza. 

Parisienne salad. 

The food is good and the owner is nice and checks on us periodically.  He keeps offering bread like there is something wrong with us for not wanting it.

Food costs for the far is about $132. Wine adds up. 

We take about 21.3k steps and 7.8 miles.