Paris, Part Un

Mom and I finally made it to Paris yesterday morning. We were a bit too exhausted to actually do anything however, as sleeper trains don't exactly live up to their name. So we stopped off at the flat of one of Mom's friends where we will be staying during our time in Paris, then took a bit of a walk along the edge of the River Seine.
Then the rest of the day was spent catching up on emails and sleep.
Today was considerably more productive.
It started with a quick photo op at the Louvre.

 We didn't actually go inside as we were saving that for tomorrow. Today was just a self guided sightseeing walking tour.
And next on our list was the Arc de Triomphe.

Walking around Paris is facinating because, similar to Venezia (though on a much, much larger scale), there is just a wealth of historical architecture, statues, and details everywhere.

Taking a break from our sightseeing escapade, we stopped for a quick lunch. This was followed by a trip to a bakery for my first macaron ever!

Then we were off again, now to Notre Dome (and I could not get the music from a certain Disney song out of my head).

 

Feeling rather spent, it was then back to the flat again to recharge with some more treats (tiramisu, flan, and coffee).

 

Then I went off to try my hand at some Paris shopping. Considering that I am not much of an avid shopper to begin with, stepping into the Châtelet Les Halls during Soldies (a giant sale that takes place over the entire city for one week twice a year) was rather overwhelming. 
Feeling rather dazed, I didn't actually buy anything. But I did keep in mind a few places that I may return to tomorrow now that I know what to expect.
Afterall, I can't say that I visited the fashion capitol of the world without buying something.

Because the Châtelet Les Halls was entirely underground, I left for a bit of fresh air and art gazing.

Why yes, those are original Dali sketches and a map of the world from 1740.

At some point I stumbled upon the Eiffel Tower. It was a bit smaller than I had expected.

Oh just kidding.