Paris!

CJ and I (Jake) both had lengthy layovers in Paris on our way to Morocco. He had about 6 hours and I had 13. We got off the plane, stored our bags at some travel agency in the airport and bought train tickets to the Eiffel Tower. 

CJ with the elite camera angles as I try to hold the top of the Eiffel Tower.

CJ grabbed an espresso and croissant for 3 Euros, saw the corner of the Arc de Triomphe from afar, and headed back to Charles de Gaulle. 

After his departure I continued on my own. I caught a view of the Arc de Triomphe and then walked down the Champs-Élysées. After 15 years of hearing the Tour De France Commentators moan about the Champs-Élysées (Shoutout Dad), it was nice to finally see it. It's probably a lot cooler when it's filled with bikers instead of cars trying to hit me. Alas

I then peeled off on a side street to find a cafe where I grabbed a coffee and a croissant and people watched. My wandering continued until it started to rain. I found a bench under a thick tree that shielded me and looked at this pretty fountain for a while. 

After a pause in the rain, I continued weaving through some calm cobblestone streets. I stumbled into a stunning chapel called Hôtel des Invalides that houses the tomb of Napoleon. 

Got a crepe and then decided to go to the Musee D'Orsay which houses art between the classic and modern era. After a long wait outside the museum, I was blown away. The statues were fun to look at, but I was really drawn to some of the paintings, especially Ernest Hébert and Monet. Those guys were on to something. Van Gogh was surprisingly underwhelming (with Starry Night as the exception). 

This polar bear was speaking to me. 

Before hopping on the train back to the airport, I popped into a random cafe to try some steak frites. Good decision. Despite being physically unable to squeeze onto the first train that came to the station, I made the next one and continued the journey to Morocco. Till next time