Gay Paris/Let Them Eat Birthday Cake

Very quick post so as not to fall too far behind. First day in Paris, after a blindingly quick trip across from London. Once again we marvel at the train system. This time our fellow travellers included what I think was the French female rugby team. They were a rough, boisterous crowd, up to all sorts of high jinks. But enough of that. Our hotel is just north of the Tuilleries garden, near the Louvre. Of course, it's all charming. On our first full day here we tried the Louvre (2 hour line), gave up on that, took a boat down the Seine to the Eiffel Tower (ditto), boat back up, checked out Notre Dame.



It being Sid's birthday (Happy Birthday!) we got all gussied up & ventured out to a fine dining establishment (Benoit, an Alain DuCasse establishment recommended by our friend Russ). The kids were troupers, the waiters bemused, Sid & Philip in gastronomical heaven. There we a few things on our dishes we were not sure about (is it a meat? What part of the animal did it come from? Was it an organ that had some practical use?) - but it was all so yummy & well presented. Great people watching - from the Aussies from Sydney behind us to the regal French dame with a sapphire the size of Emmett's finger next to us. Quite an evening. Off to bed, plenty to do tomorrow...