Gigi Visit and Paris- Day 2

By morning, the ear drops and Calpol (Tylenol) had Miles feeling much better, so we headed out to see Luxembourg Gardens. We went to the metro station to purchase a three day pass for everyone, but they were having issues with the computers. We did try to get the passes, with no luck. So we decided to see the Eiffel Tower instead.

First glimpse of the day

We stopped for breakfast and had enormous omelettes and crepes

We had not prebooked tickets to go up in the tower, so we were expecting a very long wait. We were pleasantly surprised when it took less than an hour to go through the queue and ride to the second level. (There are 3 levels you can explore. The first has a restaurant, the second and third are for the views.)

The red area is the restaurant, and you can see the cars going up the side

At the end of the line

It was windy and a bit chilly, but the views were amazing.  Here are pictures of what we saw from each side.

 Then some closer shots and the kids' antics.

Miles watched a few minutes of this football game

Matt wanted to go to the third level, but the kids did not, and Anna and I were indifferent (the line for that was pretty long). So after a snack, we rode back down.

The kids all really enjoyed this landmark. Miles told us, "Visiting the Eiffel Tower has been my dream for YEARS, and I've finally done it!" I love it!

By this time, it had started to rain, so we walked back to the apartment and let the kids watch TV before dinner.

During television time, I searched the internet for nearby restaurants that had continuous service. Many restaurants may close from approximately 2-7, but since we have young children, we don't eat that late. After a nice rest, the rain had stopped and we set out to eat.

A street cage where the unruly teenagers were kept. Or a basketball court.

A random corner bistro

The restaurant we found was very small. There was a line of tiny tables pushed together along one wall. The waiter pulled one out so we could sit down, and then he trapped us in. And this was one of our favorite meals during the trip. Everything was fabulous.

I had boeuf bourguignon, and Matt had some type of sausages with mash

Creme brulee and, uh, cake? I need to keep notes.

After dinner, the kids were worn out, so it was time for them to rest up for the next day.