Hotel Clauzel Paris

... and low-carbon alternative to hopping in a car or bus.
But this latest French utopia has met a prosaic reality: Many of the specially designed bikes, which cost $3,500 each, are showing up on black markets in Eastern Europe and northern Africa. Many others are being spirited away for urban joy rides, then ditched by roadsides, their wheels bent and tires stripped.
With 80 percent of the initial 20,600 bicycles stolen or damaged, the program ...

... which aren't too terrible considering we came here not knowing how to say a whole lot in French), this city is absolutely fabulous! We have so many amazing photos from our time here the past 2 days and exhausted both camera batteries today alone by taking around 600 photos! Graig has really gotten into the photography gig, even to the point where I have to nudge him to keep moving on (as some have done to me in the past). Our walk down Avenue de ...

Even though it was raining Jen and I walked down to the Batobus and took a trip on the Seine to the Eiffel Tower. It was lovely seeing appear beside us on the river. The boat docked and we walked up the steps and there it was. We took pictures of us touching it, avoided all the souvenir sellers with a "Non, merci" walked underneath and took pictures looking up and went to the gift shop. We didn't go up as neither of us really needed to or wanted to wait in line ...

... others. Our next meal in what will become a long and glutinous journey, was at a more modern eatery, Glou, where we dined on wonderful combinations of cauliflower, chorizzo, duck, and desserts. Yes, and wine. Apparently no meal is complete without wine and dessert. It would be rude to behave any other way but to do as the Parisians do. After returning to the Krengel apartment for a brief rest, we headed ...

... the only street with Chistmas lights, so my favorite thing to do on the weekends has been to go walking at night and looking at all the streets and their lights. I always thought Boston had good holiday decorations, but nothing I've seen before compares to Noel a Paris. Rue Daguerre, where my school is has a little pedestrian area that's just breathtaking at night now. It seems like Paris takes its ...

... that there were no lift. If you wanted to see the top, you had to climb the 422 steps each way. Slightly reluctant we made our way to the top. We had a great view of the city from the top and we also got a great look at some of the gargoyles on the sides of the towers. We got to go inside the southern belfry that houses the large bell named Emmanuel. It's absolutely massive, over 13 tons and takes up the entire belfry by itself, it's ringer alone weighs 1,100 lbs. I wonder how they ...

... s a great system for getting around, but when it's crowded ... wow! Not a place you want to be if you're claustrophobic. You're crammed in like sardines with hundreds of your closest French friends on one little car. And you're expected to stand there, with (in my case) your nose right above a stranger's head which may or may not have been washed that week. And the etiquette seems to be never to make eye contact, act happy or say anything at all ... basically like a herd of ...

... to the railings. There was lightning and thunder all over the place. The blindingly bright tower lights were turned on partway through our journey, making seeing where we were going even more difficult. Eventually, though, we made it down to the first level. We were hesitant to start another climb, though, as the storm was getting progressively worse and it was hard enough to get down one level. Instead, we elected to sneak onto the elevator, although technically ...

... locals promising some more cricket. Well after a few more shots, hours more cricket, some banter with the group of Rangers supporters in town we finally staggered back to the van at 6am. Not exactly the quiet night we were expecting but thoroughly enjoyable and precisely how a birthday should be celebrated. The next 24 hours were spent literally spent in bed, nursing shocking hangovers, rising only for some much needed rehydration and the little food that we could stomach.

... see pic) Spent today walkin around a couple of places. Went up a big office building cause its cheaper than the Eiffel Tower haha. Weather getting hot! Had the worst hot dog ever. Gonna have a quieter night tonight...got a train to catch in the morning...next stop Belgium! Amanda is also on her way to Belgium so we got her number and were gonna meet up, Bursco is fancying his chances ere.