We’re enjoying our time in Paris. Our first night we did laundry at a laundromat (do we know how to have fun, or what?) and took a nice stroll to see the Eiffel Tower. We didn’t go up — we’re saving that for today.

Yesterday, we visited le Centre Georges Pompidou, a modern art museum. It was suitable wacky — the exterior has to be seen in person to be believed, but I’ve included a picture here.

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It’s exoskeletal, with all the functional bits (heating, escalators, etc) outside, and the inside devoted entirely to the exhibits. We spent a lot of time there, actually. Combined with a late-ish start to the day and a leisurely brunch, and it was just about sundown when we got out.

From there, we walked to the Notre Dame cathedral, and wandered around inside. It’s impressive, massive, and old. It apparently took 200 years to build. From there, we wandered the island on which the cathedral sits. We were hoping to see the Sainte-Chapelle gothic cathedral, but it closed at 5. So we wandered around a bit, took the metro back to our part of town in the 7th arrondisement and had a nice Italian supper (with much wine, of course) and returned to the hotel. I must have been zonked, I was asleep before 9, I’m sure.

Today we’re walking and shopping the Champs Elysses (Tisha’s at Sephora now, I’m waiting on a park bench outside), followed by a twilight visit to (and into) the tower. At the top of every hour, it starts a dazzling sparkly light show, something they’d installed for the millennium celebrations. It’s something to see.

Tomorrow, we rise early and catch a train to Luzerne in Switzerland. We’ll get in around 1 and spend the rest of the day, plus part of Wednesday there. On Wednesday, we’ll hop on a train to Köln (Cologne) and spend the rest of Wednesday plus most of Thursday there. Thursday night it’s a 30 minute train ride to Düsseldorf, and we fly home Friday morning.

Oop, starting to rain. Will write more soon, for now I’m seeking cover.