Paris

 A week in Paris! 8-15 Sep 14

 Picked up from the airport in a black Mercedes - he helped us with our bags, and drove us to our apartment through peak hour traffic. No concerns with skyrocketing fares. Wonderful, thank you Blacklane.

 Tara teaching Dennis about Plants vs Zombies

First coffee stop - Ten Belles, excellent coffee and scones

 Tiny traffic lights

 Our street in the 3rd Arr..

 We found the Eiffel Tower

Tara sees the Eiffel Tower all lit up

The next day we have a special lunch at the Eiffel Tower in the Jules Verne Restaurant. Wonderful!

 Tara enjoys a salted croissant

 The view

 Extra desserts

We had a walk along the Seine after lunch, and even found a great playground, complete with a climbing obstacle course built on the wall.

On Wednesday, Steph and Olivier joined us for 3 days. 

Tara loved them both (as we all did)

The next coffee stop - Holybelly. 

This place is brilliant. 

We went back the next day and the waitress and barista both remembered us. 

Great coffee and really interesting and delicious food. 5 stars!!

 

 A metro stop on a bridge over a canal

The Tuilleries Gardens

And on Saturday Steph & Olivier left us.

So we drank wine and ate chocolate.

Exercise

Both Dennis and I have got out for a run or two around Paris, even one together when we left Tara with the iPad as a babysitter (I mean Steph & Olivier).

In a desperate attempt for some actual cycling training for the Peter Mac ride (now only 40 days away!!), I did an aqua-cycling class.

Yep, those are spin or paddle bikes ... submerged in the water.
So, a group of older french ladies arrive. I am the youngest one there. A young, slightly buff male French instructor arrives. As I am practising "I don't speak French" in french, in my mind, I have the realisation that the class will be in French, and I actually don't speak French. The instructor knows a little English fortunately, enough to tell me how not to injure myself. I think he was making jokes at my expense, but I laughed too, so it didn't matter. About 40% of the class was on the bikes, the rest using floaties for resistance exercises. I will never return. Until I am 80. And French.