Day 10 - Walk to Notre Dame

Today was very exciting for the kids because we had visitors from the States.  My mom and Mary are here and staying in a hotel that Mary and I stayed in 20 years ago.  It is on the same street as our apartment.  Lot, the desk clerk, was very helpful and told us about some of his favorite chocolatiers, one just down the street famous for caramels called Jacques Genin.  It was my mom's birthday so she planned the day.  We walked to Notre Dame passing through a few shops including a toy store and an English bookstore called the Red Wheelbarrow.  Grace wanted to climb to the top of ND but the line was crazy long, maybe another day.  It is a simple walk from our apartment, down Rue de Turenne to Rue St. Paul and across the river via Ile St. Louis to Ile de la Cité.  Once in Notre Dame, the kids sat in chairs and drew pictures of the stain glass windows.  It was very calming.  On our way home we stopped at a creperie for lunch and leisurely strolled home.  We sat on a bench by the river and watched the boats go by.  The kids ran down the stairs to get closer to the banks of the river.  An older French man was about to follow the kids down because he was very concerned and told me in French to watch them because it can be dangerous.  I was touched by his concern and there were no mishaps.  It is amazing how many clothing stores and restaurants there are here.  We walked through Rue des Rosiers, an area dedicated to Jewish cuisine.  There is a famous fallafel place called L'as Du Fallafel which is suppose to have very good food at a good price.  We made it back to the hotel to check in and check out their room.  It is on the 5th floor and very secluded.  I think the kids are getting tired of me.  They chose to stay with Mary and mom who were resting then go grocery shopping and back to the apartment.  We regrouped for dinner which we had at the apartment.  Jack bought 6 different tarts to celebrate Mom's birthday.  All agreed there were 2 tarts that were the best:  pear and chocolate.