BONJOUR

We have made it to Paris and are alive and well and still cold. If it is possible Paris is colder than England.
We left Windsor this morning at 9 when Bridget drove us to the train station. From there we traveled into Paddington Station in London, took the tube to Kings Cross station where we connected to the EuroStar, the high speed train to Paris. All in all it was rather dull compared to the exciting ride we had anticipated. The trains are comfortable, fast, crowded in England, and no different than in the US. Things got interesting when we came out of Gard Nord (the train station in Paris). It is like coming out of Grand Central Station in Manhattan and not knowing which direction you are facing. We walked back and forth for a few minutes with me suggesting several times that we just get in a cab and point to the name of the hotel that Kyle had printed out for us. But Christopher Columbus wanted to sail forth and find the hotel on his own. (He didin't want to get into a cab to go only 3 blocks. I figured "screw it" it's freaking cold and we don't know where we are going.) The intrepid tourist sent me over to ask some French policemen where the streets and/or hotel was but even after taking out a street map they weren't quite sure. They pointed us in a direction and off we went again.  Three streets later and nothing looking like it was on our map, Christopher, (aka Ger) asked a French woman. She looked at our map and saw the Gard D'Est, which is across from the hotel we were searching for so she had us follow her down a small street and around a corner. Husband is now racing ahead and leaving me to fend for myself about a block behind. I was tempted to pop into a bistro for a cup of coffee and leave him wondering where I had gotten to. But I did catch up and sure enough, there was the station and there was the hotel.
After checking in we left our bags (just a back pack each. We can travel light when we have to.) and took a walk around the neighborhood. I seem to have left my hat and gloves back in England so we found a little shop similar to a dollar store and for 7 Euros I am ready to face the upper deck of the Paris tour bus tomorrow. We  found a little restaurant where we had dinner, quiche for me, pasta for Ger, then stopped at the pastry shop by the hotel for a little snack for dessert. Now we are in our room on the seventh floor over looking the train station. Sounds like a lousy view when in fact it is quite beautiful. We have taken pictures that you will have to wait to see till I can down load them.
We are quite proud of ourselves that we have made this trip without getting lost or killing each other. Hopefully our day of touring the city tomorrow will go as well.
Bon Soir.