PARIS WITH MY FRIEND JULIE

A FEW DAYS IN PARIS WITH MY GOOD FRIEND JULIE.   SHE WAS VISITING US FOR A WEEK.   WE HAD A DAY IN BRUSSELS, TWO DAYS IN PARIS AND A DAY IN AMSTERDAM.  A GREAT "GIRLFRIEND" VISIT....LOTS OF SHOPPING!

GREAT VISIT WITH JULIE!   WE DID THE MATH AND REALIZED WE KNEW EACH OTHER FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.

A VIEW FROM OUR LUNCH SEAT AT "CHEZ LEON";    GREAT PLACE FOR AWESOME BELGIAN MUSSELS.

IT MIGHT BE TOTALLY RIDICULOUS BUT I STILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR VISITORS ALWAYS SEE "MANNEKIN PIS"

NOTRE DAME IN BRUSSELS

I HAD HOPED TO GO UP TO THE VIEWING PLATFORM BUT IT WAS ARMISTICE DAY AND THEY STILL HAD CELEBRATIONS HAPPENING.

ANOTHER FUNNY DO NOT ENTER SIGN FOR MY COLLECTION

NOTRE DAME

THIS IS THE DEPORTATION MEMORIAL TO HONOR THOSE DEPORTED DURING NAZI RULE.  200,000 PEOPLE FROM FRANCE DEPORTED TO NAZI CONCENTRATION CAMPS NEVER TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND.  IT WAS QUITE MOVING.   ALTHOUGH WE WERE ALLOWED TO TAKE PICTURES THEY DID ASK US TO REFRAIN FROM POSTING ANY PICTURES OF THE MEMORIAL ITSELF.   THE PHOTO BELOW IS JUST OUTSIDE THE MEMORIAL.   I'M SURE THERE ARE PHOTOS ON THE WEB IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW IT LOOKED.   

"LE BON MARCHE" - THIS MEANS "A GOOD DEAL" IN FRENCH.....I'M NOT SO SURE.   ALTHOUGH I DID PURCHASE A COUPLE OF PRETTY CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS.   ALL HIGH END DESIGNER GOODS.  BUT A VERY PRETTY STORE AND THE FIRST BUILDING BUILT PURPOSELY TO BE USED AS A DEPARTMENT STORE IN 1870.  

STOPPED BY FOR A COFFEE AFTER THE MUSEE D'ORSAY;  FUNNY THING WAS THAT THERE WAS A COUPLE SITTING ACROSS FROM US AND THE HUSBAND WAS ONE OF THE GUYS FROM GOLD RUSH TV SERIES ON DISCOVERY TV!  NO...I DIDN'T TAKE A PICTURE WITH HIM.   BUT WE DID CHAT - HE AND HIS WIFE WERE SUPER NICE.

DIDN'T LIKE WALKING AROUND ALL DAY IN THE RAIN BUT THE RESULTING SHIMMER TO THE STREETS WAS WORTH IT.

AFTER HOURS - NICE WITHOUT THE CROWDS

A GORGEOUS DAY TO EXPLORE MONTMARTRE, SACRED COUERS, AND THE OPERA HOUSE.   I ALSO FOUND OUT THROUGH A FRIEND THAT THERE IS A GREAT VIEWING PLATFORM FROM THE 9TH FLOOR OF PRINTEMPS DEPARTMENT STORE.   IT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST VIEW OF THE CITY I'VE SEEN.  HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

PARIS OPERA HOUSE - -  TRES BELLE!!