isotretinoin online pharmacy The gentle rain and mist encouraged us, well me, to take the time to clean our apartment all the way down to fresh, clean sheets on the bed. I dragged the suitcases and all the clothes we had stored in the closet out, washed down the shelves and wiped the floors. The baseboards looked like they hadn’t been wiped down in a year or two – so I did that too. All in all, the place is cleaner than we found it!
nauseatingly After chores were done, early afternoon, we walked up to the oriental traiteur and purchased two brochettes of chicken on a skewer as take-away. Just to tide us over until dinner back at the apartment later.
Bus #69 sightseeing tour begins here, overlooking the Eiffel Tower
Since it was misty, we embarked on an adventure we had never tried before. The tour guide books all reference a bus route that runs through Paris and hits a lot of the sites. Because we have our Navigo passes we can hop on and off all along the route. Rick Steves’ books give details about the Bus #69 sightseeing tour – all for the cost of a Metro ticket. And, actually with a Metro ticket you can hop on and off as long as the entire trip in one direction does not exceed 90 minutes. Â Let’s see pay a sightseeing company for a narrated commentary or ride for Metro fare? I know which I would choose. Â Going forward we will recommend it to those who want an overview of the major sites in Paris. Starting at Champs de Mars (actually on avenue Joseph Bouvard), we took Rick Steves’ advice and grabbed a window seat near the back where the seats are higher for a better view!
Naturally before climbing aboard would be a great time to go up in the Eiffel Tower – especially if it’s a sunny day to check out the scene! Â The bus tour took us from the Champs de Mar (which had been a military parade ground and the site of exhibitions for the Centennial World’s fair). The surrounding apartments are the MOST exclusive in Paris and I always point out one or two I’d love to own or to rent. Mike just laughs. The bus heads down Rue St Dominique, a narrow street that requires great mastery to navigate, also a street on which we rented an apartment with Emy and Carol. We hopped off since it was Thursday to check out the bakery that carried tart Tropeziennes on Thursday. Alas, it had changed hands and there were no tart Tropeziennes around at all. So, back on the bus….
Past the brilliant gold dome of Les Invalides, past a game of boules, past the nearby Rodin Museum, on the left is Pont Alexandre III with the Grand and Petit Palais in their belle époque style of 1900, next you wind through government buildings and pop out on Blvd St. Germain.  This area is known for its Haussman architecture and upscale shopping. Turning left on rue du Bac we pass through an area of galleries, antique shops, and interior design shops.  A few blocks to left is the Musee d’Orsay or save it for the ride west to east when the bus stops right in front!
Finally over the Seine, directly ahead will be the Louvre and Tuileries gardens. The bus turns right and continues down the right bank of the Seine, past pint des Arts, the Academie Francais with its dome (where the French have met to defend the French language from corruptible influences) is across the river, just ahead is Ile de la Cite where Paris began over 2000 years ago, Pont Neuf (means new bridge but it is Paris’ oldest dating to 1600’s). On Ile de la Cite is the Conciergerie (under restoration today!), the spire of Set-Chappelle (don’t miss its stained glass windows and gothic interior on a sunny day), and, in the distance the twin towers of Notre Dame.
On the left will be the Hotel de Ville (city hall), now the skating rink is set up out front in addition to the carousel, to the right peek down and see a busy thoroughfare. It is hard to believe in August they truck in sand and turn the highway into a beach!
Soon, the bus turns northward toward the Marais, a very toney, popular area where boutique shopping, restaurants and museums like Carnavelet, Picasso, Pomipidou Centre, and Cognacq-Jay sit side by side. Don’t miss the Place des Vosages!
The bus continues on to the Place de la Bastille, Canal St-Martin, and the Opera Bastille – a contemporary structure. The route continues on up to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery where you’ll find the graves of notables like Frederic Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein and, yes, Jim Morrison! The Eyewitness Paris Guide also recommends bus route #29 (linking Pompidou Center, Rambuteau, Bourse, Opera, and Gare St Lazare) and bus route 96 (linking St Paul near the Marais with Hotel de Ville, Cluny, St Germain des Pres, and Tour Montparnasse). Why travel underground?
On our return we hopped off to find a shop that sells the “best butter,” Breizh Cafe’s butter from Bordier at 109 rue Vielle du Temple at the corner of rue du Perche. After our purchase, we headed back to rue Montorgueil to pick up a few items for tonight’s dinner — and we found  Christmas decorations outside a restaurant – complete with knives and forks. Very cute!
Knives, forks, spoons, and pink and silver do a Christmas decoration make
