Paris ==> Berlin

Good afternoon all. Tom here, from the Rue des Halles in Paris. The Nazi internet Frenchman (his full title) just told us we have 15 minutes left, so I will be posting for Joel and myself, as he is buying a flight to Phoenix right now for his job training this summer.

Paris is beautiful, simply put. The first two days were kinda gray and overcast, but yesterday the sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The timing worked out well, as we went to Louis XIV's palace of Versailles yesterday, and were able to experience the Sun King's chateau with the requisite ample sunshine. The gardens behind the palace itself are ridiculously vast, filled with fountains, hedgemazes, little lakes, and perfectly manicured lawns literally as far as they eye can see. Joel and I laid out in the Jardin du Roi (garden of the king) for a little bit. It was awesome.

We've hit all of the obligatory Paris sites - the Eiffel Tower (awesome, got some great night pictures of the City of Lights (and met a Brewers fan at the top)); the Arc du Triomphe, where my brother the expert photographer took some professional looking pictures of the sun setting behind it and on the Champs-Elysees, the Obelisk of Luxor, and the Louvre; the Louvre, the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Hammurabi's Code of Laws (probably the coolest thing there), the Venus de Milo, and countless other priceless and jawdropping artifacts; Notre Dame, where we were able to go up to the Belfry and look at the 13 ton bell and get some great panoramic views of Paris; Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart), the high-domed Romanesque Cathedral that sits atop Montmartre, the highest point in Paris, which, unsurprisingly, also offered some incredible views of the city. It's a long list, I know.

Joel and I eat some combination of bread, cheese and/or chocolate with (or for) every single meal, including a free chocolate crepe at the base of Notre Dame from a French crepe-maker. She must have liked us :). We also befriended some Indian breadmakers near our hostel, and have been eating copious amounts of pain au chocolat (it's like a croissant with chocolate inside).

Well damen und herren, gotsta sortie for now. The Nazi is upset. Chartres Cathedral in a couple of hours, and then a night train to Berlin! We'll try to blog again soon... hope everyone's enjoying their American summers!