Down the Champs de ElyseesAnd what’s a trip down the Champs de Elysees without a stop at the Apple storeAnd off we goDamage from the yellow jackets. Continuing protests while we were here.A lot of shops had been boarded up.Now we go to St Germain and the Left Bank. Steve really? All those?Oscar Wilde died here. Good to know. Now it’s a 5 star hotel and Michelin rated restaurant. Keep moving.We enjoyed the ambiance for a beverage stop at La Palette where the bartender said Go Seahawks. No need. Yes a Buick from California.

We were able to get on the island to see Notre Dame after the fire along with the throngs and deep security. It was a quiet and solemn walk.

Special section on the Rick Steve’s walking tour of the Marais.

Navigo passes for the metro for the week and off we go to the Marais walking tour. Very easy to go anywhere if you have phone access to find the best route.Place des Vosges

The American Church in Paris had a beautiful Easter service. All of the offerings from the service will go to rebuilding Notre Dame

And a nice walk along the Seine to the overpopulated Eiffel Tower. No we did not stand in line but did the obligatory selfie and back to the hotel for snacks and planning.

Well, they wouldn’t let us sign up as crew and otherwise they seem to want us to pay them for our entertainment skills. So one last night on the boat.

Here Captain #1, Captain #2 and Jana, Queen of the scene being jolly.

And here you see how many wine glasses a table can accumulate when you’re sitting with a wine maker. Debbie and Anne salute you!

I found Arles to be my fav so far. Possibly because it’s my kinda quaint. Old, battered, not too fancy. Friendly people, interesting stuff to look at. Van Gogh agreed, he did many of his paintings here, and the local gift shops will not let you forget it.

Who doesn’t like having a Roman amphitheater?

They have bullfighting. There was one that afternoon. Our guide went to great lengths to make sure we knew the French form of bullfighting does not kill the bull.

Ah yes, big party in town that night. We saw at least three stages going up. There was a carnival set up by the river. By the time I walked back to the boat the young people were playing beer pong and blasting hip-hop.

And every town needs a cathedral or six.

A little hard to see, I know, but behind the metal grate appears to be many glass boxes of bits of human remains. Presumably relics of the saints. They aren’t big on signage.

For the people reading this years from now, this poster is a photo of the fire at Notre-Dame which happened just a few days before.

Wherein Joyce finds some flamingoes.

I love the little details like this found in these old cities.

Then we went underground. No one is really sure of the function of these crypts, beyond being the foundations holding up the massive Roman forum above.

Here’s 8 minutes of audio recorded in secret in this busy bar / tobacco shop. People roll in and out of here nearly as fast as a New York bus station for tiny cups of espresso, tiny beers or mouse-sized glasses of … something that must be tasty.

Over the shoulder of the author you will see three ladies dressed in some period costume headed for doing something at la Féria.

And this is some of fine artwork on tobacco products. This one has slight humor aspect, but the images of cancer patients in the other packages aren’t so polite.

I don’t know what pose that Steve is trying for here. Lean back leg high.