Saturday, May 5, Paris ... The Sequel

After a very full morning of sightseeing, we decided to stop for lunch.  And where else would one slow down while in Paris, but Avenue de Champs Elysees, of course  :)

We decided to have lunch under a sidewalk canopy.  As we sat down, I put my camera on the table.  Immediately, the hostess cautioned me against leaving my camera or any other valuables sitting on the table as pickpockets would take advantage of just this situation. 

I ordered a piece of steak .. and I was served the rarest piece of meat I have ever eaten in my entire life.  Lesson learned .. never order your meal at medium rare doneness, because in Paris, that means still twitching!

Mom had escargot.  They were pretty good.

We also had the opportunity to hook up with a high school friend of Pa's.  Rich has been living in Paris for 35 years.

After lunch, Pa, Jeff and Rich stayed at the cafe, whilst Mom and I participated in our favorite sport ...  Shopping!  We poked our heads in Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Cartier, but what I found to be so unusual were the many other shops .. Gap, Aeropostale, and Adidas.  I never expected the shops on the Champs Elysees to be the same ones available at our own Gateway Mall.

Something else we didn't expect to see was the homeless man who decided to catch up on his sleep .. right there on the Champs Elysee'

What you won't find at the very end of your local shopping center .. is the Arc de Triomphe.  The Arc memorializes and honors those who fought and died in the Napoleonic Wars and the French Revolution.

After collecting a few souvenirs, Mom and I headed back to Place Clémenceau to meet up with Jeff and Pa.  At Place Clémenceau, we found statues commemorating Charles de Gaulle and Winston Churchill.

Our final stop of the day was the Grand Palais.  This picture is taken looking north from the Pont Alexandre.