Looks like it’s been a few days since we have posted.  Honestly, we haven’t forgotten you, it’s just hard to find the time in the evenings to write this blog.  We really have been keeping busy and enjoying ourselves.  Two Euro 2016 games, a backstage tour of the Eiffel Tower, dinner at Le Christine, lunch with Christy and Paul, the Picasso museum, and Versailles, all have taken up the last few days.

First, let me say that for those looking for our normal food porn pictures, we hare having problems figuring out how to get the pictures Alan took on his iPhone off of the phone and onto the computers.  Sorry but we can’t seem to access any of the pictures.  The same with pictures of the first game Alan went to-Northern Ireland vs. Germany.  One of Alan’s friends from New Orleans happened to be at that game (and also happens to be from Northern Ireland) and he posted this picture.

I think you get the idea Alan had a great time.  This game was in Paris and the next day the two of us went out to the Paris suburb of St. Denis.  The game here was Iceland-Austria.  We got to St. Denis early in order to tour the Basilica of St. Denis where a large number of the kings and queens of France are buried.  It is really a beautiful church and worth the trip to see if you are ever in Paris.

The basilica was right next to a fan zone and there were thousands of Austrian fans there.  The Iceland fans must have been hiding in a different fan zone.

 We walked to the stadium and got there 3 hours before kickoff but it was fun watching it fill.  The opening ceremonies were great and then the kickoff.

Ninety-four minutes later on the last play of the game, Iceland scored and won 2-1.  Great, exciting game, but the Austrian fans are, I must say, a rude bunch of fans, whistling and booing at every opportunity and Icelandic corner kicks.

The next day we had scheduled a “backstage” at the Eiffel Tower tour.  Because of the huge fan zone for the Euro 2016 games right in front of the Eiffel Tower, we weren’t allowed to go into the underground bunker that is under the Champ de Mars.  We did have an hour and a half tour though that included seeing how the elevator system works, going to both the first and second levels of the Tower, and actually going onto the roof of the Jules Verne restaurant on the second level.  Alan and I have been all the way to the top up above the third level where you have to go up stairs, and so opted out of waiting in long, hot lines for that after the tour.

On the way to the Metro to come home, we decided to go a little out of the way and go see the doorway at No. 29 venue Rapp.  It is an example of Art Nouveau architecture and really something.

We ate at Le Christine that night and highly recommend it.  Again the food pictures are not accessible but if you come to Paris, it is worth searching for it. http://www.restaurantlechristine.com/

Yesterdy we met Christy and Paul in the Marais district at Bofinger Restaurant.  http://www.bofingerparis.com/en/   The food pictures are not accessible but the interior ones are.

After a several hour lunch, Christy and Paul went back to their apartment and we went to the Picasso Museum.  We had been there in 1998 but only had 45 minutes until closing to go through the whole thing.  This time we stayed until closing also but had a couple of hours to explore it.

Self portrait of Picasso 

Today was another beautiful day so we decided to go to Versailles.  Taking the train instead of the Metro, but still from our local stop, it took us right around 1/2 hour to get there.  It was home to Louis XIV and subsequent kings and rulers throughout French history.  It is quite opulent and, as Alan says, you can see why the Revolution happened!

Alan is now watching the third soccer game tonight.  He did run out during one of the halftimes and bought two freshly made crepes for our dinner.  I have had enough soccer and am going to bed.  Hopefully, we will post a little more regularly so you don’t have to read such a long blog entry.